Pethidine Pleasure

It all started harmlessly enough. Just felt a bit more tired than normal on a Sunday night. I woke up on Monday morning feeling a bit achy in the legs, but it's nothing a couple of panadol can't handle. Breakfast isn't as appetising as normal, but that happens sometimes. I proceed to attend the first day of the ACLS course. I'm really enjoying it, but as the morning progresses, something doesn't quite seem right. The panadol has worn off much faster than expected. The aches in my legs are starting to spread to the rest of my body. I'm tired as though it's 11pm already, but I check the clock and it's only 9am.

Lunch time can't come around fast enough. The aches are getting worse. It is a frosty day, but the quick trip across to the caf causes quite an unpleasant feeling. I'm positively shivering when I get there. I'm so cold that I buy a slightly unusual combination for lunch - hot pie and pumpkin soup. It certainly warmed the soul a little, but it didn't help the aching that had now well and truly set in. I tried to sit quietly for the remainder of my lunch break but GeekBoy next to me refuses to shut up. I started to get a headache too.

The remainder of the afternoon was an uphill battle. Every movement required so much effort. When we moved to a different room, the temperature would change too and I would start to shiver whether I was hot or cold. In fact, I couldn't tell if I was hot or cold at all. I don't know why I didn't just go home, rather than wait for the 5pm finish.

That night, the rot really set in. Fever, headache, and muscle aches from head to toe. I'm so tired. I can't move at all. The only way to avoid the pain is to sleep. I cannot take enough panadol to keep up with the symptoms without killing my liver at the same time. My hopes of completing the ACLS course, and the start of my O&G attachment have to be postponed.

By Tuesday night, the sore throat started. At first it was insignificant compared to the pains in the rest of my body. However by the next morning, I thought I had swallowed a cactus. Not any normal cactus, but one of those really nasty ones that Wile E. Cyote would use to try and catch his Road Runner. Swallowing became so painful that it was almost impossible. My appetite disappears. Along with the continuing fever, headache and myalgia.

By Thursday, I'm sick of it all. I make the decision to see a doctor. When I ring Pink Cottage, I find that they're all booked for the day and their next appointment is tomorrow. I might be dead by tomorrow!! So I decide to call Mum's GP and I find that because I'm not registered with them, it will cost me $57!!!! After coercion from Mum and V D, I still attend. The GP is very nice and tells me what I half expected to hear anyway. "It's probably just viral". She was good enough to take a throat swab anyway to make sure it wasn't strep throat.

That night, I slept for over 12 hours. On Friday morning, I wake up with no voice at all. It's totally disappeared. I also discover that I've developed a productive cough. My Mum, who has been fantastic by keeping me alive with regular hot drinks, gets me some neurofen and throat lozenges. They make a huge difference, and finally with the combination of neurofen and panadol the pain starts to feel more managable. Unfortunately, the neurofen is also not so kind on the stomach, particularly because I've had almost no food since Monday, I started to feel more nauseous.

It's the weekend again, and I'm still alive, but only just. Fever, headache, myalgia, sore throat, productive cough, with sore ribs and abdo muslces from coughing. When will this all end!?!? At least the Crusaders winning their semifinal provided a little relief from my grim outlook on the world.

Sunday morning again. Day 7 of my illness. To my surprise, I wake up feeling a little more human. It still hurts like crazy to cough, and I still can't talk, but at least I don't need panadol to survivie. The other pain symptoms and fever had settled. Perhaps there is a chance of recovery. Still unable to start O&G tomorrow though. I think I'll need another day at home at least.