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phantomdragonz · Aug 4, 2003, 01:46 AM

I have been sick for the past week. first it was a headache and flu like symptoms, then it stopped. then i got a rash and now i have a stomach flu thing... and my neck is killing me. i have a bucket sitting next to me in case i need to hurl.... no fun.my manager at work has no one to cover me and i have been late twice in the past two work days... I almost demanded i leave work today (glad i did) but still i know my manager is not happy with me... and now i bet i have to call in sick tomorrow... this will not be much fun... I need something to make me feel good...

P.D.

7Macfreak · Aug 4, 2003, 01:56 AM

the way out is through.

MikeM33 · Aug 4, 2003, 01:58 AM

Don't call in. I've learned this lesson the hard way. Illness is no excuse for being out of work unless you have a legitimate medical excuse for it. Even then your job may take liberties with it and let you go for some other reason(s) they can dig-up.

Is it fair? Hell no, but it's reality.

I busted-up my knee 3 months ago and lost my job because of it.

I'm really sorry I can't give you something here that makes you feel good or better. I really wish I could, but this is life.

You're better off going to work and doing a crappy job than calling in.

Lesson learned "the hard way".

MikeM

wdlove · Aug 4, 2003, 11:41 AM

I hope that you will feel much better soon. It suprises me that an employer would want someone coming to work that is sick. If what you have is contagious then you would be affecting many other fellow workers!

iWrite · Aug 4, 2003, 11:58 AM

You need to see a doctor ASAP.

I think you may have encephalitis or Lyme disease and it's VERY SERIOUS.

Let's see if I can find a place on Google that describes this...

Here you go

If your employer doesn't like it tell him to pack sand -- encephalitis is not something to fool around with.

The best thing to do until you get into see a physician is to drink cold soup -- buy Campbells Chicken Noodle and drink only the broth or buy the nice new big jars of soup and drink the broth. Don't eat the noodles because that will upset your stomach more. It's VERY important to keep drinking fluids.

Whatever it is, you need to get it checked out. A simple virus isn't usually accompanied by a rash of the type you've described unless it's pox (chicken pox) or measles and either of those isn't very likely because lesions are different than a rash.

Sometimes, also, a rash is caused by liver problems.

Good luck -- let us know how you do.

iWrite · Aug 4, 2003, 12:03 PM

Now I see that you're in Colorado.

DEFINITELY need a check for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, guy.

Get to the doctor ASAP.

cjrivera · Aug 4, 2003, 01:25 PM

Originally posted by iWrite:
You need to see a doctor ASAP.

I think you may have encephalitis or Lyme disease and it's VERY SERIOUS.

Let's see if I can find a place on Google that describes this...

Here you go

If your employer doesn't like it tell him to pack sand -- encephalitis is not something to fool around with.

The best thing to do until you get into see a physician is to drink cold soup -- buy Campbells Chicken Noodle and drink only the broth or buy the nice new big jars of soup and drink the broth. Don't eat the noodles because that will upset your stomach more. It's VERY important to keep drinking fluids.

Whatever it is, you need to get it checked out. A simple virus isn't usually accompanied by a rash of the type you've described unless it's pox (chicken pox) or measles and either of those isn't very likely because lesions are different than a rash.

Sometimes, also, a rash is caused by liver problems.

Good luck -- let us know how you do.

While I agree with going to see your doctor to see what's going on...

this post is why you shouldn't get medical advice (besides "go to / ask your doctor") on the internet.

Encephalitis? Lyme Disease? RMSF? You diagnosed this from those few lines? While these are possible, to immediately diagnose these diseases without further info / examination is just wrong. There are multiple explanations for symptoms such as these that are more common and not as dramatic. He just says "rash" and immediately RMSF comes to mind? Or liver problems? A viral exanthem is very common with simple upper resp. infections.

I know you were trying to help, but specifying that he has the more dangerous diseases without further knowledge about the condition is wrong.

I do agree with your advice on speaking with / seeing his doctor.

Hope you're feeling better, phantomdragonz.

iWrite · Aug 4, 2003, 01:32 PM

I'm not diagnosing him!

I'm suggesting that it could be those things and that he should see his doctor.

Why do people simply pull a few lines out of an entire statement and TWIST it into something else?

Move on. The point is that he needs to see a doctor ASAP. Period. It COULD be something very serious.

Incidentally, I DO have a medical background...do YOU?

shmerek · Aug 4, 2003, 01:40 PM

I am sure your boss would send you home toute suite if you barfed on/near him

cjrivera · Aug 4, 2003, 01:44 PM

Originally posted by iWrite:
I think you may have encephalitis or Lyme disease and it's VERY SERIOUS.

