Still Down With the Sickness

I just wanted to say sorry for my lack of blogging, but I haven’t been up to it. I am on day 12 of being sick and I have a feeling there could be a few more days of this before I am better, though today is the first day I actually feel & sound more like myself instead of a contagious, coughing, moaning, mucus filled zombie! And this is not like a little cold with the sniffles, it is straight up I am sick. I look, sound and feel like shit 98% of the day. I will be happy when this cold is no more, though I am hoping I can continue to convince people to do chores around the house for me, you know in the off chance I may still be contagious. yeah right.


I decided to list the 10 stages of my sickness because I am boring and I simply can not think of anything else to blog about.

Stage 1: Conjunctivitis in both eyes. (Days 1-8) This is the fun stage where people do not even want to come near you. And at night you wake up every few hours and after blindly making your way to the bathroom after tripping over your cats that lay in the middle of the hall you have to peel apart your eyes because they are fully stuck together. As this lasted an entire week and medicine didn’t help, I don’t think this was pinkeye…it was viral. Positive – I think the eye mucus acted like a conditioner on my eyelashes, they look great! Thicker and longer.

Stage 2: Sore throat. (Days 1-7) All I have to say is UGH. We all know having a sore throat just sucks. Nothing you do makes it feel any better to swallow, talk, eat or even breathe for that matter. And Chloraseptic Spray - blech. I would much rather gargle salt water then use that stuff. Of course being the big baby I am I won't gargle with salt water and therefore probably prolong the pain just so I can complain that much longer. Oh well, it is how I roll.

Stage 3: Can’t sleep. (Days 1-present) Fact: I am tired. Fact: When I get better I am sleeping for an entire day.

Stage 4: Bad cold (Days 4-present) including; coughing, sneezing, runny nose, congestion, fatigue, slight fever, itchy ears, and just generally sounding and looking like complete shit. I like to refer to myself as a “hot mess”.*

Stage 5: Severe pain in sinus cavity, from forehead to jaw. (Day 7-present) There were a couple days where this pain was almost unbearable and nothing worked, even my teeth and gums hurt. Good thing about this, between the medicines I am on to help the pressure and the fact that every time I try to eat something I feel extreme soreness in my mouth I have not eaten much and have loss 6 pounds this week. Um, not noticeable but still awesome.

Stage 6: Phlegm phase (Day 7-present)…and the grossest of phases. The things coming out of me and the amount of stuff coming out of me is just disgusting and a bit sci-fi. I don’t need to say anymore. (Secret confession that you really didn't care to know: though this is the stage of sickness that is the grossest I study everything that comes out of me. Color, consistency..etc. Totally gross, I know that - But I can't help it.)

Stage 7: Sinus Infection Stage. (Day 7 -present) Yep, full blown sinus infection and I blame my doctor and her inability to care about her patients on more than a monetary level.**

Stage 8: Uncontrollable coughing. (Day 7-present) I currently sound like a sea lion hacking up a fish along with some seaweed that got stuck in my throat. Annoying for all in ear shot.

Possible Stage 9: Womanly Infection stage due to a high doses and 10 days of antibiotics. I am trying VERY VERY HARD to avoid this stage by eating as much yogurt as I can each day. Bring on those yogurt cultures!

Stage 10: ALL BETTER, FEEL GREAT! YAY (Day = unknown)



Side Notes:

*When you are sick when “swine” flu is going around people make reference to this, alot. I am not talking about the funny comments from people in the office or my friends but I am talking about complete strangers making reference to it. Few examples: Lady at coffee shop: Hesitated taking my money. She said “so you are, um, sick?” As I kept trying to hand her my money I smiled and said “Yeah, thank goodness it isn’t that swine flu.” She took the money, but with a bit of hesitation. Lady at drugstore “Oh you poor thing, you sound horrible.” I smile. She says “so do you have a cold or is it the, a flu?” Me, “just a regular old cold.” Lady “oh that is good, with all the talk of flu’s in the news you don’t want to get that.” Lady at Time Warner: “How are you?” Me “I am good how are you?” Lady “Oh you sound sick, it isn’t that pig flu, haha.” Me: “Nope.” Lady “Haha, just kidding!” *sigh*


**I am beyond frustrated with my doctor. I have gone to the same office since I moved to BG. However a few years ago my doctor moved to FL. and I was moved to another doctor in the office. From the beginning I never really got along with him or his Nurse Practioner (which is the lady I see), they both always seem too busy and very disinterested in what they are doing. Case in point I specifically asked when I went into the Dr. on day 1 if this could be something else other then pink eye as I was getting a cold and had a sore throat AND I had pink eye once before and this has different symptoms. She simply said no, didn't even look at my eyes (her student did that) handed me a perscription and said this will work and you will be fine. Obviously this wasn't the case. She never told me "well maybe it could be something else I can't tell right now, if it doesn't get better in a few days come back", she simply didn't listen. And this is not the first (or second or third) time. I have looked into a couple other doctors in the area referred by friends, but they both are not (and have not) been excepting new patients the last couple years. I don’t just want to change to a new doctor without knowing whether this doctor is going to be better, I prefer to be referred by friends who know what the doctor/s are like. Therefore I have stayed where I am. But after things in the past and how little she listened to me and I feel her inability to treat me properly I am ready to switch. I want to find someone who will take the time to listen to concerns and encourage questions, someone I can feel comfortable with. Is this too much to ask? I don’t think so.

Do you feel comfortable with your doctor? If you have a doctor in the area that you love and don’t mind sharing their info, please let me know!