My blog: misnomer?

No, I definitely had H1N1, but I'll never appear on any statistical analysis because I didn't walk into a hospital, but, as it turns out, I haven't survived it, yet.

My major complication, after the main part of the actual flu was over, was pneumonia. Correct that, is pneumonia. Well, at least the news is consistent by telling me about which body parts it hits. The news may focus on who jumped the queue and scaring everyone about the vaccine, only to then have a story on how H1N1 will kill you, your children, and probably your cat, but at least the medical data, for the most part, is consistent.

The last x-ray of my lungs showed I was getting better -- and I was really hoping to get back to work this week. Seriously, I don't think my students will remember what I look like. Plus, with being off since October 5th, I'm starting to think my brain's rotting from lack of use.

Not that my voice has improved. It's the one thing that's not come back, for any period of time. I think it ran off with my stamina. If anyone sees a voice without a body, wandering around with some stamina, send it back my way. I will need my voice and stamina before dealing with 90 students a day.

The appointment with my doctor did not go well. He needs to sign a form releasing me to return to work. I try to be rational describing the symptoms I do have, but when it comes to his stethoscope and blood tests, my reason can't win. I've backtracked. In my head, I knew this, as my fever was starting to creep up again until it was well over a degree above normal, over the previous three days. Obviously, I was still fighting some infection. Thus, he wouldn't sign even a half-time return to work form, and I'm off to see him, yet again, next Wednesday.

I have a broken internal thermostat. I always have. Though it'll keep my body consistently .4 of a degree below every other average human's, I'll feel hot and cold.

Now on round four of antibiotics, my pharmacist, and her cashier know me by name, and ask about my H1N1/chest infection. I've seen them more in the last 5 weeks than I have my whole life. This time, the drug specifically targets lung infections, but it has the unfortunate side effect of making me feel nauseous. I didn't even want to eat some pumpkin pie. If you know me personally, that will explain how nauseous I am. I pick pumpkin pie over birthday cake every year.

In short, I'm back up a couple of meds, and in temperature. I'm off even longer from work, eating up more of my saved sick days. I know I shouldn't think about work, but what happens when I go back. One co-worker joked about having "no mercy" when I return, but the joke fell horribly flat. I know how behind I'll be, even though I've had a decent, and consistent supply over the last three weeks. It was a passive aggressive comment that failed to be even slightly humourous.

I can no longer find any humour in this and I still haven't survived H1N1, yet.