Hi Everyone!

I hope everyone is doing well. Some of you may have heard about the devastating fire that completely decimated major portions of the County I live in. I say fire when it was actually 4 separate big fires in 4 parts of the county. The largest was just officially designated as the worst disaster in California history and just happens to be the one who took aim on the city that I live in. Entire neighborhoods were obliterated, the fire leaped over a 6 lane highwaty and flattened a business park, several businesses and the neighborhood behind them. So far 23 people have passed away, with about 19 more still missing. Some of these people may never be found due to the intensity and high temperatures of the fire. The thought of that is devastating.
I was woken up in the middle of the night with a call for help from work. I responded to work in what I can only describe as a living hell ... I thought for sure that the apocalypse was upon us and I was never going to see my family again. This may seem dramatic, but until you've driven towards what looks like hell and a sky so red and winds sooo strong, and watched flames approach your building where you are unable to leave while smoke fills the building, the power goes out, the water stops working ... you may not have those thoughts in your head. I have since that moment been working 15 hour days, with not a lot of time off. When I have been off at night, i haven't been sleeping. I have nightmares from the things I saw, and the things I heard. I think I talked to some of those 23 aforementioned dead people. I'm not sure. but, when every call I answered was me telling people to get out to save their life ... well, it's a good possibility that in the height of the fire, they didn't make it.

In light of this intense stress, lack of sleep, and poor diet (we've been at the mercy of whatever has been inside our center because we didn't have staffing for breaks), I am starting to feel like I am getting a cold. My throat hurts INCREDIBLY bad, I am starting to get stuffy, and I am starting to cough. I am two months into this last RTX infusion, and I want to combat this cold because I don't exactly have time to be off. I am out of sick time. I have plenty of vacation and compensation time to use but ... we are still in the middle of a major crisis at work and ... I can't leave them short.
Anyone have any tips or tricks for kicking a cold out before it can take hold? The last time I've actually had any colds they immediately become bronchitis and I am out for like a week. I need to kick it now.
 
Thanks everyone!!