My First ER Visit

Today brought a new adventure. I made my first trip to the ER for myself (that I can remember at least). Sure I've broken a bone, gotten sick, and needed tetanus shots before, but I'd always gone to urgent care for those things. Today wouldn't have been any different except when we were looking for places that took my insurance the closest urgent care was an hour away.

I've been sick for a few days. Nothing unusual of course. Just a really bad runny nose. (So much so that in a little over 12 hours I went though an entire box of tissues, a brand new role of toilet paper, and several other random and assorted tissues, napkins, and paper towels.) Last night I started to get really cold. Obviously a fever was setting in. I sent the kids to bed. I am lucky to say I am baby-sitting the most awesome kids ever. When they saw me, they knew I wasn't trying to take away their play time, and the very easily got ready and went to bed. Several hours later I started to feel the fever lift, and thought I was in the clear. I was very weak, but felt much better. Then the cough set in.

For those of you who have spent much time around me, you know that I don't have a delicate, or feminine chuckle of a cough. I can stop a lecture hall with my cough, and have on more than one occasion. I got Sabrina to Seminary at 5:30am, and then to school. I came home and went back to bed, but when I woke up I had a terrible pain in my chest. I figured cough syrup would help, but when it didn't and the pain wouldn't go away, I knew I needed to get to the doctor. Through some awesome coordination on the part of my mother in Utah, and my mad internet searching skills in Maine, we found that the nearest urgent care was at least an hour away. Since the nearest ER was only 10 minutes away, it seemed like a no brainer.

I left the 12 year old in charge (again, BEST KIDS EVER!, that I could leave them, and know they wouldn't kill each other). I told them what school work they needed to, turned on GPSy, and headed off. The ER wasn't crowded, and I got through the first nurse really quickly, but because of other problems, I didn't see the doctor for nearly an hour. He ordered chest x-rays to check for Pneumonia. Luckily those came back negative, so he gave me a prescription for anti-biotics, and refilled my inhaler prescription, which was probably the most helpful. It had been quite disheartening to try to use the one I had on hand this morning, only to find that it was out of medicine, and it helps so much with my cough.

I got out of there just in time to pick Sabrina up from school, and head over to the pharmacy to fill the prescriptions. As icing on the cake, the soldier that knows me best was at the gate, so I was able to pull right through onto base.

Anti-biotics are taken, cough syrup is on the horizon, and I even stomached some food for the first time today, even if it was just yogurt. Now to just make it through taking the kids up to the church for mutual and/or violin lessons, and we should be good to go. I have got to count my blessings today.

1. Kids did all of their school work while I was gone, and were quietly watching a movie when I came back

2. It wasn't anything particularly serious, and I'm starting to feel a little better.

3. I got on to base easily both times.

4. I was finally able to eat food.

5. Medicine is a wonderful blessing.

6. The kids are so easy going, and helpful with any and everything.

7. Did I mention BEST KIDS EVER!!!

For added fun, here is a pic of me at the hospital today.