Sunday, November 1, 2009

Today Sucks....

Sunday, November 1, 2009....


Today I was supposed to go into NYC and meet some fellow bloggers and cheer on another blogger running the NYC Marathon, but couldn't. Instead, I'm home on the couch with a horrible earache - actually, a staph ear infection.

It started Thursday and got progressively worse every day. I knew when I got up yesterday if I didn't go to a doctor I'd be miserable today. No way did I want to miss out on meeting fellow bloggers (heck, one drove 8 hours) so I planted my butt in the waiting room of a local hospital's walk-in medical center and waited.

Here's what I experienced while at the walk-in center for 2 hours --

1) A lot of waiting to be checked-in. Not sure what that was about, but 40 minutes and only 2 people ahead of me before my insurance info was taken.

2) A lot of waiting once you were brought into your own exam room.

3) A little boy Timmy, who thought it cool and brave to fall on his head, create a huge opening, but scream & cry when told he needed staples.

4) Discovering that Timmy could cry and cry and cry without anyone ever touching him for 1/2 hour.

5) Feeling horrible and wondering why his parents didn't tell him how 'cool' the staples were going to be (this kid was into the cool factor).

6) Having the PA (Physician's Assistant) examine me and tell me that they are going to treat me for both inner and outer ear infection (yes, I was in a lot of pain). Me, thinking I hope they give me some good drugs to dull the pain.

7) Having the doctor come in after PA, check out my ear, listen to lungs (was a bit confused about that connection) then tell me I might need surgery before disappearing for 5 minutes. WTF???

8) Me, now feeling like little Timmy, have tears welling up (I have a justifiable fear of surgery) and begin breathing techniques to calm self down before doc gets back.

9) Learning he wanted me on IV drug, but Cipro and Bactrim are prescribed. This is when I'm told I have a staph ear infection (didn't have a clue what it meant, but his deadpan expression told me I should be very concerned). I was also informed if the swelling on my face didn't disappear that evening, I needed to get to the ER.

10) Later, I called my sister the nurse, to find out a staph infection in the ear can spread to the sinuses which can go up to the brain and kill you. Glad I didn't know this in the medical center.

11) For the rest of the evening, my husband kept looking at my face, not in a lovingly way, but to monitor my swelling. I can only imagine what he would have been like if we had kids together.

Today, my ear hurts. My jaw is stiff. It is not fun to chew food and my ear canal is swollen.

In a roundabout way, I am thankful I was supposed to meet up with some bloggers. If I wasn't, I probably would have avoided going to the doctors and heaven knows what would have happened. For this, I will even congratulate Otin on the Yankees' win last night.

27 comments:

lacochran said...

Yow! Hope you're definitely on the mend now.

On the plus side, it's not too late to NaBloPoMo.

Just sayin...

Pseudo said...

Hope you are better already.

I wish I could pop into NY and meet some bloggers. My popping in would require stowing away on a plane or two though...

Spot said...

Awwww. Poor you! Ear infections suck!! I used to get them all the time and once my ear canal swoll shut and they had to like hammer in this little thing to drain it (well, it felt like they were hammering it in anyway). Glad you went to the doctor, and very glad you got antibiotics. Hope you got good painkillers. Take care.

♥Spot

Green-Eyed Momster said...

Oh LMB, I'm so sorry but I'm so glad that you went to see your doctor. I hope that you'll get more chances to meet your bloggy friends. There's nothing worse than ear pain and an infection that is lethal. Yikes! That does suck.
As for #7- HOW RUDE! You must have been so scared. I'm so sorry, hon.
I'm hoping that you'll be 100% in no time!

Big hugs!!

Anonymous said...

sorry about the ear and your missing the rendezvous. get better. a rice sock helps with the pain.

rachaelgking said...

Ugh, I'm so so sorry... but really happy you caught it when you did. That's terrifying!

Someday, we will meet up. :-)

Anonymous said...

Good you're being treated, cause people can die from Staph.

Dree said...

I'm so sorry about your infection! And about your horrible wait. Poor little boy too!

I hope that you get better soon.

Jessica said...

Seconding (thirding, fourthing?) what everyone else has said! Sorry to hear that you're in pain and you had to miss out on the bloggy meet-up, but glad to hear you caught it before it went too much further!! Feel better :)

Matty said...

Bummer. This looks like a common thing through blogdom. I'm reading so many of these "sick" posts. It's just going around. Hope you feel better soon.

Badass Geek said...

Yikes. Hope that gets better soon.

A New England Girl said...

Oh my goodness! I'm so glad you got that all checked out... staph, in any form, is so dangerous. My bf had a staph infection in his leg and it's left a considerable scar from the deep hole it left when it was destroying the tissue [lovely visual, huh?]. Please, please, pleaseee get all the rest you can get and take good care of yourself! I am glad to hear your husband is monitoring you closely, and remember... you can never be too careful about heading to the ER!

Hope you feel better soon. xoxo.

Sophie said...

What a scary illness to come down with. I totally feel for ya, girly!

Hope you got some good druggies and are taking them for a quick recovery.

xoxo,
noelle

Anonymous said...

Yikes! Hope you feel better! Slapping Timmy might have helped a little in starting that process....

rxBambi said...

Jules said it best! Both the "yikes" and the slapping timmy bit. hope you're feeling better soon. keep us posted
hugs
xxoo

.... said...

Poor thing!
Hope the drugs work fast & you are feeling better real soon.

Hugs,
Lynn

Tracie said...

Feel better soon!

Erin Helgerson said...

Ahhhh! You poor thing! That's so frustrating! So annoying! So painful!!! What a sad story, I'm so, so sorry!
I hope they did end up getting you some good drugs, if not, don't be afraid to call and say you need to have some called in for you.
Get lots of rest, and watch that swelling!
Crossing my fingers for you that you'll be better soon!!!
XOXO,
Erin

Joanna Jenkins said...

:-( Feel better soon.
xo

Liz Mays said...

How awful! I'm glad you had that checked out, but sorry you missed out on the bloggy meet-up.

Claudya Martinez said...

I am sooo happy you went to see the doctor. I wish you a speedy recovery.

Mike said...

Health comes first!!

Next time. I am up here a couple times a year.

Deborah said...

Holy Cow, I never heard of such a thing. How do you catch that, maybe I don't want to know. I hope you feel better soon!!

Miss_Nobody said...

OW!I don't know what a staph infection means but I have had my share of earaches-the time I tried to learn swimming.It was EW.And totally painful.Ugh.Hope you feel better soon!

Stephanie said...

I am so sorry, I hate being sick. I hope you feel better soon. I am also sorry that you didn't getting to go to NYC.

betty said...

what a nightmare with your visit to urgent care; I'm so sorry you are under the weather and you missed your time with fellow bloggers :(

I hope you feel better soon

betty

Goose said...

Awww that stinks! I hope you are starting to feel Better!!