Please Pray

So back story. I used to be sick all year around with some sort of sinus infection. It generally would start off as something simple (like seasonal allergies and develop into a raging infection). I think I spent most of December & January sick, March & April, July & August, and October sick. It would start off with a running nose or cough, turn into a massive headache and soon a fever would develop. I would go to the doc in a box to be given the diagnosis I know "Sinusitus here is Amoxi to take for 10 days. See you in a month or two." I could diagnose myself. Oddly enough it seemed fitting that it was I that pretty much diagnosed myself as having Lyme Disease before a doctor labeled me.


So flash forward to this year. I have been so actively healthy that I haven't had a treatable bout of sinus infection in well over a year. In fact, in the last 2 plus years the only way I've treated sinus infections were by an IV of Vitamin C plus other immune boosting vitamins. Now if I lived under a rock, I would assume that this case of "funk" was seasonal allergies that would turn into a sinusitis. However, I don't live under a rock. I live in a world of TV's, news stories and internet. I live in a world of people who talk about what they've seen on the news.

You might hear about how they have most recently chosen Rio as the Olympic site for 2016 instead of Chicago, or you might hear about celebrities deaths, or anything really. The thing that has most people in a panic though can be summed up in 2 words. SWINE FLU. Now they can change the name all they want .. H1N1 ... but still .. everyone calls it the SWINE FLU.


I've heard the following phrases in the last week:

My mother has Swine Flu (spoken by an adult)
I think I might have the Swine Flu (spoken by yet another adult)
I know 5 people at work that have the Swine Flu and they aren't connected (yet a different adult).

Those are just a random sampling of the thought that has been planted in my head.
Well I woke up yesterday with a random small sore throat. I had been sneezing the day before (which is my huge clue that something allergy is a brewing). I whole heartedly believe that I have a case of seasonal allergies, but ... the world is infected with SWINE FLU. If I go to the doc in the box and present with my symptoms (and in parathesis my rationale for why it's NOT the SWINE FLU

Runny and Stuffy Nose (which can be present in regular seasonal allergies)
Low Grade Fever (in my case is generally present in regular seasonal allergies)
Sore Throat (in my case is also always present in regular seasonal allergies)
Sore Body (well ... this generally only presents with the flu, but I have Lyme. All bets are off)
Chills (this is the ONLY one that has me worried that it could be MORE than allergies)
Headache (again ... always with seasonal allergies plus I have lyme headaches)

They are going to immediately think .. SWINE FLU. Get me in and out of there without a second guess of maybe it might be seasonal allergies.

Now ... there is a reasoning for this: ( I apologize in advance for such a bad joke, but ... it's true or so I think) My eyes ITCH like a prostitute that failed to get her exam after having relationships with multiple men. Oh that was SO bad.

On Thursday and Friday< I was sneezing really bad. My eyes began to itch. I woke up Friday morning with a sore throat (from drainage from my nose). As the day progressed I felt worse and worse. By the evening, I felt as if I probably had a fever. I do. It's low grade. I went to bed promising my husband that IF I felt worse in the morning I'd go to the doc in the box ... all b.c of the newsworthy aforementioned SWINE FLU has become the two words everyone is talking about lately. With my job .. I would endanger many if I had it. It better only BE seasonal allergies. Please Pray.

I woke up this morning with a higher fever (though it's still low for normal people ... it's high for me. my normal temp is 97 and this morning my fever was 99. So for a normal person with a 98.6 temp that would be like 100.6 temp) and with body aches. My nose is stuffy yet runny. My eyes are still itching and I have a headache.

I have 1/2 a mind to follow my hubby to the LLMD this morning and have him go in for a mask for me to protect all the other sicklies just so I can speak with my nurse about what the possibilities are that I actually have something other than seasonal allergies and whether I need to go to doc in a box (whom I've aptly named Dr. Terry Fied) for a rapid flu test (who knows maybe she can perform one, but I'm not sure if those rapid flu tests .. are onsight at the doc in the lyme land box). (and this is my last use of parenthesis)

Or who knows .. maybe she'll convince me to come in and take a big ole dose of Vitamin C (50 Grams flowing in an IV bag ... which would take 2 hours to find a vein if we were lucky and then another 3 hours to inffuse)

SO please pray:

1. That it's just seasonal allergies and not SWINE FLU
2. That if my nurse wants to give me an IV ... that she can find a vein easily and it won't blow
3. That I'll feel better by Monday b.c it's going to be a long long work day and I'd rather not miss.


** Update ** I did not go to my LLMD's office this morning. I slept through the time that my hubby left for his appointment. Good thing too because the only people that were there was one office staff and the IV giver (that's not a FNP or RN and she wouldn't be authorized to give me an IV since Dr. P wasn't there to confirm that it would be okay). So I'm glad I didn't drive up there. Everyone was at a Cancer Walk so pray for the walkers.

I'm just going to stay put, drink lots of fluids and take Tylenol to keep my fever down and Zyrtec to keep my allergies at bay. Hopefully it won't get worse.