Cedar Fever came back stronger than ever yesterday. It's hard to even describe how unpleasant it is, it's like a little worm boring through your sinuses. A friend recommended Claritin D, and I decided he was probably to be trusted on this because he's, as J said, not someone who likes to suffer.On Fridays I have Geology lab at 9:30, Geology lecture at 11, and then I'm done. We had an exam today. I studied, but not as much as I like. I feel a little stressed about all my classes this semester, I'm just barely keeping up with the reading there's so much. I like to stay a little ahead or I get nervous. But the Geology material was pretty straightforward (except for the stuff that wasn't), so I felt okay about the test. It's always uncomfortable on test day because everybody is there and every seat is filled. The lighting is poor, and the little swinging desk things are usually all right-handed. On top of that my nose was running like a spigot.
Except for two questions, the exam was not too hard. I have a bone to pick with the professor about those two questions. One included material that we were specifically told not to memorize. And on the other one, about the age of the universe, none of the available answers corresponded to the figures in the textbook (figures which I did memorize).
After the text, I went to the university pharmacy for the Claritin D and hydrogen peroxide for my breath. We get a good deal at the university pharmacy. I felt like crap when I got home. I've barely slept the last two night because my nose is running. I took a Claritin D, and the decongestant kicked in about an hour later. The antihistamine didn't do much, but I didn't expect it to. Nothing can touch the devil pollen. But if my nose is going to be running constantly, I appreciate being able to breath through it. (The D stands for decongestant (pseudophedrine), so maybe I should just take generic pseudophedrine, since the antihistamine doesn't work -- hm.)
At 2, I had a conference call with T (my Lizzie Borden collaborator) and the lawyer who is negotiating our option deal. That went well. We're close to finalizing that, which is good because we're doing a first reading in two weeks.
Then, I had an appointment at the MAP Eligibility Office, to find out if I qualify for a health care program for low income people. The program is funded by the Travis County Hospital District, which I'm thinking is a sort of a pseudo-governmental entity along the lines of a water district or the Tennessee Valley Authority or one of those things. Anyway, I qualify and I'm enrolled! I get $10 doctor visits, $7-10 prescriptions, $25 emergency room visits, and there's also a dental clinic, which is what got me to apply in the first place. I can't wait till Monday morning when I can call and make an appointment to see a dentist!
It was about 85 degrees and dry and sunny today. Kind of surreal.
1 comment:
I've had real good luck with the generic Claratin, which is called Loratadine. Best of all, it's very cheap. It's one of those drugs that builds up in your system though; it doesn't start working until at least a few days after you start taking it, and then you have to remember to take it every day.
I remember what a rude awakening my first North Carolina spring was. I woke up one morning with phlegm in the back of my throat the consistency of heavy motor oil. I thought I was dying--went to the doctor and he said, "Welcome to North Carolina." Now I take allergy meds all year round--you never know when a warm winter stretch will result in the dreaded pine pollen.
Post a Comment