The littles and I stayed home. I wasn't feeling up to the logistical troubles of taking turns skiing, arranging for childcare in the village, or whatever it was going to be. It's a shame because everyone is miles ahead of me in skiing ability now.
I was feeling a little better on Saturday, but Saturday night I could barely sleep and had bad coughing and night sweats. I decided not to wait until Monday to see a doctor. E called the local hospital and they told him to contact the Sunday doctor on call. We did and went to his office where we found out he is a Rheumatologist. He said my ears and tonsils looked fine and that my lungs sounded okay. That was surprising to me. He figures it's therefore a virus, and not the dangerous bacterial infection E's boss warned him is rampant lately. (That was one reason I decided not to wait - E's boss said if it was the bacterial infection I should go to the hospital immediately.) The doctor gave me a bunch of medicine to treat the symptoms and to help make sure it doesn't become something worse. I have to make a follow up appointment with a general doctor because I've lost more weight than expected and it's best to make sure everything is straightened out.
He gave me the medicine right in the office, which was very convenient. There is a nasal spray, a general pain reliever which seems to be double strength ibuprofen, and, best of all, the cough medicine. The cough medicine is incredible! It worked incredibly fast, hasn't worn off yet after 8 hours (I'm saving my next dose for before bed), and worked really well. On the way home from the doctor's office I had to stop a couple of times to sit and catch my breath. Since taking the medicine I've only coughed - gently - a few times all day. It was like turning off a switch! I looked to see if it's available in the US under some other name. No. It's serious stuff -only by prescription when you can get it at all, and in the UK only prescribed to patients with chronic pulmonary disease. So, sadly, no stockpiling for use back home, but I am making the most of it now!
E went with me to the appointment. Afterwards he and S rode the train to Zurich because that's what you have to do to get groceries on Sunday. He says the store was packed with shoppers who had to be there. He and S got a bunch of healthy stuff, then came home and made a big vegetable stir fry to help build me up. I might have eaten more stir fry than I've eaten in the entire last week combined.
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