Friday, February 29, 2008

there is no place like home, there is no place like home

I am home, i got home yesterday afternoon after one more day of bolus doses of powerful antibiotics and steroids! i am feeling better and you know, i haven't snored in 2 days.......what is up with that.
Thank you my friends for all the prayers and well wishes........ i love you guys bunches, i truly do.
I do not believe in luck, I believe that God has his hand in everything.. and i am not sure if i should be happy or hurt....... that God doesn't want me yet!!!! let me explain.....
As everyone knows, I've been dealing with lung congestion/ asthmatic symptoms, fevers, for over a month I've been to the doctors and ER i would be placed on an antibiotic/ inhaler etc. and I'd feel better for a day....... sick again...... back to a doctor....... given different antibiotic, chest x ray............and more steroids........different inhaler... So on Monday i woke up feeling pretty good, and breathing okay. Bill had the day off, so he was home...... like a good girl mid day i decided to go take a nap........ slept for 3 hours, which i never do, woke up, and had this incredible urge to call my doctor, although i wasn't well, i definitely was much sicker before, no fever..... not even coughing a lot. So i call the office

Me: hi, this is Sandi, i was just wondering if it is normal to have so much rib and sternum pain right now?

receptionist: well yeah, from coughing so much, the ribs will hurt for a while

Me: i am not really coughing all that much

receptionist: yeah i think it is normal, but let me check with the doctor just to be sure

i am put on hold, and i am hoping maybe the doc will order me something for muscle pain. 1 minute later

Doctor: Sandi, what is going on?

Me: my ribs and sternum hurt so bad, what can i take for it?

Doctor: Sandi i know you aren't going to like this, but i want you directly admitted to the hospital, the nurses here will make arrangements. it will be in less than an hour

Me: okay, but am i sick enough to be in the hospital, i feel better than i did last week?

Doctor: your going in

Me: Okay


So within an hour i was on my way to the hospital....... even Bill was surprised by this move.....i was breathing fine, not really coughing, no fever, just the pain in my ribs..... I get to the hospital, and find out that the doctor ordered all these heavy doses of steroids and mega doses of antibiotics via Intravenous..... why was he doing this first........why not tests first........ He ordered me a consult with a Ear Nose and Throat doctor........as i believe this stems from my sinus drainage all the time. BUT he wanted the meds given regardless .... 2 hours into the evening, i lost my voice, ( i had my voice the entire time during this months illness) and i started to get a fever, and began sweaty profusely. Bill couldn't believe that i got so sick so quickly........Antibiotics dripping into my veins. i had a long night. i can honestly say Tuesday was one of the sickest days I've ever had..... they had to keep changing my bed... it seemed like I'd spike a fever....and it would break as quickly as it came.... they'd check my temp it would be 99.7 or something like that.... i didn't want to talk, i didn't want to sleep, i didn't want to watch TV, i didn't want to sit, I didn't want to stand...........i tossed and turned.......and soaked the bed with my sweat!!! Finally in the Evening the Doctor from UPMC in Pittsburgh came in with this big "suitcase". he numbed my nose and throat.. and put this camera into my sinus cavity, actually he said my sinuses healed well, and look really good...... he kept saying, this isn't from your sinuses..... then he took the camera and put in down my throat.... and called the nurse over to look.......... BINGO they found my problem~ laryngotracheitis, it is usually found in children (Croup) and in only 5 percent of the cases it is bacterial. so it is very rare... my voice box was covered in pus, and my trachea was extremely inflamed with pus all through it.......... my general doctor had chosen the correct antibiotics, and fortunately began them upon my admission. and there was already some improvement to my trachea..... regardless, they immediately moved me to the room closest to the nurses station, and kept me on a breathing monitor. the nurse later told me he said it is like closing the barn door after the cows got out.... as he thought i was heading out of the woods...BUT just to be safe, he wanted me monitored close. i am not stupid, and it hit me what could have happened... and for a moment i got overwhelmed...... The nurse later told me.....which i already knew......... that if my family doctor didn't bring me in, and start me on the antibiotic at the moment he did....... there would have been a great chance that the bacteria would have taken over my trachea and closed it completely!!!! and it is no coincidence that i got sicker after i was admitted, it is no coincidence that i had the urge to call the doctor for what i thought was a minor situation, it is no coincidence that i was a direct admission and received a bed in moments when there were a waiting room full of people in the ER and no beds at the inn........... this just reminds me that God ain't done with me yet....... and i need to continually tune into Him and seek what he wants me to do.

well after writing this i think i am going to crawl back into my warm bed.. and watch some TV or read...... oh after i take all of my medications of course....and make a Almond butter and low sugar organic jelly toast. and make a warm cup of green apple honey tea........ yup...... that is what i am going to do.

7 comments:

Kellie said...

Sandi
I am so glad you are better. Take care of yourself!!!
Love ya
Kellie

Anonymous said...

There are no words for His grace so I won't even try. I thank God for His divine wisdom and the love He has for His child, for His power to heal and comfort all at the same time. I am so happy to read about His goodness and mercy. Blessing to you during your time of healing.

Anonymous said...

Hi Sandi, so glad to hear you're doing better and glad you're back home. You're right it is no coincidence. The LORD is always in the midst of things for he knows our path in life before we ever walk there and HE is always there to pick us up and see us through. GOD bless you and your family. You take care now. Love,Kim's MOM, DAD and RONNIE

Sandi said...

Thank you for the well wishes, You guys are awesome, it is great to have my anonymous, anoymous back. and it was great hearing from Kims family with whom i've learned to adore from afar, I am so glad Ronnie is feeling better.
Kimmie, you got a great family.... now i see how you turned out so cool!!!

love you all

Anonymous said...

Kim? Cool? ROFLM_O (I'm a pastor, remember, I had to leave the A out)

Kim, will you explain that for Sandi, please?

Glad you're home, Sandi and somewhat back to...normal(?)!

Blessings!

Patti Rambles On said...

"normal(?)!" Can you tell that Cliff is my Stan?

I'm so glad God lead you and your medical team thru this storm. My Mom always said "The Lord moves in mysterious ways". You made the call, the doctor was actually available to take your call, etc., etc., etc.
BTW the chicky poo who answered the phone should not be giving out medical advice. Just sayin’.

Love you G/F.
:xoxo:

Kim said...

Sandi,

I'm glad you're home, too. And glad to hear you sounding so good.

I agree with Patti. It struck me as odd that the person answering the phone was giving advice. Thank heavens it went further than her!

Oh, and thanks for believing that I'm cool. That's not how they normally describe me.......but don't worry.....there are many other words........

roflmAo!