Six Days

Last Saturday, my daughter and I both got sick. I randomly started to lose my voice and she was up for 3 nights in a row with a fever. I assumed that I had whatever she had. We took her to the Dr where she was diagnosed with tonsillitis. I was a little confused, because I don't have tonsils. I knew I couldn't get "true" tonsillitis without them. After that I sort of assumed I was coming down with laryngitis, or at the very worst a chronic cough.

Five days have passed since last Saturday. I have gotten progressively sicker, and sicker. I decided last night, as I was up all night coughing so hard that I gagged myself and nearly vomited, that I should see a doctor. So, I spent my morning calling around for a walk in clinic. I don't have insurance so usually most actual doctors offices won't see me. I won't even get into how healthcare fails those without insurance. I will just say that today I called a walk in clinic. I will reinforce that once more, a WALK IN CLINIC. I asked them what time they opened and when I could come in. The woman told me they were open from 9 am-6 pm and that I could be seen at any time. Fair enough, I thought to myself. She proceeded to ask me what I needed to be seen for. Of course, I sound like a forty year old male smoker right now, and my voice cracks when I speak. In fact, I barely have a voice at all. So, I smirked to myself and managed to squeak out, "My throat! Heh." Just then the woman on the other end of the line says to me, "Okay ma'am, have we ever seen you here before?" I told her no that we just moved to town. She says, "Okay, that's no problem. So, what kind of insurance do you have?" I hesitated for a moment and said that I didn't have any insurance. I am what the health care system classifies as "Self Pay." Suddenly, her tone changes and I hear the following... "Oh, you know what ma'am, it looks like we're not actually taking any new patients right now." And with that, she hung up.

Does anyone else see what's wrong with this picture? I will give you a hint, read the previous paragraph and search for the large, bold printed letters. Now, read what they say. This walk-in clinic....isn't taking new patients? How is that so? Legally, If I were to have gone in there without calling, I would be required medical care. Would I not? From what I've been told, the state of Tennessee does not allow for anyone to turn you down for medical care based on insurance coverage, race, age, sex, etc. So, how does this walk-in clinic suddenly remember that they can't see me, once they're aware that I'm without insurance? It's bullshit. That's besides the point.

I finally found an "Express Care" clinic in town. They were one out of nine places I called that would actually see me, or still existed. (Way to be out of date Google!) This so called clinic was located inside of a drug store pharmacy. There was one doctor inside of this clinic, and the clinic itself was nothing more than an 8 by 8 room built within the pharmacy.

I wound up sitting in an uncomfortable chair for over an hour waiting to be seen. There were people in front of, behind, and beside me that were as sick as I was. A man behind me wouldn't stop using nasal spray, and I cringed every time I heard it squirt up his nose as he snorted. Ugh...It made my skin crawl. Out of all the people there, I was the second to last to be seen.

When I finally got into the office, the usual things took place. My ears were checked, my sinus was checked, my blood pressure, heart rate, lungs, etc. The doctor looked at me, talked to me, and listened to me for a few minutes. When she finally came to her conclusion I wasn't surprised. It was bronchitis........again. I've had it twice before in the past four or five years, but never with a loss of voice like this. That was the part that threw me off. So, I asked her if it was contagious because I had a husband, an elderly man, and an infant living in my home. This is a fun variety of people that you don't want getting sick. (Side note: My daughter is screaming her head off right now, and it's breaking my heart because I can't touch her.) 

The Doctor, whose name I never caught, gave me an empathetic smile and said, "This is very contagious. I'm afraid you need to avoid contact with anyone for the next 24 hours." I momentarily grinned as I thought that I could have 24 hours free, to myself. Of course, it hit me like a ton of bricks a few seconds later that I don't WANT 24 hours by myself. I hate being away from my daughter! I hate being away from the family! I hate isolation! Most importantly, my daughter needs me and I hate hearing her cries and not being able to go near her. I know it's for the best, but it's so hard. Daddy and I have very different parenting styles. He is a fend for yourself, but I'll be there if you really need me kind of guy. Where as I'm mommy. I'm there when she cries, when she falls, when she fusses, when she slips. I'm a bit more hands on/spoil her rotten, than he is.

I took the receipt she wrote out for her services, and went to get my prescriptions filled. Oh yes, that would be plural. Not one, not two, but three medications for the next six days.The clinic visit plus 3 medications totaled $102.00. (That's actually not bad considered the medications I got, and the clinic alone was $60.)

