Cost of a cold: Rs. 2000!!

Bangalore is the allergy capital of India, or so we say. In my very first month here I succumbed to the seemingly harmless, but highly irritating cold and fever. My job as a software professional further made it irritating: office lit brightly by artificail lights, staring at a glowing screen and the air conditioning. Three years later and the colds continued at the same frequency. A small weather change creates an office filled with people coughing or blowing their noses ( and the closed environment provides a happy place for all the viruses and bacteria to breed) and doctors' waiting rooms filled.

My last bout was not a particularly nasty one, it lasted a week. In the spirit of this blog, I list all the related expenses. The total shocked me.

Doctor's fees ( 2 visits) Rs. 300
Medicines Rs. 300
transport costs for doctor's visits Rs. 150
Transport costs of going to office on a holiday ( to make up for sick absence, 2 days) Rs. 300
Take away (too tired to cook, plus need to eat extra foods) Rs 700
Entertainment ( movie cd cos i was too tired to go for a walk or hangout) Rs. 200

Total: Rs. 2050!!

Three bouts in a year could have financed another trip home for me.

All this emphasizes the importance of fitness. This year I have implemented a sensible eating and exercise plan, and hopefully that will keep me away from the common cold.