My Bipolar Weekend, or Fun With Mood Altering Antibiotics

How did Jack Bauer survive for two years in that Chinese prison? Because I'm just saying, I was sick last week (as you already know; I'm not trying to evoke more sympathy here) but by sick, I don't mean just feverish, I mean totally mentally unstable. Shall I elaborate?

I called in sick to work on Monday and thought I was getting better. I went to work on Tuesday but was totally useless and lost my voice by the end of the day (of course, hi-lar-ious jokes ensue when you are without a voice and do the work that I do). I went to work on Wednesday but was strongly urged to leave, at which point I went to the doctor and found out what the problem was. Got the Z-Pac and my throat felt better. Then I started having crying jags, where I'd just be sitting on my couch, cross-legged, bawling. If someone had asked why, I couldn't have told them. I was almost laughing at myself, which makes for an interesting display, I'm sure. Then I'd go from having lots of energy to being really tired and dizzy. And then, as the finale, I was hanging out with my friends on Saturday night and had to bail because I started feeling really off. I kept going to the bathroom and putting my head between my knees, but I was trying to rally. I'd spent so much time on the couch or in bed and without solid food over the past several days that I just wanted to be out among people and food. I finally faced up to the fact that I wasn't feeling okay, left, and threw up in a bush. Threw up. In a bush! And no, I hadn't been drinking, unless eleven Diet Cokes count. I drove home crying. Once I got home, sat in my car crying. Fell asleep crying. Woke up crying. Seriously. What the hell?

I woke up today, called Mardi, told her I felt like I didn't have any friends. What? Cried more. Then I talked to Dorie, who said, "Uh, this doesn't sound at all like you. Maybe you're reacting to your antibioitic?"

Huh. Hadn't thought of that, and it's the only thing that's been different in my life, or in my body, in the past few days. This is less of a story I'm spinning and more of a question: Have any of you ever taken a random medication that, um, totally altered your personality?

And if I can't stomach a medicine designed to cure a sore throat then how could I survive Chinese prison? I'd be terrible at combating terrorists, clearly. These are the things that keep me up at night.