I have had an upper respiratory infection for the last couple of day. George, I am sure, passed his cold to me. When he said “I really haven’t been anywhere” I just shook my head in amazement. I guess meeting colleagues for coffee at Saul’s, going to the grocery store, and attending meetings at Baker Labs don’t count as anything. Nor, since he wasn’t anywhere, were their masks involved.
Anyway, I have been coughing and running a low grade fever for the last couple of day. This morning it spiked and one side of my face was seriously swollen and tender. I can’t write either of those off as a common cold.
So off I went to the ER/Acute Care at the SFVA. I got lucky this time, the particular doc I drew has been working there for close to 30 years and loves his job. He doesn’t view patients/vets/their families as annoyances. My temp was 102.5* on check in, so I guess that convinced them that I was actually ill; that and the obviously swollen, red, and acutely tender side of my face.
We did the history thing, we did the exam thing, then I trundled up to the infusion center to get my port accessed and lab drawn. Back down to the ER, up to Radiology, back to the ER. By the time all was said and done, everyone came to the same conclusion; I had an infection of my parotid gland on the one side. One doesn’t poke at it with needles, as the facial nerve runs up, through it and splits to cover lower, middle, and sometimes upper face – depending. No blocked duct, no pus showing up.
It was now 1800. George took me home. I had acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and antibiotics. If it is bacterial, they will help. If viral, I am in for further pain.
I took my meds, went to bed. Woke up short of midnight…..
and, I managed a whole 4 stitches (that is right – FOUR) so that I can state unequivocally that I have stitched every day.
mumps?