I have been getting headaches everyday for the past week or so around 4 PM. Yesterday I woke up and my tonsils were swollen. As the day progressed they got bigger and in the middle of Psychology I started to get chills. Awesome. I had a fever. By the time I had returned to my dorm I could hardly deal with standing or sitting upright, but I had to stay awake long enough to watch Scrubs. And I did, sort of. I stayed awake through the first episode, but started to doze during the second. I was out by ten fifteen, that never happens, but I suppose Nyquil helped.
When I woke up this morning I made an appointment at the student clinic. The nurse practitioner thought that I should have my tonsils out. Every nurse that I have ever met has said that.
My tonsils and the majority of the glands in my neck/throat are enlarged. I don't know for sure but I think that is has something to with my being born with the umbilical cord wrapped around my neck. When I was little I used to get strep all the time and when I was four my tonsils swelled to the point of sealing my throat completely. This happened on a visit to North Carolina while we were visiting the Rollinger's - my Godparents. Luckily they lived close to a hospital and Theresa (Mrs. Rollinger) drove me and my mom. I remember waking up and not being able to breathe and my mom not having any idea what to do, but I was awake and was able to communicate that I needed help. We drove with the windows down; the cool air seemed to help. When we arrived I was whisked into a room and hooked up to a couple of machines. I remember having to take off my clothes, except for my day-of-the-week underwear. The doctor was a man and I was embarrassed. After a few hours of wearing a rubber mask and breathing in what looked like smoke, I was allowed to go and kept my mask as a souviner.
This happened again when I was eight. This time I had to hold this tube in my mouth and they ended up giving me and inhaler, unsure of whether or not I had asthma or bronchitis.
Over the years I have had strep throat too many times to count and in the past year I've gotten sinusitis/tonsilitis five times. It took the third time to get the correct diagnosis. I usually have symptoms of one thing, but then they'll see my tonsils and lose it.
I have asked about getting my tonsils out, but we have Tri-Care Prime (military insurance) and they refuse to prescribe "unneccessary surguries." This would typically be appreciated, but I do believe that this is long over due. They should have removed them after they closed my throat the first time. I just haven't been able to convince a doctor to give me referal to get them out. Of course most of these doctors are not military, but contractors and that's an entirely different rant that I'll save for a later time.
I did however, convince the nurse practitioner to prescribe me augmentin instead of omoxicillin which means that once I get it filled I should be better within a day or two, until then I'll sleep and sleep and sleep some more.
No comments:
Post a Comment