Strep-tastic
Posted by Danielle Bean in Health on Friday, August 20, 2010 3:03 PM
“I feel like I’ve been whining for two days straight,” I whined to my husband last night as we went to bed.
“You have,” he responded matter-of-factly.
I do have an excuse. I’m sick. Or to give you a better idea of what I’ve been like to live with lately, I should probably say, “I’m siiiiiiiiick ...”
I don’t get sick often. I am sure my family is grateful for this.
This particular illness comes with a sore throat, fever, headache, and body aches. A boy in our drama camp this week tested positive for strep throat, so I was pretty sure that was what I had been blessed with, but a quick test at the doctor this morning came back negative.
But then the doctor went on to confuse me.
You can have strep throat and test negative, she told me, if you are tested too early in the illness or if your particular brand of strep throat doesn’t show up in the test. She also told me that people can be carriers of strep and can spread it to others while having no symptoms of illness themselves. And then she told that even the family DOG can carry and spread strep throat.
All of which would be helpful information, if only I knew what to do with it.
How do I test and treat secret bacteria carriers without symptoms? How do I check the dog?
I thought I was doing a good job just by buying everyone in the house new toothbrushes and making them drink from disposable cups for a few days.
So now from my sick bed, or couch, I have been studying and researching this phantom illness known as strep throat. Care to join me? Maybe we moms can whip ourselves into a suitable panic by the time the school year begins. 
Mayo Clinic
Family Doctor
WebMD
Dr. Greene
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