Health Center, Smelth Center–aka, Why I Can’t Write a Full Entry This Week

So, you know that running joke (on either campus I’ve been on, mind you) about the Health Center thinking everything is either pregnancy or a STD and really not being able to help any non-sexual or alcohol related issue at all? I always tried to give the Health Center the benefit of the doubt–even though my confidence in them had been blown on several occasions.

Well, I’ve been dealing with a cold/sinus infection for a few weeks now. No biggie–I get them about as often as Jason Sehorn has had season-ending injuries. I went to the health center, they barely glance at me, then have a doctor just take my tempature, and then diagonose me with a sinus infection and hand me antibotics. No biggie, right?

Now, take into account that in November my whole left side of my face went numb and tingly–and they told me it was all stress-related and I just needed to slow down (ha!)

Well, I’m at work last Friday, a few days after my course of antibotics was done, I’m still not 100 %, and it happens again–as I’m playing Go Fish with Rob the Computer Repair Center Guy, my whole left side goes crazy numb. I crawled back to my room after work, and I couldn’t move all Friday night. I realized my sinuses were swollen. By Sunday, I was a zombie, and by Tuesday, I was blacking out during the SA meeting. I realized that I needed to see someone other than the Health Center, so I had my mother make an appointment with my real doctor (who I hadn’t seen in a while, seeing that I’m barely ever in Rochester anymore) for Thursday morning, since I was going to be home Wednesday night for the Barenaked Ladies concert.

Rachel and I were both on our deathbeds for the concert–but so was half the band with the stomach flu, so it worked out. They cut stuff short, we had to leave early. And Rachel and I are Barenaked Ladies junkies or groupies or really obsessed or whatever you want to call us (it’s our Western New York upbringing), so if we’re sick enough to leave early, not stand the whole concert, and not be able to sing along to every song, you know something’s wrong.

The next morning at the doctor’s, I tell him everything that’s been going on. He looks me over, then gives me the oh-so-wonderful news: I’ve become antibotic resistant. I’ve been on antibotics four-five times in the last year, and always the same two kinds, so now they aren’t working. Plus my sinuses are in such bad shape that they are what is causing my left side numbness. And I am now battling a severe bacterial sinus infection that will get far worse before it gets better. And–if that all wasn’t enough–I am probably looking at sinus surgery sometime in April or May. “You should’ve been to a specialist sooner, and they should of realized what was going on back in September and November when they couldn’t figure out what you had,” he said.

He loaded me up with a boatload of a new antibotics (super strong and super long course) and a bunch of other things, and appointment with a specialist. I spent the rest of the day unable to move on my couch before I went back to school. He was right–I’m far worse than I was earlier in the week. I sound like a 90 year old chain smoker, and I feel like Ted Washington has plowed over me several times.

So the lesson to this story is: don’t go to the health center if you’re sick. Try to find a real doctor.

So before weezy me goes on another coughing spree, I will finish this up. I will write more soon, when I feel up to it.