I feel bad. Not just bad, but really bad. I’ve never been able to admit when I’m sick, because I have a reputation for being an Iron Man. I RARELY get sick. When I do, I won’t admit it. I’m going to describe all my symptoms and events, and ask you persons to tell me what I got. I hereby release all persons who reply from any legal or medical obligations, written, implied, or otherwise. I ask persons not to post “Go see a doctor” because that will happen, if this lasts another week. Otherwise, please, just take into consideration my symptoms and hazard an educated guess on my condition.
First day:
Slight headache. Symptoms of Strep Throat. Throat swollen, front/top, scratchy, painful to swallow. Slight muscle ache.
Second day:
Extreme weariness, worse headache, throat swollenness and strep symptoms disappear, scratchiness remains. Deep, painful, grating cough. Lots of phlegm and mucus, runny nose. Bad muscleache. Slight fever. Take Excedrin, later, Sudafed.
That night:
Wake at 2am, horrible cough, take cought medicine, back to sleep. 5am, wake up freezing. Pull second blanket over me, sweat bullets while shivering so bad my whole body cramps up. Lasts approx 30-45 mins. Wake up, late morning, in a sweat.
Third day:
Life is now hell. Severe tiredness. Terrible fever. Hacking cough. Dying voice. Constantly cold, despite temperature. Gobs o mucus. Cannot speak w/o coughing fit. Horrible muscle ache (likely from shivering @ night). Took Dayquil, got medicinehead. Completely weak, detached. Also, Excedrin for headache. Takes 10 minutes to get impetus to move.
Fourth Day:
Feel much better. Been taking cheap equivalent to Nyquil entire time, just in case. Hold down food, drink, though soda makes me queasy. Go to movies, somewhat tired. Still have cough, chest pain. Voice rough. Phlegm. Start blowing blood through nose, late at night (get many nose bleeds, likely source). Ear pops, feels like drum breaks. Cannot equalize pressure. Much ear pain, ringing. Ear drum found to be intact, still, very painful.
Today:
Wake up feeling fine. Take Excedrin just in case. On way to church, feel somewhat tired. Feel more and more tired through church. During Benediction (closing, for Heathens), feel lightheaded. Vision turns black & orange, fuzzes out completely. Hearing throbs, strange noises and confusion. Weak, shaky, can’t stand up. Sit in chair for a few minutes, feel sick. Stumble to bathroom, vomit mouthful of blood/phlegm/spit/black-beady substance into toilet. Shakey, kneel on floor for ten minutes. Fever apparently breaks, as cold sweat starts. Go to more private bathroom, some diah, diarh, diahrh, squirts, mostly solid. First notable BM in few days. Later, feel much better, though voice, cough, chest pain, phlegm still intact. Afternoon, more queasiness, no vomit. Rumbling stomach, but no BM. Dark yellow uring.
Now:
Chest pain worse. Feels like only one lung works. Periodical intense ‘rib poking lung’ feeling when inhaling. Trouble breathing deeply w/o coughing. Voice getting better. Ear feels normal. Normal BM.
Throughout the ordeal, urine alternates dark yellow/very little with clear/much. Obviously dehydrated, cannot stomach too much drink w/out feeling queasy. Hold down food just fine. Very, very cold, even though fully dressed, wrapped in blanket, house 70F.
Again, no medical or legal obligations to any replies. And it is very odd to talk a bout my poops, do decorum, please.
We are the children of the Eighties. We are not the first “lost generation” nor today’s lost generation; in fact, we think we know just where we stand - or are discovering it as we speak.
