Update From The Mouse Pad

[MightyMouse]

Hello all, it's been a really tough month--I've been sick for at least the past 4 weeks. My doc finally is on board with being aggressive with treating me b/c this week things spiraled quickly out of control. I have an infection in both ears, a sinus infection, bronchitis and pleurisy, as well as asthma attacks. I was given a huge loading dose of steroids yesterday, and today, I was given 3 days of a z-pack... BUT, I am allergic to zithromax (the antibiotic in the z-pack), so in addition to the steroids, i'm on benedryl. My poor pharmacist was fretting about giving the z-pack to me, but eventually relented b/c the ones I'm NOT allergic to can't be combined with steroids b/c they cause liver damage. Hives... Liver damage... hives... liver damage... Um, I'll take the hives please.

On a side note, my poor kitty Abbi has a horrible UTI. I had to go to a compounding pharmacy to get her an antibiotic gel to put in her ear--she throws up anything oral-- and I decided to ask if they make nsaid's in a transdermal form for people. I was suprised to get a YES! I'd asked so many times before at various pharmacies, and the pharmacists always said no. So, for the first time in more years than I can recall, I can have ibuprofen!!! I have a jar of ibuprofen creme, and I have rubbed it on my ribs and an hour later, I noticed it didn't hurt quite so much happy sigh of relief.

Here's to a nap before the steroids kick in and I turn into an ADD/ADHD nightmare. not kidding. those of you who've lived through steroid highs with me before, please forgive me in advance!!! Those who haven't... hope you can bear with me as the steroids make me feel like I've had a caffeine and sugar overdose. I suppose it must be the closest I'll come to having a manic episode. I even talk faster. Anyway, sorry in advance. It'll pass in a few weeks after I stop taking them... so thats about a month from now.

Nina

[Dizzy Dame]

Nina that sounds awful! At least you've got your ibuprofen creme

I hope you start feeling better soon, and that the steriods don't make you too loopy

-Lauren

[bttrflyamby1981]

Oh..poor Nina!

I'm glad you are being cared for, but still...Poor Nina!

Hope the weeks go by fast for you and your well in the end.

Best wishes,

Amber

[Clairefmartin]

Nina ~ I hope you are feeling better soon!! You will be in my thoughts

Claire

[corina]

nina,

i am sorry that you're sick again. i really hope you will start feeling better soon!

corina

[MightyMouse]

I'm feeling WAY better than yesterday. My tachy was in high gear--and I was breaking a sweat from the most simple things. For the past 5 or 6 days, I would run a fever that I could get to go down if I did nothing by lie in bed. As soon as I started to do anything--even get a bowl of cereal for myself--it would go back up. I almost broke down and did an er trip, but those visits are rarely good. However, on Sunday, I started to have the same symptoms I did last year when the lower lobe of my left lung colapsed. I got into the doctor's office on Monday.

Really, I think she wasn't taking me seriously when I called in earlier last week--that or her nurse failed to convey my message as I stated it. Yesterday, my doc looked in my one ear and said--"ooh, you have lots of fluid in there"... and for the second ear "this one looks even worse". Then for my throat "what are we going to do with you?" and in my nose "has your nose been bleeding? Is a mess in here." "Okay, you're not in a full asthma flare up...but... I'm sorry, there's no way around the steroids this time." She stood there shaking her head. I was too tired to say "I told you I was really sick 3 weeks ago." This is only the 2nd time she's had to treat me in one of these crises;

my old doc lived through this with me every Winter, which is how my "four day rule" evolved--if I had new symptoms (POTS, NCS or other), or was ill for 4 days and it didn't resolve on it's own, he wanted me IN HIS OFFICE, not just calling b/c his staff weren't always giving him my messages--they sometimes got diverted to their nurse line and that never panned out for me, despite him telling them not to do that with me. I haven't been able to get my current doc to adopt this rule, but I think after I heal from this mess, I'll be back on that warpath. Teri's madder than heck at me for not advocating better for myself on the phone during the earlier calls--and I think feeling a little guilty for being away so much for work. However, I think most of you understand how hard it can be to get through the staff who man the phoneline... although, I will say, I could have gotten more assertive, but I'm worried about ticking the lady off b/c she's the one who I will have to deal with every time if I keep going back to this doctor; and I really like the doctor, just am frustrated with her learning curve.

Nina

[dano2718]

Nina-

So glad to hear you are doing better and sorry you have had such a rough spell recently. I hope your doctor gets further along the learning curve. It sounds like they are understanding and willing to work with you, so lets hope so!

[ariella]

Nina,

Sorry you are feeling unwell. ENT stuff is a misery. Last year I had lots of fluid in my ears, I remember going to the docttor and saying THIS I can't deal with any longer. Almost comical with everything else that's been going on, but that's how I felt at the time.

Your story about your kitty reminds me of a Seinfeld episode-Kramer got sick and agreed only to see a vet. i think there's something to this. Just read somewhere, for example in regards to lyme, that most vets are better educated about lyme than the average GP!

Hope you're feeling better!

Ariella

[nadine]

Hope you are soon feeling Mighty again!! Take care on those steroids--

[morgan617]

Nina, glad you are felling better, but oh those steroids. it's a trade off isn't it???

I hope you feel lots better soon! morgan

[DancingLight]

Hi Nina,

Well, we've all be forewarned that you will be EVEN goofier than normal, eh? Boy, I wonder if you talk as fast as Melissa? That would be funny!

Okay, so seriously, I am sorry you are feeling so crummy...thanks for somehow managing to keep up with the board while you feel so poopy yourself.

I never knew you could get transdermal NSAIDS? What is the reason for those? B.c the other is too hard on your tummy? I wonder if I could try that? Hmmmmm.....

