I’m still wheezing like an old asthmatic on forty fags a day. It’s got really boring.
On Thursday I was standing in the chemists telling the pharmacist about my wheezing and asking for advice when another customer butted in and said ‘Don’t you think you should go to the doctors? What with all this swine flu about…’ I was outraged. How dare she acknowledge she was listening; I could’ve been talking about something really embarrassing. For a moment I considered describing my phlegm in gross and luxuriant detail… and then I said. ‘I was ill a week ago, I didn’t have a high temperature which means it's unlikely to have been swine flu, so no, I don’t think I need to see the doctor…’
However, yesterday, because I was at the hospital for my thyroid, I went in to see someone about my chest as well. I was discharged from him with the prerequisite myriad medicines. This always happens here because (I am told) the doctors make some money on each item prescribed. This is wrong; so wrong. And I hate it.
But I didn’t take the antibiotics; partly because I worry about this prescribing unnecessary medicines thing and partly because I thought I was on the mend… Anyway if it’s viral still and not a bacterial infection the antibiotics won’t help.
And now it’s 5.30 in the afternoon, my chest hurts, my head hurts and I’ve come to the conclusion that maybe I should take the bloody tablets.
This picture was taken in Siam sky train station today. Anti-bacterial handgel is available all over the place and many people are wearing masks. What’s it like in the UK?
On Thursday I was standing in the chemists telling the pharmacist about my wheezing and asking for advice when another customer butted in and said ‘Don’t you think you should go to the doctors? What with all this swine flu about…’ I was outraged. How dare she acknowledge she was listening; I could’ve been talking about something really embarrassing. For a moment I considered describing my phlegm in gross and luxuriant detail… and then I said. ‘I was ill a week ago, I didn’t have a high temperature which means it's unlikely to have been swine flu, so no, I don’t think I need to see the doctor…’
However, yesterday, because I was at the hospital for my thyroid, I went in to see someone about my chest as well. I was discharged from him with the prerequisite myriad medicines. This always happens here because (I am told) the doctors make some money on each item prescribed. This is wrong; so wrong. And I hate it.
But I didn’t take the antibiotics; partly because I worry about this prescribing unnecessary medicines thing and partly because I thought I was on the mend… Anyway if it’s viral still and not a bacterial infection the antibiotics won’t help.
And now it’s 5.30 in the afternoon, my chest hurts, my head hurts and I’ve come to the conclusion that maybe I should take the bloody tablets.
This picture was taken in Siam sky train station today. Anti-bacterial handgel is available all over the place and many people are wearing masks. What’s it like in the UK?
8 comments:
Hope you start to feel much better soon.
We have someone who comes into our office and cleans every surface at noon, as well as every evening, and there's handgel everywhere, but apart from that nothing at all.
JJ - I'm not ear wigging:) but...my next door neighbour has been diagonised with swine flu. She had no high temperature. It was completely normal. You obviously haven't got it - unless the doctor you saw didn't test for it and he surely would have done?
It does seem that the virus is changing so it continues to worry me as my son is type 1 diabetic and won't go to the doctor unless I nag him - poor lad.
Thanks Debs. I guess that's pretty much the same here. Are there masks about on the street?
Fia, Lol. Oh bugger. I didn't go when I was ill, and the doctor yesterday didn't test for it! So I still don't know...
Sorry to hear that you're still not feeling right. Berludy hecklers in the chemist - that's all you need. All clear out in deepest west Wales... I'll just stay here and keep my head down!
I have to say that loads of people have been diagnosed with Swine Flu but I think that most have been misdiagnosed!! The only way to know whether you have swine flu or not is to have a swab test done but most diagnosis is being done over the phone...at the moment it seems anyone that sniffs or coughs is being told it's Swine Flu.
I did loads of research on this topic when doing the essay for my Uni course and the swine flu virus is no more prevalent that normal flu strains!! When I looked at the actual figures in the scientific journals I was actually really surprised!! I think the media are responsible for blowing it completely out of proportion!!
C x
Hey JJ, I have finally managed to ctach up on my blog reading (starting with yours obviously). I have to say I agree with Carol. I have heard barely anything about swine flu for weeks. I know no one who has it, or who has had it. Obviously things will kick up again when the children go back to school and the media are back at work (!) but, for the moment, there are no signs. Lets hope it stays that way.
Hope you're feeling better anyway. x
Feel better soon, JJ.
Everywhere I go here - bank, store, offices - those bottles of hand sanitizer are prominently displayed. The manufacturers and agents must be making a killing.
I don't see masks on the street, though. And I don't know anyone who's had swine flu although the ads say it's all over the place.
Chris, good to hear it's all clear where you are.
Carol, yes, diagnosing over the phone for heaven's sake, and yes, the media!
Helen, when I was in the UK, there were a couple of cases (tested positive) at the local primary school. There were all kind of histrionics as a result.
Liane, I'm sure they are. It's no bad thing to have good hygiene, but the cynic in me says that those who don't wash their hands after the loo etc, probably aren't using the sanitizer either!
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