I dont have a clue what it was (nor did the doctors at the ER), but years ago when I worked at Frys Electronics, one day my throat hurt so bad when I swallowed that it felt like a handful of glass coated in salt. I NEVER miss work, but this was agony... imagine having to go spit every few minutes because swallowing a bit of saliva would make you want to pass out from the pain. Now imagine doing a job that involves a good bit of labor at the time, the position I worked was known as "backstock bitch". Eating food was out of the question, I tried one bite of something soft during lunch and muffled my screams with my tie/arm. Drinking water was also pure agony, so between being unable to eat or drink, and doing relatively intense labor, I started to get severely dehydrated and dizzy.
I stumbled to my supervisor and told her "I need to go to the hospital" she asks whats wrong and I explain, her response?
"Go take a break and see if that helps"
I told her " I dont think you understand. I cant eat or drink. It feels like I am swallowing broken glass and I am in agony, I need to go to the hospital"
She has me go on break, which was just 10 minutes of sitting in the break room in agony. I go to her afterwards "Feel better?" - "No, I feel the exact same. I need to go the the hospital." The bitch walks away.
I walked to my locker, got my phone out and called my mom (I liked my job and didnt know what else to do) she was like "what the #uck? I'm on my way *click*
She somehow drives the 8 miles to the store in like 10 minutes and goes to the PIC (person in charge, a manager ordept supervisor in front who handles customer bs) and my mom starts going off "what the *uck is wrong with you people? My son asks to go to the hospital and you send him on break?" The pic of course had no idea what she was talking about, but he knows me so I get called to the front of the store. I explain the situation... and he calls the supervisor up front and tears her a new *sshole in front of employees and customers.
Spent about 9 hours at the er, got a few bags of IV fluid for severe dehydration and some prescription rinse that numbed my throat, still came into work the next day.