Pages

January 11, 2009

Happy New Year...N O T!!

I found a prayer on the Heartlight site that I thought I'd share with you. Prayer for the New Year

That was after spending New Year's Eve, huddled under the covers in a drug-induced, semi-comatose state, hacking and wheezing, trying to break that awful cold. It's still hanging on but reduced to more hacking than anything.

You've probably noticed (and relished) a lack of communication over the past week. Not bored with the blog and there are surely things happening in this neck of the woods but I experienced an allergic reaction to something that knocked the pins from under me. You know it was bad when my fixation with the computer came to a halt. I don't know what it was and neither did the doctor when I dragged in on Friday but I was a fright to see.

I was tootling right along, making plans for a glorious beginning, downplaying the negative. Had a badly-needed hair cut; a lot shorter than I normally wear it but I'm old enough to know that when you visit a new hairdresser and say short...you have to be specific. She did a great job and it will grow back. Anticipating my day off.

Decided to throw away some of the food magazines collected over the years. Trying to clear off the counter tops. As a dear friend so often says, "If you haven't used it; throw it away." I definitely haven't used them and probably won't. So I was "happily" tossing them out. Fixed a sausage sandwich; homemade sausage on raisin toast. Yum. Except that I hit a raw spot. Nasty taste. But I ate it anyway. By midday, I was scratching fit to beat the band. By the end of the day, I was swelling and scratching. Miserable. Calamine lotion not working; peroxide not working; and that good old standby, alcohol, wasn't either.

Wednesday dawned with swelling everywhere, face, arms, legs, you name it. Off to the pharmacy for drugs. Benadryl should ease it. N O T! By the time I got to work, my eyelids were swollen. Stayed for a short time and left. On Thursday, the lips were splitting; I could have put discs in the lower lips and passed as an African native. The skin on my feet and hands were peeling. You know, like when you've put your hands into something too strong or received a sunburn. High temperature. Fortunately, the insurance card had arrived and I made an appointment with a doctor for Friday morning.

When I arrived in the office, I was in bad shape. Literally and figuratively. "My goodness, you're really having a bad reaction." "Oh, my God...you're covered from head to toe." No kidding. Gave me a shot. In the butt. In case you don't know...I hate needles. Will never be a drug addict. Gave me prescriptions which I hurriedly went to fill. $130 for the lotion? Notice that I never said that the pharmacy card had arrived.

Back home with my lifesavers. Read the label on the lotion. "...can cause seizures or stroke...poison...can easily penetrate the skin and cause...." WTHF??? Boys and girls, obviously, my encounters with the medical profession are rare but what are they giving you and why don't they tell you about the possible side effects? Trust me, I would have passed on that medication. $130 down the drain. I'm sticking with the Bendryl gel. Geez.

Drank some broth, took the pills, and passed out. To be awakened by my concerned manager to find out if I was coming in the next day. Looking in the mirror, my eyes are close to normal and the swelling overall is decreasing. I plan on going in. Well don't you know that taking those pills on an empty stomach first thing in the a.m. was a disaster just waiting to happen? I'm old enough to know better. So what do I hear when I call in? "You said you were coming in." Give me a break. Check my absence rate. Furthermore, get off my phone; I'm sick to my stomach. Pulleeze!

Now here's the good news from the doctor's visit; my health is good. Or, at least, that's the prognosis until the blood work and other tests are completed. And, I lost 8 pounds--within the space of 4 days. Not eating will do that to you. No appetite. I even lost the taste for coffee and that is my lifeline. I do know that I must eat something, if nothing but bread, before I take those pills.

Almost back to normal. Still itching but not as badly as before. Was it an insect bite or the raw meat? As for Wally: Do what you will. I'm accentuating the positive and looking forward to a very good New Year!


No comments: