ENT-ertainment

I've been sick since February 1st, just now starting to make some progress. I've been through the mill with the doctor, and not sure how much good it's done. All the congestion and coughing I've had has been making me dizzy (as it tends to do), so I went to an ENT (ear nose throat) specialist. I originally had an appointment with my allergist but he got sick! Turns out the "dizzy" symptom was the only one they were very interested in, so that was addressed, but the head/chest congestion, wracking cough, sore throat, and even the all day long nosebleed (I was close to going to the ER!) that I had on Friday were of very little interest so I had to keep bringing them up. He did tell me to start taking an OTC drug, Mucinex-DM for the cough/congestion (which has helped the cough but not the congestion). He told me that a nosebleed is caused by a ruptured blood vessel. Well, duh. I knew that. I am an old nosebleed veteran but haven't had one that bad since I was a kid (I once bled a whole pint, used to have those damned things almost every day in Albuquerque). He told me to ease up on the ibuprophen, and I will, but I have seriously needed that stuff for the HEADACHES that have gone with this sinus distress!!

Last Thursday I had a cat scan of my head (which nearly got messed up by the aforementioned unstoppable cough!!), and today, Monday, I had the ear tests. I've had these before (9 years ago), and the water test in particular is not much fun. They stick electrodes all over your face, lie you down, then stream cold water into your right ear with a water-pik-like device, which makes you dizzy! Your eyes are closed while they ask you for a girl's name that begins with A, then B, and so on while everything spins. I guess that it supposed to make you concentrate while your dizziness is measured. Then they do the left ear followed by listing boy's names, then repeat right and left with warm water and naming places and animals. I was so befuddled and dizzy and sick and tired, I had to laugh at myself because I couldn't think of an animal beginning with F. I must have developed a mental suppression and different connotation of the word FOX! heh heh. Those bastards at FOX "news".

Anyway, I was sent home with some head/eye exercises for the dizziness (thankfully no surgery suggested), I think the congestion is from allergies so I'll deal with them as such, and I've now got the cleanest ears on the block!

Cough graphic from sangrea.net.