And I'm back

It was either a really bad cold, or some kind of weird viral bronchitis thing that is over fast. At one point on Saturday, I was wondering "Walking pneumonia?"which I've had a couple times (it's treatable with antibiotics) but I didn't feel sick enough to be worried but I didn't feel energetic enough to drive out to the doc-in-a-box and sit there for several hours until one of the people had time to see me. I planned  to see the doctor early this week if I wasn't better - but to see MY doctor, and not brave the instant-care place. (It's not really instant. The one time I went there - right as they opened in the morning - I still sat for a while. It would be awful to have to use that as your typical form or medical care, but I guess some people do.)

I figure now that what I had had to be viral, and not much a doctor can do, other than go, "Yeah, it's a virus. Be sure to drink lots of water." I had planned if I wasn't better by Tuesday, I'd cancel the dental checkup (can't have work done in my mouth while coughing) and make an appointment with my doctor instead.

Saturday I did have a fever close to 101. I'd have been more worried about that except one of the retired profs I know who also goes to my church had had the same thing and he had described the symptoms as being similar. I didn't do much this weekend; I didn't even really have the energy to knit.

I felt some better Sunday but still stayed home from church (I still had a slight fever and some things I've read suggest that you are likely to be contagious as long as you have a fever) and I also still was coughing some.

I'm a lot better today. Not 100%, but the tickle in my throat is gone and I have minimal coughing and I don't sound like Rosalind Russel any more when I try to speak.

I will say, an interesting (or perhaps not) observation: it seems that when my immune system is otherwise upset in some way, the hives get much worse. I had tons of them Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, despite taking my usual meds, not eating anything known to upset them, using the practically-nothing-other-than-water-with-a-few-ions-added detergent (and soap). They're better this morning. (I wonder if the fever could have done it; I know in really hot weather when I wear confining clothing they get worse - which is why I wear thin little cotton dresses nearly all summer and kind of hate it when I have to suit up for fieldwork). The last time I had hives this badly it was when I was taking Bactrim (an antibiotic), which my doctor has sternly warned me NEVER TO TAKE AGAIN (and suggested I carry a card in my wallet to that effect, just in case I am too incapacitated at some point to refuse an antibiotic). I chalked that up to "It's made out of mold" but maybe something else was going on.

I'm irritated, though, that I lost almost an entire weekend. Sunday afternoon I did write an exam for the end of this week, but as I've not looked at it yet today I have no idea how much reworking and revising it will require.