It's 3:30 A.M.

And I'm awake. As a matter of fact, I've been awake since 2:00. I'm completely exhausted, yet can't go back to sleep. It might have to do with the fact that I'm coughing like crazy. I read in a magazine that Whooping Cough has come back. It said if you are around children, especially babies, and you're between the ages of 11 and 64, you should get a new vaccine. I'm not sure what a Whooping Cough sounds like, but I can imagine. This all started with a tickle in my throat a couple of weeks ago. No pain, just a tickle. I would cough when I yawned or laughed, but that was it. It's now developed into a full-fledged, hacking, smoker's cough (sidenote: I do NOT smoke, but have always had a smoker's voice and cough). Do any of you have a suggestion as to what over-the-counter cough medicine works the best?

I'm going to make one last attempt to sleep. If I'm not asleep by 4:00, I guess I'm going to stay up. I think my dad must have cursed me. For as long as I can remember, he's gotten up at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning to read the paper and drink coffee. I am definitely a morning person, but not one who wants to get up at 3 or 4 to prepare for the day.