Presumably Virus Hit Me Like A SWUNG BASEBALL BAT

Last week was a messed up week. I was literally in bed for 3 days straight except to go potty. I assume it was a virus/dehydration. I was nauseous and when I got up, I saw dots before my eyes and everything spun. I felt like their were 50 lbs of weight on my ankles. I was wobbly (more than usual) and of course standing up made me more nauseous. Smell of food except mashed potatoes gagged me. 

Thank God for my husband! He knows me well and encouraged me to drink because he knows how fast I get dehydrated. He asked a few times if I needed to go to the hospital. Honestly, Monday while he was at work I considered it. I didn't think I would get through the day. But I did.

But every day before he went to work he filled my water bottle and when he returned he refilled, fed me Popsicles and cooked me mashed taters. It is one thing that soothes my nausea.

Thursday, I felt a little better and got up just to walk to the sofa. It has been a very slow process but I improve every day.

I am happy to say today I got up and felt good enough to actually cook our supper, spaghetti. I can tell I am not completely well because I have to sit every several minutes because I just feel exhausted.

Why does it take longer to get well than the days you are sick?  Ugh.

Right before I became sick I found out my former pharmacist and fellow co-worker's home burned.  I remember every evening I worked he came with the patients' medicines. Everyone enjoyed clowning around with him and he would sit and talk sometimes. When I read about the fire in the news I felt an emptiness and thought once again. Why does such bad things happen to good people? A Gofundme account was opened. I felt like I wanted to do something but couldn't figure out what. But I donated to his account hoping it helps him and his family to get back on their feet. Please say an extra prayer. Thank you.

Everyone stay well and smile!

Until next time..

372 words

You May Think Twice Grabbing a Grocery Basket....

It sucks to have an Autoimmune disorder (AI). Compound it with every other chronic medical malady you may have, it is indescribable.

You'd think I would get used to being sick or having off- the-wall crap happen to me.  However, as I age, it's like I don't want to deal with it anymore.

It's not that I am giving up or have a death wish. I just get...I can't think of the word.

Maybe....Disappointed? Discouraged? I don't know.

I am awed with some of my doctors how much my little body has endured through the years and I am still here. When I go to a new physician they look at my history and say wow!

Here is my latest medical craziness I have endured and conquered.

One day I woke up feeling drained and felt something wasn't right but couldn't pinpoint the problem.  I 'existed' for a few days with no energy.  I thought it was my sinuses/allergies/asthma flaring because the weather has been humid and rainy. My throat had been scratchy off and on as well as laryngitis. I remember feeling feverish but I seldom run fever when I am sick so I never take my temperature. I didn't have a thermometer anyway. (I do now though)

A few days later I woke up with sores in my mouth and a rash on my hands and feet.

It was difficult to eat because of the sores. I thought okay I get these mouth ulcers time to time. Although they are usually on the outside and not inside.  I swished with the mouthwash my dentist gave me then an hour later, I swished with Dr Tichenor's, the mouthwash I usually use when I have mouth ulcers. I normally dab a little of Dr Tichenor's full concentration or Gly-Oxide.

 My hands itched and some little pustule sores were appearing. I thought it looked different from my usual psoriasis I occasionally get .But I didn't really give it a second thought.   I applied some cortisone cream.

My feet were worse. I had a big area of pustule sores on the soles of my feet. They itched and hurt at the same time. The itch so bad I wanted to scratch my skin off. I could hardly walk because it hurt so bad when I put pressure on the sores.

The beginning

I finally get to my doctor a few days later. It was full blown by then. He announces that it seems to be Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease. Do not confuse it with the foot and mouth disease that attacks cattle sheep etc. It is a different virus.

I thought, "Oh great! What else is going to invade my body?"

My doctor explained it to me and BabyGirl, who had taken the ride with me.

Hand, mouth and foot disease is seen mostly in children. It is a highly contagious viral bug. There are several ways of transmission.

Personal contact such as "saliva swapping' as my Doc puts it is one way for it to be transmitted  I only 'saliva swapped" with Hubby.  Hubby had no symptoms.

