Hypochondria

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Everyone in the health service industry must experience hypochondria every once in a while, you just know too much. It’s my time. Last week I had a little cold, although I insisted I was not sick. My generic “Dayquil” and copious amounts of vitamin C told that cold where to go. Then, on Thursday I started to feel weird. I felt extremely tired for no reason and just plain beat. I chose to ignore it, but abstained from usual ER night activities, (except for watching ER). On Friday I went out for happy hour, but immediately after the happiness set in, I felt the extreme tiredness again (okay, I’ll throw in a medical term here: malaise. This word perfectly describes how I was feeling.) Oh yeah, I also adopted this lovely healthy sounding and ladylike cough. At this point I definitely had TB. (That one patient I saw last week was coughing…I think, yeah, well, at least when I die I’ll be in good company with Chopin, Thoreau, and Eleanor Roosevelt.)
So right there at happy hour I could have curled up under the table and taken a pleasant nap. I ordered and my friend asked me later if I had touched my dinner. I looked down at my plate and literally touched my food. (that counts right?)
Yesterday was good though, my parents and my brother came down and we went to a fantastic museum which I happily endorse (the Walters) and to a nearby Asian market, which was fun. Later, I felt worse and I even checked my own lung sounds (who hasn’t? admit it! (They were clear, by the way.))
Then this morning I was officially purulent, a.k.a. sick, a.k.a. borderline miserable. (now I believed I had bronchitis, and/or pneumonia) I even cancelled my clinical tonight, which I would never do, but somehow going to a hospital full of sick people while I feel like this didn’t make a lot of sense. (Amazingly, I felt much better after sending the e-mail to my clinical coordinator. related? I doubt it.) I went to the store to get “purulence accessories” i.e. drugs, juice, and tissues, and now I’m back here to finish some homework and revel in my sick day. Maybe I’ll use some of my free time to think of more diseases I could have like measles, anthrax, meningitis, or my personal favorite, bubonic plague. Any suggestions?
Ooh! Almost time for more drugs!

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