At around 10:30 at night I started getting a stabbing pain in my side. I took some Naproxen and it gradually got to the point where I could not breathe without intesnse undescribable pain. I could not stand, sit, or lay down and was instead was reduced to cursing and trying to breathe. At 12:30 in the morning, I managed to make a "call" to my mother. As I couldn't really talk I basically said, "Dying, Pain, Come quick!" And thankfully she did.
When my mother arrived she took a look at me and called for an ambulance. Well, the ambulance arrived, hooked me up with some oxygen and gave me some morfine, and then some more, as my cursing had not ceased.
They stuck me in the ER, took CT scans, X-Rays and blood tests and eventually determined that my right lung was infected in both lobes! They moved me to a room later in the morning where I spent more than a miserable week giving lots of blood, ultrasounds, dealing with blood clots, and constantly coughing up yellow fluid.
I am currently at home, still barely able to walk, sleep, and still coughing up gunk, but feeling a million times better. I am set to go back to work on 11/1.
Now for some explanations. It would seem that my rapid decline was due to my type 2 diabetes being out of control. So, this is my fault. And I as of right now have it under control for the first time in years.
The nursing staff at the hospital was pretty awesome and even when I could barely move or speak, I tried to be as polite as possible. (I was later told I was everyone's favorite patient.)
The doctors seem to spend very little time with patients, with the exception of the one doctor who accused me of having everything from Hepatitus (Becuase I have tattoos) and HIV (because there is just no way possible I could have gotten so sick so fast). I am good on both. Of course that didn't mean a lot of stress while I waited for my results to come back. This woman pissed me off. She also managed to only come in when my wife was getting food or running home to let the dogs out. In fact, if it wasn't for me having to sign papers to test my blood for diseases I would think I have halucinated her. (I halucinated a lot since I slept very little, I would close my eyes a second, talk to doctors or people or whatever, then open them and have them gone. Weird).
I could not conceive my pain being any higher than what I felt. I literally could not function, I could not get enough air to to fill my lung. I was completely at the mercy of life at the moment and it was a very sobering experience. So, besides getting my diabetes under control, I am getting my diet and exercise routine together to get back in "perfect" shape. I have completely given up smoking and drinking and my wife has been cooking all healthy food for me until I can get up and do it myself.
So, while leaving out a week of painful hospital stay, dealing with work and clutching a stuffed Yoda to my chest as I coughed, that is my Story. So, stay healthy, take care of yourself, and when all else fails, bite the bullet and call your mommy as I was told that she probably saved my life.
Here is me in the hospital. Interestingly enough they never made me put on a gown.
I need to find a pic of me midweek. I coughed so hard I got two black eyes and ruptured the blood vessels in my eyes. Yeah, I was not going to be winning any beauty prizes.
Having all my food taste extremely buttery for a week was bad enough
