So...first the swine flu...

...(that would be Husband who had the swine flu)...
Now I have strep.
Lame. I know.

I don't know what it is about summer, but we always seem to get sick in the summer! I am just waiting for First Daughter to come down with her annual case of Croup. Seriously. I'm waiting.

I was up really late on Thursday night, blogging, writing cards to family, and making mixes (a perfectly good reason to stay up late, right?) and all of sudden my throat started hurting. I assumed it was because it was so late and my body was telling me it was time for bed. When I woke up Friday morning I leaned over the Husband and said "I feel like I have strep" but then got up, got ready, and went on with my day. By about noon, I felt horrible - freezing cold, couldn't stop shivering, dizzy and woozy, throat still hurting, body aching - and called Husband because I didn't feel like I could take care of the kids. It really was that bad. I thought "oh no - I have the swine flu." When Husband got home he told me to go to the doctor, but the thought of it made me cry. That's how bad I felt. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed. So that's what I did.

I was in bed the rest of Friday, most of Saturday, and most of Sunday. My symptoms gradually got better - all except the throat. That just kept getting worse. Finally, last night, when I couldn't take it any longer, I went to the Instacare. I knew Husband had to go back to work today and I didn't think I could make it on my own and I was desparate for some miracle drug to make it all go away. So off to Instacare I go, in the 90 degree weather, wearing my polar fleece and long pants because I'm freezing.

I remember the days when throat cultures took almost half a day to come back with results on whether or not I had strep. It really has been that long since I've had it. I guess I wasn't that surprised though to hear that the tests now come back in about 7 minutes. It has been quite a while and medicine has come quite a long ways. I was sitting in the doctor's office waiting for the results and the doctor to come in when I heard a beep go off in the hall, which I assumed meant my test was done. I then heard a "Whoa!" from the doctor. Then he came in and told me I have strep. I guess I really have strep, or he was just surprised...? He then so kindly told me I have a weird shaped throat. Thanks...?

Another difference from the last time I had strep is that they can now give me a shot. Instead of taking pills for the next 10 days they just gave me one whopping dose and I should be feeling better shortly. Hallelujia! Because seriously, I don't think I can take many more nights of waking up every hour to suck on ice cubes and cough drops to try and soothe the pain.

Strep throat is lame. And that's that.