After weeks of ignoring my wife’s heed to go see a doctor, I finally did today. What finally pushed me to go? Two factors really. One is the fact that I cannot laugh, talk, or walk to the bathroom without gasping for a breathe. Second was when I dragged myself into work on Sunday morning only to be sent home by the store manager because I looked like ass. Personally I think my store manager and my wife are in cahoots here. Just a theory though.
So what did my brand new physician from the West Side of town think of me? Truth be told, she wants to put me in the hospital. I have a bad case of pneumonia. I am currently on a very aggressive regimen of steroids with an antibiotic, inhaler, and a cough syrup with codeine. I am on complete bed rest for the next 24hrs. I have to call their office tomorrow around noon. If I do not feel better by then, they are going to send me for a chest x-ray which may indeed lead to my being admitted into the hospital.
I had something very similar to this almost 10 years ago. Although the doctor I saw at the local clinic at that time never used the word pneumonia. The only difference between now and then was that my throat swelled to about 80% closed, limiting my food intake to soup and applesauce. That same doctor wanted to put me in the hospital but instead put me on meds and made me take a week off from work during Christmas week while working at a video games store (Electronics Boutique). Ironically, it was for similar reasons that I did not see a doctor. Back then, I was working 6 days/48hrs per week. I simply did not have time to go to a doctor until I could not stand for more than 10 minutes at a spell and hadn’t eaten solid food in days. This time, it was a combination of no time and ignorance…with maybe a little bit of ego.
I have literally been sick since the beginning of November. I have just learned to ignore it and medicate only when absolutely necessary. With that philosophy, I managed to get myself through the all important Holiday season without too much discomfort. I thought I could beat this thing.
I was wrong. My wife was right. Not the first time, and likely not the last time.
On a side note, I took the cough syrup with codeine about 2 hours ago. Other then a light headed feeling and some tingliness, I am not sleepy. Not one damn bit. Curse my body and its weird reaction to sleep inducers.
