After 6 weeks of feeling like crap, I finally dragged myself to the doctor yesterday.
“How long have you been feeling bad?”
“Well, since the beginning of December, at least.”
“Why didn’t you come in before?”
“Well, I have 5 year old twins. One of them had eye surgery in late October, the other one had a continuous stream of non-strep tonsillitis episodes last year (seriously, seven of them), then had her tonsils and adenoids out in early December. Then, three days later, the other twin got strep. Then I was dealing with both of them sick. Then I got laryngitis again and y’all sent me to the ENT and he did the scope thingy through the nose and decided I had acid reflux and needed voice therapy, and then I had to have an evaluation with the voice therapist and she did another scope thingy on the back of the tongue–I wish I had my iPod with me, the pictures are crazy–and I’m supposed to go back for six weeks of voice therapy but obviously I haven’t had time to do that, either, and anyway, it’s not like I’m an opera singer, and then the other twin–”
“Which one?”
“Boy. Not the one who had the tonsillectomy. That’s my daughter. Anyway, he got strep again in late December. Last week he got a sinus infection, an ear infection, and related conjunctivitis. My daughter’s been coughing for 9 days and yesterday the pediatrician put her on an antibiotic for a sinus infection. And my husband’s sick, too, but he won’t admit it. So … this is kind of the first time I’ve had a chance to come in.”
::Silence, as the doctor stares at me::
“Oh, and I’m losing enough hair that my husband is concerned about the plumbing. I know you’re not my endocrinologist, but while I’m here, can you check my thyroid levels?”
“Ok, why don’t you hop up here and we’ll take a look?”
After the requisite throat swab, peering in ears, mouth, and palpating of lymph nodes, the doctor started writing on his prescription pad.
“I’m giving you a ten day course of Zithromax.”
“Wait. I thought that was a five day thing.”
“It usually is.”
“So why ten?”
“Because you’ve been sick for over a month.”
“Well, what do I have? Strep? A sinus infection?”
He handed me the prescription and patted me on the arm.
“Children. You have children.”
I had to laugh at the diagnosis because I feel like my doctor should say the same thing! I am so sorry your kiddos and you are going through so much. Doctor stuff always sucks!
Let me know if you need anything at all!
Yep, it's been crazy. But I don't remember a winter that hasn't been. I just can't believe the doc actually said that.
What I don't understand? How teachers aren't constantly sick. Seriously, do they have a secret? And can they share?
I went in feeling like they were cement bags tied to my feet.
I needed synthroid. My levels were only .01 above normal low. Meaning, the lab read as normal but when the MD looked at it, he said, “It's just a waiting game, they're going down, you feel like crap, let's get going.”
My hair came back, my eyebrows…I'm still dangdingdong tired, but my hair came back.
xo I feel ya, mama.
Alexandra, I'm already hypothyroid, and taking Synthroid. Which is why I asked him to check my levels. I'm not due to see my endocrinologist until early March, and Mark is convinced that we will have no working drains by then. I'm worried I'll be bald by then.
Anyway, we'll see where the levels are. He's sending the results straight to the endocrinologist. I figure it's also good to have another lab do the test once in a while.
Glad you're feeling better! I swear, hypothyroidism is the scourge of women. It's ridiculously under-diagnosed. So glad you found a doctor who was willing to treat you at those levels. There are many who would have made you wait until you fell way outside the range (but that's a whole other post).
OMG! Brilliant!
Oh, good grief, Angie. No wonder we haven't seen you so much around the twitterz.
For goodness sake, woman, get well!
Cameron, it gets better…they called yesterday to tell me my strep culture was positive. So, new antibiotic, 10 more days. Groan….
On the good news front, Mark finally went to the doctor and is on antibiotics. Maybe we'll all get well!