7 days with a chanchito

so funny story. tuesday evening, kelly and i were walking home from our exilerating trampoline class at the gym, when i started feeling like i had a little bugger in my throat. meh, just talkin' to much (as usual) out in the freezing cold weather... too much cold air hittin' the windpipe's never good, right? it'll go away.

wednesday, went to school. didn't feel 100%, but was well equipped with my handy purell just in case i was coming down with something. by midday, i felt like... well... something that would come out the back door.

so after about two days of fever and a pretty wicked 'tos' (cough), my mama decided it be best for me to see a doctor. she didn't tell me we'd have such an adventure! so we go to the doctor and she was of course concerned that i may have the swine flu. afterall, there's been quite a few people here in los angeles that have come down with the newly famous bug. so i had a rapid influenza and pertussis screen. now please dont take me as a softy, but i swear on anything good that it had to have been the WORST diagnostic test i've ever endured. this is how it went:

1: place q-tip in a nare. any one you choose!
2: continue following nasal passageway until you reach katie's brain.
3: roll around q-tip until you collect enough brain matter to steal all of katie's genius master plans.
4: send to laboratory.
5: perform times three.

yeah. needless to say they got what they needed. ended up testing positive for influenza type A. so we went back to the doctor, who then told me i need to go to the hospital for "further tests." (aka they wanted to make sure i didnt have swine flu.) sooo we take a little stroll through the city to the public hospital. waiting room is full of people with masks on. lovely. love this. same area where there are little old people that can barely breathe. waited about 2 and a half hours until the nurse called me in, took my blood pressure and heart rate, both of which were elevated. type A katie freaking out internally. vital signs expose all nerves.

so after vital sign heaven, we went on to wait a little longer. all the while people were on gurneys in the hall way while on 5 liters O2 with no one watching over them. one guy was talkin to himself and his mask kept coming off. it took all my power not to turn into dun dun dun dun: NURSE KATIE! but seriously.

so we finally get in to see the doc. i try to tell her one thing, she says she cant understand my AWESOME spanish. so she turns to my chilean mom who answers all her questions about my symptoms. never listened to my lungs, never even looked at me actually. so that was cool. way cool doctor. love those kind. she gave me a script for an antiviral which is what i would be on if i was to test positive for swine flu. i'm a little out of the loop on the diagnostics required to confirm a diagnosis for swine, but apparently they didn't feel the need to spend more money on the gringa, and thought it be best to just put me on the meds and send me home.

but ladies and gentlemen, please hold onto your seats for the best part of the story! i'm in quarantine for 7 days. not just in the house. i am to stay in my room for 7 days. not allowed to leave. i have an attached bathroom so no need to leave for that. everyone who knows me really well is laughing at this point because you know i'm going to poke my eyes out or better yet draw on the walls due to boredom. my mom brings me meals. otherwise no one's allowed in. i tried to convince my mom to let ryan in for a little make out sesh, but she politely said heck no. girl's gotta try, right?

so admist all this funny drama, my sister and mama brought me home a little get well gift from the supermarket. i'm not sure if it was a sick joke or not. please see the photo below. her name is mitsy. she's named after my doctor who sent me through all of this. so here's to mitsy and our 7 days together. oink oink.