Can I get a WHOOP WHOOP?
So, good news everybody, I have a diagnosis!
That is to say, I'm still coughing and feeling generally sick, but at least now the folks at Student Health seem to know why! I have pertussis -- that's right, people, your intrepid scholar has whooping cough. Which I was totally vaccinated for as a baby, but ~apparently~ they only recently realized that people can get it who are above the age of like, six, or whatever, and so my immunization wore off and it's likely I caught it around campus.
PSA, PEOPLE. When you get your next booster shot make sure to ask about an adult pertussis vaccine too, because whaddyaknow, it totally infects adults, too.
And here are a few awesome facts about whooping cough!
- it's got between an 80-90 percent transmission ratio or something crazyass like that because it's a really contagious bacteria
- most adult cases go unreported and/or misdiagnosed as a respiratory tract infection because the beginning symptoms are non-specific... AND by the time most people realize it's not a normal RTI, the bacteria is too well-established to respond to antibiotic courses, which is why neither of the courses of "serious medication" (insert stern doctorface here) they gave me got rid of it
- there has been no successful way to treat, suppress, or alleviate the specific type of cough and coughing fit associated with whooping cough developed, EVER. Seriously, it does not matter that they gave me the cough syrup I had to LITERALLY SIGN CONSENT WAIVERS AND GOVERNMENT CONTROL DOCUMENTS to take home with me, it does nothing
- about four percent of people with pertussis cough so hard they fracture their own ribs, what the actual fuck
(Thanks for the info, Student Health Center & Wikipedia, way to freak me the hell out about my ribcage.)
Anyway, basically this means that I am doctor-ordered to take it easy and generally useless to the world. And there's nothing anyone can do about it. Officially, even! Sheesh.
That is to say, I'm still coughing and feeling generally sick, but at least now the folks at Student Health seem to know why! I have pertussis -- that's right, people, your intrepid scholar has whooping cough. Which I was totally vaccinated for as a baby, but ~apparently~ they only recently realized that people can get it who are above the age of like, six, or whatever, and so my immunization wore off and it's likely I caught it around campus.
PSA, PEOPLE. When you get your next booster shot make sure to ask about an adult pertussis vaccine too, because whaddyaknow, it totally infects adults, too.
And here are a few awesome facts about whooping cough!
- it's got between an 80-90 percent transmission ratio or something crazyass like that because it's a really contagious bacteria
- most adult cases go unreported and/or misdiagnosed as a respiratory tract infection because the beginning symptoms are non-specific... AND by the time most people realize it's not a normal RTI, the bacteria is too well-established to respond to antibiotic courses, which is why neither of the courses of "serious medication" (insert stern doctorface here) they gave me got rid of it
- there has been no successful way to treat, suppress, or alleviate the specific type of cough and coughing fit associated with whooping cough developed, EVER. Seriously, it does not matter that they gave me the cough syrup I had to LITERALLY SIGN CONSENT WAIVERS AND GOVERNMENT CONTROL DOCUMENTS to take home with me, it does nothing
- about four percent of people with pertussis cough so hard they fracture their own ribs, what the actual fuck
(Thanks for the info, Student Health Center & Wikipedia, way to freak me the hell out about my ribcage.)
Anyway, basically this means that I am doctor-ordered to take it easy and generally useless to the world. And there's nothing anyone can do about it. Officially, even! Sheesh.