Or in the air like someone coughing and sneezing.  I had not been around many people.

Or touching something a person with the virus touched.

As I started deducting where I could possibly have caught this. I was at a lost. I don't go out much and prior to the visit I had only gone to the grocery story a couple days earlier.

He proceeded to tell us  that grocery cart baskets are the worse for germs.  Kids put their mouths on them, slobbering or wipe their nose. We both said,"Ewwww." I think that was the most likely way I acquired it.

Think about it. I am sure every parent has reprimanded their kid for putting their mouth on the basket handle or where it shouldn't be. I happened to just search for more information and out of curiosity  Here is an article that may interest you about the germs on those baskets.

I already knew that bit of information but when someone says it like that, it wakes you up. It makes you want to wear gloves or have Handi-wipes with you every where you go and wipe every surface before you touch it.

He said it was rare in adults but with my medical history and low autoimmune system I was one of the rare adults.

Such joy! Not!

Yep, leave it to me to catch some off the wall virus that adults rarely get.

It usually runs its course in 7-10 days . But with my medical history and to rush it along he gave me 7 days of very high dose Prednisone which helped tremendously.

I felt like a leper as the sores grew than slowly scabbed. Most of the scabs fell off so I am normal now, I think. As 'normal' as I ever will be anyway. HA!

You don't realize how much you hug and love on your spouse until you can't do it. I'm a touchy-feely type of person and those days were the roughest not to even be able to kiss him good night. 

It was a grueling week.

However, I survived and continue to move on to other craziness God has planned for me.

I bet next time you go to a grocery store and grab a basket you will think about what I said about the germs. Bring those Handiwipes or as the article said, wash your hands.

I sometimes laugh at my BabyGirl when she brings out her Hand Sanitizer. I am getting me some too. I don't know if it will prevent but I am sure it will help!

Day 2-4 Hospitalization--This and That!

Here's the continuation of my hospitalization story. It is real! It is MY true life!

Okay that was my LAME imitation of the cool voices of announcers! Did I make you smile?!

In my previous post I said my next post would be about the doctors. I've played with the subject and like everything else I write, I think too darn much. Here it is nevertheless.

First, I want to reiterate that every staff member was excellent from triage to discharge.

The only two complaints are: One it seemed it took forever in ER. Funny, There is a disclaimer on their site about waiting time. And two, what everyone complains about..their food!

The first night they served rice and gravy. It as just plain nasty! My mom even grimaced! So it was that bad. And three days later they served the gravy again.."GAG"

My Hospitality Doctor was Dr. King. He came initially around 7 pm the night I was admitted. He was a a  nice distinguished fellow. I could tell right off that I would like him.

I have Googled his name and can't find any thing of substance except he works at that hospital, where he went to school and is an internist.

We discussed my extensive medical and surgical history along with the meds I take. He seemed relaxed and informed me the blood work and x-rays were normal. He was concerned about my blood sugar and blood pressure fluctuating. .He said I had a bad virus that entered my intestines and with my malnourishment/weight loss my good cells just weren't there to fight back. 

Encouraging he said it would take a few days for the virus to move along and I would feel much better. I was not going to make a comment about the 'feel much better in a few days'  HOWEVER, Mom said it, "He hasn't gotten to know YOU  yet!" We had a chuckle!

 

During his visit, as he was interviewing me, he became the third person in the hospital since I was wheeled into the ER to ask, "Can you walk?" Why do people assume because you have CP means you can't walk?!

That was a loaded question because YES I can walk but at that moment..NOT! I want to bang my head against the wall when people see me in the bed or on a chair, find out I have CP and then ask if I can walk.ESPECIALLY medical professionals!

The next day, the nurse must have called him numerous times about test results etc because he came around noon. He said that with the dextrose IV my blood sugar has stabilized but he didn't know if it was something wrong or the virus. He told me before I could go home, my blood pressure and blood sugars needed to stop being erratic and I had to eat a meal that stayed down. He also referred an endocrinologist to look at me.

My mom had gone home to bathe etc but on her way back she bought a Subway sandwich. It wasn't the type I would have chose but let me tell you I ate half of a half that sandwich. It was so good!

