MySpace - Update 12/2/06

So last Saturday I was diagnosed with mono at the Urgent Care in Springfield (I was visiting Justin over Thanksgiving). They told me to take Motrin for the pain and swelling, and that I just had to 'suffer through it'. I talked to my mom and she said that the first two weeks was the worst, and that since I had been feeling bad for almost a week, the worst of it was almost over. Around Tuesday my throat started to swell up and I had some pain swallowing. I drove back Wednesday, very tired and still with more pain swallowing.. I could hardly eat regular food. I worked Wed (just for 2.5 hrs), Thurs and Fri but upon talking to my friend Matt decided that something needed to be done. I didn't get any sleep on Thursday night because I was so worried that with my tonsils swollen so large that I could hardly breathe when I was awake - that I would stop breathing in the night and with noone around to notice.. a bad thing would happen.

Yesterday I e-mailed and then called my mom to ask her about getting a steroid pack. She asked me a few questions, and then said that I needed to go to the ER, and 'now'. After a half an hour of her convincing me (I know... I'm a stubborn ass) I finally conceded. She told me how much better I'd feel and I really hoped she was right. Because of my crying and whining that I didn't want to go I was in obvious distress when I got there.. could hardly talk. (Really helped my case and sympathy factor, but I'm pretty sure they would have done what they did anyway). Took about 15 minutes to get seen, but then the doc (and older gentleman, very nice) came in to examine me. He squeezed out tears of pain when he felt my neck that was so swollen I couldn't open my jaw wider than an inch.. couldn't turn my head to either side. Right away he looked at my tonsils and told me that he wanted me on an IV of steroids with pain meds to help me swallow and then he would give me oral steroids to take for the next week. He said 'You're going to feel a lot better when you leave here tonight.' I cried again and wheezed out a 'Thank you!'.

For anyone who has never had an IV... let me just say. It is 50x worse than having your blood drawn.. not as bad as a huge shot of antibiotics in your butt. It's a constant nagging ache in the crook of your elbow (that's my easiest stick) and even though they use the flexible plastic needle things so you can bend your arm, the drip goes faster if you keep it straight. Which, in my case meant that the cold saline/steroid concoction made my hand numb from the cold and being in the same position for the 2 hours it took. 2 hours! I thank that doc much much much for the Tordol for my pain, that made it bearable since about a half hour later I could swallow without grimacing.

When I left I was feeling worlds better and I could breathe freely again, it made me so tired because I knew that I would be able to sleep!! But the steroids put a bounce in my step (even though I was still a little dizzy) so I stayed up and chatted and played until midnight, then had a full 8 hours of sleep! YAY! It was like the part in 'City of Angels' where she rolls over and realizes she finally got a full night's sleep and cheers. (See, I'm relating my life to movies again - it's so obvious I'm starting to feel myself!)

Watched Superman Returns.. took my first dose of steroids as directed, and my tonsils are about half the size they were last night. I know... always listen to your mother. Especially when she's a doctor. Le sigh. I hate that she's always right...

Out for now, just wanted to let everyone know what's going on and that I'm doing much much better!! Oh, and THANK YOU to Caroline for finally sending me her pictures of us!! New pics up here on myspace of me and me/her.

Later taters!
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