PERS - Finally I have something to write about...boy do I ever!

Not that my life has been totally uneventful in these past 2 months...I cannot believe my last post was in August!

Before I tell you about my day today, let me get you up to speed:

-I've been in school for 2 months now. The program I'm in seems like it will be very fulfilling. The projects are challenging and thought-provoking, and I believe that I'm learning skills that will help me outside the school.

-I've also been living in Toronto for 2 months now. There are a LOT of things that have changed since I lived here in 2003. The cyber-cafe I used to frequent when I was without a computer has disappeared from Yonge St, and a pizza place that was at a corner nearby the cafe is now a Sobey's "Express" (meaning "I look more like a small grocery shop than a Wal*Mart.") When I lived at a Bed & Breakfast for a month (read: rock-bottom...no wait, when I was living in a furniture-less, tv-less, life-less condo for a month was probably rock-bottom), I used to go to a laundromat on Dupont St...in its place is a Shopper's Drug Mart. I could go on and on, but frankly, I want to get on with today's story.

So I've been suffering from a sore throat since Sunday. I had last week off of school as it was a scheduled break within my program, and right before I had to go back, I get hit with the sore throat.

Monday, it got worse.
Tuesday, worse again.
Wednesday, not getting any better.

At that point, the ibuprofen I was taking for the pain was not helping, so I picked up some Benylin1 All-In-One Extra Strength night and day pills. Those babies numbed the pain quite well, but I still had difficulty swallowing.

This morning my condition was the same. Thursdays are when I have only one 3-hour class, which is why I've named this day of the week "GLORIOUS THURSDAYS!" Even with this in mind, I did not feel like leaving the house whatsoever.

But, being the keener I am, I took a shower, and soldiered my way out the door. My walk to the subway station was mostly a blur as I felt dizzy and disoriented the entire time (Thanks, Benylin!). I stopped at an intersection waiting to cross the street when someone approached me and asked where they can find a grocery store. I kinda jumped back in surprise to see that it was a classmate of mine who I've recently been grouped with for an on-going school project. I told him where to go (or at least I believe I did, you never know what you'll say when you let Benylin speak for you), and I continued on the path to the subway station.

While travelling toward King Station, I really started thinking about my throat. I was getting worried about my breathing. I plugged my nose and tried breathing through my mouth. It didn't feel very good, nor did it feel like much air was getting through. Then I got super-worried. I had no interest in keeping up appearances with complete strangers on the train, so I kept my head down and stuffed my mouth and neck into my scarf and shut my eyes until I reached my destination.

It is then that I decide that immediately after my Design class I would go to the First Aid Centre in George Brown. I performed my usual routine of going to my locker, opening it and staring in awe and disbelief at the chaos inside for about five minutes, then grabbing my portfolio case and slamming the door shut.

I continued to keep my head down as I walked through the hallways, and when I reached my classroom, a classmate of mine was coming out of the room. I was about to enter when she said, "You do know that there's no class today."

...

..

.

I'm like, "....what."

"Yeah, class is cancelled."

..........

......
............."what."


I look at the post board next to the class's door. "DESIGN I CANCELLED. PASS ASSIGNMENTS IN NEXT WEEK."

......"what."

By this time I was talking to myself as my classmate left 3 minutes ago. So, in utter disbelief, I just retraced my steps back through the hallway. I ran into another classmate who was rushing towards class.

"No class, it's cancelled," I mumbled, not really wanting to speak anymore on account of my throat. He proceeded to fly into a tirade about how he spent all last night trying to finish the project that was due today. I couldn't relate; I finished the project 2 weeks ago. I'm a keener, remember?

He walked with me to my locker when I ran into someone else rushing to class, to which I responded "No class." He had the same story; up ALLLL night doing that project. Since they were both standing there, I figured this was my chance to farm some information out of them.

"Hey, any of you ever been to the First Aid Centre?"
"No."
"Not really." (?)

After a few more words, I walked downstairs and circled around the First Aid Centre a few times until I worked up the courage to knock on the locked door.

A portly man opened it and asked how he could help me.

"I was hoping you could lead me in the right direction. I've had a sore throat for 5 days and it's not going away."

"Well I'd say a doctor's office is a good direction!"

"Hahaha, fuck you're funny YOU FUCKING TOOTHLESS ASSHOLE!"

Ok, so I didn't actually lash out at him, I just asked "Could you tell me where the nearest clinic is?"

Before I knew it there was a photocopied sketched-out map of the clinics in the area. He informed me that most go to First Canadian Place, so I decided to be a sheep and follow the herd.

One thing you may not know is that First Canadian Place is a pretty damn intimidating building.



It's the tallest skyscraper in Toronto, and I'm surprised people can find there way in and out of that building on a daily basis.

When I found my way inside the building, I had to ask one of the hundred security guards if a medical clinic actually exists within the building. In retrospect, I realize it was a stupid question because EVERYTHING HUMANKIND EVER CREATED WAS IN THIS BUILDING. It's huge I tell you, HUGE. (And if you're a paranoid person who thinks that everyone is watching you, don't go in this building. There were so many security personnel there that I felt like there were eyes on me the entire time. It doesn't help the situation that you're in the largest building in the largest city of Canada. And it certainly doesn't help when you're loopy on Benylin.)

She politely told me where to go, and after a taking a few wrong paths, I finally made it to the clinic. I pulled a numbered tab out of a "take a number" machine and sat down.

About 30 seconds later a lady approached me and said, "Are you looking to have bloodwork done?"

"Uh...no, I just want to see a doctor."

"You have to go see reception for that, or you'll be sitting here all day."

"Thanks for the tip!" ...bitch.

Fortunately, once I filled out a form, I was quickly directed to an examination room. I jumped up and sat on one of those long bench-like, bed-like baby-blue leather seats that have a long stripe of the NOISIEST PAPER EVER MADE laid over top.

The doctor came in and introduced herself. I told her my situation, and she took out a light and a tongue depresser and asked me to open my mouth. She tried the depresser for a second, but I think she realized I have a huge mouth, and she stopped using it (ha!). She diagnosed me on the spot as having strep throat and wrote out a prescription for me. She read on my form that I was from New Brunswick, and she proceeded to tell me that she was from Nova Scotia and studied at Dalhousie. She also said she knew some people who were from Miramichi who studied with her.

Small. Damn. World.

She asked me if I had a drug plan. I told her I was unsure. She left the room and came back with the drugs, eliminating my need to make a trip to a pharmacy. Awesome.

After crawling through the maze that is First Canadian Place, I managed to make my way to King Subway station. I had my headphones on, but I could see that there was an older lady screaming at a TTC employee who was in a (most-likely) bulletproof-glass booth. I took my headphones off to see what the problem was when I heard over the intercom that the entire Spadina University line was shut down due to a "Power outage". A few minutes later, they said that it was a "Priority 1 Emergency at St Andrews station with a personal injury at track level" (aka another suicide).

Great.

So I figured I would take the Westbound King streetcar and travel to the Northbound Spadina Streetcar which would take me to the Westbound Bloor subway, and then to home.

Instead, the streetcar operator told us to get off at Bay if we plan to go north and take the Bay bus.

When the Bay bus arrived, it was already a can of sardines, and 20 of us wanted on. The bus driver wouldn't open the doors, and just drove off.

Plan failed. I'm standing there, sick as a dog, with no options.

So I started walking up Bay - cursing to the wind like a crazy person - until I reached Eaton Centre. I was going to continue to head north, but I decided to check out the subway situation again. By this time, I was able to successfully use the subway and now I'm home.

I just took my first dosage of antibiotics, and I'm probably going to go lie down now.