Silence is Frustrating

I have strep throat. That means that my throat is being strepped. Well, if I had to come up with a new word that described what it felt like that would be it. kinda.

My throat hurts. A lot. I mean, 1200mg ibuprofen isn't denting the pain. I only took 800mg post-delivery (okay, so I had other drugs helping out and some pretty fab hormones courtesy GOD, but I've seriously never taken this much pain medication). So I decided I should probably go to the Dr. You'd think I were a guy.

When you tell the Dr., in as much voice as you can muster, that you believe you'd feel better if you could just remove your throat, they get the picture that you're in a lot of pain. So, even though the shove-a-Qtip-as-far-down-your-throat-as-we-can test didn't say I have strep (I guess it only tests for the A-strain, not the whole family of B-H strains...) the Dr. thinks it's strep and recommends that we don't wait for the culture to come back in 2 days to begin antibiotics.

I volunteered for an injection. A nee-, a needl-, no, I still can't say it. And it sounds just as crazy in retrospect. (I thought now that I was feeling better it would sound more realistic, but it's still just as crazy)

The nurse, a sweet thing... I tell her that I hate needles, but that I know this will work faster than pills... so she tries to be kind and realistic (I'm not sure that's actually possible, but she tried and I give her credit for that) So, she explains to me that I'll have to lower my pants and that it's going to hurt because it's like injecting glue - um, it's really thick - she quickly corrects herself. Now I'm leaning over on the table and she's trying to find the thickest spot on my butt in which to inject the um, glue, so she's poking and pushing - and my muscles are already sore because I've been sick... and there's not a big fleshy spot on me... I'm a whopping 5'1" 105#... there's no excess. So, she finds a spot she likes and pinches me up so it won't hurt as much (nice of her for trying) and OOOOOUUUUCCCCCHHH!!!!!!! THEN - she has to RUB IT AROUND a little after she's done injecting it so it breaks up some... great... exactly what I wanted. Stab me with a needle, then rub the injection site for a while... already I'm feeling better! Then she says that some people have reactions of rashes, dizziness, and fainting so I'll need to lay down for 20 minutes (on the hard table, on my new ouchie) so they know I don't have those reactions. I think she also notes that I'm a little pale from the pain of my brand new dead-leg.

So now, my butt, AND my throat hurt! Isn't that just a miracle of modern medicine!

But, here we are, day 2, and I'm actually beginning to think I WILL get better. Soon. Today's better than yesterday, which was better than the day before. My butt still hurts, like to sit on and when I walk, that's all. But I can eat! Still no talking though.

Not talking is a challenge. Especially at work. On a day that's had 3 conference calls already. I just had a customer walk in and accuse me of ignoring his message... as I pantomime to him that I have strep and he slowly backs away.

I can't answer the phone, but I'm swallowing without cringing and getting hungry! Tomorrow is a new day! Hopefully with real food and real words.