About ten days ago, I reminisced about my last, super-nasty bout of tonsillitis that ended in a screw job from the insurance industry. Seems they must have some voodoo powers at their disposal as I was incapacitated AGAIN by a throat infection on the evening of the 19th and it evolved into a full blown illness by the afternoon of the 20th, complete with chills and fever. So I apologize for my absence (which also seemed to have DNS problems earlier), I didn’t plan on taking a holiday from it. Heck, I was actually looking forward to it but several of the planned stories are pointless now. I even enjoy going to work this time of year because schools (from kindergarten to universities) are on vacation. With the lower call volume, I can actually clear out my virtual in-box of technical cases. It’s a great feeling of accomplishment at a job that is frequently frustrating and on many days (currently), unsatisfying.
Enough about that. I’m feeling much, much better despite my former doctor prescribing me Clarithromycin for this. I’ve had placeboes from Marquette’s health center that were stronger. I asked the pharamcist how long it would take before I could function, you know, return to work since I have things to do. She said within two days. I wish. All this junk cured was my fever and aching joints, meanwhile I felt like someone cut the inside of my throat with a carpentry knife. (Today, it’s more of an annoying paper cut.) In the past, my quack’s PA did a better job in 2004 with the last throat infection by getting me the stronger stuff with much faster results. I can’t remember what it was but I know it’s powerful because the first dosage is two pills to jump start the immune system, then it’s one pill every so many hours and then trickles out to one a day by the end of five days. Besides giving a prescription almost as weak as Pez, the doctor only looked inside my mouth, felt my swollen neck lymph nodes, listened to my symptoms and concluded what I had. No swab? Not much consideration of my past history with this in 1996 or 2004. Just a semi-stern lecture on the need to gargle warm saltwater (blech!). All for $85. I spent more time waiting in the lobby than with him too.
Next year will definitely be spent finding a better GP. I used to feel annoyed over the price tag with this nearby clinic when I got the PA and not a doctor. Now I’m just irked about this doctor not even being close to resolving a simple throat malady as it started to cascade into some pain in my right ear while I continue to have residual soreness. I did get a follow-up slated for today, let’s see how it goes but I do plan on protesting having to pay a second time and letting him know this will probably be the last time I will use his services.
Update Dec. 27, 2006, afternoon: I had my follow-up visit yet it was with his partner at the clinic. She was much better and more personable. She changed me over to Azithromycin which is closer to what I like; the two big doses today and then one a day for the remainder. My earache was sinuses so some medicine for that and some nasal spray. Definitely making me sleepy which is always better. The saltwater bit remained, ick!