Sounds like a diagnosis.

If a doctor told me, "I think you have ____ disease and it's serious" I would consider that a diagnosis.

Suggesting these illnesses as possibilities is fine, but maybe it's the way you phrased it.

You are right that it could be something serious and he does need to contact his doctor. I know you were telling him to go to the doctor, but putting worst case scenerios in his head is still wrong.

I'm not attacking you. I know you are trying to help.

cjrivera · Aug 4, 2003, 01:45 PM

Originally posted by shmerek:
I am sure your boss would send you home toute suite if you barfed on/near him

I was thinking the same thing.

iWrite · Aug 4, 2003, 01:53 PM

If a doctor told me, "I think you have ____ disease and it's serious" I would consider that a diagnosis.

No, it's not a diagnosis.

A diagnosis is given AFTER tests are run and confirm a disease or infection process: Labwork, MRI, CT Scan, radiological scans, gram stains, cultures, etc.

It has to be confirmed to be a diagnosis -- backed up by concrete emperical evidence and proof.

If a physician says, "I think it's such-and-such," then he proceeds to prescribe certain tests that will confirm the diagnosis.

When he mentioned neck aches and a rash that clicked in my head as being potentially serious, along with the vomiting. The rash is the symptom that sets it apart from anything else. In fact, Lyme disease will then have the symptoms reside but the disease is still present and shedding and can cause more and more problems as time passes.

Anyway, I certainly don't know what it is. He could have a case of food poisoning, also. An allergic reaction to shellfish is similar. Etc.

I just hate to think of someone suffering like that for over a week and it being more serious than he suspects and it getting worse because he ignores it and thinks it will resolve on its own.

Have a good one everyone!

bradoesch · Aug 4, 2003, 02:05 PM

Have you ever heard of Mannatech products? I take them myself, and they work pretty well for me. To make it really simple, what they do is help your immune system, which is the greatest healer there is. If you're interested, PM me and we can talk further.
I think seeing a doctor is important, I don't want to give the wrong impression here.

Face Ache · Aug 4, 2003, 10:46 PM

Originally posted by iWrite:
Incidentally, I DO have a medical background...do YOU?

Yeah I'm friends with a few doctors.

It sounds like herpes or cancer to me.

talisker · Aug 5, 2003, 12:04 AM

Just see a doctor. Nobody in here (myself included) knows anything. Even if there are people who claim to have "medical knowledge", nobody with any credibility would give a recommendation or suggest any sort of diagnosis based on a brief description over the internet.

btw, ever noticed how people who are actually qualified in some aspect of medicine say "I am a doctor" or "I am a nurse" or "I am a surgeon", rather than "I have medical knowledge"? I could tell you how many legs a cow has, but that doesn't make me a vet.

cjrivera · Aug 5, 2003, 12:15 AM

Originally posted by talisker:
btw, ever noticed how people who are actually qualified in some aspect of medicine say "I am a doctor" or "I am a nurse" or "I am a surgeon", rather than "I have medical knowledge"? I could tell you how many legs a cow has, but that doesn't make me a vet.

... That's a good one.

kinda reminds me of the "Tommy Boy" line about the butcher and shoving one's head up a cow's a$$.

Logic · Aug 5, 2003, 03:40 AM

Originally posted by iWrite:
Incidentally, I DO have a medical background...do YOU?

Might I ask you what your medical background is?

iWrite · Aug 5, 2003, 08:32 AM

Grandfather was a physician. Father's a physician. Uncle is a physician. Brother is a physician. I went to nursing school for three years before changing majors (just not cut out for it).

Anyway, we haven't heard from him so I hope he's okay?

Poor guy.

dav · Aug 5, 2003, 08:44 AM

Originally posted by iWrite:
Grandfather was a physician. Father's a physician. Uncle is a physician. Brother is a physician. I went to nursing school for three years before changing majors (just not cut out for it).

hey, my father is a physicist and my brother is a physicist.
i'm a graphic designer.

hope phantomdragonz is feeling better.

iWrite · Aug 5, 2003, 08:47 AM

Yeah, then you know how it goes.

I tried doing the nursing thing (spent time working overseas) and though it was rewarding, it really depressed me to see sick people ALL of the time. The worst is having to work with sick childen...SO sad.

Anyway, hope he checks in here sometime soon to let us know how he is.

dav · Aug 5, 2003, 08:57 AM

Originally posted by iWrite:
Yeah, then you know how it goes.

well, somewhat. my cousin is a phd mathematician, and when we all get together i feel out-of-touch, shall we say. but my family has been nothing but supportive of my decisions, and any feelings of inadequacy are most likely of my own device.