ill communication

I have started the new year with illness. Which reminds me that I started the millenium the same way. I don't believe in omens and signs. I don't believe in omens and signs. I got some sort of nasty sinus/respiratory thing a couple days before the New Year. I went to the doc on the 2nd and he gave me some drugs, including an antibiotic called Levaquin. I was to take it once a day but on the second day I developed an ache in my back which rapidly turned into great pain. Within an hour or two I could barely move my neck or head and my left arm was tingly and occasionally numb. My tendency is too refuse to acknowledge illness while secretly cursing my luck. In my family anyone who complained about being sick was suspected of hypochondria. Or at least that's how it has always seemed to me and that's the way I tend to see things so I decided to lay down with some ice on my back and not worry too much about it. But after twenty minutes or so I could not get up. When I finally managed to reach a sitting position I took the time to read the little sheet of directions and warnings and stuff that the pharmacy gives you with the medicine. Where it said quite clearly that any muscle or joint pain necessitated stopping the medicine and calling the doctor immediately. Further research uncovered a comforting side effect: Leavaquin may occasionally rupture tendons. Yessir, some potent shit this antibiotic. So back to the doctor I went. Saw a different feller this time, and he actually took my shirt off to examine me, at which point he told me that these sorts of reactions were far more common in athletes like me. Pardon? Despite the fact that I am wasting away and never get to the gym anymore I apparently qualify as an athlete. The bar must be set pretty low. He told me I should never take any antibiotic of this class again and gave me a new prescription. This new drug seems to be taking longer to work as I am still sick and have to start teaching again on Monday. I do not have a day off until next Friday but I have done my family heritage proud by not missing a single day of work. In retrospect that was probably a bad idea but no one's gonna accuse me of hypochondria...