2007 = Year of the Sick?

If you're feeling fine one moment, then suddenly your throat is killing you, you're running a high fever, and all your energy has vanished in a haze of illness, you probably have strep throat.

"Strep," in this case, stands for Streptococcus pyogenes, a common strain of bacteria that can live in your throat and nose for months without causing any harm. Tests show that about 15% of healthy people have the strep bug living uneventfully in their mouths or throats. Once in a while, however, these bugs turn ugly on you. Maybe you've been under too much stressstress, or your immune system has been overtaxed with fighting a virus such as a common cold or the fluflu. Or perhaps you've picked up a bug from an infected person. Whatever the reason, the normally quiet strep organisms can suddenly start spewing out toxins and inflammatory substances to bring on the sore throatsore throat and other symptoms. Too often these carriers have no problems; however they can pass an active infection on to others.

Although strep throat feels awful, it can be cured easily these days with antibiotics such as penicillin or erythromycin. In fact, one of the biggest problems with it is getting people to seek treatment. Because a fever and sore throat are also symptoms of coldscolds and the flu, strep throat is often mistaken for these ailments. But colds and flu normally take several days to develop, and most of the time they are accompanied by a cough, stuffy or runny nose, and headache. A strep throat, by contrast, usually arrives in a hurry and without any other cold or flu symptoms.

Strep throat should never be taken lightly. Untreated, the disease can quickly lead to a more severe illness such as acute nephritis (which can damage your kidneys), meningitismeningitis, or rheumatic fever, all of which can be fatal.

~ WebMD.com

I've been sick, literally, with one stinkin' ailment or another, since New Year's Eve. W.T.F. It's like my immune system suddenly has decided to vanish, leaving me susceptible to all of the boogers, coughs, sneezes, etc. that my kids trek through my room. I think that + the cold + all the stress I've been under has just made me crazy. Seriously, though. New Year's Eve was food poisoning. First two weeks of January was a cold. Next cold hit before first cold was over. First week in February I get hit with baaad sinus congestion. Barely recover from that and then Sunday I got hit with a baaad fever and REALLY bad throat pain (as evidenced above.) Fever and pain continue. I shall finally see a doctor hopefully Thursday. Too bad it's parent conference week and my schedule is strained.

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