never catch up on laundry...it's dangerous

Well, since most of my time at the moment is spent laying in bed sleeping, reading, or watching a movie on the computer, I figured I could take a few minutes to update my blog.

Most of my time lately, it seems, has been spent in doctors offices.  First I went for what I thought was a sinus infection.  Turns out I just have some crazy allergies here in Georgia.  The allergy meds seemed to help and I was feeling quite a bit better.  I was even able to get the house clean and all of the laundry done.  Of course as soon as I had all the laundry done Isaac got sick and started throwing up all over.  So it was off to the doc with Isaac (I'll spare you the details on that visit...ugghhh!).  And of course starting over with a ton of laundry.

Over the next few days, despite taking my allergy meds regularly, I started feeling just kind of blaaaa again.  Sore throat, slight headache...I just thought I was still suffering from allergies. Until I woke up on Wednesday morning with a massive headache and really nauseated.  It was bad enough that I decided to cancel our activities in town for the day, but I thought I'd be able to at least make it through the day with the kids at home.  I made it downstairs and managed to get them some milk.  By this time my headache was getting really, really bad.  I knew the kids needed to eat, but I could barely move at this point, so I crawled to the pantry and got them each a package of cookies.  Ha-they were the happiest kids on earth.  It was around this time that I realized I couldn't possibly get through the day without help so I called my husband.  He asked if I could handle a few more hours so he could get a little work done.  I thought I could, but I couldn't.  I called him back 45 minutes later asking him to come home NOW and to bring me Excedrin Migraine.

By the time he got home I couldn't move because it hurt my head too bad and I couldn't open my eyes because any light was excruciating.  He had to help me get upstairs.  He was begging me to go to the doctor, but there was no way I could get in a car, I was hurting too bad.  I took the Excedrin Migraine and a few hours later I felt better enough that I decided I could make it to the doctor.  They had an appointment available, so Nathan dropped the kids with our friend Denyelle and drove me to Martin Army.  They took my vitals (not so good) my resting heart rate was 129.  The family practice doctor told me I needed to have a CT and a Lumbar Puncture so he called the ER and got me in right away.   But when I got to the ER the PA treated me for a migraine and sent me home.  I was feeling some better at that point.  They sent me home with a narcotic pain reliever, some nausea medication, Valium, and Motrin.

This brings us to Thursday.  I woke up still feeling some better.  Nathan had to take Isaac to Atlanta for a follow up doctors appointment (I wasn't feeling well enough to go).  He asked our friend, Amy, to come babysit Avonleigh (aka babysit me) while he was gone.  I spent most of the day in bed but was able to eat a bowl of soup and even take a shower.  I thought I was doing okay until about the moment Nathan walked in the door.  At which point I was vomiting again and my head and back were really starting to hurt.  Nathan called the ER and talked to my nurse from the day before and she said that I should definitely come back in.  So once again, we dumped the kids on Denyelle and headed back to the ER, where we waited for 2.5 hours before we were even called back.

This time I had an awesome doctor though. As soon as I told him my symptoms (worst headache ever, photophobia, my spine hurt, vomiting, running fever off and on) he immediately decided that I needed a CT & a lumbar puncture (exactly what the family practice doc said the day before).  The CT came back perfect which was a blessing...not having a brain tumor or an aneurysm is always a good thing!  He started me on an IV and gave me some miracle drug that finally completely kicked my headache and then it was time to do the spinal tap.  The doctor did a great job!  I'm not saying it didn't hurt at all, but he made it hurt as little as possible.  Waiting for the results of this took forever...hours!  But he finally came back and told us that I definitely had Meningitis.  But they were still determining if it was viral or bacterial.  This was the only point that I was a little scared.  I knew that viral meant I could go home with some pain meds and ride it out and I would be fine, whereas bacterial meant being admitted to the hospital and possible life long complications.  I found peace knowing that I had so many friends and family praying for me and that Nathan and I had both been praying too.  But it was a definite relief when the he came back to tell us it was viral and that we could go home (with more pain meds of course).

So now I'm home.  My headache has for the most part stayed away.  My spine still hurts some (especially when walking and going up or down stairs), my back is pretty sore where I had the spinal tap, and I am sooo tired (I sleep like 18 hours a day).  But, my husband is home.  He's getting lot's of time with the kids and he's even cleaning the whole house for me.  I have amazing friends and family who are always checking in on me and helping me out.  So all in all, I'm feeling pretty blessed right now.

The moral of the story?  Every time I get completely caught up on laundry...someone ends up vomiting and I have to start all over.  So, I should always stay behind on laundry.  ;-)  Seriously...2 weeks ago I got caught up and Avonleigh got a horrible virus and was vomiting, 1 week ago I caught up and Isaac was vomiting everywhere, a few days ago I got caught up...and well, it was my turn.  Anyone else see a pattern?

It's nap time for me again.  Hope you are all enjoying this beautiful Easter weekend!