Sunday, March 8, 2009

An "ER" End to the Flu

It was another night of coughing every 20 minutes, and virtually no sleep. The upper respiratory infection that seemed to ease yesterday returned with a vengeance last night, and left me gasping and ridding myself of unwanted congestion, but it never stopped. So, after breakfast this morning, I called my health plan, and notified them I'm getting treatment. I insisted that Tom stay home with the 3 dogs, so he could get work done in the backyard. Glad I did, as I was in the Emergency Room for over 2 hours.
I went to Bowie's local "ER" off Route 197. I had never been before, but it's an odd-ER not joined with a hospital (if you can imagine). They took me in immediately. I described what's been happening, and they asked me about Asthma. I DO have it, but it's been diagnosed as "mild." Apparently, it has NOT been "mild" with this flu or Upper respiratory infection.
They took chest x-rays to confirm no pneumonia, thankfully. Then put me on an Albuterol-laced nebuilizer in the ER for 25 minutes, which opened my lungs. They confirmed that by listening before and after the treatment. Before, the doc said "there's a lot of wheezing in your lungs," and after she said, "sounds like new lungs." They gave me a super-antibiotic, robitussin with codeine, and an albuterol inhaler, in addition to the sudafed PE, mucinex, and ibuprofen I'm taking. Wow. In 5 days more (making 12 total), this should be over.

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Who I am

I'm a simple guy who enjoys the simple things in life, especially our dogs. I volunteer for dog rescues, enjoy exercising, blogging, politics, helping friends and neighbors, participating in ghost investigations, coffee, weather, superheroes, comic books, mystery novels, traveling, 70s and 80s music, classic country music,writing books on ghosts and spirits, cooking simply and keeping in shape. You'll find tidbits of all of these things on this blog and more. EMAIL me at Rgutro@gmail.com - Rob

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