Sunday, February 20, 2011

Really, Weather, Make up your MIND!

No wonder half the country is sick; freezing one day, hotter than snake snot the next day, then back to freezing.  I blame aliens.  Ok, not really.  But still...


Had a pretty good night's sleep last night.  Almost breathing through my nose again, which is pretty important if you use a C-PAP and oxygen while you sleep.  Now to finish up these Levaquin before something happens to my tendons.  But remember, I am... "strong like bull."


Well, it wasn't the most exciting weekend on earth.  I coughed, blew my nose, played some World of Warcraft, coughed, inhaled copious amounts of albuterol, coughed, listened to some film scores, and generally coughed a lot.


It's so weird, I haven't had a bout of bronchitis in probably ten or more years.  I'd forgotten how debilitating it can be.  I remember when I first moved out here to Arizona, and I was having problems.  The doctor sat me down and made me breathe in some strange misty stuff, and ... I could breathe again!  He said I had asthma.  Whoa, ok.  I'm like 28, and they are just now getting around to telling me I have asthma.  No wonder the nuns thought I had TB.


So, I got used to seeing a pulmonologist when my asthma would flare, and I'd get the damned prednisone, get a shot of decradron at times, and I'd be OK.  But one day, even after I got my shot, I ended up in the ER.  That's when I found out about the joy of 'blood gasses!'  Ooh, yeah, arterial blood draw.  Another discovery was that once I was shot up with epinephrine, I could NOT shut up.  ;)


Then I realized I'd been in that ER for quite a while, so I asked the doc how soon I could go home.  She said, "in about a week; we're getting you a room."  Ack!  What?  You don't have to be in a hospital for asthma!  But, yes, you do when it's status asthmaticus.  And yes, I was in for a week, but I learned something very important.  You can't NOT learn how to manage health problems and not expect to have major problems.  I almost died that week, and I never, EVER took my lung function for granted again.


Oh yes, and this was when I first learned that really large doses of Prednisone would make you want to chow down on even the respiratory therapist that is beginning to look like a standing rib roast.


So, the moral of this story is, just don't take your health for granted.  GO get your check up.  Yes, you men, too!  I know you don't.  But do it, for all the people you love and that love you.  


Peace out. :D

3 comments:

  1. I too spent a week in Banner Baywood for acute bronchitis. I put on 5lbs that week. Chris was coming on Saturday to pick me up and I told him to come after lunch. Good God, what a pig. I ate everything in sight and even had the respiratory nurse making me tea and bringing me cookies between meals.
    Take it easy girlfriend and get better soon
    Fay in the family room

    ReplyDelete
  2. My nurse went to Jack in the Box for me. :D

    ReplyDelete
  3. OMG, you are worse than me, but then I never thought of sending out, hmmmmmm if there is ever a next time I shall try it.

    More snow here today, about 3 inches overnite. It is warm today so I am hoping it is gonna melt.
    Take it easy girl
    fay in the family room

    ReplyDelete

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