I've had 'a bit of a cough' for over a week now. Actually, it's a real rip-roaring, window-rattling hacking cough that would do a ten-pack-a-day smoker proud. It's more of an annoyance (mostly to my fellow cave-dwellers) than an ailment, with the hoarse voice being a pretty cool side-effect and the associated sore throat mercifully brief. But the cough lingers. It hasn't stopped me riding, in fact I find the cool moist air (especially in the evenings) tends to soothe the throat and clear the chest (although I do have a good ol' splutter when I get home). All-in-all, it hasn't really put me to much inconvenience, and I'm certainly not going to give up the bike to go by train on account of it.
I can't seem to find out why, but air quality in Melbourne has been a bit low in the last few days. Rumour has it that it's a big burn-off. Well, something big must be burning somewhere (or a lot of somethings small) because the air is fairly smoky/hazy (although lacking the "apparent atmospheric aroma" that London has recently been enjoying). Normally this wouldn't put me to much inconvenience either, and despite the unpleasantness/unhealthiness of the smog I wouldn't consider it necessary to do without my bike ride because of it.
However this morning the combination of impaired breathing, poor air quality, and (not particularly vigourous) exercise triggered an episode of 'respiratory distress', leaving me wheezing and coughing up a lung by the side of the Yarra Trail. While I wasn't overly alarmed—I knew that the short-term solution was simply to rest and catch my breath—I was quite surprised by how quickly it happened. The progress from "Hmm, am I getting a bit wheezy?" to "Sh•t I can't breathe!" was rapid, lasting maybe half a minute or so.
It was quite embarrassing to pull-up and gasp for breath as the people I'd just overtaken glided by. Interestingly, no other cyclists seemed to think it necessary to inquire after my health, despite my being sprawled out extravagantly. The only person who showed any concern was a pedestrian, who kindly asked if I was OK—I assured her I wasn't having a heart attack and that I'd soon be fine.
When I say that we have poor air quality, I'm sure it's a relative thing. Compared to [picking a city at random] Beijing, I'm sure Melbourne at it's smokiest comes up relatively clean. And speaking of Beijing, woowoowoo mentioned to me that Australian athletes are being tested for asthma in advance of the Olympic Games, with some previously undiagnosed cases emerging. In my own small way, I think I've got a new insight into what the Smoggy Games may have in store for its participants—and I must say I'm not keen to experience it again.
DSE are doing a lot of fuel reduction burns while its a) not windy b) not raining. Its been the cause of a number of very pretty sunsets recently, and an awful lot of haze. My partner is pregnant, and very unhappy about the constant smell of smoke. :(
http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/fires/updates/report/burns.htm
At first I thought I smelled someone's log fire this morning. I had flashes of idylic winter with a wool sweater in a Swiss cabin. Then I read the story about the controlled burns and realised what was going on. I also have a very irritated throat today, really painful, but nothing like what you described above and no coughing. Sounds pretty serious. Maybe take PT or the car until it gets better. Nobody will hold it against you ;-). I hope you are quickly your old self again.
Well, I'm not dead. The diagnosis is bronchitis (Doctor: "I can hear a lot of crackling and wheezing down there") and the treatment (although unlikely to be really effective) is amoxycillin. Taking it easy and taking extra fluids also seem to be a good idea—and hacking up mucus if the mood takes me (which, to date, it hasn't).
OK, having restricted lung capacity was probably enough on its own to bring me unstuck the other day, but can I also blame the cloud of smoke that's been hanging over the city? Well, of course I can (alright, so it's fairly long bow, but I'm sticking to my story).
I'm actually in pretty good health. The worst thing about it is that I'm off the bike. The second worst thing about it is having a cough that makes everyone within a 50m radius stop and look at you like you're spreading TB…
Comments
Nasty man, and from a ego-centric point of view troubling as I enjoy your blog and your death would reduce my net utility.
Time to have someone have a look at that chest and talk about getting a dilator just for emergencies, and go for a nice chest x-ray while your at it, they used to be all the rage back in the day.
Then consider something like this to cheer yourself up: http://www.bonthronebikes.co.uk/484-0
Upside a filter mask will make motorists fear you.