Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever

Geez. It just gets worse and worse.

A couple times through the past few nights, I've had such coughing fits that triggered serious asthma. And while all dazed in the darkness, my lungs unable to fill with air, I thought I might die. So it evolved to the point where I was actually afraid to go back to sleep, fearing that if I wasn't consciously breathing -- that is, actively expanding and contracting my lungs -- that it would stop while I slept. And that's an experience you probably want to skip, given the choice.

And as you probably know, I'm back on some major medication now. Western medicine, Chinese traditional medicine, beefed up bronchodialators. I'm like a junkie, taking whatever I can get my hands on.

I'm sick even worse now; at dinner last night, I felt like my fingers and legs were restless -- you know that feeling when no matter how you position them, it always feels uncomfortable and swollen and unrested? I thought it was just being tired from only sleeping 4 hours the night before, but it wasn't.

Now I have a fever. Dagnabbit, I have to kill this off before next weekend. Otherwise, how the hell am I going to survive in Vietnam?? I feel like my body is really deteriorating here, like it's just up and giving up on me. It's just kind of scary.

Question:

With a fever, am I supposed to sweat it out or cool it off?

I always feel better after sweating it out at the gym, but someone got mad at me once, saying I was expending all my energy in working out instead of letting my boydy use that energy for healing.

And you know what? I have no idea how to measure body heat by the wrist-on-the-forehead method; everyone feels warm to me this way!