Back to the doctor...

[rivka]

...because I'm still not breathing well. She gave me another breathing treatment, and also prescribed home nebulizer treatments. We're waiting for the equipment to be delivered right now. She continues to think that this is not asthma in the ordinary sense of the word, but is an asthma-like reactive airway process related to a viral infection. She wrote a prescription for steriods, but told me not to fill the prescription unless the nebulizer doesn't help and I get worse over the weekend. She also gave me more antibiotics, which she says are to keep me from developing pneumonia. She also forbid me to go to work on Monday no matter how much better I think I feel.

I was impressed with how she handled a lot of small details: for example, giving me the steroid prescription in case things escalate over the weekend when her office is closed. Giving me a couple of drug samples for the nebulizer in case my pharmacy didn't have any of the medicine on hand, so that I wouldn't be stuck waiting for an order to come in. Not letting me leave the office until my insurance company approved the durable medical equipment order for the nebulizer and the medical equipment company agreed to deliver it today. ("I'd hate to send you home with ours, but...") Noticing halfway through her explanation about the steroids that I wasn't tracking her very well, and asking about it. ("He's here to do the listening," I said, pointing at curiousangel, and she re-started her explanation from the beginning for him.) Warning me of that if I look up "wheezing" on the Internet I might see references to cardiac problems, and explaining why she knows that's not what I have. It really made me feel like she's on top of things, and that she's being very thorough about my health.

I feel better after the breathing treatment, except for the shakiness that I now recognize as a regular side effect of the albuterol. It doesn't happen when I use the inhaler, but it's happened with each of the three nebulizer treatments. I guess I can look forward to a lot more of that - like, every four hours while I'm awake. And I still feel very tired.

I should say something here about how wonderful curiousangel is. He's taking very good care of me.

Comments

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he's a great guy. I'm glad he's with you there.

Thanks for the update. I figured you'd probably stayed home today. I've been wondering: Will you still be going to your brother's wedding this weekend?

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Steve's wedding is in June, actually.

A sterling example of curiousangel's wonderfulness is that he remembers everything the doctor said, including at least one thing I could have sworn she didn't mention at all.

[ailsaek.livejournal.com]

Wow. I am really sorry you're having to go through this. I'm finding it scary just reading about it. I hope & pray you find a resolution soon and are back on your feet again.

[ex-serenejo.livejournal.com]

What a great doctor! Hope you feel better *really soon*.

[tammylc.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're being well taken care of, both by curiousangel and your doctor. I hope you feel better soon.

I too get the serious shakes from albuterol. For me it happens even with the inhalers.

*hugs and healing thoughts*

[eliz.livejournal.com]

sorry to intrude, but wanted to suggest that if you can, eat something before your treatment. Like a sandwich or something - not just cookies or chips- it helps with my shakes after a treatment.

The treatments really do a number on me, as do a new inhaler. Older inhalers seem to cause little to no shakes for whatever reason.

Hope you feel better soon!!!

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'll keep it in mind. It makes sense, actually.

And no intrusion... welcome to my journal. Do we have friends in common? How did you find me?

Re:

[eliz.livejournal.com]

I'd have to check, but I think I saw your journal on the friendsfriends view :)

Good luck getting better soon!

[ororo.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

Your doctor sounds like she knows her stuff, I'm so happy you found her. Kudos, of course, to curiousangel for doing what he does best--being himself.

[minnaleigh.livejournal.com]

So sorry you're still having so much trouble! If you're still up for brunch on Sunday, we'll have to do the last of the arranging via phone because I don't know if I'll have my computer fully functional before then. And I promise a trip to the Brickskeller when you can breathe again!

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

Kudos to you, for going back to the doctor; to Misha, for being so very cool (he reminds me of Dale in a lot of good ways); and to your doctor for being so thorough, so considerate, and so careful to make sure you-collective understood exactly what was to happen and why.

I do sincerely hope you feel much better soon.

[saoba.livejournal.com]

Yay for good doctors who listen, explain stuff and try to work out what might happen next. Having a plan of attack and knowing what to do if treatment doesn't work can be very reassuring.

And Misha is a Hero of the Revolution.

[webbob.livejournal.com]

Best wishes for your recovery. Having had a couple of office nebulizer treatments and a course of albuterol and antibiotics for the bronchitis/pneumonia I brought back from Chicon 2000, I would suggest that you not set your hopes on being back at work in the first half of next week if you're at the stage of needing a nebulizer at home. While it will be very helpful in clearing up your immediate distress, your body probably has quite a bit of work to get through before you're really healthy again.

P.S. Know you slightly from RASFF, so I may be strange and sometimes random, but not a complete random stranger. And any friend of Kate Schaeffer...

[rivka.livejournal.com]

I would suggest that you not set your hopes on being back at work in the first half of next week if you're at the stage of needing a nebulizer at home.

Yeah, I suppose. *wards off crushing weight of guilt* It's probably a good thing that I didn't tell the doctor I went to work on Tuesday and Wednesday, given her reaction to me wanting to go in on Monday.

P.S. Know you slightly from RASFF, so I may be strange and sometimes random, but not a complete random stranger. And any friend of Kate Schaeffer...

'Sokay, I know who you are. And likewise, any friend of Kate's. Welcome to my journal.

[webbob.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It seemed best to be extra polite when my first comment was on the subject of your health.

Continued best wishes for your recovery: breathing easily is a wonderful and precious gift which you well deserve.

*hugs*

[baratron.livejournal.com]

is about all I can say... it's horrible not to be able to breathe well. Glad you have a good husband-person :)

[marykaykare.livejournal.com]

Boo on still having breathing problems! But Yay on the good doctor and the treatment plan.

Hugs.

MKK

[mittelbar.livejournal.com]

Good on yer boy.

[sashajwolf.livejournal.com]

Warning me of that if I look up "wheezing" on the Internet I might see references to cardiac problems, and explaining why she knows that's not what I have.

My gosh, a doctor who expects patients to do some research and doesn't get all huffy about it!

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Yeah, exactly. My sister is a primary care doctor, so if I do see something that freaks me out I can usually get instant reassurance from her. But I appreciate my doctor's attitude that it would be natural for me to look up and worry about things she hasn't mentioned.