phlegm, glorious phlegm

oh, wait. mebbe i got that wrong. i am not usually one to wallow when i get sick. but lemme tell you, THIS time round is different. i have been knocked on my keister for 3 days now, and it is tough for me to focus that there actually will be an end in sight.
i have been taking my meds (even the sugar-free alcohol-free generic Robitussin DM that i was prescribed) right on schedule, and must admit that i have noticed some improvement. i am able to cough more easily, and what i am coughing up would make Bill Cosby think twice about being a spokesperson for a certain 'after school treat'. mmmmm,,,,Butterscotch. These aren't my lungs, but pretty darn close:

that opaque thing in the middle is the heart. lub-dub, lub-dub. in the lower left (which is actually the patient's RIGHT), you can see some, what do they call it?, oh. consolidation. it is fluid in the lung. Not like coke or water or that, but more like butterscotch pudding. (there, i said it. sorry to all of you who (until now) like(d) butterscotch pudding. really i am. so anyway, back to the lesson. that junk is 'the pneumonia', as in "mr. jones, you have a pneumonia in your right lower lobe." i used mr. jones because i didn't get my diagnosis that way. mine was more direct. something like this, "dude. woah. you are one sick puppy."
before i was sent for the x-rays, the NP took my temp. (no, Adam, not rectally.) sheesh. i couldn't see the number, but her reaction was, and this is a quote, "wow. i usually don't see this kind of temp in here!" marvelous. lady, i know you are earthy and have those cute little Tibetan Prayer Flags strung up in your office (i want some!) and you have other 'crunchy' things around, but just gimme the digits. I'm an ICU nurse for goodnessakes. "what is it?", i queried. "103.9" yep. and that was AFTER 2 dayquil and an acetaminophen (i prefer generics) 325mg tablet. yep. i was COOKING. so home i went, reluctantly, because i have to finish a presentation due Wednesday. It is mostly set, but it is the first time i have presented to the Clinical Excellence Board, and I am a bit nervous about it. this, too, shall pass.

Have fun this weekend, everyone. Likely I'll be back a few times; not much else i can do. bleh.