Bronchitis While Pregnant

Breathing and not breathing,
Stuffy but clear enough,
Inside bigger than the outside.

Brain foggy from lack of oxygen getting in.
Or is it lack of iron to move it around?
Same difference, to the bloodstream.

Is that chest tightness
The swelling from the microbes
Or the baby pushing the diaphragm?


Cough out all the mucous (and air),
Then try not breathe too deeply or too fast while refilling the lungs
Lest the coughing start up all over again.

Drink more water, and tea.
Yes, even more than before,
So be ready for twice as many bathroom visits.

Have a snack.
It's been over an hour since the last one, after all.
Maybe something warm to help soothe the throat.


Relax, but not too much.
The wrong angle makes it worse:
The coughing, the back pain, the tight-yet-loosening tendons.

Rest, but don't sit still too long.
Gotta stretch all those shifting joints and muscles
Or there will be no unassisted movement later.

Sleep, but only in short increments.
There's too much coughing and peeing and stretching
To manage a nap of meaningful length.


To conclude:
Try to remember that
The discomfort is temporary.


I feel yucky today, but I still wanted to at least attempt some poetry. So, poetry about feeling yucky is what you get. That's life sometimes.

Grocery Limericks

I went to the store for a pickle.

Last week it cost only one nickel.

But too bad for me,

they now cost 1.03.

Why are the prices so fickle?

I went to the store for some honey,

but didn't have quite enough money.

The clerk laughed at me,

but I just don't see

why the clerk thought it was funny?

I went to the store for some garlic.

I heard it's helpful if your joints click.

I eat it each day,

and pain goes away.

I hardly even feel arthritic.