The flu... or woe is me :-)

I am not amused :-/  Saturday 3rd of December I was out teaching and when I came home in the evening I felt a cold coming on. Sunday morning I had organised a brunch and didn't feel to great there either.
Monday morning I had a good old cold and felt like ****. I was supposed to fly to Dubai, but changed my flight to go directly to Perth on Wednesday.
Wednesday morning I felt better and ready to travel. The first leg of the flight went fine, but on landing in Perth (quite a quick descent), my ears felt like someone was hacking at them with an ice pick! An unbelievable pain! I discovered when I got off the flight that I could not hear on one ear, and the other wasn't too good either. Friday went from bad to worse and I concluded that I had the flu. Saturday and Sunday night, fever, and still no hearing - and slept most of the days. I really felt like I was in my own little world - and if someone spoke to me I had listen very carefully and they had to speak extremely LOUDLY.
Monday 10/12 I decided the doctor would be a good option - at that point I had already tried Panodils, aspirins, and other pills with more clout. To no avail. Fever again Monday night.
Tuesday I went to the doctor and he concluded I was sick. He gave me antibiotics for 3 days and a breather thing for astmha patients ( ??? ). But nothing for the cough I knew was coming on. I still couldnt hear, but it was not an ear infection. The breather thing was useless and the cough came. I went to the chemist and asked for cough medicine - green sludge that looked like "Shrek Snot". Tasted like it too methinks :-D 
Wednesday the hearing in my left ear began to return - probably about 50%. After googling on the internet and reading some sensible info ( and some wild stories about burst ear drums, collapsed inner ear tubes etc ) - I decided that the hearing would come back in time. I had a couple of nights more of fever and then that was it. The cough came full strength for a good week.
Just after Christmas cough gone, flu gone. Hearing still gone on one ear :-(   I have a doctor's appointment as soon as I get home - hurray for internet bookings.
The conclusion is that I will NEVER EVER fly again when I have a bad cold - in hindsight I probably should have moved the flight more than just 2 days - but hey - we live and learn!