Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Illness

When we last left our intrepid adventurer, she was asking cardiology questions. We actually did find the answer in pharmacology class later on (oddly enough).

At any rate, now that I am off antibiotics, my throat is sore again. A trip to the doctor today (since strep throat and I are such good friends, and I have no desire to have scarlet or rhuematic fever) I thought that was the prudent thing to do. According to my own personal Marcus Welby, I still have blisters all over the back of my throat and my tonsils, which is most likely the cause of the intense pain I have been having upon swallowing (but only on the right side). New antibiotics (Keflex) make me hope that I will kick this. A blood test to rule out mono has also been taken. However, the lack of fever and extreme exhaustion make me doubt it is mono.

This weekend was my first field clinical. I was in Baltimore City, and things weren't super busy, but they weren't really slow either. I did manage to get one IV on Saturday, and ran my first 'real' GSW. Yes, it took 11 years to get a real GSW. Most of them have been either 'it's not really a gunshot' or so much a gunshot that the cops cleared us before we got on scene. This one ended up being an organ donor, but still...Sunday was even slower than Saturday, with several 'man down' calls though there was one that might have been a dissecting aneurysm. I go back on Saturday for my last one, and I hope that I will get at least 2 IV's.

In other news, my back is still sore, though I suspect (read: hope) that today's extreme pain is due to awkward sleeping last night. I have a date with a heating pad later tonight, and perhaps even some more serious painkillers than Advil.

In the meantime...I have a pharm test to study for tomorrow.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

wait, what's the answer? inquiring minds want to know...

Epijunky said...

I hope you feel better soon, the crud has been circulating around here as well. Heck, I've been sick for almost a month.

Sending chicken noodle soup your way :)

roaming_gnome said...

Anon: because cells die, and no longer transmit the electrical activity, the segment deflects upwards due to the potassium shifts.

Epi: that chicken noodle soup must have worked cause I'm feeling moderately better. At least, I'm not feeling like i need to sleep all day long. The sore throat is still around, but not nearly as bad. Thanks! and sending some chicken noodle soup back to you and yours to get rid of that crud.