when ailments quarrel

I've been pretty sick of late.  Headaches and nausea have been the order of the day, which leaves me with little desire to speak loudly  - when I speak at all.  My husband's allergies are clogging up his ears, though, and the combination of my recent quietness and his new deafness is rather unfortunate.  It leads to conversations like this:

ME: [An off-hand comment that's not really important]
SCOTT: WHAT?
ME (not wanting to repeat myself, because it's wasn't all that important the first time I said it): Never mind.
SCOTT: No, what did you say?
ME: I said NEVER MIND.
SCOTT: Alright, fine.

Or this:

ME: Can you hand me that pen over there?
SCOTT: [Doesn't hear or respond]
ME: Scott! Can I have the pen!
SCOTT: WHAT?
ME (feeling like an obnoxious and demanding wife): The pen!  I want it!
SCOTT: The what?
ME (picking my nauseated self up off the couch): Never mind. I'll get myself.

As you can see this is very frustrating.  For both of us.  I have to say everything loudly or repeat it, and my low energy level makes that rather unappealing.  Poor Scott not only has to FEEL his clogged ears (which I imagine are uncomfortable), he can't hear anything.  At least I only have trouble being heard when I talk to him - Scott has trouble hearing EVERYTHING at all times.

I wonder which is gonna give first - his allergies or my nausea?  Perhaps neither, and they will be two immortals locked in an epic battle until Judgment Day and trumpets sound.

I sure hope not.