The late afternoon my endocrinologist, Dr.Stout visited. He said pretty much the same thing as Dr. King. He didn't know what the cause of the blood sugars fluctuating meant so he ordered two tests..A CRH stimulation test (That was an irritating test) and CBG tests to test my adrenal glands

The next morning he came with results in hand and said there was an abnormality of my adrenal gland.  Which one? NO clue and never thought to ask. But for those who know my history and those who don't..a few years back during a test, it was found that my right kidney was is smaller than the left and only 25% functionally. It was on my chart. The urologist chalked it up to a birth abnormality. My question at the time was, "Why did any doctor ever see that with the many tests I've gone through in my life?" Still don't know the answer.

When the girl did an ultrasound of my tummy this hitch, she just blurted surprised, "Your kidney is so little!?"  Remember when I wanted to hit my head on the wall?  Repeat!

Dr. Stout wasn't sure if the abnormality is from my sickness or another underlying cause. He put me on Hydrocortisone until I see him in early November. 

Dr King told me to follow up with my Family Doctor. He also promised that he had been sending reports to my GI, Family and Pulmonologist.

So there it is folks..my life LAST week.  I also had my MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT. at the hospital in my entire life but debating whether I want to share it with anyone else. Maybe one person can learn from it. It is pretty gross..to me anyway...

Thanks for coming back and taking the time to read this craziness and sometimes respond. Appreciate all of you!

BLESS YOU!

 

DAY 1: HOSPITALIZATION--ER VISIT

Disclaimer: If you are squeamish suggest you skip this post. 

Tuesday 12:30 am:  I vomited everything I ate. I was alone. MyLove was earning the big buckaroos. . Luckily I made it to the "Throne". I felt achy and generally awful.I crawled back into bed and half slept performing the deep breathe technique to soothe nausea my Pediatrician taught me eons ago.



1:30 AM to 4:30 AM- Repeat above. Except once, I didn't get up fast enough and as I was sprinting, half of it went into my hand and left a trail from bedroom to "Throne". It had changed to bile. After I finished, rinsed my mouth, took a wet towel. With brief breaks, I pushed a wet towel over the carpet to clean my mess. I guess I did a good job as MyLove told me he searched when he returned home and didn't find any remnants.

 I thought throughout the night, I need to go to the emergency room but did not want to wake up Mom. I think I drifted in and out of sleep.

After my 4:30 am emesis, the dry heaves arrived. Everything that was coming out,finally ended.  In my book, dry heaves are worse than vomiting. I felt, to put it bluntly, like SHIT. Again, I drifted in and out of sleep.

In the moments of wakefulness I contemplated if I could drive to New Iberia to see my Doc. I decided it was a bad idea as it is a 30 mile drive. I wondered if I should call MyLove but decided against that idea because I didn't want to worry him. Anyway, he was 2 hours away so he couldn't do anything. I thought of calling my daughter but again, didn't want to worry her and she only has a MOPED. I thought of calling my Cuz but again, didn't want to worry her. I did ponder about dialing 911 but didn't want the expense nor hurrah. I know that wasn't good but I am who I am. I wasn't ready to put down my pride.

I also decided when/if I call MOM, I wasn't going to make her drive all the way over here then drive all the way back.

 At 6 AM I called my parents and my dad answered. I asked to speak to her because 1) He is very hard of hearing and would have kept saying, "What? I don't understand?" OR when he would have been translating to Mom, it would have been a chore for him as he forgets one minute to the next sometimes..

She gets on the phone. My mom has had practice for 49 years so she knows the drill.  I started crying. She asked concerned but calm to actually calm ME as always, "What's wrong?"

Deep breath. "Can you take me to the hospital?"

She perked up and said, "I have to dress and brush my teeth. Do not move!"

But I did..I slipped some shorts under my  gown then unlocked the door and plopped onto my chair to wait. . I was so very weak and dizzy. About 45 minutes later, mom arrived. We walked slowly to the car with only my emesis basin and purse .

