Croatian Ingenuity

Peter Rukavina

Remember that annoying deep, throaty cough from two weeks ago? Well it never got better, [[Oliver]] got it too, and so on Wednesday we went to the doctor together to see what was up.

Turns out that while Oliver was suffering from a relatively minor throat or sinus infection, I have pneumonia. Which is a first for me — I’ve never had an “illness of the lungs” before.

I appear to have a relatively “low grade” type of pneumonia, as, beyond the cough, my only symptoms are a general malaise; I’ve got none of the other possible symptoms, like “pleuritic chest pain” or “blueness of the skin.”

The doctor ordered up a course of Azithromycin, which currently courses through our veins and seems to have cured Oliver almost completely and has me on the slow road to health.

It turns out that Azithromycin was discovered by researchers at Pliva, a Croatian pharmaceutical company. I should have known that Croatian ingenuity would be ready to cure my ails when required. Fountain pens, neck ties, torpedos — there’s a Croatian invention for almost any need!

Comments

Submitted by Marian on

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When I was eleven, I contracted pneumonia as a complication from something else, whooping cough/pertussis, a disease that everyone thought had mostly been eradicated in the west. I don’t know how I got pertussis since we had all been vaccinated against it. The pneumonia dragged on for months and months and made it impossible for me to run. So I couldn’t play tag or do anything too strenuous. I eventually recovered completely, but it was a weird year for me. Anyway, I hope yours clears up more quickly. Get plenty of rest. Eat your vegetables. I’m a mother, I’m allowed to say that.

Submitted by Rob Paterson on

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Hey peter
As a regular pneumonia getter = please take care of your self. I found that it is very persistent and it still can kill you. The Jim Henson - the Muppet guy! The second time I got it, it nearly did me in and I had to go to the ultimate drug.

I underestimated the drugs and me and tried to get back into action too fast. Really I think that it is a sign that we are in need of a real rest

Please take care - I would much rather you went to my funeral than me go to yours
Best wishes Rob

Submitted by oliver on

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Henson I think was hinted to have AIDS, so you can’t compare. Without a running immune system people get very rare fungal and other bizarre things,not to mention they’re relying entirely on diagnosis and treatment survive.

Submitted by Cyn on

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FYI, the word I had to type in order to leave a comment was “muscus”.

Take care Peter…my ‘Keens’ await your approval. (private shoe talk for those who are scratching their heads).

Submitted by Dan James on

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We missed you dearly at Tandorosa Tuesday and Gong Bao Thursday… Get better soon.

Submitted by Paul R. Pival on

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Pliva, eh? I wonder if THAT was my original family name - Maybe I’ll try plugging that one in to some of the ancestral search engines. Get well soon Peter.

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Photo of Peter RukavinaI am . I am a writer, letterpress printer, and a curious person.

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