At The Big House

I’m spending some time as an in-patient for a possible pneumonia. My temperature has been stable today. I’m just so tired. My body wants to sleep to fix itself.
I’m also in so much pain. I have my generalized daily pain with a viral throat pain. My rib cage hurts from coughing. I can taste the pneumonia when I breathe and cough. It is disgusting. I did get a sputum sample for the labs, along with given 7 vials of blood, blod cultures, and bacteria from a nasal lavage (ouch, just get it over with quickly).
Rumor has it I will probably be here until Sunday, at a minimum, then I’ll be released on Cipro. The plan has been already laid out, but we all know what happens to the best laid plans.
I feel hazy, like I’m half awake. I can’t think straight.
When I get upper respiratory infections I am miserable. It’s scary to cough and cough and cough and have to expel whatever is in your airway before you can breathe normally again.
I don’t know if any of you can relate to this problem.
I’ve had so many lung problems, starting at 6, I could feel this coming on before I had “typical” symptoms. I kept insisting and banging down the doors so my providers were aware and on guard.
Others, too, in my position, should verbalize their unease with how they are feeling. Every person presents differently. Unfortunately, not all viruses, infections, diseases etc. go according to the text book.
Medicine is mostly science, but still part art.
I’m a very lucky girl. This was caught early. Most people are readmitted to the hospital at some point after a transplant. This is COMMON. This is NORMAL.
It does not suggest a decline in my progression. It’s a bump in the road. I will be just fine very quickly.
No worries.
I’m not feeling so well. I’ve been sleeping for the most part of my stay at B&W’s.
I fell asleep as soon as I reached my bed about 7pm.
I was woken up to have my blood drawn and a final nursing assessment at 6:45 am.
I fell back asleep and slept until 10am when Alyea, and his Doclings, showed up. I stayed awake to let the nurse do her assessment.
I fell asleep again and awoke around noon, so I could eat a little and take a shower.
At that point, J made it clear he’d like to spend some time together not watching me sleep. I’ve stayed awake since then. We did some online Christmas Shopping (not buying, it was like window shopping, we’ll call it screen shopping)
Melissa (aka EmJay) came around at 2pm. Killy came at 4 pm.
Now it’s 6 pm, I’m going to get my dinner and fall asleep again. I’m so tired my eyes hurt. I’m having trouble typing.
My IV is in the crux of my elbow (the ante-cubital). This is a big pain in the ass since everytime I even think about bending my arm an alarm goes off.
Not just any gentle alarm, a screaming, screeching, ear killing alarm.
I figured out how to run the pumps, since I just could not take it anymore. They’re different than the ones I’ve used previously, but they all function on the same idea.
Things are looking good. I’m relaxed. I’m going to sleep as much as my body would like. I’m going to take care of myself. I’m going to spend some time by myself.
Still, feel free to hit me up on the cell if you want to talk or you all have my emails.