Nothing like a summer sinus infection.
One benefit: a neologism, I think.
Sunny optimist that I am, my new term is "Qatariffic" as in "That's just qatariffic!" (Go ahead, skeptics: google it. You won't find any prior citations.)
Here's the context. After (figuratively) licking the camel's shank, rubbing my eyes with his tail, and inhaling his eructations, I felt like a "Camel Light" (gratuitous cigarette reference).
In medical terms -- and I am a "Doctor" -- I picked up a sinus infection. As usual, I wallow in bed for awhile, basting myself with self-pity every few minutes. I've had sinus infections many times, however, and I know what works (in addition to self-pity): Amoxil or Zithromax. Trying to find a real doctor seems like a lot of time and energy, especially when at the end Herr Doktor will say "You have a sinus infection and need Amoxil or Zithromax." I decide to cut out the middle-man, as I've heard that pharmacies will provide meds without a prescription.
I trudge across the dessert for forty years to get to the drug store. (I'm watching The Ten Commandments now, and it does seem like the Hebrews had a tougher go of it than I am.)
Me: I have a sinus infection. Can you give me A or Z?
Pharmacist: I can't give them to you without a prescription. Do you have one?
Me:
Me: (Sad puppy eyes)
Pharmacist: Ok, here's a box of 500 MG Amoxil for you. Oh, and do you need a prescription cortisone inhaler, too?
Me: (Happy puppy eyes)
So I now wait for the drugs to work. I hope they kick in soon, as I know my students must be eager to learn more statistics.
My assessment?
My experience with the health care system here was Qatariffic!
So sweet to get up very,very late this morning to your new post and find that you have procured the magic elixir to bring relief to your current malady. I hope I do not seem like some blog stalker, I don't know if we have ever actually met, you probably knew my younger siblings, either Allen or Nancy Lynn when you were in high school.. It was just that when I saw that you had so few comments to your diary I thought the only charitable thing to do was to become--not a stalker--just a groupie--and it does give me a chance to live another life somewhat vicariously. (No,no it isn't charity, I always enjoy a good conversation and I see this as a possible opportunity to have one fo sorts)
ReplyDeleteI don't find Gainesville, the most suitable place for me to be living at this time, but until my son is eighteen, I will probably stay, hopefully with more traveling to break up the monotony.
Hope the amoxicillin works very quickly for you. Have you tried Neti pots as a preventive measure for sinus infections? I hear they work miracles, but I haven't been able to bring myself to use one yet.
Please feel free to retort, defend, expound, or whatever to any of my comments to your postings. You write beautifully. Lee Ann
Wow...a comment. I must withdraw and reflect on the fact that someone is.....reading this.
ReplyDeleteHelas, my friend, you will find that things such as sinus infections, UTI's (not that this particular condition will ever impact you, thank God) and chronic sore throats are as much part of our every day life in Doha as the sight of camels riding on the back of a truck or a Landcruiser blowing through a roundaout at 120 mph.
ReplyDeleteI have had a sinus infection since I got here, which is two years ago, it never goes away, just ligers but then, as if that's not bad enough, it flares up into just nasty debilitating illness that will take 2 courses of antibiotics to get back to the mere lingering stage...It sucks camel tail!
I wish I could tell you that the light at the end of the tunnel and the inherent relief will come with the course of antibiotics but that may not totally cure the strange bacteria often stirred up by the constant movement of dust particles even on days when there are no obvious dust storms but no...chances are you will not feel cured from it until you get on that nice cushy Qatar Airways flight and get back to DC, a familiar place to your utterly confused immune system at the moment. And since you might need some heavy ammunition to attempt to anhilate the bacteria besides the good old Z-pack, try Mucotec and Marimer (a sea water spray that helps clear the infection), both avaiable OTC.
I feel for you, man!
Zen