Damn you. You got me, and you got me good. I'm pretty sure that was partially my fault since I waited so long to go to the doctors. Woops, I guess I learned my lesson.
On Monday, after feeling sick for about 6 days, I asked my host mom to take me to the doctors. She took me to the local ER in Villaciosa, and after waiting in line for a bit, the receptionist told us they could not treat me because I was a non-European citizen. It was back to plan A which was going to the doctors at my school. I tried an ER first because I thought whatever I had might be a little too serious for a school doctor since you usually go there for the minor cough and runny nose type stuff. But I didn't know where else to go, and started to get nervous because if the doctors in Villa wouldn't take me, there would probably be other places who wouldn't take me as well. Well it turns out the school doctor couldn't technically treat me either, and only did because they felt bad. Now there's a story to bring back to the States.
Turns out UEM never gave me my card to be treated my their on campus doctors, which apparently is pretty important. I only had my insurance card from home, and the one Oswego mailed me which are pretty much useless. Good to know now. There's a number on the back of the Oswego card that you're supposed to call and they refer you to doctors that will take your type of insurance that are in your area, but I learned this bit of knowledge after the fact. I was delirious and seemed to have forgotten everything I was told before leaving about insurance and getting sick in a foreign country. I'm extremely lucky that it all worked out.
The doctor took my temperature, examine my lymph nodes (my neck and cheeks were so puffy and swollen), and checked my throat, oh and slapped me on the wrist for waiting so long to come in. Luckily I didn't have a fever, surprising since I felt like I was literally on fire. Unluckily, she told me I had really bad strep throat and prescribed me and antibiotic.
Today's Thursday and I'm still not 100% but I feel so much better. There is barely any swelling, my tonsils are getting back to normal and it's not excruciating anymore to take the smallest sip of water or tea. I was down for the count for a while there, and getting better just in time for the mounds of school work I have to do.
I can't thank my host family and roommate enough, they took such great care of me. I have heard of a couple horror stories here about students and their awful host families and I just feel so bad for them. I can't imagine being in a situation like that. I am so lucky to have the living situation that I have, I wouldn't change it for the wold. Our host brother came by yesterday to take pictures of our rooms because a girl from Mexico is study abroad next semester and is interested in staying here. So weird to think about.
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