Bi And Large

Well I'm back from the hospital today and a good time was had by all!

I had my ultrasound at 2. Now, it was just me and the sonographer or ultrasound tech or whatever you call the person who does the ultrasound. No radiologist. That said, during the exam they agreed with me, and said they couldn't see anything but really swollen lymph nodes. So they took some pictures of those anyhow and sent them on to the radiologist and we'll wait to hear from him/her for the final word, but I feel confident that my initial suspicion was correct. (And I feel smart for figuring it out, too!)

Now, this nasty cough I have had from the H1N1, it is giving me no peace. Not to be overly dramatic, because I'm not in anywhere near this bad of shape, but I can see how it is young healthy people are dying from this flu. I cough and cough and can't catch my breath, until I am dizzy and my head and chest hurt so bad, and my fingers and tongue turn blue. It's *awful.* I spiked up a fever again today too, probably from the pneumonia. So after the ultrasound I went over to urgent care to ask them to listen to my lungs, and they did, then they looked concerned, and admitted me to hospital. So, yay for that. Now, I only stayed a few hours. They gave me some albuterol and some oxygen, and got my pulse ox saturation back up to a more normal level. They gave me a script for a steroid inhaler and some prescription strength cough syrup as well as some stronger antibiotics. And I got discharged and sent on my way.

They also told me to stay off work the rest of this week, which is only 1 day since we're closed Fridays. Not bad advice, given I am pretty sick and I work with a fragile population. I was still having a lot of trouble talking, so I texted Pete and asked him to call my work and let them know that the u/s went fine, but that I had been hospitalized for my pneumonia and wouldn't be in tomorrow. When I got home this evening, I came home to a snarky message on my machine saying that if I wasn't going to be in to work tomorow that I had to have a doctor's note, and they expected to see me back Monday. WTH?? I am never out sick, for crying out loud I came in on Monday after I knew I had pneumonia and was having trouble breathing. They heard me hacking and coughing, they know I'm really sick. It's an office with FOUR employees. They all know me well, we work so closely together, but they didn't call to say hey, we're glad you don't have cancer. Or gee, sorry you're in the hospital, feel better soon. Just bring a doctor's note please and be here Monday. If I didn't adore the work I do so much, this would be seriously the shittiest job ever.

So I spent most of my afternoon in urgent care, unable to breathe. I had a fever and sore throat a week ago, but I wasn't *that* sick. And I got better. Then Friday I had aches and pains so bad I could barely drive / hang on to my steering wheel, Saturday my fever was back and I had bad fatigue, and Sunday I woke up with a wicked cough and pained chest. It hurts to breathe.

The urgent care doc says I test positive for H1N1, but probably had it last week when I had the sore throat. So not contagious any more. I have really low pulse oxygen, a bad cough, and bronchitis. He also thinks he hears some pnuemonia in there. So yay. I have a prescription for a z-pack and instructions to rest and drink fluids.

When it rains, it pours. Sigh.

I just got back from a visit to my doctor / GP for an annual checkup. It has been almost 2 years since I went, I'm a slacker I know. I have an endo for most my health stuff, I have a pdoc for my mental stuff, it's hard to work in more dr appointments. But I suppose I do need my cholesterol checked and my ears looked at and the ever popular pap smear and someone I can call if I break my leg or something.

Anyway.

So I find out I have Rhuematoid arthritis, starting in my hands. 33 is pretty damn young. My mom's started in her hands when she was in her mid-thirties. So another auto-immune diagnosis, boo for that.

And

She found a lump in my breast.

So, I have an ultrasound scheduled for Wednesday to figure out more about THAT, and what's going on there. She spent for-fucking-ever during the exam feeling that thing out. I can't feel it myself, frankly, so I suppose it's a good thing I went in. She was big on saying how it's probably nothing and the ultrasound is just precautionary and all the rest, but I don't know whether she means it or whether she says that to everyone in this situation. Both my aunts have breast cancer, my Aunt Lynn is going through treatment right now... but they are both my aunts by marriage. No one in my biological family has any sort of cancer except skin cancer. No one. Ever. Back as far as we can find, nothing. No lung cancer, no prostate cancer, no colon cancer, no ovarian cancer, no lymphoma, no breast cancer. So this is a little out of place and not too worrying I suppose, but then you don't need a family history right.

Anyway I'll be sure to update on Wednesday.

Good Gravy have I been busy. I feel like I am running a marathon just to keep up these days. I suppose many people my age feel that way, but I get so tired of it. There's no leeway to just slow down and rest a little, no enjoying the moment, or you'll go spinning off into oblivion. It is hard to keep the pace.

I have so much tagged and half-written in my head that I want to blog about, but I haven't carved out the time to. Lots of fat activism stuff. Lots of LGBT stuff. Lots of just general stuff. I get tired and then I lose my anger and passion!!

School has started here and the girls have been back a week now. I am, of course, overwhelmed with forms and paperwork and supplies and all the rest. Money, eek. They ask for a fuckload of money around here. And I am frustrated too, because our district is so good academically, and sooooooo bad organizationally. They make me want to kick them in the throat, I am so frustrated with the sheer stupidity. And arrogance too, assuming everyone in the district is wealthy, has 2 parents, and one of them stays at home. They need serious help. I am too angry to be constructive, luckily Pete is able to focus his annoyance (years of practice as a PM I suppose) and is joining the PTA and trying to run for the school board. Except apparently you need to be a citizen to be on the school board. Sure, you might live here and work here and pay taxes and your kids go to the schools, but if you're not a citizen, NO DICE. It frustrates me.

In other news, my parents place looks awesome and they are coming back, again, next weekend! And this time my brother and his wife will be there too. We have lots of fun stuff planned. It's great to have my family around more often.

Work is excellent, I have been there over a year now. My boss still tends to fly off the handle and he has terrible business and management skills. But, he is learning. And, he is very smart at the medical stuff. So, I'm learning how to manage HIM and enjoying my work very very much.

And now I am going to deal with my 3 year old who is neurotic about bandaids. Wish me luck!