That’s right, you’re sick by Keri G. '10
Thank you, nurse, for stating the obvious.
As I’ve discussed on this blog before, MIT MedLinks are awesome. Got a headache? Have some Tylenol! Stuffy nose and a cough that just won’t go away? Sudafed, Robitussin, pick one! Hey, have both! Sprained your ankle? Hold on, I’ll wrap you up with an Ace bandage before we hop on over to Medical!
One drawback to the program, however, is that you don’t really get to know other MedLinks very well. After training, you see them at the Registration Day meeting and Continuing Education sessions (like last night’s session with a psychologist and a social worker from MIT Mental Health Services) and the like, but it’s not like when a sick students can choose to go to any available MedLink for help. When MedLinks are sick, they MedLink themselves. (What do you expect me to do – go down the hall to Carlos ’09 and say, “What up? I’m sick, so excuse me while I ignore the box o’ meds under my bed and see if you can hook me up…”) Of course, this eliminates the chances of getting a second opinion, and most people are quick to say that they’re just fine.
In fact, if there’s anyone who’s ever been fine, it’s me. See, I have not been sick in over a year. The last time I felt the compulsion to sniiffle, sneeze, and cough my way through the day while my throat felt like raw hamburger was my senior year, when I had to convince my mom that no, this wasn’t due to senioritis or my loathing of AP Stats and yes, I would go see my doctor if she deemed it necessary.
So when I woke up on Sunday morning and could barely talk, I immediately started taking care of myself. Hello, throat lozenges. Thank you for getting me through the MedLinks election meeting. As for you, Sudafed? Muchos gracias for your amazing powers of decongestion. I hope I didn’t sound like too much of an idiot while answering questions about why I’d make a great Membership Coordinator, seeing as my brain’s too fuzzy to come up with appropriate responses to anything. (Hey, I still won…)
I started feeling increasingly worse during the week, so I did precisely what one should never do in situations like these and ignored it. (For the most part, that is – I was still drugging myself with everything useful from my handy MedLink kit of over-the-counter medications.) My sore throat and congestion continued into a fourth day, which was past the “go to MIT Medical after three days of symptoms without improvement” rule. At this point, I experienced a return of everyone-but-me syndrome, where I decide that hard-and-fast rules and statements apply to everyone but me. If it worked in PreCalc (“The test grades were horrible!” Yeah, everyone’s but mine… “Every single one of you needs to go home and review this until you understand it!” Everyone but me, right?) (Okay, so this didn’t actually work in PreCalc, since math is not my friend), then it would work here, and the test and quiz I had scheduled for today needed to take prevalence over some pesky cough.
Remember the whole “no sick for me in over a year” thing? Yeah, about that – when something brings me down, it is never, ever little. I felt like I’d been run over by a truck. A very large, very fast-moving truck. Even so, getting screwed by 8.02 is like being hit by a train that is much bigger and moving far faster than any disease-carrying truck, so 8.02 won this one.
After sleeping for eleven hours and feeling even worse when I woke up this morning, though, enough was enough. I went to 24.900, most likely failed my quiz, and trudged across the street to MIT Medical. Sitting in the waiting room of Urgent Care, a triage nurse came out and said, “Yoshimi? You can come in, please.” As a middle-aged Asian woman stood up and followed the nurse, all that ran through my head for about an hour afterwards was, “Oh Yoshimi, they don’t believe me, but you won’t let those robots beat me…”
If the Flaming Lips don’t get you through the day, nothing will. Really. It’s true. It’s been scientifically proven and everything.
Two hours later, after waiting in an exam room and wishing I were dead or passed out or both, a very nice nurse practitioner told me that a virus has decided to take up residence in my body. “You’ve been underdosing yourself – you can up the Sudafed to 2 30mg pills every six hours, and I suggest you drink about three liters of fluid a day. Since it’s a virus, you’ll probably have to ride it out for the next few days, but you should definitely come back here if you get any worse. In the meantime, you should get as much rest as possible. Is there any way you can take a break for the next few days?”
I thought about my test later this evening and the two problem sets due tomorrow.
“Um, maybe I can talk to Student Support Services and see if I can get an extension on the homework, but…”
I’m off to drug myself and go to sleep for the rest of the day. Until 7:30, 8.02. You will not beat me. Just like robots and Yoshimi.
second post!!
Ankit Chandra
Gaborone, Botswana
Third Post!!!
First real post!
Hope you feel better. I love how you can make that an amusing story, because I would just be whiny.
I used to think that this first post thing was fun but you guys are really taking it too far………………………………..
Aww, feel better! The MedLinks seem like a really good idea, I’ll definitely check that out. Good luck with the psets and exams, and thanks for the anecdote
Keri, hope you feel better!
