Doing SICK in London.....

I know, you'd rather know the fun stuff we're doing.  Well, nothing is the answer.  Between both of us being sick and the cold weather, we've kind of been cooped up inside.

Rick had been quite sick, then I started in.  Yesterday I woke with a horrid sore throat, so wanted to go to the doctor.  Calling my bff, she helped us figure out which surgery we go to (surgery is really a clinic....with the National Health System, you're assigned where you go by where you live).  We couldn't go there because we've not been good citizens and hadn't registered yet.  So we had to go to an A & E (accident and emergency).  Jill was so nice and drove us to one she'd discovered that had parking and was usually not a long wait.

The nice lady took our temperatures (we both had fevers), looked in our ears (they were all a bit pink), looked down our throats (they were both swollen and sore, but no white spots), told us we had viruses, and sent us on our way. ALL I WANTED WAS A STREP TEST!  Her way to treat it was to gargle with aspirin water and swallow it, eat honey for the pain, and eat healthy.  Now, in the U.S., we've sort of been steered away from using aspirin, so I dismissed it.  Maybe that's wrong, but we have no aspirin or honey on hand.

We had purchased some medicine that looked sort of like Dayquil/Nyquil combined in a box. 

(can't figure out how to flip it)

 

After a horrid night, I decided to read the box and see what I'd taken.  Their "dayquil" has a med similar to tylenol, a decongestant, and CAFFEINE!  Their "nyquil" has a med similar to tylenol and a decongestant, the end....NO sleep aid.  So for me, who doesn't drink caffeine, it had me wired all night.

 

I'm now told they don't treat strep throat here anyway....just let it run it's course.  I've had strep without the white spots before.  I've had strep with no sore throat and just a sick stomach.  Hope I can really get over whatever I have. 

 

My new best friends?  Tylenol, and throat spray and throat lozenges.

 

 

 

Weird.  They both have anaesthetic to numb throat pain and antibiotics to help fight throat infection.  Can't get a RX for an antibiotic, but can buy something over the counter.  If I really do have strep, I'm not sure it would be enough to treat it.

......and.....

 

 

Mushroom soup with lots of mushroom chunks.....and...

 

 

Carrot Coriander soup.

 

Just took more tylenol.  Gonna spray my throat.  Then lay down.  Again.  Was supposed to be at "Who Do You Think You Are--Live", which is a big Family History conference.  Was given free tickets.  Maybe tomorrow.  Blahhhhhhhhh.