Say hello to my arsenal of medications. Here, we have horsepills...which are of course fun to take with a sore throat. Then, we have the nastiest syrup I've taken in my life. It's so bad I literally got goosebumps and my skin wouldn't stop crawling for five minutes after I took it. And last but not least, the ever addicting and oh so scary, methylprednisolone. I will be starting off with 6 pills a day, and tapering down to one on the last day. They do this because it's an addictive, habit forming drug. I'm actually terrified of it. I will be taking seven pills tomorrow, plus syrup every 4 hours. I am not looking forward to this. So, just in case anyone ever questions just how sick you can get with bronchitis, I think I am your answer.

Luckily for me, my husband has today off. It is his ONLY day off, and he's takin care of the baby. She refused to nap for him, is teething, and is in a horrible mood. She cries for me non stop, and I feel like a terrible parent for ignoring her cries. I know that if anything happens, daddy will be there for her. It's just hard when you are the primary caregiver every day since birth. I'm the one who is with her while she's sick, teething, crying, hurting, aching, or suffering in any way. I'm the one who gets up with her every single night when she wakes up, and she sleeps with me when she's sick so that she feels comfortable enough to rest. With me being sick, I feel like I'm failing her. I know I can't be super mom, but damn it I want to try. She deserves to have me around when she needs me, even if I'm sick. Fortunately for me, as a good mother I recognize that with her already being sick, and myself also being sick with two separate bugs, we shouldn't be together. It's breaking my heart, but I'm doing my best to get better. I'm about to lie back down, watch some more Law and Order: SVU and rest. The two medications I took today made me drowsy, but I couldn't sleep hearing her cries.

I have also been ordered by the doctor to have hot soups, and hot liquids. No more sprite, no dairy (which I have to avoid per one medicine anyways, alongside sunlight and vitamins) and I have to rest as much as I can without talking. If you know me, you know it's fairly hard for me to keep my mouth shut. So, wish me well...I need to get better soon!


And to end this blog, I will present to you the medications that I'm taking for the next week. Ready?

1.) methylprednisolone 4mg-This is an addictive substance. Use with caution.
SIDE EFFECTS that may occur while you are taking Methylprednisolone (pak) 21 4mg Tablets include dizziness; facial flushing; feeling of whirling motion; headache; or increased sweating. If they continue or are bothersome, check with your doctor. CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY if you experience bloody, black, or tarry stools; changes in body fat; changes in menstrual periods; chest pain; fainting; fever, chills, or sore throat; increased hunger, thirst, or urination; mental or mood changes; muscle pain, weakness, or wasting; seizures; severe nausea or vomiting; slow wound healing; stomach pain; sudden severe dizziness or headache; swelling of feet or legs; tendon, bone, or joint pain; thinning of the skin; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual skin sensations; unusual weight gain; vision changes or other eye problems; or vomit that looks like coffee grounds. AN ALLERGIC REACTION to Methylprednisolone (pak) 21 4mg Tablets is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue. This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your healthcare provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

2.) Ciprofloxacin-The warning label reads Caution: AVOID sunlight, vitamins, dairy products, and antacids.
Side effects may include:

• dizziness, fainting, fast or pounding heartbeat;
  
• sudden pain or swelling near your joints (especially in your arm or ankle);
  
• diarrhea that is watery or bloody;
  
• confusion, hallucinations, depression, unusual thoughts or behavior;
  
• seizure (convulsions);
  
• pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine, fever, weakness;
  
• urinating less than usual or not at all;
  
• easy bruising or bleeding;
  
• numbness, tingling, or unusual pain anywhere in your body;
  
• fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash; or
  
• the first sign of any skin rash, no matter how mild.
  

Less serious ciprofloxacin side effects may include:

• nausea, vomiting;
  
• dizziness or drowsiness;
  
• blurred vision;
  
• feeling nervous, anxious, or agitated;
  
• sleep problems (insomnia or nightmares); or
  
• increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight.
  

3.) Cheratussin AC Syrup-The warning label reads Caution: Taking more of this medication than instructed can cause serious breathing problems. May cause drowsiness, alcohol will intensify this effect. Do not drink or operate heavy machinery.
Side effects include:

• severe dizziness or drowsiness;
  
• confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior;
  
• urinating less than usual or not at all; or
  
• slow heart rate, weak pulse, fainting, weak or shallow breathing.
  

Less serious side effects include:

• dizziness, drowsiness, headache;
  
• warmth, redness, or tingling under your skin;
  
• nausea, vomiting, upset stomach;
  
• constipation; or
  
• skin rash or itching.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Peace, Love, and Terrifying Medications
  Sarah V.