The storm is over

I haven't posted in a while, and as usual, when I let it go, there's lots of information to share. I've been sick with an exacerbation and pneumonia, but on the mend now.

I had been treated with an antibiotic (z-pack) and prednisone when I first starting feeling more short of breath, and started coughing up some green mucus. I was doing what I usually do, jumping right on an infection as soon as it started. I started feeling better within a couple of days, and figured the meds were working their magic. But after another week or so, I still didn't feel like I was bouncing back like I usually do. Instead of calling my doctor to let him know, I rode it out, thinking each day was going to be better. And sometimes they were. That was what was confusing me - some days I actually did feel good.

But by the time the 11th rolled around, I was feeling awful. I was so short of breath that even a step or two left me gasping for air. I couldn't cough hard enough to bring anything up and I was really getting scared. I spent the night before just praying to make it til morning and I promised myself that I would call someone to help me. I had been able to make it to work that week, but when I got home, I would just crash and burn. My chest hurt, my ribs hurt and I was barely moving due to the sob. I have no good reason why I didn't tell my doctor sooner. I guess I just didn't feel I was "bad" enough yet.

So on the 11th, I called my daughter and asked her to come take me to the ER. Even on the way to the ER, I was telling her that I felt guilty because I really didn't think I needed urgent care. Denial is a powerful thing and we can delude ourselves so easily. But I also think that in the back of my mind, I was remembering previous hospitalizations and being on the vent, and perhaps I was afraid of being so out of control of the whole breathing experience again. Not that I had any control at this point!

In the ER, the doc told me that he didn't hear much air movement. I had blood work, a chest x-ray, arterial blood gases and an immediate 1 hour treatment of albuterol and atrovent. When they do the 1 hour treatment, you have to be hooked up to a heart monitor to watch closely for heart problems. I also got a dose of IV steroids.

The next time the doctor checked my lungs, they weren't much better and I got the news that it would take many more treatments and steroids to break things up. I also had a pneumonia in my left upper lobe. The good news was that my blood gases weren't that bad, and at least I wasn't in respiratory failure. The doctor made it a point to tell me that while it was obvious that I have a problem with CO2 retention, my body was compensating pretty well. To that, I attribute the good breathing techniques that I've learned such as PLB and diaphragmic breathing. I thank God daily for showing me the way to Jane Martin's website and the education and support that I receive there daily.

I was admitted to the hospital and stayed there for 2 days, getting round the clock IV steroids and every 2 hour nebulized breathing treatments. By the second day, I was so loaded with these that my heart was pounding all of the time and I was so jittery! I also didn't sleep the whole time I was there. But I had promised my daughter that I wouldn't argue about going home too soon, and I endured.

I was released on Friday the 13th and settled in at home to recover. I was feeling better except for the pounding heart and of course I was still pretty short of breath with any movement. But I managed to overcome my aversion to asking for help, and allowed those around me to run errands and help me around the house. My daughter's mother in law is one who made it very clear to me that she "needed" to help and that it made her feel good to be doing something for me, and it got her out of the house for much needed breaks in her day. I gratefully accepted her help and she is going to be bringing me to pulmonary rehab until I'm strong enough to walk the distance from the parking lot to the rehab room.

I had a follow up appointment with my PCP this past Friday and it was very encouraging. My lungs are clear and heart rate is down. All of the labs taken in the hospital were good, like cholesterol. I am actually quite healthy except for my lungs. My fev1 dropped from 34 to 26%, but I'm hopeful that I can work my way back up a little. My doc took his time and we talked about so many things. We are convinced that my usual treatment plan is working well for me as I hadn't been hospitalized in almost 2 years. I know, too, that I need to be in touch with him sooner when I don't think things are right, in order to prevent a recurrence. I left the office with a big bag of free meds and a spring in my step.

I am starting back at pulmonary rehab on Tuesday, the 24th, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone and getting back to where I was pre-pneumonia and exacerbation. There's something about being in that room with others in the same or similar experiences and feeling all of their good energy that is so inspiring!

I hope if you have any questions or suggestions, that you will write in the comment section. I would love to hear from you.

Until next time!

~Eileen