I NEVER get sick - well, I used to never get sick. Not a cold, flu, allergies - nothing. Late Christmas evening, I felt a tightness in my chest that was constricting my airways. By Saturday morning, my fevers had spiked to 103. Against my better judgement, I went to the nearest Quick Quack (that's what I call urgent care, and I have YET to be adequately diagnosed at any of these so call medical institutions).
After 2 1/2 hours of sitting in the lobby full of other people coughing up a lung or two, I was screened and tested positive for 2 separate strains of flu. Yippee. They prescribed TamiFlu, but by the time I got out of the Quick Quack at 5:50 PM, all the pharmacies in my area were closed. Since when did the pharmacies close at dinner time? What rock have I been living under?
After a few phone calls in the morning, we located located a pharmacy that actually HAD TamiFlu on hand (it's like Gold, people). $125 later - yet another prescription that my crappy insurance (thanks Health Care Act) does NOT cover, and one pill later, I became worse. So, no more TamiFlu for me. But the tightness in my chest, and soon the wheezing and shortness of breath became almost unbearable.
Monday rolled around and I have never been more thankful to have a Primary Care Physician that I can trust - took me YEARS and many failed attempts to find her. Anyway, add bronchial infection and bronchitis to my ailments, four prescriptions, and by Tuesday, and I am slowly (and I mean slowly) but surely on the mend.
Flash back to last Sunday...Mom does not feel well. Same crappy flu symptoms. But, she is in the "elderly" category, and, according to her and my doctor, has to be watched very carefully. So, like a dutiful daughter, I wrap my mother up in her warmest coat, slap a sneeze mask on both of us, and take her to her doctor on Tuesday. Her doctor declared that, although a slight fever, it appears to be a cold. Never even checked for flu. Hmpf..
Wednesday - 11:30 AM. I leave a message for my mother's doctor's office to please call me - my mother is tanking - fevers, terrible cough, yada yada. The doctor never called back. (Note - I was very selective in choosing this doctor 5 years ago, as he is a specialist in geriatrics...hmmmmm) At 6:00 PM I contact the "on call doctor" who tells me that if her fever spikes, call 911 and get her to the ER. You see, when the elderly suffer from high fevers, and many times, dehydration, they lose their cognitive abilities. This is not something I recommend anyone ever have to go through - it is very scary - and I hope I never have to witness that again.
So, New Year's Eve was spent in the ER. I have only wonderful things to say about Novent Prince William/Manassas Emergency Room. The doctors, nurses, everyone, has always excelled and I felt a wave of relief when the chest x-ray came back negative for pneumonia. But, a bag and half of saline solution pumped through her veins, and Mom was back to her old lucid self. The doctor told her, a minimum of 64 ounces of liquids (non caffeinated) daily, or she can come back for refueling.
Mom slept from 4:30 AM New Years Day until Friday morning. She woke to take drinks of water, etc., but no food, not much talking. But she was "back" - just very, very tired. She ate 3 very small meals yesterday, sat in her chair to crochet, played on the computer, all semi-normal stuff. Still very weak, but improving every single day - thank goodness!
Today is the first day I have not worn a sneeze mask when walking around my house, and I feel free!
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Monday, I foresee a visit with Mom's doctor - just me and the doc, not Mom. Something snapped last week with her care, and the trust I had for his team is now broken.
I apologize for digressing from jewelry making and will hopefully get back to creating again very soon. I bid everyone - including those in my household - who is reading this Good Health for 2015.
Thank you for stopping by!
xo
Patti
