What I did on my Spring Break

My bed.

My nurse board.

I had to take a picture of my IV.

Here is my lugsureous accomodations.



We had a wild ride this weekend. Our start to spring break included adding two more kids to the mix just for the weekend. A 9 month old baby boy and a 19 month old toddler came to stay on Friday night and were suppose to be here through the weekend until......I got really sick.

I didn't even know I was sick because I was so busy this week. On Wednesday I brought baby boy to the take care clinic because his ear was draining brown stuff. He had been congested a few days so I thought it was a good idea. Robert had also been coughing for a few days so I got him checked out too. I love that the take care clinic is so close to our house and it has better hours then our regular doctor's office. But I really wonder sometimes where the doctors there got their medical degrees. Anyway, baby boy gets checked out and the doctor tells me his ear tube isn't in right anymore so it's not draining the way it should and his ear is inflamed and red. She gives him an antibiotic. Next is Robert. She checks him over, asks me some questions and then says she thinks it's viral and will run it's course. Great.

On to Thursday. I made an appointment with our regular ped. because Robert's bloody noses were getting worse. I was concerned and thought maybe the doctor would cauterize it. Of course once I get there she tells me I would need an ENT to do it.

Moving on to Friday. In the morning I remember feeling tired (but I'm always tired.) I was busy getting ready for our respite placement and figured that I had been working out too much and that would explain my fatigue. The appointment with the ENT wasn't at our local office, I had to drive about a half hour away (which sucks.) Once we were in the office I started to feel some chills. But I thought "I can't be getting sick, I have two more kids coming in an hour." The ENT comes in to check Robert out and tells me he can't do anything for the bloody nose because he has a sinus infection. It only took three doctor visits to get that diagnosis. He prescribed him an antibiotic and we were on our way. We got home about a half hour before the boys were going to arrive and I finally had a chance to sit down. That's when I knew. I went and took my temperature and it was over 100.

I though "what can I do these boys are going to pull in the driveway any minute?" I guess I was hoping that it was a 24 hour thing and I would be feeling better in the morning. No such luck. Thankfully everyone slept on Friday night and we managed all five kids. But as the day went on and my fever kept getting higher I knew this wasn't a "24 hour thing."

My mom called an offered to come over to help (thank God.) She was helping with the kids but ended up coming with me to the take care clinic. Once there they took and x-ray and told me I have pneumonia. I had already decided that that was what was wrong with me. He gave me an antibiotic and I was on my way. I went home still feeling crappy only to have my temp. continue to rise. First it was 102, then 102.7, then 103.7. I was getting scared and I felt awful. Jeremy called the nurse from the take care clinic and told her I was taking tylenol with codine for my pain and fever. The nurse said that I needed to be taking regular tylenol because tylenol with codine doesn't have enough asedominophon in it. Once I had a real dose of tylenol I could feel my fever break. It took all night for the fever to come down but by morning it was better.

My hope was that Sunday would be the day I would start really feeling better. Not so much. My chest was hurting so bad I just knew something wasn't right. So, mom to the rescue again and Jer and I headed off to the local emergency room. We got there at about 2:00 p.m. After about 6 hours, several blood draws and a CT scan they decided to admit me. My white count was at 26,000 and it should be at 10,000. My CT scan showed a serious pneumonia in both the top and bottom of my left lung and the pain was coming from the pneumonia that was at the top of my lung wall where the nerves are the most sensitive. It's called Pleurisy.

Monday was spent in the hospital resting and receiving IV antibiotics. but more fun on Monday night. Baby boy breaks out in hives and we have no idea why. Jeremy sat with him at the ER until midnight. The doctor thinks he was having a reaction to his antibiotic.

So, it's Tuesday and I made it home. I'm on the mend, the kids are on the mend, and our hope is that we can spend some relaxing time together as a family this upcoming week.