The Holy Grail

On Thursday, I started to come down with a little cold--nothing major, just a scratchy throat and that achy, 'I'm sick' feeling. I think sometimes it's just called 'malaise'. Anyway, it started to interfere with my ability to sleep, and I knew what I needed. I needed NyQuil. That sweet, sweet elixir of health would surely help me out at a time like this.
Acknowledging that I probably wouldn't be able to find actual NyQuil, I set out to find the UK's equivalent.

Apparently, no one here ever has a hard time falling asleep, even when ill, because the equivalent just doesn't seem to exist. There are loads of products that make your cough go away, but none that help ease you into sleep, which is what I wanted. OK, actually I wanted to be knocked out the way sweet NyQuil knocks you out. I wanted to wake up 12 hours later saying 'Wow, what day is it?'

In any case, I eventually went to a pharmacy and addressed the staff there with my symptoms. From behind the counter, they produced a few medicines that, frankly, didn't seem nearly as potent as NyQuil. To even acquire these weak versions, I had to answer a bunch of questions, including questions that sound like the ones my mom asks when I'm sick, like 'Are you coughing anything up?' (Gross, I know.) Then, only after I had answered the questions adequately, was I able to purchase something that is basically cough syrup with a small dose of Benadryl stuck in.

You know, people have asked me if I have any regrets about coming here. I used to say that I didn't. Now, my answer is that I regret not packing an additional suitcase full of NyQuil and bringing it over.

xo