Adventures in Medicine, Vol. 87

I've spent the last week ill with a lung infection and pleurisy. It started out with what I thought were allergies, but since people at work had been passing around an upper respiratory infection until it grew in strength, it landed at my desk with an almighty thud.

My doctor initially thought I might have whooping cough, of all things. I didn't think people got whooping cough anymore. I figured it had gone the way of "consumption" and "grippe", but I guess not. I had blood work done at the lab and got prescriptions for 2 antibiotics (twice in 6 months!), a steroid to take down the inflammation in my lungs and Vicodin cough syrup, which is also something I didn't know existed. I'm now a huge fan of Vicodin cough syrup. I'm not a fan of steroids, which made me gain 12 lbs. in one week (!), so it's a good thing I'm not a professional athlete. If you knew me personally, you'd know that this is not something to worry about.

I was out of work (yay!) for most of last week. I tried to go back on Wednesday, but everybody told me I looked like shit (don't I usually?) and sent me packing as soon as I got there. I worked a full day on Thursday, even though everyone was telling me to go home, because I had already arranged to be off on Friday. I had a full house of people coming for Christmas on Saturday and I needed time to cook and clean.

I felt OK but tired on Friday and got everything done that I needed to do. Saturday came and everyone showed up and we had a great time visiting and watching football. I had to take a nap midway through the evening and I looked and felt visibly worse when I came back out.

Sunday morning, I woke at 4:30am with a full-blown classic migraine, complete with nausea and sensitivity to light. I don't get these migraines very often. I usually get the kind I can control with my meds, but the classic kind, you just have to sleep them off. I spent all day Sunday in bed, miserable and with a wet rag round my head, and I didn't get to say goodbye to anyone.

This morning, Christmas Eve, I had to work for half a day, and of course, I felt fine. Figures........
Happy Yule and a Great 2008!