sickbay
Since I needed to renew a a prescription, I decided that a little pre-weekend getaway visit to the doctor was probably a good idea. When I woke up this morning, emptied myself, and found that I could barely move from the pain afterward, I knew it was probably the Best Idea Ever. I don't think I've been so glad that I've made a doctor's appointment in years. So I eventually showered, dressed, and slowly shuffled off to meet the bus.
Since my GP was away, I had to see his fill-in. But I was cool with that. Especially now. And when I was seen quickly, I was unbelievably cool with the whole thing. So what seemed to be the problem? "Doc," I said, hesitating. After all, I hadn't even covered this in my journal. "I think I have a Urinary Tract Infection."
"What makes you think that?"
What followed was a list of the things I'd experienced in the past four or five days. The fact that my urine output was shockingly low considering my fluid input. The frequent feeling of having to go without the piss to prove my point. The mysterious peeing pains of a few days ago that cleared up almost as soon as I got them. The colour. And today's weirdness.
His response? He handed me a cup. Oh boy, pee test time.
"I don't think there'll be enough to test anything," I said.
"Try anyway," he suggested.
So I did. Didn't bring much back, but it was something. Dr. Sub took out a strip featuring squares tinted various shades of yellow. He added it to the mix and compared the results to the little chart that accompanied the strip. There was a little palette of colours on the tiny sheet, each with a little description about what that meant. My strip was psychedelic. Apparently, I had blood, white cells, bacteria, nitrites, and possibly even Big Mac sauce in my pee. Yep. I had a full bladder infection. Joy.
He told me to drink as much water as possible, wrote me up a scrip for three days' worth of Cipro XL (so named, I'm guessing, for the fact that these pills are large enough to hollow out and store other pills in) and asked me to take the sample to the lab across the street so they could test it to see if he'd prescribed the right thing. I asked him for a renew on my Venlafaxine. He then wished me well and sent me on my way.
The important thing is, I'm beginning to feel better. At this rate, I should be pissing like a champion racehorse by Friday morning.
Since my GP was away, I had to see his fill-in. But I was cool with that. Especially now. And when I was seen quickly, I was unbelievably cool with the whole thing. So what seemed to be the problem? "Doc," I said, hesitating. After all, I hadn't even covered this in my journal. "I think I have a Urinary Tract Infection."
"What makes you think that?"
What followed was a list of the things I'd experienced in the past four or five days. The fact that my urine output was shockingly low considering my fluid input. The frequent feeling of having to go without the piss to prove my point. The mysterious peeing pains of a few days ago that cleared up almost as soon as I got them. The colour. And today's weirdness.
His response? He handed me a cup. Oh boy, pee test time.
"I don't think there'll be enough to test anything," I said.
"Try anyway," he suggested.
So I did. Didn't bring much back, but it was something. Dr. Sub took out a strip featuring squares tinted various shades of yellow. He added it to the mix and compared the results to the little chart that accompanied the strip. There was a little palette of colours on the tiny sheet, each with a little description about what that meant. My strip was psychedelic. Apparently, I had blood, white cells, bacteria, nitrites, and possibly even Big Mac sauce in my pee. Yep. I had a full bladder infection. Joy.
He told me to drink as much water as possible, wrote me up a scrip for three days' worth of Cipro XL (so named, I'm guessing, for the fact that these pills are large enough to hollow out and store other pills in) and asked me to take the sample to the lab across the street so they could test it to see if he'd prescribed the right thing. I asked him for a renew on my Venlafaxine. He then wished me well and sent me on my way.
The important thing is, I'm beginning to feel better. At this rate, I should be pissing like a champion racehorse by Friday morning.