Getting sick, while being sick…

Two weeks ago, I started with a dry cough.  After my bout with pneumonia, I watched it closely.  By the middle of the week, I felt wrecked.  Body aches, stuffy nose, sore throat, ear ache, etc. I called my doctor but they had no appointments until the following day.  My goal was to return to work, so I went to Urgent Care (at my doctor’s office recommendation). I was told I had an Upper Respiratory Infection, pharyngitis, and bronchitis and was given an antibiotic.  The doctor advised me to take another day off along with the weekend to recuperate.  I did.  I returned to work and struggled with speaking.  I’m a speech language pathologist.  My job IS to talk and help others to communicate clearly.  As an SLP, I know what vocal abuse is and I was abusing my poor vocal cords non-stop.  Tuesday was an inservice day, so no students, and decreased need to talk, but still a tough day.  By Wednesday, I was really sick.  I canceled my evening clients and went home to sleep.  The following day, I called my doctor and miracle of miracles, they fit me in.  My infection had progressed to include a full blown sinus infection and a throat infection that included blisters all down the back of my throat.  All I knew is that I felt like I had razors in my throat.  Apparently, antibiotic #1 didn’t work.  My doctor recommended another antibiotic along with a short burst of high dose steroids, and magic mouthwash.  Disgusting, but helped a lot.  This new care plan helped me much more than the previous one.  I was hopeful I’d be up and around quickly, but sadly, I had to take two more days off of work.

Three days later and I am still wiped out, but my voice is finally back.  Not my normal voice, yet, but I can eat and drink with only minor irritation.  I had to miss a college reunion luncheon and a friend’s 50th birthday party, which makes me extra grumpy.

Getting sick, while being sick is simply the worst.  My brain fog intensifies, body aches intensify from fevers, and I just feel like sleeping all the time.  My new drug is known to lower my immune system and sore throats/ infections are a side effect.  It makes me so very nervous.  If this continues to happen, I will have to try something else.  I do think this biologic drug is working for me.  Let’s hope I get to continue to stay on it.  For right now, I’ll probably be skipping my next dose until I am completely recovered.  This has been a really rough patch and I want to be healthy before starting back.

I hope every one is doing well! Wash those hands and take care of yourselves!