I'm Sick
I didn't want to seem alarmist before and mention that I was a bit worried about the hand-sized red spot on my leg. I didn't want to mention it, even though it remained painful and irritated and red for two weeks. I didn't want to mention it, even though it slowly moved from my mid-calf area when it first manifested at the beginning of November, up to my knee and to my inner thigh and up so that it was near my groin. I didn't want to mention it on LJ, and I didn't really mention it to anyone here, either.
But when I woke up and it hurt around my groin so that I could barely walk without grumbling or wincing, I went to the doctor. There's an English-speaking doctor here, who I learned of from Laura, who saw him in the back of the Foreigner's Gwangju News Magazine. I went to see him. He took a look at it, and I told him all the symptoms I've been experiencing. Pain, a burning sensation, tense muscles and pain when I walk or move the muscles, etc. And I told him it had been moving, and that the first time I noticed it was two weeks ago.
So, he told me it was probably cellulitis, an infection that causes inflammation of the cells. And it could also be lymphangitis, a version of cellulitis that attacks the lymph nodes. He told me that it could be fairly serious, and that some people get it when they come to a new place that their bodies haven't adapted to yet. I later looked up more of the causes and symptoms online. Sounds about right. And he took a blood sample to do some tests and told me to come back Monday. Then he gave me a prescription for some pills to protect against the infection spreading throughout my body.
So I went back today. He said that one of the two tests he'd sent for had come back promising, but the other one hadn't been analyzed yet. And he said I needed antibody treatment, and that he was a bit worried about this infection. I needed two shots every day for two weeks, to stave off the infection, and that if I started showing symptoms, I'd need to be hospitalized immediately. I can't drink or smoke or exercise, and he also gave me a set of four pills to take three times a day. I can't miss a day of the shots or the infection could possibly develop a resistance to the antibodies.
I haven't had much of an appetite since Thursday, when I was wretchedly sick. I'm not sure if it's because of that, or because of the infection, or because of the drugs. It sort of sucks because I need to take my pills 30 minutes after a meal, and I don't really want to eat at all.
I just thought I'd share. I considered saying something about my leg sooner, but I figured I was overreacting. Now I just wish I'd gone to the doctor sooner. At least the medical stuff here is super, super cheap; I paid $19 for the first visit and the blood tests, and $20 for today's visit and shots. Maybe I should get sick or injured more often over here. (That was a sorry excuse for a joke. -)
Hm. The shots are also very painful. And the bedside manner of the nurses here is reminiscent of getting slapped in the face with a cold fish. I had to twist her arm today to give me a fucking bandage, even though I was still bleeding freely. So...wish me luck.
Also, I don't want my family to worry, so I won't be posting anything regarding this on my other journal. They worry enough about me as it is, and this is nothing I can't handle. Tumbleweed, keep it to yourself.
But when I woke up and it hurt around my groin so that I could barely walk without grumbling or wincing, I went to the doctor. There's an English-speaking doctor here, who I learned of from Laura, who saw him in the back of the Foreigner's Gwangju News Magazine. I went to see him. He took a look at it, and I told him all the symptoms I've been experiencing. Pain, a burning sensation, tense muscles and pain when I walk or move the muscles, etc. And I told him it had been moving, and that the first time I noticed it was two weeks ago.
So, he told me it was probably cellulitis, an infection that causes inflammation of the cells. And it could also be lymphangitis, a version of cellulitis that attacks the lymph nodes. He told me that it could be fairly serious, and that some people get it when they come to a new place that their bodies haven't adapted to yet. I later looked up more of the causes and symptoms online. Sounds about right. And he took a blood sample to do some tests and told me to come back Monday. Then he gave me a prescription for some pills to protect against the infection spreading throughout my body.
So I went back today. He said that one of the two tests he'd sent for had come back promising, but the other one hadn't been analyzed yet. And he said I needed antibody treatment, and that he was a bit worried about this infection. I needed two shots every day for two weeks, to stave off the infection, and that if I started showing symptoms, I'd need to be hospitalized immediately. I can't drink or smoke or exercise, and he also gave me a set of four pills to take three times a day. I can't miss a day of the shots or the infection could possibly develop a resistance to the antibodies.
I haven't had much of an appetite since Thursday, when I was wretchedly sick. I'm not sure if it's because of that, or because of the infection, or because of the drugs. It sort of sucks because I need to take my pills 30 minutes after a meal, and I don't really want to eat at all.
I just thought I'd share. I considered saying something about my leg sooner, but I figured I was overreacting. Now I just wish I'd gone to the doctor sooner. At least the medical stuff here is super, super cheap; I paid $19 for the first visit and the blood tests, and $20 for today's visit and shots. Maybe I should get sick or injured more often over here. (That was a sorry excuse for a joke. -)
Hm. The shots are also very painful. And the bedside manner of the nurses here is reminiscent of getting slapped in the face with a cold fish. I had to twist her arm today to give me a fucking bandage, even though I was still bleeding freely. So...wish me luck.
Also, I don't want my family to worry, so I won't be posting anything regarding this on my other journal. They worry enough about me as it is, and this is nothing I can't handle. Tumbleweed, keep it to yourself.