Ich brauche einen Arzt =(

I need a Doctor =(

Lets go back to when I first started to feel a bit under the weather. Friday the 7th I noticed I just wasn't feeling very well. By the weekend I had a fever and felt so tired I stay in bed pretty much the whole time. On Monday I was beginning to feel pretty lousy, but through the week I sucked it up and kept on with work. When Friday approached and I hadn't felt any better, actually progressively worse I decided I needed to see a doctor. Its a scary thing to have to do in a foreign country, alone, and they don't speak English. (well the first time I went they didn't but the second doctor I saw later did, thankfully)

My host mother wrote the address for me on a piece of paper and gave me directions how to get there. She thought that someone would be able to speak English and help me. My German is improving but I'm not THAT good yet. So, I arrived at the German doctors office and wait for the receptionist to call "bitte" which I've learn is a universal German word for everything in every situation. Anyways I get to the desk and handed her my insurance card and said "ich brauche eine Arzt, kannen sie sprechen English?" which basically means I need a doctor, can you speak English? and unlucky me got a very sympathetic, Not no good. (well awesome, maybe the doctor can?) I told her thanks anyways and not to worry (in German) She then pointed me to a waiting room and told me to sit on a bench and wait.

While waiting I noticed a few things. The ill/sick Germans seems nicer than the healthy ones. At the doctors office they all said good morning and had on half smiles, which is more than any of the other Germans I have seen so far.

After a good wait the doctor called me in, Frau Krupsky. I got up and followed her to the room. Once in there I quickly asked Kannen sie sprechen English? The Doctor responded very hesitantly, not a lot but I will try. (At this point I am thinking of course, I would get sick abroad and not know a ton of German to explain my symptoms.)   I managed to tell the doctor, Halsschmerzen und Kopfschmerzen. Which is a sore throat and head ache. She followed up with simple questions, where does it hurt? fever?Does this hurt?(as she pressed on my head) and then she did a quick up and down look and listened to my lungs and heart. Finally she asked me to open my mouth and say AAHHH!
Well one look in my mouth and she knew what I had, Tonsillitis. And from her reaction a pretty good case of it, she called a coworker over to also look at it. After that little adventure I got a prescription and went home. The tonsils basically work as filters and help the immune system. Since my tonsils have become overwhelmed with all this new bacteria and viruses for moving abroad, they themselves have become infected.

Oh the story isn't over yet, ending it like that would be WAY too simple for someone like me. After 3 days of antibiotics my symptoms got worse, yes worse. My throat swelled up to the point where I was having shortness of breathe. I was coughing up mucus and I could taste the pus in the back of my throat. I decided it was time to see another doctor again, (I decided to see a different Dr. one that my host mom knew spoke some English) and that brings me to today.

I just got back from the doctors, my severe tonsillitis that was unresponsive to my first round of antibiotics is now in for a new prescription. A new antibiotic, an anti-inflammatory, and a throat rise to help with the pus. The doctor said that by tomorrow the swelling should go down and within 48 hrs I should see signs of improvement. I have a check up with the doctor on Thursday to reassess things. If my conditions don't improve he will recommend me to an Otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist) for a deeper evaluation! =( I don't want that!! I just want to get better so I can enjoy my time here!!

A couple things
1.Being sick sucks, ESPECIALLY ABROAD
2.Being sick makes me miss home
3.I've surrounded myself with books, movies, and lots of tea.
4. Staying hydrated it hard when swallowing hurts, ugh, even breathing hurts.
5. My next post will hopefully be a healthy update and pictures of some new place I've explored! =]