We make it to the hospital and they triaged me. A bulky RN who reminded me of a big giant teddy bear like was kind and gentle. I wish we would have written these RN and ER docs names.

My blood pressure was way up there, temp was 103.5 and I was shivering with teeth chattering. I couldn't walk because when I stood, I dry heaved. They wheeled me in the wheelchair to the waiting room but called my name within a few minutes.

They put me in a cold room that felt like a freezer.. I kept saying "F--K its cold!"

In response, my devout Christian Mom kept shushing me and reprimanding me. Bulky put 3 blankets with one warm against my skin. I kept telling him he was an ANGEL.

He left and came back. Evidently he had gone to talk to the busy ER Doctor. He returned and explained he was going to start an IV and give fluids, the Vampires and Radiologist. He started my IV, doing a wonderful job and I did tell him so.

The vampires came draw 5 vials of blood. I asked if they were going to leave me any blood. The Tech just laughed and said, "Sorry! Yea, really huh?"

Later, the Radiologist came get me and wheeled me in the bed to X-ray. All of this took place in about an hour or two.

Another RN, a cute little man (I'll name him  Ben as he looked like a Ben )  entered and talked to me about my history, Meds, etc. He told me the ER doctor was going to be coming.

Then we waited and waited. Bulky and Benjamin came in periodically to check on me and Mom. Bulky ended up giving me 2 more blankets. And I still shivered and was miserably cold.

Finally, the ER doctor,(Lets call him Doc) arrived and said my glucose was way low like 59. My weight was 79.5. I really cried when he told me my weight because I've been struggling. He told me he thought it was a virus that went into my intestine. With my immune system and malnourishment I couldn't fight it as well.  I informed him the low immune system is my life story. He gave me this long explanation I understood then but can't explain. He ordered a dose of Zofran IV for my nausea, glucose by IV, wait an hour and go from there.

Shortly after Doc departed,  Ben returned with the Zofran and orange juice with a packet of sugar. I dislike OJ because its so tart, but add sugar..it made me gag but like an obedient patient I drank it. YUCKITY YUCK!

Waiting game began again. Same people checked in regularly informing the ER doc was coming back. Once, Bulky did my blood pressure when I was laying down, then he helped me stand up and checked blood pressure, my BP went erratic. I laid back down.

About 2 hours later and 2 glucose sticks (I hated that little sticker!) later Ben walked in and put up a little bag and attached it to my already big hanging bag. We watched it as it dripped. I slept off and on. Doc walked in while it dripped and said we were going to wait and see how I felt. He said he was concerned about my blood sugar fluctuating  and unstable blood pressure. He gave me the option to go home with nausea meds and I could follow-up with my doctor OR he had no problems admitting me and having me followed by the Hospitality Doctor with IV fluids etc. He told me to think about it.

More waiting ensued ...My mom and I discussed my options. She said she wasn't bringing me to my apartment.She was bringing me home since MyLove was out of tow.n. She was in her take charge motherly mode. I see it as caring and it is automatic to her as she has had to take charge many times.

I somehow slid to the foot of the bed a few times and the two Angels would come and pull me up with the sheet. The first time Bulky laughingly said, "You're less than the wind outside." We all laughed.

I thought about my options. I was scared myself. I finally declared "Defeated". So when Doc came in I told him I was game for admittance.

Two hours later, after 9 hours in ER I was wheeled to my room on 5th floor!

If your stomach is still intact or just plain interested. Stay Tuned :)

FOUR DAY HIATUS

The day after my birthday (Which I had a post scheduled so that's why it was posted with me actually not being here) I went on an impromptu hiatus. It was indeed not a pleasant one!

 I had to visit the emergency room and in turn, was admitted. I gave no arguments with the ER doctor. I felt that sick!


My hiatus will be written in several posts, not necessarily in any order or even consecutively.  


I am home now, still weak and don't feel up to par. But after I'm knocked down like that, it takes me a while to get back to my own "normalcy".


I had written in my last post that I felt like I was getting sick. I had NO idea!

BEWARE: I will try not to be graphic but know how some people have weak stomachs and wouldn't want to give you that kind of effect.


