April 16, 2008

"We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Program...."

One of my best friends now that hot tea is my drink of choice these days...

Definition of Interruption
Interruption

The act of interrupting, or breaking in upon.


The state of being interrupted; a breach or break, caused by the abrupt intervention of something foreign; intervention; interposition.


Obstruction caused by breaking in upon course, current, progress, or motion; stop; hindrance; as, the author has met with many interruptions in the execution of his work; the speaker or the argument proceeds without interruption.


Temporary cessation; intermission; suspension.

The coughing fits were unbelievable in their intensity, I gasped for air to find none, then to feel my brain thrown sideways against my skull, as my diaphragm jerked my chest forward in another heaving spasmodic wave. I coughed none stop for thirty minutes. I know, I was watching a clock across the room. The barking sounds coming from my throat confused my dog who was whining and barking at me, tail between her legs, perhaps despairing that somehow she was displeasing me and I was yelling at her. She knew there was a problem but not what it was. I sat there on the floor, in the mess I had made, trying to reassure her non verbally, my head spinning...Finally in an effort to get up and get to the bathroom, I managed to get up and into a chair off of my knees... Only to start coughing again, and as I tried to stand, I fell forward and blacked out...

I woke to Annabelle licking my face in a frantic effort to wake me up... She is my best friend in truth...

... "Doctor I have been ill for nearly three weeks but the cough started 10 days ago..." and it started again, the incredible coughing spasms, I practically threw myself into this mans arms the forward motion was so violent. I know he was surprised because of the look on his face as he held me by the shoulders as I coughed my brains out into the towel he provided quickly. Looking at what I had produced, he said " As you said no sign of infection and you are an allergy sufferer... With the rains the mold here is particularly bad, and of course everything in the world is blooming just now... but I don't think that is what this is. I think you have Pertussis. I looking at him and said "Whooping Cough? I know I was vaccinated for that, Im too old for the "Dont Vacinate your Kid for fear of what ever" crowd...

He went on to say that the description of the course of my illness exactly matches what happens when Whooping Cough is presented Low grade infection that seems to go away, but all that has done is fool the body into thinking that its done its job in the meantime the Pertussis bacteria breeds in your lungs, filling them up. By the time your body realizes there is this problem its too late and the horrendous
cough is the last ditch effort of the body to fight it off. Infants suffucate from the mucus this plague generates. In adults, you take over the counter drugs like Mucinex and it doest touch it. I had taken OTCs for the full three weeks and was so saturated with the various chemicals in them that my ususally low blood pressure was up to 160/100. That in an of its self was scary, and had I not gone to the doctor, that could have had a very bad outcome.

So the doctor gave me an antibiotic. I was still skeptical, but he said that this antibiotic was fairly specific and if I had something else my sputum would go from clear to slightly discolored, if it is pertussis, it will be very ugly, and a lot of it. Take the other three percriptions to handle the cough, clear liquids and bed rest. NO OTC's period, no even asprin for a few days. drink as much water as I can to clear out and reduce my Blood Pressure... that would go a long way to making me feel better

Fortunaly, the nest is well stocked with food and doggy treats, I I went home and locked myself in. He was right, my sputum turned so vile that had he not mentioned it I might have gone to ER thinking I was dying finally.The first day was still very bad but it has gradually gotten better, but I am still very weak and feel like a feather could knock me over.

My instructor was very encouraging, and rightly wants me to stay home untill I am over this. The atmosphere at the school, with the chemicals, particulate from filing sanding and polishing as well as the smoking that goes on there is no good for me right now. I am not missing anything because the classes repeat at intervals and I am going to be here for a long while yet.

Woody was willing to drive back out here, but I waved him off as he could get this too and he is better off where he is. Nothing on him, mind you, but his ideas of pampering me and mine are way different. I really need to just be quiet and alone. I dont need errands run or anything, Annabelle is going to do her business on the pad things and yes my trash and out bound mail are piling up but perhaps she and I will take to short walk to the trash and mail box today, Its a nice sunny day today.

I used to find that innteruptions into "my" life plan were so annoying...but I think now that they are God's way of showing me something. My broken foot last fall was a great example of that. It slowed me down to see the possiblities of a different future than the one that I was bitterly resigning myself to. It gave me time to listen to God and to my own heart and to formulate a plan.

I see that this is true in this situation as well. I have had time to connect with my new surroundings. Time to rest to play and bond with Annabelle, who now wants to be with me every moment I am home (other than jump into the shower, she cant understand why I would want to get wet everyday....) To think and be quiet... that has been a great gift...

But some more tea and time to get comfy on the the couch. I still cough violently when laying down. I am so looking forward to a real nights sleep prone on a bed. At Dawn the sun rises just over the first green. Its lovely to see the sunrise again.

Labels: Annabelle, Breaking News, Conner School, Faith, Health, Woody