There is one medical malady that has plagued me my whole life and it’s name is tonsillitis, not just any old tonsillitis but normally acute tonsillitis.  Even since I was kid it has been in the background just waiting to jump me at any conceivable moment. The day the space shuttle blew up in 1985 I was hospitalized with the flu, pnemonia, strep throat and it was all brought on by acute tonsillitis, not fun. I can actually mark the periods of my life by this dam curse.

It would be easy to think ” he should have had them removed as a child”, that would have been nice but the symptoms have to be completely gone before any operation can be considered and money was tight when I was a kid. Besides most times it was a bad swollen and infected throat that would last for a week after some antibiotics. Being older it would be easy to get the operation now but the operation is much more dangerous for adults.

Living in Thailand I am reminded constantly about my curse. In and out of air conditioning, the cold bugs being passed around, hell all someone has to do is look at me sideways and my throat begins to swell. One week into living in Pattaya and I found myself at the local clinic I have been going to for years; the doctor just smiled and said “you know the routine”. Up on the table for the inevitable shot of penicillin in the ass and a few bags of antibiotics to take home. Usually within 2 days I am completely fine.

Sunday was yet another of those days, a little over a month later and my friend was back. I’m beginning to wonder if my tonsillitis friend is starting to think he is a female curse. This time it’s a bit stronger so I got a return visit the next to turn the other cheek as it were.

There is no doubt that Thai doctors love to over prescribe antibiotics but at least in my case the doctor knows me and changes up the prescriptions. Best of all within 2 days I am back to my normal self. I just hope this isn’t a monthly occurrence.

Now, if I were in America this trip to the doctors office would have cost me $100 minimum and the drugs prescribed would be another $100 easily without a prescription plan. In Thailand the doctor at the clinic not only prescribes the medicine but he also dispenses it. Not only is this efficient but economical as well, the clinic visit with 3 prescriptions cost me 800 baht or roughly $26.

I guess I can live with my friend as long as he’s being a cheap date.

Postscript: Turns out this was one of my more friendly attacks as I had to visit the hospital for some IV antibiotic loving…I might just start looking into the surgery.