Monday, April 23, 2012

Procrastination is not always for the best.

I procrastinate on many things in my day-to-day. It's always easier to put off what can be done later. And if it that something is optional it may be put off quite permanently. I even procrastinate on issues involving my health.

I put off going to the doctor over my fever and chills this weekend because I knew it was a virus. There is nothing that can be done for a virus; there is no point in seeking medical care. Especially when you are uninsured and funds are already tight. Even when your husband insists day after day that something is wrong. "When the Tylenol doesn't work anymore," was my response Friday night, Saturday all day, and most of Sunday.

When my fever returned Sunday evening I decided to go in, even though I didn't think it was as high as it had been and the chills had not come with it. This made me think I was getting better but I still felt really crappy and I had to work all week and the pressure from my husband had finally gotten to me.

I checked into the hospital with a 102.8° temperature (if this was my temp when I thought it wasn't so bad I wonder how high it was earlier when I was hot to the touch?!) and they ran some tests and suspected the flu. Which required a nose swab--a 4" long stick that was put in both sides of my nose way up into my sinuses. Ouch-I told her that next to childbirth that may have been the worst thing I had ever experienced!

Oh, one of my other symptoms that I have had for a couple weeks, therefore obviously unrelated, is a cramp/pain in my left side, which fluctuated from barely painful to fully immobilizing at times. Dr. Google suggested indigestion and gas pills would occasionally relieve the more severe pain. More proof that this was unrelated to my current virus. I did mention it to the doctor, as well as the fact that I had had three bladder infections in the last month, the first I self-treated with amoxycillin, the other two I caught early enough to flush out with cranberry juice (as I had been advised to attempt numerous times in the past since I get at least one if not several a year).

Turns out I have a severe UTI. I have no symptoms because it's not in my bladder, it's in my kidney but luckily the blood tests showed it has not progressed into the dangerous kind of kidney infection. It is severe enough though that they had to give me a shot of antibiotics as well as a 7-day script of pills.

The nurse asked me which side I wanted my shot. I told her I am right-handed, so the left side please. To which she replied: "No dear, it goes in the cheek-not the arm, and from what I've heard hurts like hell". Wow. She was not kidding. I mentally took back my earlier statement about the nasal swab being second only to childbirth. My ass hurt like hell!! And true to her word, it hurt all day today as well.

So the point of all this is to say not to procrastinate where your health is concerned!!

4 comments:

  1. Wow! Here's wishing you a very speedy recovery. Feel better soon!

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  2. Praying for a quick recovery and hope you feel better soon!

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  3. Yikes! Procrastination brought me to your post a whole week late! Goodness, I hope you are feeling better by now! I'm so glad you finally went in; this is something you'd definitely need antibiotics for! Take care.

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