I Went to the Doctor and Got My Ego Pumped

Monday morning I woke up with a sore throat. Ewwwwww! I'd rather have the flu! The pain was not anything I didn't feel like I could handle, but I had other symptoms that had me a little worried. (As much as I would love to get into the gory details, they are kind of disgusting. I will spare you all.) I have not been to the doctor since I was about 12 and am not one to take medicine. I didn't want to give in and go because I felt a little like a hypochondriac and a flat out wimp! I had weird symptoms, but I was able to walk!!! It couldn't be that bad, right?!

I was on the fence all day until Bro. Marchbanks gave some insight into my situation. "Whit's wife, Jenny Whittaker, died of strep throat." Oh mannnnn, so true! Thank God for a man of God in my life that is not afraid to tell it like it is!

After school was over Nicole and I hopped on a bus and headed over to the doctor. Here in Mexico, there are clinics everywhere. A "consulta" is thirty pesos (about $2.50 USD). The doctor diagnoses you then writes out a prescription. You then go next door to the pharmacy and pick up whatever meds you choose to buy based off of what he's recommended.

Trying to discreetly take a picture

When we arrived, there was only a lady mopping the floors and a line of people waiting for the doctor to show up. After about ten minutes, he showed up and started seeing patients. Nicole and I had quite a time in the waiting room. The lady sitting next to me very much enjoyed our entertainment. I was full of all kinds of nervous energy, and anyone that knows Nicole knows that she is very compassionate when someone is sick. She got me a red Gatorade and Snickers bar and let me snuggle, crack jokes, and act just plain stupid for the whole hour and a half that we waited.

Lady mopping the floor, no doctor in sight. 

There was this couple outside the clinic. They were hugging and being all kinds of inappropriate. At one point the guy had a piece of gum........................and in the next, the girl had it!! USE YOUR IMAGINATION ON WHAT HAPPENED. I'm not accusing anybody.........

Sneakily taking a picture of the doctor arriving and going in his office...with a toolbox...lol....

Me, milking this illness for all it's worth

Nicole and I got to laughing so hard in the waiting room. We were looking at this list of common procedures and prices. I gasped when I got to the end of the list. I read, "Extraccion de una enterrada!!! Only $50.00 pesos (less that five bucks) to exhume a body?!?!!?" Someone that is "enterrada" is buried. We both were shocked and incredulous.....until we realized it said UÑA enterra. Ingrown toenail!!!! Extraction of an ingrown toenail! Mannn........that little squiggly line changed everything! (Una enterrada = buried female. UÑA enterrada = ingrown toenail. HAHA)

When finally, finally it was my turn to go into the doctor's office, I sat down at his desk and said, I know this is hard to believe since I have this big, dorky smile on my face and I'm walking without any problem, but "Something is wrong with my throat." Nicole then so kindly interjected, "AND SHE HAS A FEVER!" *awkward silence*

The doctor had me sit up on the table, asked me some questions, then listened to my heartbeat. He checked my temperature, which was at 101.12 degrees Fahrenheit. See you guys? I wasn't faking.

He took his fancy little light out, shined it in my mouth for a second then set it down with a huff and pursed lips. He motioned Nicole over (apparently they were bffs now on account of Nicole's fever comment) and said, "Look at this!" Nicole replied, "Yeah!! I told her it was inflamed!"

He then went on to explain all the nasty things that were going on and that I had this virus and that infection, blah, blah, blah. He told me that anyone else would have come to his office crying and begging him to take away the pain. (He was very dramatic and said this while grasping his throat.) I replied, "Es que soy bien fuerte." (I'm very strong. Ha!) He said I must have a very high pain tolerance and all kinds of other things that made me feel all warm and fuzzy and un-wimp-like. (See blog title.)

The doctor prescribed me an antibiotic, an anti inflammatory, and another medicine. He also prescribed vitamin C. I am not a believer in taking pills to stay healthy. I believe eating healthy, eating fruits and veggies everyday is going to keep you in good health more than a measly pill. So Nicole picked me up some oranges, mangoes, and bananas instead.

Today, my favorite thing to tell Nicole is, "I need fluids. Can you go pick me up some fluids?" She has been very gracious and patient and thankfully, I have plenty of fluids on my nightstand.
I'm highly contagious so I stayed home from school, cleaned Nicole's room and made fettuccine alfredo for dinner. I hope I don't contage you all through this post. (Yes, I know contage is not a word, but you know what I mean.)

Have a great, strep-free week!

~Bethany~