Kage Baker was prone to tonsillitis, as well as colds: but only as an adult.
As a child, she was free of the problem; sore throats and inflamed tonsils were my speciality . Kage ran more to fevers and rashes, sometimes more than one at a time. Kim and I, on the other hand, had our tonsils yanked in a job lost when we were 11 and 12, after losing probably an entire year of school over the first 5 grades. Since then, I’ve been sore throat free and my current paucity of colds started then, too.
But Kage started getting tonsillitis in her 20’s and finally had hers yanked in an emergency procedure when she was 31 years old. It was hellacious, as adult tonsillectomies tend to be; but it did reduce her inevitable colds. And she never got as many sore throats again. So we were both pretty happy, throat-wise, for the rest of our lives.
What this has left me with is a middle-aged legacy of being a total wuss where a sore throat if concerned. Mine has hurt for two whole days now, and I reached the whinging and whimpering stage hours ago. Oh, poor me! It hurts when I swallow. It’s not nearly as bad as childhood, but I am decades out of practice. Nowadays, I am a wretched weenie about unfamiliar pains.
My head is unstopped and I am breathing fine. But my throat still feels like grated hamburger, and I think I have a kabob skewer in my ears. I am very, very sorry for myself, too … wah. Kimberly says my throat isn’t even that red, but let me tell you, Dear Readers – from my side of the mucous membrane, it’s hell.
God, I’m pitiful. Luckily for me, Kimberly keeps chicken broth and noodles around the house like survivalists keep apocalypse supplies. Cup O’Soup, Ramen, Swanson’s and Campbell’s: there’s anything my whiny self might desire. And I can add garlic and other goodies from the pantry and so whip up something magical.
Nothing works on a sore throat like hot chicken broth. Except maybe hot toddies. Or hot gin and lemonade.
Kage would understand perfectly, as this was one of her chief crosses in her time. So until my head stops spinning and my throat stops burning, I’m going to live on hot broth and curl up with my Kindle.
Croak to you all tomorrow …
Kathleen, Kage and the Company 
I don’t know if this works for you, but when it feels like I gargled a porcupine I run to the nearest Jamba Juice. I get the industrial-sized Mango Tango (or whatever it’s name is) with a vitamin and an immunity boost shot added in. Sure, it’s a bit chemical tasting, but it seems to work. It cools my throat and helps flush out invaders from my system. Normally I’d combat a cold with massive nuclear strikes of sriracha and habanero, but that tends to clash with a sore throat…
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Mmmm … Mango Madness. I like that one, too. And I can load it up with all those immune system goodies. Yep, tomorrow a pilgrimage to Jamba Juice is in the works – there’s one only a few blocks away. I wonder if they have a morphine topper? …
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I second Jason’s recommendation. Cleared me up enough to sing a gig as promised, once.
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What, not hot chocolate? That’s what works for me. I like the kind from Penzeys that you put in hot milk NOT water. With a few drops of vanilla extract.
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A big glass of whiskey with honey usually does the trick.
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And even if the whiskey and honey doesn’t work, you no longer care!
Kathleen kbco.wordpress.com
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Would this be a good reason to melt some ice cream down your throat, or maybe have some little segments of juicy plums?
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