The common cold usually has three
stages:
1. The "Oh No" Stage. Categorized by a slightly ill feeling, scratchy throat, mild cough, or other very minor and isolated symptoms. So named because the future patient realizes, "Oh No, I Think I'm Getting A Cold!"
2. The "Whiny" Stage. Categorized by lots of fully blown symptoms, including but not limited to mild fever, cough, sneezing and sniffling, sore throat, tiredness, and general ill feeling. Patient will invariably be whiny during this stage, even if only internally (using the "inner voice"). DO NOT GO TO WORK DURING THIS STAGE. Stay home. You think you're being stoic, but you're really just annoying your cow-orkers.
3. The "Liquid" Stage. Patient is feeling better in general but various forums of mucous are now being expelled from various orifices. Nose is incredibly runny, cough is productive, etc. Also known as the "Annoying" stage because the patient really wants to be better, but is forced to carry a box of Kleenex around and sound miserable for another three days.