(no subject)

[stormdog]

I'm put in a position of understanding for those explorers of antiquity; Sir Richard Francis Burton or John Speke. More than understanding; admiration. Not only did Burton not have the luxury of consulting Google when Speke was stricken blind by some jungle ailment while on their search for Lake Tanganyika and the source of the Nile hundreds of miles through trackless wilderness from home, but Burton didn't even have a doctor to whom he could pose such questions as someone in my own predicament is capable of finding expedient answers to, even though I may have to wait until *gasp* this coming Monday. I can't even imagine the level of courage, conviction, and plain foolhardiness that would let someone press on through the course of a dangerous expedition through uncharted lands among people who may or may not as soon kill you and eat you as look at you. I don't think many people living today appreciate what it took to be an explorer. I don't think I have it in me.

Had they the option, I imagine that Burton and Speke would have been only too happy to pose questions to a knowledgable medical professional. Questions such as 'Doctor, why are my stools bright-kermit-the-frog-green (probably due to all the Gatorade I've been drinking Andrea pointed out)', or 'How long am I going to continue feeling like utter ass as soon as evening rolls 'round', or, even better, 'Just what the sam-hell, exactly, is wrong with me?'.

Well, I won't have the answer to that last question until this Monday. I had blood tests done on Friday, but I didn't hear back on them (yes, I tried calling the hospital, but they can't tell me anything), so I'm stuck waiting for the doctor to call on Monday morning. I'm going to find my manager's cell phone number on Sunday and give him a call. I'll get him up to date on what I know and see if he wants me in the office on Monday or if I should stay home. I'm willing to go in if I feel up to it.

What do I know you may ask? As I noted, no confirmation yet, but the blood test on Friday was to screen for hepatitis. It seems I may have been exposed to that somewhere along the way. Most likely A, since I'm pretty sure I haven't done anything with anybody that could result in any of the other flavors. What does that mean? As I noted, I don't know for sure that I actually have Hep A. If I do, I'm apparently going to feel like shit for some undetermined length of time between two to six months oops, that should be weeks. God/dess, I hope it's weeks. More than that, I guess I'll find out on Monday.