# Pharyngitis sucks.



## Monkeywrench (Mar 11, 2010)

A week and a half ago I was sitting at University hospital convinced that I was not only losing my mind, but that the consequences of squatting in the city of New Orleans had finally caught up to me. 

I had a fever of 102. My heartrate is way above normal, my blood/oxygen levels way below. Though it was 50 degree Spring weather outside, and I was wrapped up in my Carhartts, my body was violently shaking every 30 minutes as if it were the dead of winter.

I hadn't slept in 3 days because my throat was so inflamed and sore that I could barely swallow my own saliva. My hands were shaking, and my breaths were short and my brain was all loopy from cold medicine that made little difference. 

I was in HELL. Cold sweats. Delerium was now kicking in due to sleep deprivation and hunger. My girlfriend, keeping a surprising cool during all of this had to force me to drink water, and remind me where I was and that the triage nurses were calling my name. The entire hospital staff were staring at me--convinced I was dopesick. Another vagrant youth with a habit who's landed him at the hospital. 

After several tests and doctors throwing around terms like "Katrina Lung" and "Pneumonia", the ER had determined I was suffering from Pharyngitis. A bacterial infection/inflamation of the pharynx/throat. 

After a week of antibiotics and prednisone (steroids), insomnia from the medicine, fever blisters on my lips and tongue, I am FINALLY able to eat right and leave the bed. Fuck this disease in the FACE. Worst week of my LIFE. 

Apparently, squatters/traveling kids who pass through New Orleans have been known to acquire this through living in houses affected by Katrina. Has anyone else gotten this or experienced anything like this with one of their buddies? I can promise you, it was the sickest I have been in my life and I wouldn't wish this kind of throat pain on anyone.


----------



## MrD (Mar 11, 2010)

Holly hell, that sounds horrible!
sorry you went through that.
Me and two friends all got really sick from staying in a house covered in this awful mold, but nothing close to how bad that sounds.


----------



## BUMJUG (Mar 11, 2010)

yeah i can kinda relate to you here....NOLA has some strange effect on us folk...


----------



## finn (Mar 12, 2010)

That is the famous death mold! This is one of the times where I will sleep with a minimum of a bandanna over my nose and mouth while I'm sleeping- or up to a half-face respirator, but you have to get used to the valve clicking noise. Some honey down your throat may have done some good, but keeping that in a squat is damn near impossible.


----------