To those who seem not to care:
Show some respect to the person who takes the time to write the blog entries. If you have nothing constructive to share, do not write anything. Don’t just write “first post, second post, third post, etc….” and make the blogging entries entirely just a game. In addition, nobody truly cares whether or not you got to post first, second, or third. It is no sign of achievement.
it may not be for u but it is for us and we enjoy every moment we can so we do this
decisions.mit.edu is up again!!! Less than 9 days left people, hang in there…go to the site to confirm your ability to vview your decision for next sat. GL all.
Is 12:00 P.M. midnight or noon?
noon
Bad at math?! Isn’t it an unspoken requirement for those accepted to MIT to be awesome at math?!
Keri,
Feel better soon. Load up on the Vitamin C. Get one of your friends to pick up some Vitamin C for you and start swallowing them with the liquid that you should be drinking every hour. Hot lemonade is also helpful to break up any congestion.
As Another’10mom said earlier you need to dress in layers. You’re not used to cold temperatures. I’m sure you did well on your tests. Stay in this weekend and rest even if you are starting to feel better. That is crucial. You can do work in bed and at your desk if you are starting to feel better but you do not need to be going out. You don’t need a relapse.
Get well soon.
AnotherMom
(OH HEY EVERYONE, I’M AWAKE AGAIN)
Bland – It’s not that I’m BAD at math per se; once I understand the concepts, I can do problems quickly and correctly. (Last week’s 18.03 test score was even above the class average. That’s the first time I’ve scored above average on any math assignment since I came here. Woo hoo!) My problem is that it takes a while to get to that point. In fact, it often takes more time than there is available to me. Also, being awesome at math is neither a spoken nor an unspoken requirement here at MIT, but it’s definitely a plus.
If it’s any consolation to anyone, the first post thing bothers me like nothing else. It’s all-too-reminiscent of LiveJournal news posts and fanfiction, where constructive comments on new developments and/or writings are buried under a mountain of “First?” “Yayyy first!” “Third, but really second because the first poster went twice!” “FOURTH AWSM!” “Exclamation points!” comments.
Just sayin’.
To each his own, I guess.
Also, the 8.02 test went really well, for those of you who are absolutely dying to know. ^_^ Back to sleep I go.
Dear Keri,
I feel like yelling at you for not taking care of yourself but I think your mom would do that for me. Instead I hope you feel much better and I hope you kill that 8.02 test as much as i didn’t (because then you’d probably ace it).
Keri,
Your mom may not lecture you in your blog but I will. You must take care of yourself. You are no longer in Florida. I hope you are dressing appropriately for the weather- hat scarf, long johns and lots of layers.
Feel better. I’m sure you did well on your test.
Hi Ker, I hope you are feeling better today. Thanks for taking the time to see the Doc. and following her Rx. I’m very happy to see that you are writing even while you’re sick. Shows that no bullet train nor tractor trailer virus can keep you down. Down with you monster virus!!!!!!! Oh did have some chicken soup yet?
You need it EVERDAY until you’re better. Also No going out to a party.
Thanks to you Another ’10mom ., AnotherMom and Mr. Neha (did I Say that right Nehalita?) for looking out for my “Ever-ready battery” ON-THE-GO, robot Keri. Hope she will get better soooooon.
I feel ya, babe. Have a restful weekend. I feel ya, babe. Have a restful weekend. <3
Now that decisions are coming out if I don’t get in I would definitely need the medlinks.
Oh, Keri. I know you won’t let those robot (germs) you. Your name is Keri, you’re a blackbelt in being awesome.
<3 The Flaming Lips…such a good song
I’m sorry the first post thing bugs people, honestly, I am. What I’d like to say in defense to
Show some respect to the person who takes the time to write the blog entries. If you have nothing constructive to share, do not write anything. Don’t just write “first post, second post, third post, etc….” and make the blogging entries entirely just a game. In addition, nobody truly cares whether or not you got to post first, second, or third. It is no sign of achievement.
is that nobody means disrespect to anybody. Not everything on these blogs has to be constructive, sometimes it’s simply entertaining to enjoy a stupid fad. It doesn’t hurt anybody, just skip over it and read something constructive. It will never get so bad as to completely obliterate any serious comments because there will always be people with opinions. Oh, and we know it’s not a sign of achievment because honestly, what a lame thing to brag about, nobody would care.
The post thing is a completely meaningless form of entertainment, something more people should take advantage of. Chill, relax, and enjoy life a bit more, stop worrying about the first 3 posts of a blog entry being meaningless!
Question,
In converting March 17th 2007 12:00pm standard time, I assumed this is noon in Boston. Was I right?
I don’t want to check my decisions before they are posted!!
Help!!!!!!!!
12:00 pm Eastern Standard Time is indeed noon Boston Time (and New York, and Washington DC time) if that’s all you need to know.
25th post!!!!
(and yes, i’m mocking us)
keri, i hope you feel better soon, i hate being sick too