It's not often that I call in sick, even though there has been plenty of opportunity- right? I was up all night (slight exaggeration) being sick. When my alarm went off this morning, I was so out of it that I couldn't even find it. Eventually I managed to call my manager and let her know I wouldn't be reporting to work today. I'll bet that was an interesting call to receive. I'm sure I sounded GREAT!

On top of that, I'm still having tons of pain in the left side of my jaw and I've noticed something strange and wonder if the doctor was wrong with the TMJ diagnosis. Whenever I eat something tart (or even think about it) it causes a lot of pain in that area. It's like there's something wrong with whatever makes the saliva gland work. I've called the doctor's office to see what, if anything, can be done. I'm waiting for the nurse to call me back.

My doc gave me exercises to help with the TMJ, when she diagnosed it last week, and I've been doing them religiously, but it is getting worse- not better. I looked up more exercises to do on the Internet and found one where you stick your finger inside your mouth and rub toward the back of the mouth. Ready for a really AWESOME mental image? Doing that makes me drool like a huge waterfall. Maybe I should invest in a bib if I'm going to continue these activities.

I nosed around on the Internet to see what might case pain when the saliva gland is doing its thing- and I found mumps. Of course, I wouldn't put it past me to have mumps since:
A. Last year I found out that I have no immunity to any of the childhood diseases
B. I became a proud card-carrying member of the Scarlet Fever club just a few short weeks ago.
C. I'm a genetic freak of nature

So yeah, we'll see what the nurse recommends when she calls back.

UPDATE:

Wow- that was the quickest call back I've ever received. The nurse talked to the doctor who said that I may or may not have mumps (HELPFUL!). If I do have mumps, I'm probably toward the end of it and there's nothing to do but wait for it to take its course. Just think! If I do/did have mumps, I was the most contagious when I was in NYC! Spreading the love everywhere, right? On the plane, in the subway, meeting celebrities.... Maybe I ought to check out the paper in a couple of weeks to see if there's a strange outbreak of mumps in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

....I'm going back to bed now. Bleh. I feel crappy.