It was my birthday this past weekend. I got sick the Friday before. I am an RN and thus very stubborn because I would treat myself at home. But when my fevers started lasting 3 days without breaking, I went to urgent care and they gave me Tamiflu. I took two days of it, but the fevers persisted. Guys, when you have a gut feeling about something, go with it. If your spouse, family member, or whoever is closest to you has a gut feeling, go with it. On the 5th day with fevers, I was at the store, because I couldn’t just stay in the house and do nothing. (Fucking women, fucking nurses.) But was noticing that as I was pushing the cart along I started to get winded. Not hugely. Don’t think I was huffing and puffing, but for my usual self it was noticeable enough. I commented that in text to my husband, and he’s like eff it, I am calling my mom.
For context, we have a lot of family, but my parents were out of the city, my niece was at work, my sister flew out to be an extra on a show called The Chosen....So his mom was a good call. When she called me I was telling her, “No I am okay. He shouldn’t have called you. I can go to the urgent care later,” blah blah blah. Anything to not inconvenience her. But she was adamant that I go. She met where I was having my son get a haircut. After she came, I ended up going back to urgent care. I could feel the body aches start, so that meant that a fever was not far off. As I got there, I made sure to be a bit more adamant about what I was feeling and my suspicions. The PA I saw this time was very attentive. He stated he would get a chest xray and treat me for bronchitis if the cxr was negative for PNA. (Medical abbreviation for pneumonia.)
I nodded along and asked him for an Ibuprofen. I already knew where I was headed. I must have looked like death because I was getting pity glances left and right! The time I spent there was 3 hours total, but honestly I didn’t notice it because I spent the time waiting in between just sleeping. Anywho, I get the x-ray done, I go back to the urgent care area, and I sit in the lobby to wait.
I could’ve bet money that I didn’t have PNA. That the PA was going to come back in and say, yeah its clear and we’ll treat you for bronchitis. But damn, when he came in, he said it was positive for pneumonia. I was coming off the haze of the body aches and fevers and so I had to clarify, “Did you say it was positive? I have pneumonia?”
“Yes, ma’am you do. Chest x-ray shows haziness on the right side. So you’ll be on two antibiotics,” he said as he turned back to his screen to chart. I still couldn’t believe it. Well no wonder I felt like death. Later, the radiology report came back and it said that I had consolidation in the right lower AND right middle lobe of the lungs. In layman’s terms, that a huge freaking area! My sats, uh, vital signs were good, just the fevers and what not. So I greeted this 38th year of my life with pneumonia.
Honestly, the best gift was my husband. Had it not been for him calling his mom, going past my stubbornness, I probably would be worse off today. I am on my third dose of antibiotics, so I still have a bit to go for recovery, but damn. This disease kicked my ass. I was in bed and feeling like death. I do mean literal death. I was starting to think about writing notes for my kids and husband on what to do as adults and things I would like for them. Mortality is interesting when forced to face it. And what I have is nothing compared to cancer or other terminal illnesses.
My point is, again, if you or your loved one says, “I think you need to go get checked again,” or “This isn’t right. You need another opinion.” Do it. Listen to them. Listen to your own gut, if its you telling yourself that.
Very happy birthday to me. I am blessed.
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