alyssum

So I walk into the exam room, and there's this creepy old-fashion-looking dentisty chair. Next to it is a station with all sorts of liquids in dark bottles (one marked adrenaline?!?), scary looking implements, bottles and tubes and other imposing things. I'm beginning to wonder what I've gotten myself into.
Doc comes in, we talk a bit about the situation. Then he begins the probing. Sticking various implements into all my various head-holes (except my eyes, thankfully). There was one moment where I was wondering what the metal thing was he was sticking up my nose, till I felt that familiar skin-pinch of a tiny little speculum. At once creepy/amusing/adorable.

The verdict? Let's deal with the acute thing first, that's apparently been going on for about a month and a half. Sheeit, no wonder I've been feeling so wiped out, I've never had one of these last more than a couple weeks even riding it out on my own. So I'm on antibiotics. Fuck. But that's what they're meant for, so okay.
As for the ongoing problem? Why is it that when I go to a western doctor I start getting explanations that make it sound very woo-woo and mysterious? Just give me any sort of mechanical explanation and I'll be happy! But no. So if any of you out there knows a good ENT-doctor in PDX that I can go to for another opinion, please let me know.