The Creeping Crud

[Idiot Neutral]

So, I've been sick for about three weeks now. At first, I caught the tail end of the flu wave that all the kids were into this winter. After that, the bizarro weather of Knoxville triggered allergies and a bit of a cold. Now, I'm still sick, and I don't know what the hell is wrong with me. See, I've got SOME kind of sinus infection. Y'know, with the throat drainage, coughing attacks, and phlegm that resembles white paint. That's all well and good, I've had my share of respiratory problems. It doesn't help that I'm quite the smoker. However, this recent attack is just strange. For example, while I'm sitting at my desk at work (at a call center), I cough quite frequently. The woman next to me, being sick a week earlier, passes a few cough drops over the cube wall. I thank her, pop a cough drop, and immediately hack it back up. It was like someone had put metal shavings in the lozenge. I could do nothing but cough while sucking on the cough drop. So, when lunch break comes, in my infinite wisdom, I go out to smoke (about four) cigarettes. Not ONE time while smoking did I cough. The tickle in my throat just stops while I'm smoking. And I'm not smoking Ultra Lights here. Oh yea, and now my voice is gone, so I had to call in today, which puts me at 9 1/2 occurrences (just one more until termination!). So, point of the story being that I hate my body, I hate the weather in Knoxville, and I hate the word "Menthalyptus."

[Talius]

Safehouse Medical Rule #1: Go to a doctor.

If you choose to ignore this rule, proceed to the pop-diagnoses of non-medically inclined yours-truly.

I think you have lung disphoria. Drink as much booze as you can, making sure it goes into your lungs.

If that doesn't stop the coughing, I don't know what will.

(Note: It may stop other things. Like vital signs)

[Nocte]

The flu sucks ass this year. We've had about 3 different strains run through my family already. Now the baby is sick again... wave 4 incoming!

Edit: And both kids had the ^$%#ing elusive flu shot, too. WTF?!?!?!

[Dorla]

Sinus infections don't go away real easily... go get some meds. I had a bad one over Christmas, and it was pretty much antibiotics and cough syrup slugging all day, lots of water and liquids, and Nyquil at night. Even with that, I was hacking a lung out all day and lost my voice from it... those nasty hacks that make your eyes water and nose run, and won't stop. :( I was run down for quite a while too... probably worn out from the hacking. One of my friends here at work's been fighting flu and walking pneumonia for well over a month. Seems to be a bad year for sickies in general.

Oh, and cough drops make my throat tickle too... they dry up my throat way too much.

[Vilkata Tasavalt]

I was hacking for a week...the kind of hacking that makes you almost black out you aren't getting enough oxygen. You know...get light-headed and your eyesight starts to go. Then I came down with a fever(ranged anywhere between 99 and 103)...ended up laid up for a week. Pneumonia sucks. Let me advice you all...never get Pneumonia.

And that is one piece of advice you CAN take at the Safehouse.

Vilk

[deuce]

Drink a gallon of milk within a hour. You'll feel better or worse, or forget you had the flue because other things hurt worse....

My guess is the last one.

[Lisboa]

Who else read this and hoped there'd be an allusion to Wizardry I: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord?

[Bubbalotski]

See a doctor. If you have been congested in the head for 3 weeks I will bet your left nut you have a sinus infection (sinuses are winderful for growing bacteria). Get a broad spectrum antibiotic take it for 5 days and be done with you problems.

And by the way, I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

B

[Elerion]

Smoking stopping coughing isn't strange at all. It may hurt a bit, but I do sometimes grab a smoke when my throat is all ****ed. It's like a 5 minute long cough, it's like orgasm for an itchy throat.

Of course, 20 minutes later, it's worse than it was before the smoke.

[Boddi The Ranger]

Who else read this and hoped there'd be an allusion to Wizardry I: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord?

That's how you know you've been a geek for a LONG time, when you remember stuff like that. Makes me feel a bit old thinking about how long ago that was. :lol