sick, sick, sickie...

It's been a long time since I've been sick like this: sick in bed with a heating pad, ankle socks, and multiple prescription meds sick.

It started Friday night; actually, I've been having this sort of twingy, weird, intermittent backache for awhile, but Friday night I bought a box of Cheddar Cheesebits and scarfed a fair number down in lieu of a real dinner only to have my stomach react immediately with WTF???? or the stomach's equivalent thereof...meaning I hied myself to the bathroom, pronto, and spent some time sitting there, thinking, hmmmm, this is not a reaction I have any reason to believe is reasonable in response to eating some cheese crackers...

Saturday I awoke very bloated, and felt like last week's meatloaf, so I pretty much laid around all day. In the evening though, I'd had enough of that, so I got myself up, bathed, combed, brushed, perfumed, and went to hear Gyongy Erodi perform the Bach Suites for Unaccompanied Cello, Part II. The music was incredibly beautiful, and I'm glad I went, but I came home feeling wiped. This didn't keep me from staying up and streaming The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest from Netflix, which I watched while reclining on the game room couch.

Sunday the cramps began. Bad cramps (not that there're any good cramps). These were like the cramps I used to get prior to getting my period...low in the belly, gut wrenching, from ovary to ovary, then back again, and again and again. These were serious, got-your-attention-now-bitch? cramps that could double you over with their intensity. Like labor, they seemed to come in waves, and like labor, between them I could rest...sort of. In the evening, I walked with Mike, with the result that I seemed to bloat even more: my belly was hard and distended, like a drum, when we got home. And the cramps kept me from sleeping, and then, exhausted, when I finally did manage to doze, they wakened me with their intensity...

Monday morning at 5:30 I found a thermometer and took my temp. If the thermometer was to be believed, I was running a low grade fever, which would account for the achiness I felt. In addition to a backache, I had this twingy, sciatica-like pain running down the front of my left thigh...go figure...plus a headache, my neck felt stiff, and of course the frigging cramps...

At 9AM I was on the phone to the doctor's office, begging to be seen.

Would I see a PA? I was asked.

YES, ANYONE! I replied.

At 10 I found out I did indeed have a fever. I was asked to give a urine specimen; when I had deposited the sample in the bottle and placed it in the little window as instructed, I was not pleased to see another sample already there and waiting...I worry about lab mix ups, always, and when I was told my urine appeared to be fine, I was not reassured. They took blood; an anti-spasmodic was prescribed by the PA, who seems to think I have diverticulitis. I'm not convinced; I've had none of the symptoms I've had with diverticulitis in the past.

Today my WBC came back elevated, so in addition to the anti-spasmodic, two powerful antibiotics have been prescribed, and I was told that I need to stay on a liquid diet for 10 days! WTF? The PA said that's easier than it sounds, and she'd be happy to fax me some guidelines. I said great and provided my fax number; then I went to Zorba's for lunch, where I complied by having a cup of Avgolemono soup (she didn't say clear liquid diet)...but that was hours ago and so far, nothing's been faxed to me, so a few minutes ago, famished, I finished off a small piece of leftover dark chocolate cake which I washed down with half a glass of milk...delicious! am I immature, or what?

But I admit I still feel like crap, and all of my stomach muscles feel tight, like they're in a knot. I haven't started the powerful antibiotics yet; I'll do that tonight, with my liquid dinner.

So what am I wearing? Grey, 100% cotton sweats by Gap (top) and Target (pants), and a pair of Gap ankle socks to keep my feet warm.