Sick update
Today I took myself to the doctor - or rather, the wonderful and long-suffering girlfriend took me to the doctor while I rather imperfectly served as navigator - and I was officially diagnosed with "yeah, that's probably the H1N1 virus." Also known as, The Swine Flu.
Apparently, they don't actually test anyone for it because 1) the treatment is the same as for "normal" flu and 2) the tests don't really work. But my symptoms, combined with the fact that I fit the "typical profile" ("Young, healthy, normally doesn't get sick but just got completely laid flat by this flu -" "Yeah, that's me!") indicates that yup, I probably got hit with the swine.
On the bright side, today was the first day this week that I haven't had a fever (hurrah!) which means I'm definitely getting better. And to be honest, I haven't felt that awful, provided I kept myself drugged up and horizontal. Got lots of sleeping time in (up to 16 hours a day!), read a few books, watched some TV and movies. It helped a lot that the girlfriend came over two or three evenings to keep me company, so I haven't had that crazy "I've had no human contact for days!" feeling that being bedridden can give you.
So overall, swine flu: not that bad. Yes, my week did have plans other than "sleep excessively" and "make some good headway into my roommate's YA fantasy collection," but when you get down to it, it's not a bad way to spend a feverish week.
Apparently, they don't actually test anyone for it because 1) the treatment is the same as for "normal" flu and 2) the tests don't really work. But my symptoms, combined with the fact that I fit the "typical profile" ("Young, healthy, normally doesn't get sick but just got completely laid flat by this flu -" "Yeah, that's me!") indicates that yup, I probably got hit with the swine.
On the bright side, today was the first day this week that I haven't had a fever (hurrah!) which means I'm definitely getting better. And to be honest, I haven't felt that awful, provided I kept myself drugged up and horizontal. Got lots of sleeping time in (up to 16 hours a day!), read a few books, watched some TV and movies. It helped a lot that the girlfriend came over two or three evenings to keep me company, so I haven't had that crazy "I've had no human contact for days!" feeling that being bedridden can give you.
So overall, swine flu: not that bad. Yes, my week did have plans other than "sleep excessively" and "make some good headway into my roommate's YA fantasy collection," but when you get down to it, it's not a bad way to spend a feverish week.