If ever I am asked for advice I usually say trust your intuition. Now if only I would have taken my own advice. I had chosen to stay in Rome for a few weeks to go to school rather than commute. For three weeks I stayed in a lovely apartment with a family conveniently located close to my school. Day one, the lady of the house smoked in the apartment. My intuition told me this was not going to be good for me especially after the dreadful draino incident of 2010. Strong scents of any kind are difficult to be around but cigarette smoke seems to be the greatest irritant of all.
The first week was ok, since there were people sniffling in class each day I thought it was more likely that I would develop a cold.
The second week a constant tickle in my throat and a cough was taking hold. No problem I thought, nothing I can’t handle.
The third week I spent the first three evenings coughing and had a nasty headache. Honestly I just thought I was a little tired and maybe stressed from trying to learn pronome diretti and indiretti. Wednesday my throat began to burn and Thursday morning I woke with chest pain. Very nasty chest pain. Even my teacher noticed that I was not my usually happy self. As I walked through the train station that afternoon I felt so strange, I was in so much pain and was walking so slowly. I felt like some strange slow motion segment in a movie. Made it home safely but feeling mighty pitiful.
Feeling this awful has lead to two doctor visits and about 7 days of rest to begin to feel better. A painful lesson learned, I must listen to myself and not remain in a cigarette smoke laden residence.
I am on the mend.
Ciao ciao
cinziasadventure 