Sick
I have a hard time convincing myself to post if I don't feel like much exciting has happened and the post might be short or imperfect. But it's been so long since my last post that I feel like I should post.
I am still sick, amazingly. I was feeling mostly better for awhile, and all I had was a minor sore throat that I could easily deal with. Now, that sore throat is just absurd, such that I've only been able to put down about half a meal at each meal, and even just drinking water is hard. A nasty cough came with it, but most notably one that shows up almost exclusively when I'm trying to sleep. I hardly ever cough, but if I try and sleep, I'll wake up about an hour later coughing uncontrollably. So after about three weeks of being sick, I finally went to medical on Tuesday. The guy took my vitals and questioned me a little bit, then I sat around and waited while I was expecting to see a doc. Instead, the same guy just came out a little later and said I could pick up some cold medicines from the naval hospital on the other side of base. So I went to pick up the medicines, and what were they but basically Tylenol, Robitussin and throat lozenges. So I got them for free, but it was nothing I didn't already have. Furthermore, since using those and the Nyquil I bought the other day, I swear it has only gotten worse. I can't understand it! I'm just tired of being sick. It especially sucks because we have a PFT tomorrow, and I doubt I'm going to improve on my run time with this sore throat and cough. If any of you know any good old maid's cures for a nasty sore throat, let me know, because it doesn't look like I'll be getting much help from BAS.
It's been a very laid-back week. Yesterday I filled out a security clearance application (again! I think this was the third time!), so if any of you get calls from the FBI or DOD, I'm not in trouble, just getting researched for my security clearance. Next week we go out to the field for three days for some practical application. It should be pretty easy, and laid-back field not like MCT super-intense field.
Yesterday I started getting all kinds of ideas for this short story I've been thinking about writing. It's exciting to me because it's not a fantasy and I don't often get interested in writing non-speculative fiction stories. We'll see if that leads anywhere.
I have to get back to class, my lunch break is nearing an end. I hope all is well for everybody out there. Semper Fi.
[addendum] I told my roommates the other day that not much I've ever encountered makes me happier than Whiplash the Cowboy Monkey. Here's a picture.
I am still sick, amazingly. I was feeling mostly better for awhile, and all I had was a minor sore throat that I could easily deal with. Now, that sore throat is just absurd, such that I've only been able to put down about half a meal at each meal, and even just drinking water is hard. A nasty cough came with it, but most notably one that shows up almost exclusively when I'm trying to sleep. I hardly ever cough, but if I try and sleep, I'll wake up about an hour later coughing uncontrollably. So after about three weeks of being sick, I finally went to medical on Tuesday. The guy took my vitals and questioned me a little bit, then I sat around and waited while I was expecting to see a doc. Instead, the same guy just came out a little later and said I could pick up some cold medicines from the naval hospital on the other side of base. So I went to pick up the medicines, and what were they but basically Tylenol, Robitussin and throat lozenges. So I got them for free, but it was nothing I didn't already have. Furthermore, since using those and the Nyquil I bought the other day, I swear it has only gotten worse. I can't understand it! I'm just tired of being sick. It especially sucks because we have a PFT tomorrow, and I doubt I'm going to improve on my run time with this sore throat and cough. If any of you know any good old maid's cures for a nasty sore throat, let me know, because it doesn't look like I'll be getting much help from BAS.
It's been a very laid-back week. Yesterday I filled out a security clearance application (again! I think this was the third time!), so if any of you get calls from the FBI or DOD, I'm not in trouble, just getting researched for my security clearance. Next week we go out to the field for three days for some practical application. It should be pretty easy, and laid-back field not like MCT super-intense field.
Yesterday I started getting all kinds of ideas for this short story I've been thinking about writing. It's exciting to me because it's not a fantasy and I don't often get interested in writing non-speculative fiction stories. We'll see if that leads anywhere.
I have to get back to class, my lunch break is nearing an end. I hope all is well for everybody out there. Semper Fi.
[addendum] I told my roommates the other day that not much I've ever encountered makes me happier than Whiplash the Cowboy Monkey. Here's a picture.
posted by Roger W. at 2:15 PM
8 Comments:
Roger,
Sarah always says the best thing for a sore throat is to gargle with salt water, frequently. It does help, although it's kind of disgusting. Just don't swallow the water. I'm sorry you're not feeling well. If it's any consolation, Brett and I are having the same trouble, but without the sore throat.
Hey, Roger.
Ditto on the warm salt water gargle! It really does help.
So do hot toddies, but you probably can't get those there.
Take care.
Rog,
I am sorry to hear you are sick. Dad and I were talking about the possibility that maybe you have developed allergies to the California plants. If that's the case, then Benedryl will help. Longer term, Claritin would be something to try. If it's just a cold, a hot toddy of whiskey, honey, lemon and hot water helps, too. If you are having post-nasal drip, the cough and sore throat would not be unexpected. If it goes away during the day, it's more likely to be allergies, but it sounds like you could have more like strep throat from your description. Don't let them blow you off if it doesn't get better. You aren't any good to anybody if you aren't in top form!
I see Mrs.T agrees with a couple of things I suggested. I didn't notice it until I already had it written.
Other than that, it was great to read your post. It really helps to read what you are thinking.
Keep the faith!
Have you considered applying a large dosage of butter to the affected area?
Sounds like you have the problem I get almost every winter, and lots of guys get at basic, or while training in NJ. Odds are, it's a bacterial infection, but it's not giving you a fever at all (hence them not giving you anti-biotics... plus anti-biotics are expensive), yet is making your life miserable. Usually the only thing that clears it up QUICK is when I finally get sick w/something more serious, get a fever, and then they give me anti-biotics and it clears up in about 2 days. In the mean time, I suggest Zinc lozenges as opposed to regular throat lozenges, plus take multi-vitamins, and vitamin C. And as much as you can, sleep instead of doing recreational stuff in your spare time. Seriously, don't expect much help from military medical personnel unless it's actually progressed to pneumonia or serious fever. Even then, don't expect them to help you get your meds from a pharmacy across post on their lunch break when you have a fever of over 100 as they'll just drop you off miles away so they can go eat (seriously, happened to a guy I know.... medical officer that did it was a guard officer from our state).
Teddy,
Your story is no surprise to me. The hospital is like two miles away from BAS, so unless you're dying, if you need to go over to the hospital for meds or something, you just hump it like I did.
Furthermore, the syndrome you're referring to is I believe what we call "recruit crud," and is an amalgamation of different strands of colds from across the country coming together where you only have immunities to the strands of colds from your area. I don't know that it's what I've got, as recruit crud for me has always just been a nasty cough and sinus congestion, whereas what I've got seems much more along the lines of what I believe to be strep throat. That is, the worst sore throat imaginable, if that's what strep throat is. I did have a fever for about a week, but that was before the sore throat god bad. I do think you're probably right about just needing antibiotics, but they'll be damned if they actually give me anything that will cure me, so I'm just going to suck it up and wait for that trash to die on its own.
Hey Rog! It's Karen. Love the blogs! they are oh-so-entertaining! My mom always suggests drinking some whiskey. For real. She's made Matt do it in the past. Get some cheap stuff, that'll really kill any nastiness in your throatal region.
Hey Roger,
Sorry to hear you aren't feeling well. I agree with the hot toddies. I would skip the water and just go with whiskey, honey, and lemon. I usually have one. Then, when that doesn't work, I have one more. Then, I usually throw a few more in to make sure everything is killed. I try to keep this up for a while. By that point, I don't really remember I have a sore throat or cough so everything is good. Until I wake up the next morning.
I hope you get feeling better!
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