Start planning the intervention

Have you heard of the nasal decongestant, Afrin? I'm not sure how I ever missed this stuff. With my due date only days away, I'm suffering once more from the kind of cold and ensuing congestion that make you feel like you're about to suffocate if you ever close your mouth. At this point, I've lost my patience with "natural" remedies and self-hypnosis. My midwife would not be pleased to hear this. She advised me to consume copious amounts of garlic and Emergen-C. No, thanks. Espen's almost here. Let's bring on some drugs!

On the recommendation of friends, I picked up this little wonder spray. But with their recommendation came warnings--stories of people addicted to the stuff, unable to breathe clearly without it, continuing to use it even when it was tearing up their nasal cavity. 'And this is available over the counter?' I wondered incredulously. Somehow, yes. But even the package warns not to use for more than three days.

Well, I tried it, and it works so well, it's scary. Within five minutes, my monster congestion disappeared, and I was breathing clearer than when I have no cold at all (allergies also give me trouble at night). Sudafed used to be my go-to drug of choice for colds, but now I can see it has nothing on Afrin. I used to wait around for a half-hour for limited relief with that stuff. What a sucker I was!

I've used it two days in a row now. Only one more day before I have to lay off the drug. I'm afraid. Will I soon be sneaking around, hording stockpiles of Afrin, addicted and ashamed? I think Christian is already planning the intevention.