What a Way to Start Spring!

Yesterday morning when I woke up, mr. kenju had gone to a morning Bible study and I was alone in bed with my two faithful companions. I lay still for a few minutes, trying to assess how I was feeling, and I noticed some wheezing and whistling noises. Hmmm, I thought, while stretching lazily, the cats are snoring. After a few minutes I realized that the wheezing and whistling was not coming from the cats - but from me. Everytime I exhaled, a sort of squeeky rale followed. Uh-oh, I said to myself, it's time to call the doctor.

My appointment was at 1pm, and after the required poking and prodding and looking in all the nooks and crannies, the doc decided that my illness had begun with the flu, but it had progressed to a secondary infection. Armed with 3 prescriptions, 2 OTC meds orders and a sample nasal spray, we went to the pharmacy. WHY does it always take a minimum of 30 minutes to fill an Rx, no matter how many people are in line? There was only one woman waiting before me, so I expected to be out of there in short order. With 2 pharmacists and an attendant on duty, you would think that was not an unusual expectation. Would you?

I went to the ladies room and mr. kenju, who has never met a stranger, chatted up another woman who was suffering, evidently, from the same malady as I. We commiserated about having the illness and having to wait for our meds, and the absolute un-wisdom of us having to sit there and breathe out all our germs on the other patrons of the store. Finally, I was given the bag of prescriptions after I handed over a fair amount of money, and we left for home.

Then I did something really, really stupid. I took the medicines before reading the patient information that came with them. Uh-oh, all over again! One of the OTC preparations was not to be taken along with one of the Rx's, up to 2 hours before or after.

Oh, Lord, I thought, what have I done to myself?! The patient info did not say what might happen if you took the two together; I suspect the presence of one negated the usefulness of the other - but I couldn't be sure. I debated calling the doctor's office to confess my sin, but I didn't want her to know I was that careless. So, I waited it out, suffering no new symptoms, for which I am very thankful. In the future I promise never to take medicine without reading about it first - and you should make that promise too!

I am better today, and growing very tired of being sick. Apparently the antibiotic is working it's magic and I have high hopes of being well again by Monday at the latest. Thanks to all of you who have come to leave your good wishes and felicitations; they help - maybe more than you know.