Cold and Flu Survival Kit!

At this point, we are in the thick of Cold and Flu season... I have had a cold for the past week, and I am soooo not loving this :P I thought I might put together a Cold and Flu Survival Kit for you all, so you can be more prepared than I was.

Just a note... Keep in mind that I am not in any way shape or form a doctor and you should consult yours before taking anything, these are just my suggestions.

1. You are gonna need a good Pain Reliever! Having a headache, sore throat, or just being achy in general sucks... Trust me you will need it
2. If you are all stuffed up with a cold a Decongestant will be a God send. It will give you a few minutes where you can get something done besides blowing your nose!
3. Coughing your head off? Cough Drops, learn to love them. Personally I can't stand the things, but they work!
   
4. You need to keep tabs on how high your temperature is going in case you need to go to the doctor or hospital, so keep a Thermometer handy.
5. Tissues, and plenty of them. Do I really need to explain?
   
6. You really need to stay hydrated, it will make you feel better and if you have the Flu you need to replace the fluids and electrolytes you are losing. The best thing to drink is always Water. But if you keep losing your lunch (yuck...) you might want to try Gatorade instead, athletes drink it to replace the nutrients they lose when they play and it will do the same for you as your body fights it's own battle. Another really good option is Orange Juice, to load up on Vitamin C. And finally, if you have a sore throat Hot Tea can feel really good.
   
7. I recommend keeping Hand Sanitizer handy (get it? Hand Sanitizer - Handy? Ahhhhh corny jokes ;) you don't want everyone else to be sick with you!
8. If you are constantly washing your hands and using the hand sanitizer, your hands are going to dry out pretty quickly. Cracked hands are not fun on a regular basis, but especially not while you are sick! Keep Lotion close by. On the same note, don't forget the Chapstick! Just remember to trash it after you get better, you don't want to make yourself sick again!
9. The last things I want to mention are more comfort items than anything else. Fuzzy Socks, these are like my favorite things ever! I am always cold, so they are just amazing :) Which also brings me to, find a thick warm Blanket.

The best thing I can suggest to you is to load up on medicine, drink lots of fluids, keep these items close by, and just hole up in your room to sweat it out. Sometimes, I think that's all you can do :)