Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Sanity's Blogtober TIP parade: 10/13 To go or NOT to go?

Last month I had a really sore throat for almost a week...now I am NOT a baby when it comes to pain! Remember, I am the one who had the 11 lb baby! But, I was actually spitting in the sink instead of swallowing b/c it hurt so bad that my entire body would flinch.

Just about the time I was ready to go to the doctors it went away. Then, I got a pretty bad cough...lasted a week then when I had peed myself one too many times from the strenuous hacking, I was ready to call the doctor. Then it went way.

This went on for a month. A WHOLE MONTH! My mom was calling every day to see if I had gone to get some meds but it was a strange pattern of events...just when I thought I had had enough, the symptoms would go away. I would feel REALLY good for a day and then BLAM! I would come down with some other symptom.

So, after not seeing my brand new baby niece for 4 weeks, I broke down and went to the doctors. He heard my plea for meds, jotted down some stuff I said, listened to my chest and said, "WHY on EARTH did you wait a month to come in?"

I had no answer. Like a 10 year old being asked why she has toilet paper in her training bra, I said, " I dunno."

"Well, Michelle, you have PNEUMONIA!"

Nice.

So, I grabbed the Z-pack and the Advair disc (that is disgusting, btw!) and I was as good as new in about a week.

So, this weekend I came down with that same spit-in-the-sink sore throat. Was up by 5am drinking tea and doing shots of honey all the while downing 1/2 a bottle of Advil to kill the pain.

I call my doctor and tell the nurse that I am being proactive and I want to come right in so I can get on some meds and NOT be sick for another month! Of course they can't see me right away and I have to wait a day.

So, today I head in with my responsible big girl panties on. Call my mom from the parking lot and tell her what I am doing! "Yes. No, I am NOT kidding! I am standing in the parking lot! I swear! I will text you a picture!"

I tell the nurse that I was playing it safe and not letting my I-don't-need-a-doctor-I'm-a-mom pride get in the way. I was there for medicine so I could get back on track!

Dr. Lou came in and I sat up straight, took some deep breaths, fished for the pat on the back deserved for coming right in and not waiting.....

He sits back down and chuckles.

"Your throat is barely red."

"WHAT?!"

"I hear NOTHING in your lungs."

"WHAT?!"

"You just have a cold."

With my tail between my legs, I walk out to the nurse's station to turn in my diagnostic paper (after writing SCARLET FEVER and WHOOPING COUGH across it with the red crayon from my purse) and then head to my car.

What a waste of my time.

Today I NEED THE TIP...cuz apparently, I got nothin' out of this lesson!

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU REALLY SHOULD GO TO THE DOCTOR AND WHEN IT'S JUST A COLD? I had the SAME FREAKING symptoms both times!!

Leave your comment/tip along with your blog link. Go back and blog an anecdote or tip for your readers and leave a link to me. Invite your readers to play along and enjoy a whole month of MOMMY TIPS!

Peace.

4 comments:

MaBunny said...

Well MIchelle! Glad you have just a cold and not pneumonia this time:) you may feel stupid for having run to the doctor BUT aren't you glad you did nand that it wasnt' something more serious?

I guess I'm one of those moms who has had one too many things go wrong, so if Im not feeling better after a few days I head to the doctor.
When the kiddo is sick, I also wait maybe 24hrs to see how she is, then rush her to the doctor too, since she needs a note if she misses school. Sometimes it can be a hard decision though. Hope everyone stays well!

CraftyMomof3 said...

I'm not the one to tell you because when I was pregnant with my last kid I thought the pain in my stomach was food poisoning when it was actually my liver shutting down. Go figure.

Glad it's not as bad this time though.

Shelly said...

Just a little pneumonia info... (not everyone feels like this, but it is usually a good indicator)... When you breath-your chest will feel tight-almost as if an elephant were sitting on you... THAT has always been my classic sympton that I was getting pneumonia. Just wanted ya to know! =) It feels different than an asthma attack does... (though anymore those can get pretty tough too)

Glad you aren't really sick! But do keep watch cuz IF those "cold" symptoms don't go away or get worse... You may not be finished quite yet.

Kirsten said...

I really don't know. I won't go to the doctor unless I feel like I can no longer go on. I don't want to step on that scale you see ;-)