A First

[cbertsch]

For someone as "sickly" as am -- asthma, regular bronchitis, various allergies -- I managed to make it 36 3/4 years without having an I.V.

That streak ended yesterday. The sore throat I'd been nursing for some time, sure it wasn't strep -- it wasn't -- but wrongly convinced that it was a virus, turned out to be a lot more serious that I had thought.

It's never a good sign when the first doctor to see you is so wowed by the sight of your throat that he immediately calls for back-up. Or when nurses come in afterwards to have a look for themselves. Given the gravity of the consulations, I initially feared that I would be admitted to the hospital. But they gave me clindamycin -- another first! -- intravenously and administered an oral steroid.

This morning I went back for a recheck. Things look better, but I got another dose of steroids. I don't feel like getting ripped, though. The combination of a heavy dose of potent anitbiotics and the crazy-making quality of the steroids has me feeling leaden and frantic at the same time. Thank goodness for The Honourable Schoolboy. It's rapidly becoming a favorite book of mine. I'm so glad that, unlike some fast-reading friends of mine, I make slow enough progress, even in my pleasure reading, that I'm able to savor its latter stages this weekend.

Well, I'm going to go attempt to sleep while Kim and Skylar head off to the Desert Museum. They're bringing me back a vial of copper or a vial of silver, to match my vial of gold. I'm psyched.

Comments

[siyeh.livejournal.com]

I had my first this summer! Wasn't it great? It was surreal,really, since I got to lay there, and repeatedly pass out and break into cold sweats. I was not at my best. And in a public place.

[cbertsch.livejournal.com]

I usually verge on passing out at the sight of needles. This time, though, I managed not to look. The book helped.

But it was still freaky. Especially the alarm in the doctor's voices. "People ask me how bad tonsilitis can get. I tell them, it can get bad. It can get this bad."

[elizabeg.livejournal.com]

Ok. I'll stop complaining about my cold. And I'll pay attention if I get a sore throat.

Feel better, Charlie. I've only had an IV once I think. It took a doctor, an anaesthesia guy, and at least two, maybe three different nurses to find a vein so I was bruised as hell. They finally went in through the back of my hand where there's barely enough flesh to keep the damn thing in.

[cbertsch.livejournal.com]

This suggests to me that it would unwise of you to become a heroin addict. Just so you know. . .

Feel better!

[elizabeg.livejournal.com]

Well physiology be damned!

[cbertsch.livejournal.com]

Indeed. These days, of course, there's all that pure stuff you don't even need to inject. I suppose why the drug has become such a problem with "good" kids in high school. Personally, however, I don't see you as the type to pursue altered consciousness outside of écriture. As Bruce Springsteen once said, referring to the surreal lyrics of his first album Greetings From Asbury Park, New Jersey, "That's all the proof you need that I made the right decision to never take hallucinogens."

[elizabeg.livejournal.com]

That's brilliant. A man after my own heart, style.

Bruuuuuuuuuuuce

[yourbestfiend.livejournal.com]

and Mary Jane, she found out how to cope
she rides the heavens on a gyroscope
the Daily News asks her for the dope,
she says, man, the dope's that there's still hope -

[cpratt.livejournal.com]

Yikes! We just got back from Chiricahua this afternoon... I'm really sorry to hear you're not doing so well. Please do NOT hesitate to let us know if this isn't a great time for us to visit... or let us know if there's anything we can take with to help you get well soon.

Dan and Chris

[cbertsch.livejournal.com]

I'm much better. I never felt that bad, actually, until I got pumped full of drugs. Aside from the very sore side of my throat. I slept this afternoon and was doing much better this morning when I had my recheck. And I'm not contagious! The only thing to bring is good cheer and fellowship. We're very excited to have you over.

[leela-cat.livejournal.com]

Just take care of you 'kay?

And no more wowing the doctors, at least for a month or two.

;-)

[cbertsch.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I've been real worried about you guys, on psychological-stress grounds. But things are pretty crazy here too.

the wheel of fire

[commonalgebra.livejournal.com]

hmmm. So it's tonsilitis? I bet you couldn't get a good picture, huh? Sounds like it might have been worthy of a photo. I hope you get better and your throat returns to normal soon!

A friend of mine had an IV administered before surgery by a little old woman with thick spectacles. This woman accidentally let go of the needle before attaching the tube thingy (you'll notice my precision of language) and blood went spurting out all over. Needless to say, my friend was traumatized. Thus, I wonder if the age of the nurse, the thickness of the spectacles and the quantity of blood may have been exaggerated. Still...it would be very disturbing.

Re: the wheel of fire

[cbertsch.livejournal.com]

That's way worse than my day. They had a hard time getting a vein, but no blood spurted out.

I did try to take a picture, but it's kind of blurry -- my macro focus mechanism isn't good -- and too gross to make public. Wait, I'm sounding like the censor. I'll do it!

Nice having you aboard, BTW.