OH MY GOODNESS, nothing brings you closer to Jesus than to have a sudden scare that sends you right into orbit. Orbit is so much closer to Jesus than Earth, you'd have to agree. So, there I was minding my own business at work this past Monday, when I decided enough fun for one day, I was going to go home, read and relax! Nope! That's not what happened. I walked through the door and caught my daughter Laura balled up on the big chair in a really odd sort of half-sitting and half-dying position. She wasn't quite capable to speaking, but there she was, apologizing as she does, and trying not to be a deathly burden. Sometimes I could just squeeze her widdle cheeks, she's so adorable! Then there are those times like this when I had to basically lift her and help her to the car so I could take her to the hospital E.R. so I could keep her around a little longer.
When Laura becomes dehydrated she nearly immediately falls into seizure-type chaos that can be quite silent and would-be deadly, but we've managed to catch it in time each time it has happened. It has happened about 5 times now. The last really big scare was on January 1, 2020. Pretty sure everyone remembers where they were the day the lights went out all over the world regarding health. For their part(s) the doctors at the hospital had not heard of "Covid" before, so she was diagnosed with severe flu with dehydration and a respiratory component. We know now that she had the C-word!
This time, as before, Laura was just about at the end of her rope and we decided to make a beeline for the E.R. After waiting over an hour to be seen (and yes, she actually had to pass out in the waiting room before anyone determined that she was severe enough to be pushed to the top of the list.) I get it, hospitals are busy places! I think next time if there is a next time, (and I really hope there is not) we'll head over the old Deaconess rather than Baptist Integris main, there just aren't enough angry words in my vocabulary to describe how rude I wanted to become. Let's just say God made one of us a bitch, and Laura's lucky to have a defensive dog in her corner! If left to her she'd let everyone in front of her and we'd still be in the waiting room -- unless we were now waiting in the morgue. I don't play that well. I push.
After trying to insert the IV into her arm 3x, the sweet RN tried the other arm. She found success, but she was absolutely upset with herself for not being able to find it sooner. I explained to her that this happens every single time they force Laura to wait. Her veins collapse, and they wonder why she's so sick. It's nonsense. After the IV came the testing for Covid, Flu, and RSV, she was negative for RSV and Flu and positive for the other. SERIOUSLY? Again? UGH!! Then they downgraded it saying it was more than likely the flu, but a slight infection was detected and that can oftentimes throw the test into a false positive. I hate that. I really hate that. I get that it's practicing medicine, I do, but when you tell someone they have something you need to be sure. JOBS depend on it sometimes!
We were sent home five hours later, and several bags of saline were pumped through my kid. She was told to rest, take over-the-counter meds for the flu-type symptoms, take plenty of cool-warm baths to bring the fever down, and yeah, they gave her antibiotics for the infection. All's well that ends well, but damn it, this thing did not end!! This was Monday, and by Tuesday night I was sick with it. Albeit, I didn't have the dehydration component, I had a massive headache to beat all get out, and then the stupid fever wouldn't stop for anything. I drank and I do mean DRANK a bottle of Dayquil in a day's time trying to get comfort from the pain and body aches. It was crazy stupid, and let me tell you, it's not easy to care for your kid when you're dead to the world. No, it is not! She was crawling to the bathroom and all I could do was pray for her. I let her know I loved her and she let me know she loved me too.
So this is Saturday and we are just now coming out of this funked-up mess! I'm better than she is, but she had other issues to start with, so that makes sense. My dang fever literally lasted three solid days and that would include three solid nights. I wasn't ever dizzy, never lost my footing, but I couldn't bare the body aches and the brain searing. She was experiencing brain pains too, and this is just something neither of us remembered from when we had Covid in 2019-20. I had it in November 2019, and it lasted through February 2020 as far as the lingering cough. The initial flu-type sickness was about 4 or 5 days, but the cough, oh my gosh, I was upsidedown with whooping and coughing back then. I couldn't take four good breaths without a cough coming up. I pray that never happens again!
We take health for granted. I would say "In this country" but I don't know, I think people just think overall, generally speaking, that they'll be OK, and all will work its way out to being good again. We're both in between healthcare plans at the moment, waiting for the elimination or probation period to end so we can use our healthcare rather than paying for our needs ourselves. This is another real reason that Americans (and maybe others) choose to not see a physician. It is expensive. We have to go if we miss 3 or more days of work, and that sucks because in our case(s) we haven't been at work long enough to pay for the clinic visit to get the note to return to work. I don't really like paying $400 to have a doctor say I was sick and I can now return to work! It just goes against my grain, that's all. I'll be OK.
Today, Saturday, was the first day I could eat anything other than shortbread cookies, and trail mix bars, and I think I had a few gingersnaps but my dog had more than I did. I didn't have the energy to stop her. I did manage to wolf down a few handfuls of Apple Jacks cereal; there's that! Highly recommended when you're sick. Drinking anything really sucks. The tastebuds take a beating no matter what virus you have. Blood doesn't carry the needed oxygen to the little guys and they just can't do their job. However, if anyone thought Pedialyte was tasty they were and are dead wrong. It's terrible. Flat never doing that again. I'll keep Gatorade around, but even that seems too strong. I don't know, maybe I'll come up with a drink that folks wouldn't mind drinking when they feel that they're about to give it up for good. Why should nasty Pedialyte be the last taste they ever have?
Going back to the beginning, and talking about talking to Jesus. I was and am in constant communication with Him; now and when I'm sick. When I am sick He gets my full attention. I'm absolutely a mess, begging, pleading, thanking Him, and getting back to the whole begging and pleading theme of the conversation; more like a monologue. I'm the only one doing the talking. He's listening, holding me, rocking me, reminding me that He really is who He says He is, and there was and is a reason for all this suffering. I have to be honest, I don't like it. I do, however, love it when I'm able to sit up again, take normal baths again, and drink water, tea, or LaCroix without crunching my face. I like it when I'm healthy and Jesus and I can have the other types of conversations; the ones where I get to do His service rather than being on the receiving end of needing help. I'm too stubborn! Maybe that was my lesson, I don't know, but Laura should be given a medal for her efforts!! She pushed and pulled and fought like a bearcat to help me when I knew she was in pain and burning up with fever too! Woot!! That's my girl.
If you (today) are healthy, be so at peace. Be blessed and consider yourself blessed. Reach up to the Heavens and proclaim your victory through Jesus, because He is the only one who has given you this gift. I don't even care if it all sounds so churchy, it may be churchy, get over it. God is too good not to declare it!! Being sick absolutely sucks big time and being healthy rocks!! I have a couple of days before I have to be back at work. I literally missed four days of work, and I don't think I have to get a note since I was caring for Laura and it makes sense as to what I have. I am without a fever, and on antibiotics so I should be given the all-clear. Again, what a wake-up call to know that we are so vulnerable, but so watched over. We are loved. I know I am. I know you are; I hope you know that.
Laura is on the mend too. She's up at the computer again playing games and looking at horses to buy and sell, it's something she does online for fun. It's great to hear her arguing with the folks about horse care. Everyone's an expert! I just smile and shut the door!
My friend.
Photo Credit: zoro.com
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