It’s been a few days since I’ve been able to write. Nathan and I came down with the flu, even though we had our flu shots. I came down with it first and let me tell you, it was horrible. It started out with a mild cough and then slowly (very slowly, as in over the course of a number of days) progressed into a nasty sore throat, violent coughing, fever, and agonizing body aches and pains. The sore throat started on Monday but by Tuesday, I was completely incapacitated to the point that I was unable to care for Nathan. Paul had to come home from work so he could watch him, even though he was slightly sick with something as well. Fortunately, whatever he had didn’t make him as sick as Nathan and I were. I was in such agony that I could barely walk.
Wednesday, severe dizziness and lightheadedness set in, so I was stuck in bed all day that day as well. By Thursday, I was still dizzy and lightheaded, but I thought I could manage to get some vacuuming done. While I was vacuuming, I started having a hard time breathing and I almost passed out… my vision went black and I had to really focus and concentrate to keep from passing out completely. I called my mom, but she was working. I called my mother-in-law to see if she had any advice on how to stave off dizziness, and she replied that she was going to come get me and take me to the doctor.
So I went to the doctor who told me I had the flu, and I was also experiencing complications such as severe bronchitis and an alarming amount of fluid in my lungs. Not just mucus, but fluid. She became concerened and said that I was on the cusp of develping pneumonia and that we had hopefully caught in the nick of time. She said that had I waited until the next day to see her, I would have been in the hospital instead. So after a breathing treatment and prescriptions for multiple medications to prevent pneumonia, I went home to rest.
By Saturday, I was so dizzy and the vertigo was so severe that I was once again confined to bed. The whole room seemed to be spinning around me and I couldn’t keep my balance. I was vomiting up everything and still having a hard time breathing.
Today, I am feeling somewhat better. I am able to breathe better but the dizziness and lightheadedness still persist. I am seriously ready for this to be over! I was trying to get some light housework done (because I’m sure you can imagine the mess with me being out of commission for a week) and I almost fainted while I was bent over doing the litterboxes. (Can you imagine passing out in a litterbox?? EWW!)
This illness really dug into me and doesn’t want to let go.
Nathan, on the other hand, has bounced back nicely. He was really sick as well, but not nearly as sick as I was.
And oh… while I was at the doctor, she said I was wheezing severely when I was breathing in and out, so that reminded me that I wheeze a lot normally and especially during exercise or when it’s cold outside. Come to find out, she said I have asthma. Apparently, many people have their first asthma attack when they’re around my age (early 30’s). So now I have an inhaler and all that. Who woulda thought?
Well, I feel like I need to lay down for a few minutes because the room is starting to spin again… let’s hope I can hurry up and kick this flu to the curb becuase I am ready to be myself again!
