by

Sick-O

As if life wasn’t hectic enough, the universe recently thought it could double up on my stress level and bless me with a nice medical problem on top of everything else that’s been vying for the top spot in my list of current anxieties. Or, maybe I should say it’s not so much a medical problem as it is… cue ominous music… “mystery science theatre,” because as of yet the doctors have no clue how to solve whatever it is I’ve got – or even what I have.

I’ll tell you, there’s a special category of “disheartening” when you go to your doctor seeking reassurance in the knowledge that surely to goodness somewhere in his career he’s cured things much worse than whatever it is you’ve got and he just shrugs his shoulders at you. Literally. That’s what he did.  No joke.

When I first went in to be seen the doctors went straight down the terror route. “Ahh, let’s see, maybe we should do a biopsy of something.”  Of course, my mind immediately jumped from “I thought I might need some pills for a few days” to “What the hell’s going to be on my tombstone?” Then, after wrapping my head around the possibility that I might have a malignant golf ball in my lungs and/or my sinuses, the doctors said “Nah, screw that, never mind.” They never did the biopsy.

Instead they downgraded their opinion of what I might have to something cheerfully referred to as “double pneumonia.” Just for the record, I would have been fine with just a single. That’s all the pneumonia I’ll ever need.

Then the doctors said, “Forget we mentioned that” and changed it to sudden onset asthma.  Then, another guess was thrown in the ring for good measure… bronchitis?

None of their treatment methods have worked out so far. At this point it just sort of feels like they’re flipping through pages in a medical dictionary and seeing where their finger lands. After the attempts at treating the bronchitis, asthma, and pneumonia failed they at least know it’s none of those three. Thank you, Dr. Obvious.

So now we just have to keep doing more tests. Not like I have other stuff do with my day. Oh sure, Doc, I’ll be here whenever you need me. What do you want to test for? Rabies? Great! You think it could be scurvy? Let’s find out!

I’m sorry, I know diagnosing an illness isn’t exactly so cut and dry, but c’mon, Doc. You have that fancy degree hanging up on your office wall. Let’s earn it, buddy. If I have to go into another X-ray and give a 10 minute explanation about how I know for sure that I’m not pregnant one more time, my freakin’ head’s going to explode. Just mark it down on my record. I’m sure there’s a box there. Pregnant? No. In ink. And please just believe me next time. I’m not trying to pull one over on you.  Seriously.  I’ve had two kids, one is 22 years old.  I know where babies come from and would hope you’d trust me about something as life-altering as pregnant or not pregnant.  You don’t need to give me the third degree every single time.

As of today the doctors, in their infinite wisdom, have me on the steroid prednisone which, as it turns out, is the same medicine my dog takes. Go figure. If they put a cone around my head I might just seek out another healthcare provider. Until then, I’ll take the steroids and my own in-house remedy…Mucinex and Codeine-laced cough syrup.  A combo of those two and it’s nighty-night.  I didn’t even have to go to med school to figure that one out.

26 thoughts on “Sick-O”

  1. I’m sorry you are dealing with “whatever this is* but even worse, the doctors. I was just remembering last night how when I dropped my teenage daughter at Urgent Care for an obvious sinus infection, the doctor decided to give her a lecture on safe sex along with the antibiotics. Because we all know that’s where sinus infections come from. And the pregnancy tests. I wonder how many I’ve taken in my lifetime? I’ve always told *them* when I’m pregnant, because their test didn’t catch it. But even if a limb falls off, they want to make sure you’re not *pregnant* with your limb falling off. And then their test is wrong.

    All that to say: I hope you make your own diagnosis soon. And feel better. ~Elle

    • Thank you for reading and commenting! I hope your daughter feels better soon! I think doctors take every opportunity they can to give safe sex talks to teens which can be so annoying. And your poor daughter is probably sitting there miserable with her sinus infection thinking “can I please just have my antibiotics so I can go???”

  4. Hope you feel better soon! Have you thought it could be an allergy to something in the air? Something new (not necessarily new to you, but you get the idea) that recently you brought in the house? Black mould and mildew from damp patches can set off chest problems as can food allergies! Hope this helps!

    • Thank you! It could be allergies I suppose. There may very well be mold under the crawlspace, wouldn’t be surprised. The doctors mentioned allergies actually but the inhaler he gave me to help with the cough just makes me cough more. Go figure.

  5. Right now I am dealing with a station where for the past 6 years I have been doing a biopsy for my thyroid. 3 biopsies in 6 years is a lot for someone who has always been in fear of needles. So for me to deal with this is a lot. Then my doctor said he found 3 nodules on my thyroid and wants to do a biopsy on all three. Long story short after explaining my fear of needles to my doctor and getting another opinion. . I’m going to have a biopsy on the largest nodule.

    • What a horrible thing to go through! It must be so nerve-wracking! I am so sorry you’ve been dealing with something like that. I understand completely your phobia of needles. I have one big time and I don’t know how you’ve been able to stand it. I will keep you in my thoughts and hope that everything is okay for you.

