I'm more broken than you

[Drunk Monk]

Truth


I suppose I should be grateful when it’s only one pain. But there are others, of course. Many pains. So many pains. It’s just this one is at the forefront right now. Another assault on my left side. Death will come to me from the left.

[The Queen]

I was bitten by two spiders last week, two different spots on my right calf. Red, swollen and supremely itchy. Tried Hydrocortisone, Calamine, “Afterbite,” nothing stopped the itching for more than a minute or two. The only thing that sort of worked was an icepack. But the second I took off the icepack, the itch would return. The redness and swelling are finally gone. Took the whole damned week.

[cranefly]

So I'm lying awake in the night wondering why I'm awake.  Do I need to pee?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  I got up and peed not long ago, it seems.

My throat is scratchy.  It's been that way for two or three days.  It's the weather change.  Though almost unbearable right now, I try not to cough, because once I start, It'll just irritate it more.

Then the chill hits me.  It's in the lower back.  It lasts maybe 15 to 20 seconds, then subsides.  But it's recurring, coming in waves.

Fuck.  Fuckety-McFuckface.  This isn't good.  Chills, scratchy throat, needing to cough.  My lungs have felt a little off recently, a bit sore when inflated.  Or maybe it's the ribs.  I've been doing pull-ups and push-ups every day for about six weeks and figured that was causing it.  Or possibly the contortions in the back of the Prius trying to get at the hidden latch for the trunk.

But now another explanation presents itself.  The chills continue, the urge to cough is great, and this has to be it, I've climbed aboard that great roller coaster of our times, and who knows where it will dump me off.  I need to tell LCF.  She's fast asleep beside me.  I'm reluctant to bother her.  In a bit, I will.  There doesn't seem to be much urgency.  Exposed is exposed.

As the chills continue, I remember the blanket out in the living room.  I want to go get it, but don't want the additional chill of getting up to fetch it.  I'm still debating whether to do so when I realize the chills have stopped.  Nor is my throat unbearably itchy anymore.

All told, this episode lasted about ten minutes.  It was not a dream.  I was very wide awake, not panicked, but in a grudging "Oh, fuck" state of mind.

But now it's gone.  The throat is still a bit scratchy, but that's true for most old geezers.  And the ribs or lungs are still a bit sore at inflation, but likely for the reasons I cited.  I had been almost 100% certain I'd been covided, and then ... poof.

So.  What the hell was it?  A bit of bad food?  I don't know.  Very mild symptoms of covid?  I find that highly unlikely in an older person like me.  But I'll continue to monitor (right now, I feel fine).

LCF is still sleeping.  When she gets up, I'll at least tell her what happened.  She's going for a walk with a friend today.  That'll likely still happen.

[Greg]

Every time I cough, I think it's the 'Rona.

Pandemic Sequestration is affecting us all.

[lady_cranefly]

Fifty pages. Wow. Is this the longest threat in this forum?

LCF

[Drunk Monk]

Fifty pages. Wow. Is this the longest threat in this forum? 

If it isn't yet, it shall be. 

Inevitably.

[Greg]

Not even close.

[Greg]

I'm having a phone appointment with the doctor today, which I now regret scheduling. I don't want to tell her how bad I've been about my diabetes. Also, I really need to talk to someone about how bad I've been with my diabetes.

[Drunk Monk]

You'll probably get the covid/diabetes lecture. That's what I got and my numbers have been okay.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

Waiting for my follow up call with doc right now. It’s all about the clots, bay-BEE!

[Greg]

Sweet. The call went fine but confusing. She asked me why we were having the appointment. I told her her office called me about the appointment. Sigh. If she had know, Dr. O'Neil would have preferred a video consult so she can see me.

Then she called back to see if I had a blood pressure cuff because she really wants to check that.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

Your call went hi-tech, did it?

My pleasant doc explained the variety of test results, gave me options, wished my via con queso and — voila! Finished!

Results as of now: Still on blood thinners, better lose some weight, almost at Lipitor time, but not quite.

[Greg]

Nope. All land line. All the time.

Good cheese to you, too.

[Drunk Monk]

I did the vid thing. It went okay. 

We're switching to Cobra now. I just got my poop test parcel in the mail. Can't do that virtually...yet.

[King Bob]

Any of you guys have that blood pressure cuff that connects to an app? Our dentist has it and I was so impressed I wanted to get one, even though I don't monitor my BP.