Beijing Cough

I have it. The Beijing Cough, a persistent hacking cough that erupts from your throat and brings tears to your eyes from the spasms rattling your upper body. I've become That Annoying Person clutching her stomach coughing in your subway car, coughing at the restaurant table next to you, coughing and interrupting your conversation (apologies, except to that smoker whose cigarette smoke kept drifting towards our table during lunch).

Medication has proven ineffective in stopping it (I'm trying a third kind now) , and I'm not ready to take the only surefire cure, leaving this city. Beijing, you and your health-debilitating pollution can't get rid of me so easily! For now I will continue trying different throat lozenges, smoky plum drinks and other suppressants recommended by friends in the hopes of making my coughs sound less like a death rattle. Locals have told me that The Cough comes and goes. Hopefully it'll mysteriously go away soon (because this dusty haze sure won't) and this will the final post that you'll read about my deteriorating health. Peace out.