Italian for stubborn.
Forty eight hours from onset of the flu is the time frame in which to take the antiviral medication tamiflu. It shortens the duration of flu like symptoms for most who take it, and it can prevent the worst of symptoms from becoming life threatening.
Friday, my husband called the doctor but gave up right there when the office was closed. Now the health system I work for has a dozen urgent care centers open until 10 PM for those who can't wait for the doctor to open the office on Monday. He didn't go. When he left the house Saturday, presumably going to the clinic, he returned in 30 minutes and said the doctor told him it was a virus. His window for tamiflu was closing and I knew he was lying about having gone to the clinic-he was home too fast. I've done all I can to make him see reason. Today, he awakened feeling worse and I begged him to go. He said he did, but he failed the quiz:
Nurse Rudee: "What did the doctor say?"
Sick Husband: "He said I have a virus."
NR: "Duh. Did he swab your throat?"
SH: "Yeah-it was negative for flu."
NR: "Really? I find that hard to believe."
SH: "Why would I lie?"
NR: "How did they swab it?"
Lying Husband: "They stuck a swab down my throat."
Oh the lies. He didn't go-or he did and was disgusted by the line to see the doctor and left. A flu swab goes down the nose to the back of the throat. A nasopharyngeal swab. Don't lie to the health care provider. We have radar for the lies. I'd have thought he would do anything to get a little better. I was wrong. He won't wait in line with the rest of the planet. He'd rather die and make us all suffer in the interim.
If it wasn't so tasty, I'd pour that whole pot of homemade chicken soup down the drain just for lying to me. As it is, it may be the only cure left to him.
Perhaps Gladys Upham said it best: "talking with a man is like trying to saddle a cow. You work like hell, but what's the point?"
11 comments:
Ya know... what can you do, except to say "I tried to tell you...." afterwards. Shrug. (with just the very slightest snicker of a grin as the head turns the other way.)
oh... sorry, I forgot to say I hope he feels better soon. (And I'm grateful I don't have it.)
I love the dialogue between the two of you! Very funny Rudee. I am really sorry that he has the flu....it it not a good thing to have. Just one thing.....do you hold back saying, "I told you so". Or, do you baby him, cater to all his needs and wait on him hand and foot? Just wondering.
BJ-Bwahahahahahaha. OK. I'm over the waiting on him hand and foot comment. He is a nurse's worst nightmare for a patient. He asks my advice but doesn't take it. I get frustrated and just try to keep my distance. He could have been better had he gone to see a doctor and taken some tamiflu. I did make him chicken soup. I think that makes me St. Nurse Rudee.
or like herding cats :-)
he should know better not to lie to a nurse,hahaha! You caught him good...
funny...but I hope he gets better soon. I thought I was getting the flu but if I was, it was short lived...muscle aches, nasty cough, chills...and then it all disappeared.
Well, I like that your family chimes in on your blog Rudee. I enjoyed his comments yesterday. I haven't quite figured them all out, but I am guessing when they are family members. I think when you went out of town your husband left some comments that made me think he really missed you. Or am I remembering that all wrong?!
Brenda-if I could book a flight out of here right now, we could test how much he'd miss me. I think he's still mad at me for asking my daughter to bring a backhoe over so we could dig a hole to bury him in when he died from his virus. Oh the racket he's made for such a sick man! On occasion, they all chime in. Those who don't chime in, read it and bitch me out in person. The chef took affront to my critique of his interpretation of the family nut bread recipe. It's hard keeping everyone happy.
Oh Rudee that's so funny, why after all the years being married to a nurse, could your husband POSSIBLY think he could fool you or lie about going to the doctor... Really, men only think they rule the world... we do and always have
There was a note on my chair today that said, " I have an earache." It's been a long list of maladies culminating with this. He cancelled today's doctor appt. Now he has only himself to blame and I am officially plugging in the ipod.
Oh I wish I had some of that chicken soup. Although I'm not sure it would stay put just yet. No doctor for me either, it just came upon me too fast and no nurses in this house to think of that...ciao
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