rex's health news
Just before Christmas I was diagnosed with strep throat. However, I didn't show any of the symptoms of strep like a sore throat, fever, or difficulty swallowing. My symptoms--the stomach and back aches, the occasional bit of nausea of dizziness, finding entertainment in a large purple asexual dinosaur of questionable motives--are generally found in children with strep. This is odd for two reasons:
1. I am nearly a full grown man.
2. That's pretty much it. I just always like to have multiple reasons. I said two thinking that I could come up with another one by the time I reached this point, but the disease has obviously encumbered my thinking process.
Anyway, the throat culture told them strep, so strep it is. It may just be the power of suggestion that makes me feel a sore throat and fever now, but my symptoms still, for the most part, show me to have the children's variety of strep. I have understandably been researching this particular branch of the infection and have learned three interesting bits:
1. Strep coupled with a rash is sometimes referred to as "scarlet fever", and scarlet fever sounds considerably cooler than "strep throat". Saying that one has "scarlet fever" conjures images of lying on a cot in a thatched hut somewhere in deepest, darkest Africa while small native children fan you and mop your brow. I'm not getting any of that now.
2. More research on the theory needs to be done, but some believe that strep in children leads to obsessive-compulsive disorder. You can read all the scientific mumbo-jumbo, yip-yap, and jibber-jabber here. Some have said that I occasionally show OCD tendencies, yet just yesterday my left sock was a full two inches higher than my right and it did not bother me. I did not upon learning of the discrepancy immediately rummage through my sock drawer to find the proper mate for each. I let it go and gave it no more though throughout the day. Ergo, perhaps it kills OCD in adults. I still don't think I have any amount of OCD but would be a willing lab rat for the right price.
3. Damn. I couldn't come up with a third.
posted by Rex L. Camino at 8:28 AM
8 Comments:
at the risk of inviting a bitch-slap from Sarcastro, I'll share the fact that I, too, have strep throat. And, the measles. And something people in this God-forsaken county refer to as "the croup." In fact, I have everything that every other blogger has whined about during the last 6 weeks or so. I might even have a broken leg, alzheimers, and sickle cell anemia. In short, I feel like shit. My question to you, Rex, is have you managed to parlay any of your symptoms into sympathy? I'm getting no love, here. I have to fetch my own food, drink, and homeopathic remedies. So, if Mrs. Rex is rubbing down with alcohol, and bringing the thermometer, and cooking soup, will you please share with me how you pulled this off? I promise to come over when I am better and re-arrange your sock drawer. Deal?
For me, "scarlet fever" conjures up thoughts of those brooding dark stories of Victorian times where the child in the house always falls ill from either scarlet fever or tuberculosis and dies, often around Christmas or some other holiday or special event. Don't die, Rex!
On another note, back in high school, strep was being constantly swapped back and forth for about two years among the circle of friends that my HS sweetheart and I palled around with. One guy in the group had like chronic and constant strep, and the rest of us kept getting it over and over again (presumably from drinking after each other and makeout sessions between the couples). Once we all went away to college, the phenomena ceased for everyone but the chronic infectee. I must have had it a half dozen times or more in those two years, strep just rots.
My college roommate had strep that morphed into Scarlett Fever. Her joints swelled and she indeed did get a very funky measles like rash at all of her joints. She was very, very sick and ran a very high fever. When I took her to the college clinic, the Dr. freaked right out and called her parents just before putting her in the hospital. She was excused from several exams though and it could have been due to the exotic sounding nature of her illness.
Hope you feel better soon.
I was asked to mow part of the lawn yesterday if that tells you anything, Mackie. While at my grandfather's house for Christmas I was even made to move furniture around.
I thought it sounded Victorian as well, Lynnster, but assumed that had something to do with my wearing of a corset.
I don't want any part of a "funky measles like rash", sara. I'm a bit too medically squeemish for skin manifestations.
Christmas morning about 1998, my then 5 year old daughter woke up with a strange rash on her feet. It looked like hives. It was odd. The next day, it wasn't better so I took her to the doctor to be told she had scarlet fever and strep. She had not once complained with a sore throat or had any fever. The only clue was the rash.
Scarlet Fever conjures up Little House on the Prairie memories for me. Isn't that what made Mary go blind?
Blindness!?! Little House on the Prairie!?!
I didn't need to hear that.
Rex in a corset. Giggle.
Oh Rex, darling....don't worry yourself with that. Mary married that guy who was also blind, however, he regained his sight and went on to create "Malcolm In The Middle." God is good all the time.
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