Conjunctivitis

That's not my eye, but it could have been yesterday. I'm dealing with a mild case of Conjunctivitis, commonly known as 'pink eye'.

I woke up two days ago with a mild irritation in my left eye. I dropped in some Visine and carried on with my day, but as the hours passed the irritation and inflamation increased. The eye also started to emit a greenish, milky discharge. By Tuesday evening, the pain and tearing were so bad I couldn't bear to keep the eye open.

Wednesday morning I woke up with the eye sealed shut with crusty goop. (Delicious imagery, don't you think?!) After washing it out and putting in more drops, it felt fine. But it looked terrible, a deep crimson red.

My co-workers at UCLA insisted I seek medical attention so after suffering through my day's classes (what a professional), I went to a local eye doctor in Westwood. Dr. Braun gave me an exam and told me I had a viral infection. There's apparently been a late flu and cold season according to her, and she's seen many similar illnesses lately. She gave me some drops and sent me on my way. Since I didn't have insurance, she kindly gave me a 35% discount on the office visit, which is normally $175. (Nice work if you can get it, huh?!)

I must admit she was quite a cutey, and young for a doctor. She did give me her card and asked me to keep in touch. About the eye, of course!