Dear Doctor, I ve been suffering with what was evaluated to be a viral infection according to a physician covering for my PCP who is cuttently on vacation. My symptoms began to include scratchy throat, itchy ears, pressure in my ears and symptoms progressed to include sneezing, barking cough, a very horse voice, joint pain and headaches, most painful in and behind my left eye with focal pain and eye pressure in the left lateral side of my eye ball to behind my temple. The pain can become severe and I developed conjunctivitis 6 days ago which shows no signs of improvement. My symptoms began on Thursday, January 26th, the 12th day of a 14 day (1/15/17 to 1/29/17) southern and eastern Caribbean cruise that included eight, six to eight and a half hour days on ten different Islands. I saw the covering Doctor on Monday, February 6th when my symptoms were thought to be a viral infection that could last four to six weeks. I returned to the same Doctor this past Thursday, February 23rd when my eye and headache pain became intolerable. I requested a script for the conjunctivitis again and spoke with the Doctor about blood work to rule out the Zika virus. I am scheduled for a blood draw and urine test on Monday, as approved by the County Department of Health. However, the estimated time to obtain results is two to three weeks and I have become impatient and overly concerned about having to wait to obtain the results before re-evaluation. My cough is not rumbling, and my chest and lungs were clear when I saw the Doctor last. I do however, cough up a small, fairly hard and green piece of phlegm on ocaissions. My concerns include no blood culture or blood work to confirm there is no bacterial infection that may benefit from an antibiotic. I understand antibiotics are often overused and I respect the protocol. I was diagnosed with non-encapsulated follicular variant papillary carcinoma and I intend to consult my ENT should the increased hoarseness continue. I have rarely contracted upper respiratory track infections, even when exposed to my children, grandchildren and the multitude of preschoolers I worked with in integrated classrooms as a 1:1 therapist with children identified with developmental delays. I was frequently exposed to GPS (Green Phlegm Syndrome as we called it in the classroom). I was hoping I could get an opinion from you. I was wondering what questions you may have concerns with, that I can present to my PCP in an effort to rule out a viral respiratory infection as I am beginning to question that diagnosis. Thank you for your professional support. I m definitely impatient and feeling overwhelmed with concern. With appreciation, Barbara Schlesier