And, yes, the nurse lines create such a barrier to the doc. The messages are always convoluted and not taken seriously. I struggle with the same thing over and over. I don't know how to handle it either b/c I like my doc but his nurse is incompetent (but nice). And, no other doc in the practice will take my case if he is out of town...not so great either. So much fun being a medical marvel.

It's hard to find the line b/w being assertive and being rude...but, somehow the squeaky wheel always gets the grease.

My problem, as we all know, is that I start crying when they are rude to me! Like today, I went to a podiatrist...all I wanted was an ingrown toenail removed...simple right? Nope, she saw me for literally ONE MINUTE and sadi she wouldn't do it until it was red, inflamed and infected and did the 'now you listen to me' line. Good grief. Okay, vent.

Okay, too many of us are down for the count, I can't even keep up with writing well wishes and sympathies to everyone who is feeling so lousy! It's terrible! We need some serious help here!

I like your 'mouse pad' phrase. I'm jealous that you and sunfish have such clever ways of using your usernames. hmmmm....Dancing light....what can I do with that? I'll leave that for your wired brain. hehehe.

Goodnight!

Em

[dizzygirl]

oh my... feel better nina!

[Sophia3]

Nina

Hope you get through the steroid induced hyperactivity ok. Just what one needs, something to SPIKE OUR ADRENALIN.

I hope you get some relief and can sleep with all that stuff in your system.

[calypso]

Nina,

Your life sounds awful right now. I hope you and your kitty are on the mend.

Amy

[Sophia3]

Nina

Yes! I forgot to mention your kitty! Yes, hope she is on the mend soon.

Dancing Light,

You can do lots of plays on your name if you are puny...let's see...Flickering Light for those days when you are sputtering to get around the house.

And if you have SUPER bad Brain Fog...you could even call yourself a Dim bulb! LOL. But you are far too intelligent to be called THAT.

heck I don't know...I am having sick period myself and no attention span.

I always find your posts sweet and personable. Dancing Light suits you just fine.

[MightyMouse]

Uh... how about "live from cinderella's ball", or notes from Miss Emily's School of Dance...

er... okay I'm full of christmas in my nose and head... (for those who don't get my sick humor, that's red and green gross stuff).

Yes, NSAIDS make my guts very very sad. The pharmacist first suggested I try oral nsaids again suggeted l-glutamine b/c it's supposed to help with endothelial repair/healing? Anyway, I vetoed that idea and opted for the ibuprofen in the jar...

the puffiness is starting already vanity kicks in and makes me want to not take the stuff... well, that and I don't want it sucking away my bone density anymore. Like all I need is to be SHORTER. I'll have to be the mighty flea, not the mighty mouse...

Okay, standup routine is over I took the first of the 3 zithromax yesterday evening and then was hyper aware of any itch or tingle in my throat--I followed my doc's instructions and took benedryl every hour or so until I started to feel sleepy--100 mg last night, in total. I still didn't sleep all that well, but that's the steroids talking.

Thanks peeps for cheering me up; now i'm off to drink my exilir of the gods (aka coffee) and take my meds! Nina

[corina]

hahaha nina, i had never heared that christmas nose!!!! like it though!!!

enjoy your coffee,

corina

[kmpower]

I hope you just keep getting better. Christmas nose is funny.

[MomtoGiuliana]

Nina--so sorry things have been so rotten. Hope you manage ok with the steroids. REST please!!

Katherine

[wareagle]

Oh Nina!! I'm sorry you've been feeling so crummy!! Those steroids don't sound like much fun...hey at leaste or Mighty Mouse can "fly" without the use of her cape today!!

I had two...yes two root canals done yesterday ...another one scheduled for next Tues. so I'm with you in the "no fun" department right now!! I hope your body starts to settle down soon!

[MightyMouse]

It's Friday--and today is the FIRST day in a long, long time that I actually feel OKAY. Ahhhh. So nice. Still a little congetsted, but my breathing is so much easier, less coughing/asthma attacks, and my headache is gone. I can't tell you how much I appreciate feeling this good... I'm not completely better, but I am WAY better than I was a week ago.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Now, if I could just get past the part about me looking like a big puffy dough girl. Despite looking puffy and putting on a few pounds of fluid, I'm sticking with the steroids because I know I really need to do it right.

I was able to get outside for a bit today and got some awesome pictures of more...guess what?.... BUGS.

Nina

[AJVDK]

Nina,

Gald to here you are feeling better! You and you bugs?? No I think its great you have something you enjoy taking picture of. Some time you will have to post some more new one and give us another lesson.

How you keep feeling better!

[labas_2u@shaw.ca]

Sending get well wishes your way Nina!!

Christmas nose....hmmmmmmm

Good one!

Hope the mouse can take care of her kitty

Take care of yourself!

Maggs

[DancingLight]

Christmas nose is MUCH better than my roomie's nickname for me in college--SNOT QUEEN for my frequent sinus infections!

Sophia and Nina!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH for the DancingLight ideas....you got my brain going. You know how brainstorming works?? Getting started is the trick...so my mom and I have been getting more and more ideas! Yeah! I really appreciated it and you lifted my spirits! I am sure I will use stuff on the blog.

Sophia--I definitely feel like a dim bulb sometimes with memory lapses. Today I asked my mom what the first words to the Star Spangled banner were!????? I was a bit concerned at that precise moment...b/c I am NOT stupid!!!!!!!! Yikes!

Thanks again, and Nina, I'm puffy on this new med of mine too and I hate it, but it does make me feel better. I hate when I let vanity get in the way, but you know, it's just the way it is!!!!! I do hope you keep trucking towards feeling a LOT better though!

Em