It seems I can never go too long without my body giving me a reminder I am still a quad! It did so again the last ten days. About that long ago, I started feeling a low-grade fever, lethargic, shortness of breath and just not up to my usual self. I had no energy and knew what was coming on.
It was the beginning of another urinary tract infection, and I hoped I could stay ahead of it by getting a urine specimen into the lab on Monday. It did not quite work out that way. By Tuesday night, my fever had gone up over 100°, I was having a very hard time breathing, my hands and fingers were ice cold and I was just feeling poorly.
I called my doctor's office and he told me to go into the emergency room and have them check me out. After several hours in the emergency room at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, they checked me in and started administering IV antibiotics to help battle the E. coli bacteria in me. They gave me two of the heavy hitters, Vancomycin and Zosyn which is one I had never heard of before.
After one dose of the IV antibiotics, I started feeling better, my temperature was coming down and my blood pressure was starting to come down.
I got out of the hospital yesterday, and still feel a little weak. However, my temperature is down, my hands and fingers are back to normal and the lethargy is gone. I had a decent night's sleep and feel fairly rested today. I could not say that after my first night in the hospital. I did not bring my Bi-Pap unit with me to the hospital, so that first night was very uneasy as I was in full sleep apneic mode going to sleep and waking up every thirty seconds!
I was first diagnosed with sleep apnea in 1996 and have been on Bi-Pap ever since. For those of you that do not know anything about sleep apnea, it is not something you want to deal with. There are various levels of restless sleep, but basically, it does not allow you to get good, REM sleep and you often feel more tired in the morning then when you went to bed the night before.
I remember watching a news report in my early twenties about how many American adults suffered from sleep disorders. At the time, I was getting good sleep and could not imagine how those poor people must suffer by not getting good sleep. Now I know what that report was all about.
I am happy to say the pharmaceutical companies do have their place in my life; I just cannot believe how expensive they are!
As always, I look forward to your comments.
Later,
Mike
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5 comments:
Happy to hear you are feeling better...in time for the reunion! See you soon!
Doesn't sound like a vacation to me! You are a fighter Mike ... Kicking some E. coli butt!! Glad you are feeling better!
Glad your back and rolling along. What an amazing relationship with your body. Makes me realize how much I take mine for granted. Thanks for that Mike.
I too am now c-pap-ing. Still fighting the thing. Hard to get used to and as I'm on the light end of the apnea continuum, I'm not getting dramatic results for wrangling with the thing all night. You've inspired me to keep up that good fight however. Thanks for that too.
I'm ready for a "Noodles" outing when you're up to it. Sometime after the heatwave would be great.
Blessings on you my stalwart fiend.
Mike, So glad you're mending - again. Bob dealt with sleep apnea for years. Not a good quality of life. I'd come awake due to the fact Bob had stopped breathing. It seemed to be an innate sense something was not right for me. I'd have to poke him to stir him and he'd take a gigantic breath. He was unaware of all that but it scared me to death. Sleep apnea equipment through the VA probably saved his life. I know, as an observer, exactly what you're enduring. Oh yes, there are better ways to 'vacation'.
Marion
Thanks for the update bud! Ruona
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