I'm Sick

And I have been since Thanksgiving. And I haven't been to the doctor, which I now realize I should have done quite awhile ago. Here's how it goes...

I get a cold. Why go to the doctor for a cold? Break out the Kleenex and the last Sudafeds I've got and hunker down.

The cold persists and gets nastier. Why go to the doctor? In the States they'd just tell me to get rest and fluids. What's a doc in Africa going to do? I'm out of Sudafed so I switch to Claritin (Claritine here) and hope it's real and effective.

It's not (effective). Still really nasty. I'm thinking it's allergies. My eyes are filled with sand, my nose with something else, and my head's all fuzzy. I rub the puppies all over my face when I'm having a good moment. No change. Maybe it's their new food. I take deep breaths during my good moments. No change. Never had allergies before so maybe it's some new spores or molds or something brought on by the changing seasons or the ever-present rain. Why go to the doctor? I'm sure there are no allergists. I doubt I'll get a workup or a scratch test. I'll just get an antibiotic, which I can just go buy myself. Plus I'll have to wait at a clinic forever just so a doc can ask me what I think is wrong.

I'm still sick. NOW I want to go to the doctor. There's an American pulmonologist here. Works in town on Tues. and Thurs. I will easily wait 4 hours to see him if I just show up. Couldn't go on the 26th--holiday. Couldn't go on the 28th--out of town. Couldn't go today--don't have his number. Can't go Thursday--teacher interviews. Still don't have his number so I can go to the front of the line if I have time to get to the clinic. There's no line at the pharmacy--I could just drop in, ask for some antibiotics and see what happens.

I'm still sick.