Community Corner - MY HEALTH & Pleaurisy

HEY READERS,

I want to just take a moment to tell you of a health concern that recently has and still is affecting me and my respiratory system. Yep! It's that time of season. Further more, the world we live in, it's that time of life! Where you could be hit by anything at anytime. The point in telling you about my condition, is just me me wanting to warn you. Just want you to be careful with the weather changing so quickly, at least if you're in Michigan like I am. Anyway, I have something called 'Pleurisy'. Don't worry. Its not fatal, (THANK GOD). Nor is it contagious. And if you heard me cough, you might mistake it for a cold or a really bad smokers cough. It's not a cold, nor do I smoke, so that strikes those things.

What PLEURISY IS, is a respiratory illness often medically treated like Bronchitis. It is temporary and can stay that way, if you get medical attention and take care of yourself! but if left untreated, it can develop into Pneumonia and you don't want that! I was fortunate that I got help after several very painful days of developing a very dry cough. The cough was accompanied by a deep, eye squinting, breath-stopping, head hanging, chest pain! That even when I swallowed my saliva, by the time it got down into the middle of my chest, it hurt just for that to squeeze past! Turns out my lung lining and airways were inflamed and something was rubbing against the other that wasn't supposed to rubbing against the other anything! UGHHH! I have no real cold symptoms, not a lot of sneezing, running nose, running eyes, fever, headache too much. I needed medical attention. The pain was too great!

I spent 4 hours in a local hospital Emergency on this past Sunday morning. After about 20 minutes of getting there, I was signed in at the registry, a mask was put on my face as is common with cough. I was then escorted to the treatment area and in less than an hour, I was put in a room right next to he nurses area. I was put quickly on fluids, including intravenous antibiotics. A nurse took blood sample, a urine sample, and I started being thoroughly being tested. Testing included flu testing for "any flu" the nice nurse said as she stabbed me in both nostrils with a long cotton swab that touched the back of my throat! All this was finally accompanied by a Thorough chest x-ray. I was also given a strong cough medicine, a pain reliever and told "to lay back and try to relax" while my results were being finalized. After those few hours and all the quick, professional and almost painless (minus the nose jabbing) patient care. All in all, I was sent on my way with good news, a bunch of prescriptions, including 20 doses of antibiotics, a respiratory inhaler, and a sun bright smile from my Doc who said she recognized the symptoms in me right-away as soon as she saw me!

She described her experience as she "thought she was having a heart attack and about to die." The chest pain she experienced was just as great! She said she knew exactly what I meant with the squeezing, saliva chest thing! It was good to have my lead medical person know what I was going through! This may seem strange reader, but hearing her say that about her experience, while standing in front of me strong, healthy and smiling, actually made me feel better almost immediately if only in my mind. My body has later to catch up to that healing feeling. (Next week, I should be right as rain and not sounding like a frog out in the rain! My voice is croaking. Just call me croaker! Ha!) Still, the Doc made me feel better, filled me with hope. What she said even took the sting out of having a new hospital bill! Hey, I gotta think about that too! Who you think gotta find a way to pay it? Santa Clause?

Anyway reader, let this be a lesson. Don't take your health for granted and don't just start popping cough drops. Go get checked out! You are worth the cost.

Not having medical insurance myself right now, I discovered the miracle of low cost prescription help at Meier's Grocery store. The nice Pharmacist there even told me about their discount drug store card they can run through to check on prices. The friend that was with me, even told about a similar Prescription discount program at Walmart, Kroger's Grocery Stores and Target, none the less. On the way home from the hospital, she was willing to take me to these places to the get the best deal, but Meijers came through. Wow! That's a friend! And some of these places I mentioned, you can get $4.00 generic antibiotics. Check it out the next time you need to fill a prescription and think you can't afford to take care of yourself!

Take care of yourself people.

PROMISE ME! PROMISE YOURSELF.

I'm resting now.

Bye for now, Meetta