Doctor Robert

I have Strep Throat.

All weekend, my throat had been bugging me, but I figured it was just one of those annoying colds I often get. But when I woke up this morning, I saw some strange white substance at the back of my my mouth (where the pain was generally stemming from) and decided that I should have it checked out. I went to Gower Street Practice, the medical facility that NYU in London provides for the students. They have walk-in hours from 10-11 am, and I was surprised at the quick service. I saw a doctor in less time than it would have taken me to see one had I actually made an appointment at the NYU health center in New York. The doctor asked me a few questions, listened to my breathing, felt my lymph nodes (or whatever they are called) in my neck, etc. I told him about what I thought was phlegm at the back of my mouth, he checked it out, and in no more than five minutes, he told me what was actually ailing me.

I wasn't really feeling the other symptoms of Strep Throat (such as fever), but I had pretty much spent all weekend in bed because of my throat. I didn't feel too bad this morning, except for the painful swallowing. He prescribed Penicillin and some pain killers for me. He offered me a note to get out of class, but as I said earlier, I wasn't feeling all that bad, so I thanked him and kindly declined. But after spending all day out of my dorm (in a computer lab and at a three-hour class), the symptoms definitely caught up with me. By the end of class, I went back to the doctor to get a note to skip my Monday evening lecture.

I'm apparently at my most contagious right now, so I figured that it wouldn't hurt to miss the lecture of my mandatory class. I had to wait once again for a doctor to give me a note, and that took longer than my first visit because I didn't have an appointment and walk-in hours were over. Then I went straight to NYU's Bedford Square office to give the note to the right official. He and I had a lovely little talk and he told me that, though NYU in London has a strict attendance policy, it was much better for me to skip the class so I could get better. I said I only wanted to miss this Monday evening class, but he said that if I still felt ill tomorrow, that I should skip tomorrow's class too. He told me to just come in again tomorrow so he could excuse me for tomorrow's class as well, if I felt I needed it.

I don't think I'm going to skip because my art class is going on some excursion to another museum. On one hand, walking around a museum is definitely not going to feel great. On the other hand, I don't want to miss one of the semester museum visits. I'll probably go, provided I don't feel like utter crap tomorrow.

After I turned in my note, I went to Boots (which is a drug store here) to get my medicine, went to the grocery store to pick up some food, came home and made dinner. I am actually venturing to cook food these days, instead of buying ready-made-for-the-oven type meals. Tonight I made this:
















I cut up some fresh chicken and fried it with carrots and broccoli. I used very random spices on top, including basil, paprika, ground pepper and a little bit of garlic powder. I also boiled new potatoes, slathered them in butter and sprinkled garlic powder on top. I was impressed at how that strange mix of flavours turned out; I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner. I still eat the unwrap-and-heat type foods (like Chicken Dippers and pizza), but I definitely needed some more vegetables in my diet.

I'll take my second dose of today's Penicillin right before bed. I am supposed to take two pills four times a day, but I'll count this as a half-day. I'll also probably pop another Ibuprofen then too. MMM, chicken, veggies and drugs. Lots and lots of drugs.