Do It In Your Sleeve

There's an old Beatles' song called Why Don't We Do It In The Road. This is an interesting slant on that basic premise. 

As a private music instructor I get coughed and sneezed on with alarming regularity. Many times, I have had to take time out of lessons (time that the parents are paying good money for!) to instruct a child on the proper way to cough or sneeze. 

Sadly, it's not always the kids who are doing this. I was at a music conference, sitting and  waiting for a church choral reading session. There were some people standing behind me who were chatting and coughing all over my back and hair. I tried ducking, flinching, scooting my chair, and finally, (I'd been there before they came to stand behind me.) I turned and asked them to please take their coughing somewhere else. I got called a bitch and several other negative words, but, after a pointed cough in my face, they moved. (I wish I was making that up, or exaggerating, but I'm not.) And, guess what? I came home with a bad cold that turned very quickly into bronchitis.

You see, I am one of those people who are prone to upper respiratory infections. A cold, sometimes even allergies, quickly becomes bronchitis. Every year, I faithfully get whatever flu shots are available, as well as the pneumonia shot. (I know we're getting clear of flu season, but allergy season is almost here. It's just as bad.)

And I'm not the only one. Let's join the campaign to teach the proper way to cough or sneeze. It's not hard. And it may save someone you love from a nasty bout of pneumonia.

Please, practice safe coughing. Thank you.