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Fri 22 Feb, 2008 01:14 pm
No, not taxicabs, this has nothing to do with taxicabs, it's about the pervasive, nearly universal, barking cough that has spread over the city of New York this winter. The virus causing this condition is having a winning season. Every subway car carries the sound of the scattered gunshots of the Hack. Every caféé, restaurant, diner and coffeeshop contains at least one person who woofs now and then, in several I've been to it's been me and some of the waiters.
The darkened romantic movie scene is punctuated with the comma, comma, fullstops of the victims, none of whom are sick enough to stay isolated nor really well enough to be amongst other people. It's only a cough. Right.
"It's only a cough that started a few days after the New Year and now has lasted through Valentine's (I -chuff- chuff- love you.) and now Lincoln's birthday." Maybe you should see someone.
So you call to make an appointment. The first opening at any time for any day is .... April 20th. WHAT? Pleading, begging, asserting that you might be spitting up blood and something that resembles a piece of gum you swallowed in seventh grade gets you a 8:15AM a week from now.
I will tell you what will happen because it has happened to thousands of people already in this city. On the morning of the appointment day, and not one second sooner, you will stop coughing. The Hack will be gone, your chest and lungs and throat will feel fine. You will feel fine. You will still go to the appointment and at about two hours after it's scheduled time you will listen to the internist listen to your chest and hear her sigh "No, no congestion." It's as if in some quantum physics inspired weirdness, the virus knows just when to cease operations and bug out.
You pay your deductible at the desk a little disappointed that after all these weeks of ca-caak-caws you didn't even get a prescription for some purple colored elixir. You decide that you are going to take the rest of the day off anyway just because of the stress.
Tell the truth. Isn't that what happened to you?
Joe(It's happening in Boston right now.)Nation
I went to the walk-in the day the hack got bad for me.
They sent me home wearing a mask.
I wasn't sure if I cared if I died.
I think I just waited the thing out. Running a couple of five milers didn't help. I think George, LittleK and Dag are all stricken as we speak.
Joe(or type of whatever)Nation
I tried waiting. Turned out to be a mistake.
I had a sinus infection, lung infection and ear infection when I got to the walk-in. They told me I should have come in a month earlier.
Setanta's still fighting off the end of it.
We got quite fond of the little turquoise pills that helped us sleep (no-name nighttime benadryl).
My condolences to you both.
Joe(I never get any good drugs.)Nation
So..... how is everyone now?
Joe(k-chauf k-chauf)Nation
never had the cough, but the sinuses are killing me. wake up barely able to open my eyes as they are swollen as if i had a head-on collision with a bee hive. ear, nose, teeth, every last tube in the head hurts.
finally gave in and went to health services after a week of this, they gave me some ultra industrial extra strength decongestant, perhaps enriched uranium, who knows... felt much better withing minutes.
i had a cranky cranky cranky week.
Why does JoeNation suddenly look like Tom Jones in a fez?
Is it the medication?
Its the end time, didnt you know? Only a few of us and the Amish will make it through. Ive been washing my hands waay more frequently though. ALthough I really cannot figuer the hand lung connection very well.
The Farmerclan has mostly made it through although little farmergirl, in A law school in Philadelphia was suffering from some lungistic phlegmatism. She pretty much all back together and part of the pretty-well group.
I cant stand to get anything resembling a bad virus since I still have this dam atrial fib. They wont do surgery till after March and that means Ive gotta stay well. So Ive kept my travel down and have kept working in the library and no farther away than North CArolina to Quebec. Ive stayed as much in my own truck and have eaten in Hotels with kitchens so I can make my own foods and not be part of crowds.
Practicing extreme caution
Hell, we even curtailed much of the Christmas visiting. We went out to eat last week for the first time in months and we lost our table , so we used that as an omen to stay away from steamy kitchens and waiters .
So far so good.
Ah.. the luxury to be isolated.
Yesterday morning I moved my seat twice to get away from two people who apparently think it's perfectly okay to cough vigorously without covering their mouths.
Joe(Where were their mothers??)Nation
ehBeth wrote:Why does JoeNation suddenly look like Tom Jones in a fez?
Is it the medication?
It's my grasshopper look.
Joe(when I run I look like a MG Bugged-eyed Sprite) Nation
I have never, in my entire life, had so much as a cough. No sore throats, no flu, no stomach ache, no muscle cramps.... nothing. I am a picture of health and I expect to remain healthy until my prophesy comes true and that is being struck by an airplane as I drive innocently down a back country road.
Gus(I wonder if there is a front country)Ratzenhofer
One commits low treason in the front country--and exits in low dungeon.
gustavratzenhofer wrote:I have never, in my entire life, had so much as a cough. No sore throats, no flu, no stomach ache, no muscle cramps.... nothing. I am a picture of health and I expect to remain healthy until my prophesy comes true and that is being struck by an airplane as I drive innocently down a back country road.
What kind of airplane?
Joe(and where can I rent one?)Nation
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