As you may have guessed from the title of this post I might just be a little grumpy today. But, dear reader, it is not without good reason.
Yep, you guessed it, I am in pain.
*Weeps*
Now I know what you are thinking but, no, this is not just any old pain, this is PROPER pain. At the grand old age of thirty-five *coughs* twenty-one I have been struck down not once, but TWICE in the last month with tonsillitis. Tonsillitis, can you believe it? It is something that primary school children are generally affected with no? Not adults, surely?
I am sure I remember being hugely envious of a certain pig-tailed and precocious Laura from my youth who, aged six and three quarters, not only got to miss more than a week of school but apparently was fed exclusively ice-cream for a month…or something like that. Oh how I longed for this exotic, mysterious lurgy to infest itself in my own little throat but could I catch it? No. I couldn’t.
Apparently I have been struck down with this before, sometime in the beer-fuelled haze that was freshers fortnight at uni. I had also simultaneously contracted glandular fever though so spent the entire episode unconscious in the warmth of my parents home and missed the entire thing.
No such luck this time. I am all too aware of every throat-wrenching, ear-splitting minute of it.
This is what the wondrous inter-wibble had to say about the symptoms of tonsillitis in adults:
“A sore throat.”
Are you ****ing kidding me? Sore throat? Try ‘the sensation of swallowing huge shards of throat-shredding glass that worsens with every single gulp’.
Wait, there’s more…
- High temperature (fever) over 38C…*Feels a bit warm and fumbles hopelessly for elusive thermometer. Sweats a bit.*
- Coughing….No shit Sherlock
- Headache….Yes, oh yes. *Wipes fevered brow.*
- Feeling tired…I have two kids. Difficult to blame this ENTIRELY.
- Pain in the ears… Not quite. Try ‘The sensation of being stabbed multiple times in the ear canal with a pointy skewer upon each and every swallow.’
- Loss of voice or changes to your voice…*Croaks quietly and nods.*
So, after my second visit to the GP in almost as many weeks I have been given these, *Rattles pills*.
I am now terrified that this is going to keep on recurring and that, if so, they might send me for the snip. They wouldn’t really though would they? Surely these throbbing, swollen, pus-ridden, pain-inducing organs serve some vital function that I can’t survive without…..don’t they?
Well, the inter-wibble says:
“A main function of tonsils is to trap germs (bacteria and viruses) which you may breathe in. Proteins called antibodies produced by the immune cells in the tonsils help to kill germs and help to prevent throat and lung infections.”
So, yeah, great job tonsils…*weeps some more.*
Lovely readers, please cheer me up. Survivors of this dreaded affliction please tell me how you made it through. Those who have been surgically altered, please share.
Do you know I think I might just be getting man-flu too…
My sympathies – I’ve had it and it reeeeeeeally hurts! In fact I’d have torn mine out at the time if I had been able to lift my arms that high! hot lemon honey and garlic was my live saver! sending big hugs lovely! x x x
Thank you. It does reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally hurt doesn’t it? *Grabs garlic*
Dearest Cousin. I suffered this countless times as a little un. I can highly recommend gargling with Asprin 4 times a day to numb the pain. It really works! xx
Get well soon! xx
Aspirin does seem to help a bit, thank you. I am actually on the mend a bit now with a little help from the antibiotics but don’t tell anyone 🙂
I had mine removed aged 7 – the main thing I remember was getting a new red canvas bag with stripes around the bottom on it and the light above my hospital bed exploding – and my dad going NUTS.
Both the children have had theirs out now and they are much healthier for it – however, I still get Strep throat – which is like tonsilitis without the tonsils to blame and it has rendered me utterly useless and scaring those in the lab with how much of the evil stuff I’ve grown. I feel your pain honey – sucking on ice cubes kind of helped but thank goodness for that clever Fleming bloke who discovered antibiotics
*Grabs ice bucket*
You are a survivor! Although did they give you something strange in hospital? What a funny memory. I have absolutely no desire to see what is currently lurking in my throat up close and petri-dish-personal. You are a far braver woman than me. *Salutes*.
Tonsils Wrongsils I say. Luckily mine were whipped out when I was 8 but I still remember the unpleasantness of tonsilitis! Hope you feel better soon x
I had to Google to find out what tonsils actually do. The Wiki page has a picture of some that have been surgically removed – they look yucky and shit.
I don’t have them..i had them taking out at 5 years old so….yup!
oh I feel your pain, Erin had a case before Christmas and It made her so so poorly. Hope you are better soon.
I’m so sorry you’re suffering with this. They say that tonsils are the gateway to the immune system to it’s best to keep them if poss. However if you’re going to die of thirst / starvation/ pain / manflu then it might be best to lose them. I sincerely hope that your pills work and that you make a swift recovery XX
I still have mine and dont think I have ever really had proper full blown tonsilitus. I know, hate me now. But I know plenty who have and it sucks. I think part of it is not being able to rub it or hold it which psychologically makes something feel better. I hope you are feeling better soon
Oh dear, that sucks 🙁 I had mine out when I was 13 years old as I used to get them every month and was missing so much school because of it. At it’s worst point I was having to spit in a bowl because I just couldn’t swallow (no puns please!)
I was glad to get rid – I hope you don’t it again Jenny, do you take any vitamin supplements? Might be worth boosting your immune system with some x
I’m also 35 and had tonsilitis for the first time just before Christmas, it was the most hideous thing. I can totally empathise with you. Hope you feel better soon. xx
Oh Jenny, I hope you feel better soon.I’m sure you’ve Google many a remedy like gargling with vinegar and drinking honey and lemon.
Vinegar? Really? Worth a shot….