Sunday, December 2, 2007

One Sick Chick

So I'm sick. Again.
I got up Wednesday morning and was so dizzy I almost fell over. The dizziness lasted throughout the day, combined with a high fever. I could barely walk down the street to go grocery shopping. People must have thought I was the local drunk college student, but no, I was completely sober. I thought I should go to the doctor, but I waited until Thursday to see if maybe it was some weird 24 hour thing. It wasn't.

I made it to the UCL health center on Thursday (they inexplicably didn't charge me the 60 pounds), and managed to see a doctor. He diagnosed me with: labyrinthitis.
Wait, labyrinth-what-sis?
Labyrinthitis. I'm having difficulty typing it out right now. "It's a virus in your inner ear," my doctor explained. "Causes alot of dizziness, queasiness, and fever." he paused. "So who do you think is going to win the presidency next fall? That's when you all vote, in the fall of 2008, right?"
I had to sit for a moment, digesting this bit of information. What the hell kind of illness was labyrinthitis anyway? Some made up British sickness? And why were we talking about the 2008 elections right now?
Since he was my doctor, I engaged him in some political discussion, offering my views on who might win. I really had no idea (who does?) but I offered him some of my views on Obama vs. Hillary and who might get the nomination. In return he gave me a prescription for anti-dizzy pills and sent me on my way. You have to work for your meal around here.

So as a result of my dizziness and fever I missed my classes on Thursday and my Brahms Requiem concert on Friday. I was quite disappointed about the Brahms- I worked really hard on learning that piece (it takes over 80 minutes to perform), and I went to rehearsals all week. So now I have this gigantic piece in my head and no way to perform it. Perhaps when I get back to Fordham I can ask my choir director if we can do that piece for our annual spring concert (which usually features a requiem).

Speaking of going back- I have only two weeks left here in London. I fly home into Logan on the 17th. The countdown is on. I still have a ridiculous amount of work to do, places to visit, and I have to recover my health before I can do any serious work.

Which makes me wonder....
I've only been ill once in my Fordham career. That's six semesters, and I've only been really sick once. I come to England, and I've been really sick twice in about three months! What is that about? Is it the British food/weather, or are there different germs here I'm just not used to? Whatever the case, I just hope I can get better soon. Until next time...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Dear Annie, Get well right now! That's an order!
You may have hit on the fact that there are bugs and viruses (viri?) that are different in other areas of the world. Maybe you blew your nose too hard and forced some strange bugs into your eustacian tube that leads from your throat into your inner ear. Maybe you didn't drink enough Guiness. Whatever, hang in and come home soon. We miss you even though you never read your email.
Love, Poppy