Friday, March 21, 2008

Hey - It's Spring Break! Let's Get Strep!

Soooo, I started off the week just fine. Felt GREAT on Monday and was excited about the week because I knew I only had FOUR days to go until Spring Break. A teacher friend was very sickly on Monday and I made her go home. She could barely hold her head up, so I helped her get her stuff ready for a sub. and sent her home to get rest. She came back on Tuesday and we could all tell she felt much better!

By Tuesday, I noticed my throat was getting a little sore, but I just figured it was due to the spring-like weather and the sinus infection that usually accompanies any weather change.After school, I had to go over to MTSU and serve as a panelist on the NSTA student chapter forum. You see, I actually DID do something smart and nerdy at college because I was the founding president of the National Science Teachers Assoc. Student Chapter at Middle TN State Univ. (NSTA-SC @ MTSU) Whew! So I went to speak about what it has been like transferring from the university life to the actual teaching industry and the challenges and rewards that come with it.

That evening, my throat felt worseand I kept checking my temperature, but I was still as "normal" as I could be. I had even stopped by our school nurse's office before leaving for the meeting to have her look at it. She didn't seem to be worried. After I got home from the meeting, I could NOT keep my head up. I was so deliriously tired that I kept slurring my words. Corey even asked me if I was OK. So, I ended up in bed by 7:00.

Wednesday, my throat hurt, but I was still deliriously tired, so I went to school to get things ready for a substitute. Luckily, we had a field trip to the local high school to watch a play, so all I had to do was get together a bit of busy work to occupy time between when they got back and went home. After I got home I slept for FIVE hours! My throat still was hurting, but not too much. I felt better after the rest and several of my friends called to check on me to make sure I was still alive. I secretly think they were just wishing they would inherit my super sweet-ass Element!

Well, that brings us to Thursday. The last day of the week...I woke up and my throat was on Fire Text - http://www.flamewordmaker.com

! My school nurse made me an appointment at the CareHere clinic for 3:00, so I spent the day showering myself in Green Chloroseptic spray to numb the pain. I managed to make it through the day and went to the Dr. at 3:00. Her diagnosis - STREP THROAT! Ugh. I didn't have ANY of the usual signs other than a red swollen throat that usually accompany strep. Other than that, I felt great! She gave me a shot of penicillin and a prescription for Corey and me for a Z-Pack.

Corey and I went to dinner that night with school friends for a fundraiser and went shopping at Target afterward. He suggested I try Breathe Right Strips since my nose had been stuffy through all this and I've been resigned to being a mouth breather. Well, let me tell you that those things kick major ass! It was the first night I've been able to breathe all week!

So, kids. I guess the moral of this long and boring blog is - strep doesn't always appear as you think it would. And, it hurts like hell.

Have a Happy Easter! Eat some bunny ears for me since I can't swallow anything!