On a plane somewhere between Nashville, TN & Dallas, TX:
2013 is not going as I had planned.
Granted, it’s only 10 days in and I didn’t really have anything planned, per se, but I can say that the
last 10 days have been completely whack. (If ‘whack’ is still something the
kids use these days.)
January 1
st, I noticed a few red bumpy patches on
my legs and by the time I completed my drive from Asheville to Nashville, I was
completely covered in an allergic breakout. Pictures are
here if you
want to relive it with me.
Although I got two shots of steroids and Benadryl in my hips (which, for the record, are STILL bruised), the doctor had me continue on a week-long’s worth of steroids to make
sure it was out of my system completely. Around day 3, I noticed the bumps
were bumping up again in various places and the itching returned. So, the
Benadryl became something I took in the afternoon instead of just the evening,
which made me feel as if I were wearing a space helmet and possibly orbiting in
space. It also meant I had to forfeit most of my time catching up with friends
during my brief time at home for fear that I would pass out mid-conversation
(and this time, not from too much alcohol).
I called the doctor I had just seen 4 weeks previous in LA
to see if he could offer any thoughts on what might be going on inside my body.
Unbeknownst to me, he had retired. No notice, no head’s up, no way to
have him check on my lab results again. I moved on to plan C.
Day 7, I went to see an allergist. After a brief exam that
included scratching my arm to see if it turned red (it did), he gave me his
prognosis. “Well, it’s not cats or parsnips since it didn’t go away after 24
hours. You might have acquired an immunity to Advil or Aleve. Or maybe not.
There’s really not a way to know for sure. But I can give you another drug that
will help with the itching and swelling. And you should switch to taking
Tylenol.” So… for a $50 co-pay I just had someone tell me eh… well…. I dunno.
Of course, even though
I don't want a new drug, this one is supposed to help clear up any lingering symptoms. But I still
don’t know the answers to the questions
why and the
how much longer.
It’s very frustrating. I don’t do ‘sick’ very well. I’m a
planner, a do-er, a go-getter. Having to stop my previously scheduled plans to
rest seems wasteful. I know I said last
year that I would
sit in discomfort, but I was talking more emotional than physical. However,
I’m experiencing firsthand that sometimes I’ve got no other choice than to
simply ride it out and let time be the repairer.
I also know that half of what goes on in life is how you frame it. So, instead of looking at this year as a bust already, I’ve decided
to give 2013 a two week grace period. Here’s hoping that today – January 10
– marks the beginning of a bright new year!
Full of grace and free of hives, preferably.
