Who Needs Medicine Anyway?

Sometimes I think it would be best just not to take medicine. I am allergic to Advil, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Zithromax, and who knows what else. But that's fine with me, because I hate taking medicine-- Tylenol or anything. I've never felt like it works. It's more of a pet peeve of mine... especially when people inhale it like air. So I stopped taking a lot medicine in high school. Of course, I do use it when I have strep throat or surgeries, but not even for the flu anymore.

I've had some pretty comical experiences with allergies to medicine. In 9th grade, I had strep and found out I was allergic to my prescription, Zithromax. So I took some Advil to help. Well, I soon found out that I was allergic to that, as well. Then I took some Benadryl. Thankfully, my only reaction to that was basically falling asleep at the piano during choir practice.

Then my spinal fusion. They couldn't give me the really good stuff, because I would have been allergic to something in it. But I'm still alive to tell about it.

This story still makes me laugh. A few months after my fusion, I had my four wisdom teeth out. Our high school play was coming up in a few days, in which I had a part-- a fairly small part, but I still worked hard during my spinal fusion recovery to memorize my lines. People were reasonably worried about my mouth not healing in time, so we moved it back about a week before the play. Everything went really well... until I got a bad stomach infection on the very morning of the play, and it lasted for 8 days. I felt so sick that I put my make-up on while lying on my bedroom floor that morning. But I had to go to school for play practice. Plus, I had to play the offertory that night. Well, a long story slightly shortened, I made it through the play (thanks to those in the audience who prayed the entire time that I wouldn't get sick on stage!). I decided to take some Tylenol while back stage. A helper in the back thought she had some with her, but the only problem was that it was pitch black behind the stage. So, unknowingly, I took some Advil. When I came out after the play, I was swelling up and getting a rash. That night was crazy. And not even because of my teeth.

I always get to be the rich jerk in plays because of my outstanding posture!

And here's my latest update. On day 2 of tonsillectomy recovery, my face turned bright red like a sunburn. But too bad I haven't been out in the sun. Then came the rash. I woke up and my face was a little puffy. Yep. I'm allergic to my pain medication. What's new? I think I'll just man up and skip the medication from now on.