I will summarize in this post and cut it to the diagnoses. 

First, the staff at Regional Medical Center of Acadiana gave excellent care. From the triage nurse to the discharge nurse and everyone in between was awesome! And the hospital didn't seem to smell medicine and it wasn't drab. The bed could have held two of me LOL!

I was referred an Hospitalist Doctor since I have no doctor here in Lafayette because I tried a few specialists in this city and BOMBED big time. I kept my New Iberia Doctors.


Anyway after a slew of blood tests, x-rays and ultrasounds the results were that I had the virus that went to my intestines. In triage I had high blood pressure and a temp of 103.5! The HBP was due to my achiness, fever and hours of vomiting, we assume. I felt guilty for a second because of the patients who were probably there way before me and I just got swooped into the back.


Also, my blood sugars was way down..59. It kept going up and down throughout my stay.


I want to tell you if you have to stick yourself every day to check your glucose. I AM SO SORRY. That crap HURTS. The first time they did it, unexpectedly. I shouted, "SHITTT".  I'm not one to be afraid of needles but I was PISSED.


Wednesday, mom asked him his estimation of my stay and he said as soon as they get my blood sugars stable and able to eat a meal and keep it down. Has anyone tasted their nasty gravy?? 


So obviously I reached his goals and I am home. I feel better but not well. This hit me like a load of bricks! I have to pace myself even more. I feel like I have 10 lb weights on my ankles. And now that everything is over, sorta..I'm in a wanna cry mode. Just waiting for the culprit to hit me.


So that is what was wrong who asked.

What's the Secret of followers?

I hope this finds you well. I had a bad bug during Christmas holidays, went to doc and took my meds. However, this cough lingers. I am tired of being tired from coughing. I get this dry cough that has a tickle in my throat. I have respiratory disease so this cough can stay with me for months after. I've tried hottie totties with and without alcohol, cough drops, cough syrup, decongestants and the only thing that works is Benzonate and of course it is not covered by Medicare. No cough syrup is covered by Medicare. I've tried OTC cough syrup and it doesn't work. GO figure. So I would have to pay 30+ for the Benzonate. I wait until at night to take it. Gotta make decision soon as I have one more left.

I just don't get this site. How do you get followers? I am following a few and have two followers (Thank you so much). I don't want to be in a popular contest. I just want some feedback and maybe make a friend here or there. I've read some with hundreds of followers and there blogs are not any better than mine. So what's the secret?

I do comment on  \other blogs and follow them.

This morning I had one of those "out there" dreams.  I was with 2 girls and a couple of men. We were at a hotel and I decided I was tired. We were all staying in one room that looked like a dorm room with 2 beds.

I got comfty in some pajamas with my snuggie and floppy slippers. I thought, "I'll get in the big bed, lay smack in the middle and no one will follow me." 

I climb into bed, settling in fetal position with my head sunk on a huge soft puffy pillow. I feel someone get on the side of me and I look and see one of the guys. He looked so familair. He was tall, dark and handsome with a 2 day old goatee. He snuggles against me and I ask, "What are you doing?"  He says, "Going to sleep." I give him a glare and lay my head back on my pillow when another guy who is faceless lays on the other side of me. I jump up in sitting position and say, "NOOOO, there is no sex..do ya'll get that?" They stare at me like they think I am crazy and said simutaneously, "No, we're going to sleep." I said, You touch me and..." I gave them a mean glare to finish off my sentence.

I go back into my fetal position and fall asleep with them against me. I thought, "Ooh this is cozy" and fell asleep.

Scene changes me waking up with tangled hair sticking up and drool dried on  the corners of my mouth. I stand on the bed then walk over the faceless one in the bed and go to the bathroom. Someone had moved all my toiletries and I started yelling at them. The dark handsome one wakes up and told me I was crazy. We argued but can't remember the rest. I woke up.

ANALYSIS:  My Love says I've been thinking of a threesome. NOT! We never discussed it nor am I interested.

Maybe since I thought it was cozy I was trying to get warm as it is freaking cold here lately and it doesn't look like its going to get any better soon.

I hope everyone stays warm!