If a rat dies near a steam pipe, the body wonât dry and the smell can be horrible for weeks. The odor from a dead mouse may last only a day or two. In fact, there may be no noticeable odor from a single dead mouse but several dead mice in the same area could smell for a few days.
Most popping or crackling sounds in an audio system come from a bad or dirty connections. Sometimes they do come from a faulty unit or component, but in most cases it is a connection issue.
At this point I would suggest you use extra pillows and try to sleep as upright as comfortable, it will help. The crackling in your chest is most likely the infection. Doctors and medics always listen for a `snap crackle and pop' sound as this indicates an infection, hence the antibiotics.