      • Thank you. I tried to explain to the doctor my fear of needles and it was his attitude of well this is something you have to do that got me angry. I have a good repotire with my doctors and that really threw me. Each sitting is 4 needles and I barely get through that so imagine 3 biopsies at once 12 needles. Really??? I don’t think so.

        • I really hate it when doctors do not listen to their patients. Doctors should LISTEN to their patients — patients have a right to be a part of their own treatment plan and decision making. 12 needles??? Good grief! I can see why you were so angry and I don’t blame you one bit.

  6. I remember going to the ER a number of years back because I was suffering from a bout of extreme vertigo. The ER doctor examined me, they did an MRI, and basically said they couldn’t determine what was causing my dizziness. The doc finally said something like, “I don’t know what is causing it. It could be anything. It could be a million things. It could be brain tumor.” Thanks a lot, Doc. That was really helpful — NOT!

    Feel better.

    • Wow, you really had a top-shelf doctor there didn’t you!? Good grief. You should’ve just walked in, handed the receptionist your co-pay, said thanks, and walked out. Would’ve saved time and been just as useful in the long run. And thanks, I’m sure eventually I’ll feel better. I have to at some point in time, right? At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

  8. well I hope you heal up – it sounds like a stubborn bug you have – and that it may be unusual.

    when I was sick last spring – I learned a lot in a short amount of time. and also was faced with shrugged shoulders. and I still have my steroids sitting in the drawer because I wanted to try other things first – but I also did not have a lung infection. anyhow, while I was getting healed up – and doing all kinds of research – I found many conspiracy folks who slam the docs – and say they want to keep people sick for the meds and pharma – but that was not my experience – instead – I found that each doc wanted with all their heart to help me to wellness – but they have limited skills and also tend to think only of palliative care – where they treat symptoms and do it only their way.

    anyhow, long story short – all health comes down to a healthy “inner body terrain” so our immune system can work and function its best – and most of that inner terrain has to do with the digestive tract – and so as you heal up and as you wake up from your meds – seriously think about doing a parasite cleanse because it is very normal to have build up in the 28 feet of intestines and other organs
    and check out Dr. Hulda Clark and videos from Ann-louise – and her book “look what came to dinner.”
    But your lungs could have microbes or fungi strains (very common) and docs only think bacertia –
    I have more resources – but I do not want to overwhelm you because you are ill – but all illness has a microbe root cause – and with that in mind, my very favorite help is warm garlic water with toast or hard crackers.
    as I am sure you know, garlic is antifungal, anti-mircobe, anti-parasite – and just awesome. I also like it in chicken soup – and I am sure you have lots of remedies – but do not overlook the power healing found in this little glove – 🙂
    best wishes to you ❤

      • well typo = it was supposed to be “clove” not glove – lol

        but when you get better and move on – also think about your body’s ph – the healthy terrain all comes down to the ph. oh and I think you might like Ann-louise’s books too because the one I just reread is “Your Body Knows Best” (so good- and it is an easy read – but a must read – she truly was ahead of her time in the 90’s) and well, she tried being a vegetarian too and she talks about how it did not work for her – she was hungry all the time – but it really is about listening to your body – and then she briefly talks about genetics and how the type of meat and amount of meat we need really depends on our heritage – and well, our body really does know best. But if you skim any of her books I think you will feel her wisdom.

        lastly, check out Mark’s daily apple, this really may turn you off at first, and you may have already shrugged off paleo diet – but there are some life changing tips to be found… at leafs for me….
        🙂
        http://www.marksdailyapple.com/#axzz3GStGJxoT

        Have a nice weekend ❤

  9. Take your brew, and I send you a prayer that you will sleep and in the morning you will start to feel better! I live with the asthma, with the colds that often try to hamper my day…but I take my medicine speak to God and know tomorrow will be a somewhat better day! Hugs and blessings to you!

  10. So sorry to hear you are sick. I suffered through something very similar the beginning of the year- I was pretty much down and out for Jan-Mar. Although I have suffered with asthma since I was a child, and nearly every winter I seem to come down with bronchitis, whatever I had this past winter seemed more stubborn than usual. They never did figure out exactly what was wrong with me either (whether it was my asthma, bronchitis, or pneumonia—all three were thrown around at one point or another for me too). I finally ended up having to take three rounds of steroids, plus a round of antibiotics, in addition to all my asthma medications, before I finally kicked it. I also wanted to let you know to be careful when taking Mucinex, my internist warned me against taking it as it can sometimes worsen the symptoms of lung infections. I’m sorry I have no easy cures to offer you Wendy, except my heartfelt sympathy. I know how frustrated you must feel. Make yourself a steaming cup of chamomile tea with honey and lemon, curl up on the couch, and take care of yourself. I hope you feel better soon!

    • I was wondering about the Mucinex because things did seem to get worse when I was using it. I have since stopped. Maybe I just need to take a few rounds of meds before it clears up. I mean I have already but it may just take a few more to finally kick it. All the tests are coming back negative which is a very good thing. It sounds exactly like what you went through. I appreciate the kind words. I’m hopeful it will ease up soon.

  11. Oh no, I’m so sorry your under the weather! Hope they figure out what’s wrong soon so you don’t have to go through more of this trial and error stuff. I’ll be thinking about you and send you loads of love.

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