Thursday 12-22-11
Diva Got Run Over By The "Itis"
I have spent the last week and a half sick. Hard core, fever-running, croupy-coughing, sore-throating, cold-sweating, crazy-dreaming SICK. It began with bronchitis, for which I went to the doctor, although because of scheduling, I could not see my regular doctor. I had to see another doctor in the office. Not a mistake I will repeat if I can avoid it. Dr. "P-is-for-Precious" started by telling me, "I just HATE antibiotics", and then elaborated that every time he sees a red bump come up on his skin, he thinks it's MRSA. Oh, dear Lord. So even with the cough and fever I brought with me to the office, he only grudgingly agreed to prescribe me a Z-Pak, which was clearly insufficient for my infection. He also prescribed an inhaler, which gave me a really bad reaction, keeping me up pacing my floor all night with heart palpitations and fits of tears for no reason. Horrific.
In all fairness, my escalating illness was partly my own fault. Last weekend my choral group joined with our city's symphony orchestra for a series of annual holiday concerts, four concerts in 3 days in full concert garb under hot stage lights packed onto risers in very close proximity with a hundred other singers breathing each other's air. These concerts are physically taxing under the best of circumstances, and since I was sick to begin with they were doubly so. By the end of the 3rd show on Saturday night, I was barely standing, and I did not make the final performance on Sunday. I could feel myself fevering during each of the shows, and I could also feel myself becoming more dehydrated with every phrase I sang. I spent all of Sunday in bed, getting up only for bathroom breaks, drinks and medicine. By this point, the bronchitis/infection had moved into my sinuses and my ears. When I get sick like this I almost feel like I'm going to die...then I wish I'd just go ahead and DIE already.
Monday was orientation for the CPE program. My sweet Hubs asked, "Do you think you'll be able to make it through orientation?" I thought, how could I ask God to bring me this far and then say I'm too sick to show up? So, I showed up, and I did get through the day...with many prayers, mine and those of other people. Orientation was an all-day affair, including a 2-hour walking tour of the hospital where I'll be serving, and the tour included more fever and dehydration. Tuesday was a little calmer a day, an appointment to get my car serviced, followed by breakfast, then a consult and weigh-in at my surgeon's office, then another break before going to my sleep center for the results of the sleep study I had last month. So I had breaks and time to rest, eat something and drink water.
Wednesday, yesterday, Hallelujah! I was able to see my regular doctor and get REAL medicine! Thank You, Lord, for a family doctor who knows me, who will prescribe strong antibiotics when necessary, and who knows what sick looks like when I bring it in with me. I received an injection of Rocephin ( strong broad-spectrum antibiotic) in the office, and prescriptions for Augmentin, (another strong broad-spectrum antibiotic) prednisone for imflammation of the infected areas, and a cough liquid that will help with the coughing and also help me to sleep.
At my weigh-in and consult on Tuesday I had lost another 6 pounds (a pleasant surprise) and according to the printout, it was all fat loss. Yippee! So that is a total of 15 pounds and 3 BMI points down. My next appointment and weigh-in are January 24, so I will have a little time after Christmas and New Year's to recover if I have any holiday mishaps with food.
So far, being sick has killed my appetite so the temptations have been minimal. Being sick, however, has also gotten me wondering how I will deal with illnesses like this once I am post-surgery. My body may respond differently to medicines, and my stomach pouch may not be able to take horse pill-sized antibiotics. At next month's support group meeting I'll be sure to ask about these concerns so I can be prepared for whatever could happen if I get The "Itis" after surgery.
No comments:
Post a Comment