I can only say this now that my Mother knows...let's just say she was NOT very happy, made this VERY clear that I didn't let her know until I was out of the woods...sorry Mom...I didn't want you to worry! Please accept this VERY PUBLIC apology....I loooovveeeee youuuuu! :)
OK....Saturday started out fine...I suppose I was feeling a bit "off" though still had plans to run and go out to lunch. Turns out I ran out of time for the run (a good thing). Following lunch, I knew I was getting sick again...felt the now familiar body aches and chill coming on. I just thought the malaria was coming back. I managed to get home, get a shower (painful), arrange my meds by my bed and climbed in set for an onset. I planned to call Christine in the morning so that I could resume hopefully the pill form of malaria treatment.
NO GO....wasn't more than 15 min after trying to lie down that suddenly couldn't breathe. I sat up, calmed myself thinking I was just upset about the illness....it calmed but then returned...I was gasping for air and starting to panic when Sister Ruth walked in. It sent her into a tizzy! Set off a whole strong of synchronistic events (which later I found out started well before I got sick) which are not short of a miracle.
LOOOONG story short...I managed to get to the ER with Fr Henry and Bro Sonny, Christine and her husband were already on their way to meet us. High fever...really high...blood tests showed infection. The MD just said probably pneumonia or pleurisy and sent me off with an antibiotic. Not much better the next day....Douglass came by and was worried. I was still struggling to breathe, running a fever again which was climbing to 102 F. He gave me a shot to bring it down (went into a sweat within 5 min) He started IV hydration and said something is wrong....He was worried that I'd go into resp distress again. Gave me a shot of IV Ceftriaxone, an inhaler and a prednisone. Still no sleep for another breathless night but I was alive the next AM. I decided I needed to get a chest X-ray and Douglass agreed.
I went to "The Surgery", a muzungu clinic with European and Western Docs. I was still wondering if all this was in my head...got a no nonsense Swede Dr by the name of Monica. She was not in a particularly good mood and chewed me a new one for going to a local Dr...said I NEVER had malaria and she was going to prove it...did a physical, the whole time muttering about the mess the local MD's made by putting me on so many different antibiotics and meds that it would take forever to figure out what was wrong.
Well...I suppose after all the testing, there was actually a very clear answer...she came to get me in the waiting room with a totally compassionate demeanor now...her response "Your labs are catastrophic! You are very sick, no wonder you feel so rotten, come let's have a look at your X-ray"
THE final diagnosis: I don't have malaria, have NOT had malaria in the last month...have been sick at least 2 months for my labs to be this "bad". What I do have is this:
* Bilateral pleural effusions (not enough for a chest tube)
* Pleurisy
* A left lung abscess
* Mod Sepsis
* Widespread inflammation
I have been on bed rest (well...chair rest...as I haven't been able to lie down for days)...watching movies. Douglass, our Medical officer, has been by every day to give me a hydration drip (last one was last night) while he, Juliette and I sat watching movies until it was finished. Last night I sent him home before the drip was done saying that I think I can disconnect it myself and remove the cannula. He looked at me funny then laughed...he said "Did you think I have been here each night waiting for the drip to finish? I know you were perfectly capable of removing it yourself the whole time. I have only been here to keep you company because you were such a pitiful dependent mess! " We all broke out laughing...
As my family and friends well know, I am not needy or dependent person in the least, but I believe this long lasting 2 month bout with illness has taken me down and made me "HUMAN" ....how I HATE being human. Through all this, Christine has been a dear dear friend by daily bringing what she knows I will eat (scrambled eggs) and making sure I was being followed up by the MD, improving and behaving (staying in bed).
It has only been through odd synchronistic events the last few days..events that the brothers have even recognized and commented on, that have kept me alive that dreadful Saturday night. I give all credit to God...I suppose whatever mission I am on, it is not yet done. I still need to be here!
PS. MOM, I PROMISE to be behave...I have orders from above it is not my time. I still have work to do.
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