This is what life looked like at my house the last time I was there…Friday.
Today I woke up feeling a lot better. I said “This is better Barbara day.”
My view today is a bit different looking
This was a minor inconvenience, but with necessary results
This plastic vest has tubes for pressurized air all through it that vibrate which loosens up the stuff in my lungs to help me cough. My main discomfort was that I sweat. It definitely doesn’t breathe ha ha ha ha but first you’re going to sweat and eventually you get to breathe. Bronchiectasis means chronic coughs and the goal is to cough the stuff out.
Sorry about this crazy formatting.
The other thing that finally happened was getting a medline- a longer IV line for me to keep getting antibiotics. The first 7 tries gave 3 that lasted for less than 24 hours…apparently my veins clot up and block further stuff from getting in.
They tried once with a muscle injection, and it was the worst pain I’ve ever had.
I am quite unhappy with how long it took to get this better, more permanent line in. Three doctors and repeated nurse calls, and finally it’s done. I don’t know what ports are like but this is shorter than a PICC line is all I know.
I am waiting for my first dose of antibiotics since yesterday’s muscular hell around 9 am - which I don’t think is a good span without antibiotics…it’s 3:30 pm when writing this.
The good news is having great laughs with a female EKG ultrasound technician while she took pictures of my heart and with the phlebotomist who had his own ultrasound machine to put in the new IV. He is from Sarasota FL, and she is from near Boston MA. They both are traveling employees of HCA, which owns our hospital.
An answer to a question several people asked, how did I get this infection? I pumped the third Dr who’s visited me about staph pneumonia
Airborne probably since it’s in my lungs probably from someone who was sick. Then he proceeded to try to be sure I didn’t become a hermit.
It’s not likely! These are some things I learned from the pandemic - I will definitely wear masks around strangers more.
And wash my hands more often and try to keep fingers out of eyes and nose.
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He who, when called upon to speak a disagreeable truth, tells it boldly and has done, is both bolder and milder than he who nibbles in a low voice and never ceases nibbling. -
Johann Kaspar Lavater, poet, writer, philosopher (15 Nov 1741-1801)
Oh no, that sounds like a veritable ordeal to go through! Hope you'll be feeling better soon! ♥
ReplyDeleteIt all sounds a bit more promising today. I hope it keeps getting better for you.
ReplyDeleteHello Barb,
ReplyDeleteYou are looking great! I hope you continue to feel better. It is good to be safe around anyone in the public. Take care, enjoy your day!
Glad to hear that things are on the upswing!
ReplyDeleteThere was a study done a while ago that showed that gargling ( even with just water) reduced the frequency of respiratory infections and viruses. If gargling is difficult, and it is for some people, then just rinse your mouth out...especially after being out and about. Hand washing first! It works for me.
ReplyDeleteJackie M
I'm glad you're doing better, but, dangit, that's a lot to go through.
ReplyDeleteWhen my husband was in the hospital with pneumonia they eventually had to do a deep vein IV. The tech used an ultrasound machine to do it so I guess that's what you have too. Glad to hear you are feeling better.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone. Im reading your comments but not replying individually today. I like the idea is gargling. After earring I have to get my teeth clean, drinking something to remove remaining food, or using floss. I don’t brush as much. I’ve moved to a tiny room from respiratory floor, where treatment remains the same but they are doing construction in the room behind me.
ReplyDeleteEating!
DeleteThey keep you busy there. Here's to a smooth recovery!
DeleteBarb, what an ordeal you are going through. But in the end it will be worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteThe pink dogwood is spectacular!
...Barbara, I hope that each day gets better!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear things are slightly more positive, and you always manage to see the positives, it seems. That pink dogwood is so beautiful. It's good you have the photos to look at if you can't see the real thing.
ReplyDeleteMy old family doctor who I visited for decades always said "the grocery cart" when questioned about how me or my kids contracted something. Since covid I know it is breathing the same air, too.
ReplyDeleteGlad you hear you got a good line in . I went through 4 of some kind of iv lines of some sort when I was in the hospital. They had to draw blood every 2 hours and were trying to do it through one line. Instead it turned into a new poke each time, the vein would collapse and then they would poke and poke. I came home with every inch of two arms black and blue.
ANYWAY I hope these antibiotics work fast, the vest seems like a good idea too. I do hope you are home soon.
I hope you are doing better. You are a warrior, keep on fighting!
ReplyDeleteYou don't look too happy in that vest.
ReplyDeleteI am really glad you woke up feeling better. I hope tomorrow is even better than that.
Staph is generally not an airborne carried infection but the one place it is most likely to occur is...hospitals!
Sheesh.
You are a real trouper! May each day be better!
ReplyDeleteThat vest treatment sounds impressive and I hope it helps.
ReplyDeleteGlad they have sorted things out at last...now for steady imprivement xx
ReplyDelete