For example, if you apply for unemployment in March 2012, the base period would be October 1, 2010 though September 30, 2011 (in that example, since the last complete calendar quarter was October 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011, the base period is the four quarters preceding that one).
Rest assured that when anxiety causes a lump in the throat, it's not dangerous and it cannot stop you from breathing or prevent you from swallowing. It may feel as though you need to swallow multiple times to get the food down, but it's still just anxiety, and it can be treated by curing yourself of that anxiety.
Usually, a sore throat caused by a run of the mill virus like a cold wouldn't cause the swollen tongue, swollen lymph nodes but could cause the slight ear and throat problems. But Strep throat can cause serious problems so since you had it a couple of times in addition to the swollen lymph nodes I would see the ENT.