Getting Sick in Germany

Of course this is not a suggestion. I just want to share my horrible story and hope that you (the readers) wouldn’t have to experience it at all. And of course, I didn’t intentionally get sick just to have an experience. In fact, I always careful with my health. I control my meals, I exercise, I don’t stay late during weekdays; those kind of stuffs. So when I got sick, I felt like I was being punished for something that I never did.

It started with a sore throat. One Wednesday night, I felt that my throat was swollen and I had fever too. Unfortunately I had to go to work in the next day because I had an appointment already. So I thought: “Let’s finished it and skip work on Friday”.

But it wasn’t that easy. My appointment was at 4 PM and I felt horrible in waiting it. I brought some herbal/ traditional remedies for sore throat but of course they couldn’t work immediately. I knew that I need to rest.

My traditional remedies that I brought to office.

So there I was, trying to read some scientific articles in pain while waiting for the appointment time. My body was weak and aching. I felt so horrible and uncomfortable. This condition stayed until lunch time when I met my friend and told about it. He then volunteered to buy a paracetamol from nearby pharmacy. I took it just 30 minutes before my appointment. It was very timely. In the end my appointment went well and I could go home right away.

After staying at home for 3 days, my fever had gone. I still had running nose and cough, but I guessed it would go away in a week. I was wrong! Even in almost 2 weeks, my running nose and cough still existed. Even worst, I felt like all my bones were aching. At this point, I couldn’t take it anymore. I went to a doctor.

I thought I was having a serious illness. But according to the doctor, it was just a normal cold! Hmmm, I guess we have different standard of normal. For me it’s not normal to have a cold for more than a week! This German virus is so fierce!

I got a medicine for taking out all the slime in my nose and throat. This is the only medicine that the doctor gave me, and it lasted for a week. So within a week, I kept taking out slime from my nose and throat. And surprisingly, after a week, my slime was completely gone! Wooow, these Germans really calculate for everything!

The only medicine I got from the doctor.

Finally I am free from a cold. It took me 3 weeks to get rid of it! Now I have to be even more careful of my health. I guess I have to adjust my tropical standard to the cold standard. The illnesses are different, and the treatments for illnesses are also different. But I think the prevention of illnesses remains the same: eating healthy meals, exercising, and having enough rest.