by Pa Rock
Sufferer
I've never been much on suffering in silence, so here goes with my medical update.
I have been sick since Thursday afternoon, making it now three full days since these symptoms came upon me. I am running a fairly steady low-grade temperature, although I can't find my medical thermometer to verify that. I am achy, weary, and cranky. Three times today I tried to settle in for a nap on the couch, but sleep would not come. I had been sleeping decently at night, but last night turned into one of those where I watched the clock from midnight until 5:00 a.m. (If that happens tonight, I will get up and read.)
The symptoms are "flu-like," and a nurse told me over the phone on Thursday that there is a lot of flu going around. Not being one who believes in summer flu, especially when the daily temperature is routinely over 110 degrees, I got on the Internet this morning and began my quest for information so that I could self-diagnose. (My niece is a physician, and she always tells people to stay off of that damned Internet!)
My research quickly led to the Mayo Clinic website which gives a rundown of symptoms for various diseases. Valley Fever seemed to be the best fit. Not only do most of my symptoms match, but it is also a malady common to the desert. It seems that the desert grounds contain a fungal agent comprised of things decaying on the desert floor. When that fungal dust becomes airborne, it can be absorbed through the human respiratory system. And, just so you know, the air out here is always dusty - dust can even be blown into the air by someone sneezing.
So tomorrow I am going to try to get in and see my doctor. I'm sure that he will appreciate the fact that I have gone out and done his research for him - or else he will say, "Stay off of that damned Internet!"
Sufferer
I've never been much on suffering in silence, so here goes with my medical update.
I have been sick since Thursday afternoon, making it now three full days since these symptoms came upon me. I am running a fairly steady low-grade temperature, although I can't find my medical thermometer to verify that. I am achy, weary, and cranky. Three times today I tried to settle in for a nap on the couch, but sleep would not come. I had been sleeping decently at night, but last night turned into one of those where I watched the clock from midnight until 5:00 a.m. (If that happens tonight, I will get up and read.)
The symptoms are "flu-like," and a nurse told me over the phone on Thursday that there is a lot of flu going around. Not being one who believes in summer flu, especially when the daily temperature is routinely over 110 degrees, I got on the Internet this morning and began my quest for information so that I could self-diagnose. (My niece is a physician, and she always tells people to stay off of that damned Internet!)
My research quickly led to the Mayo Clinic website which gives a rundown of symptoms for various diseases. Valley Fever seemed to be the best fit. Not only do most of my symptoms match, but it is also a malady common to the desert. It seems that the desert grounds contain a fungal agent comprised of things decaying on the desert floor. When that fungal dust becomes airborne, it can be absorbed through the human respiratory system. And, just so you know, the air out here is always dusty - dust can even be blown into the air by someone sneezing.
So tomorrow I am going to try to get in and see my doctor. I'm sure that he will appreciate the fact that I have gone out and done his research for him - or else he will say, "Stay off of that damned Internet!"
1 comment:
I too find myself drowning in information on the internet and often turning events into a much more trying situation than they really are. You've got to do something though! After all, waiting days & paying money for someone in the medical field to give you a diagnosis in 2 minutes that you will nearly always believe without question may be just as bad as diving into the internet world and swimming for hours to find a diagnosis yourself!
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