Sailing Under A Yellow Flag

Mothers are not allowed to get sick. And somehow, my body forgot that little rule of motherhood.

On Wednesday I thought it was just an annoying cough. It would pass. Besides, I was expecting to come down with a cough as a result of the laughing gas I used during labour. It's not recommended for people with asthmatic history but nobody will refuse you that pain reducer if you still want to take the chance of your asthma rearing up a few weeks down the road.

Anyway, the cough got worse on Thursday, but I wasn't too worried since I figured I knew what it was. By Friday it was more than just a little annoying, and like the flick of a light switch, I was noticeably worse that evening. My chest hurt when I coughed, my throat was getting raw from so much coughing, and the cough was nearly constant. Worst of all, it seemed to be settling in my lungs. Not a good thing since my lungs aren't the strongest.

Last night, although Emma slept solid for six hours, I did not. Even being drugged up with cough suppressant/expectorant and nasal decongestants didn't seem to help. I barely slept at all and my coughing didn't help Sir get very much rest either. By this morning I was feeling half dead, and at times more than half dead. My voice was nearly gone, I couldn't get three words out of my mouth without sending myself into a coughing fit, and if I wasn't coughing I was so exhausted from coughing, that I didn't even have the energy to do anything except collapse in a heap on the bed, chair or floor.

That was when Sir decided I needed to go see a doctor. He had suggested it on Wednesday, and I was going to make an appointment since a lot of my coughs end in lung infections. I didn't get around to it before the doctor's office was closed for the weekend and since today was Saturday, my options were the emergency room or a clinic. I chose the clinic and Sir bravely stayed at home with all three kids so I could go see a doctor. The kids were going crazy because it was lunchtime, they were hungry and Mommy was acting far from normal.

I had a half hour wait at the clinic before being called in, and in less than five minutes the doctor told me I had bronchitis and sent me on my way with a prescription for some antibiotics and a strong cough syrup. The cough syrup has really helped, and in a day or two I should notice the effect of the antibiotics. At least I'd better - they were expensive enough!

So, when I'm brave enough to try lying down, I'll be going to bed. I'm tired, but coughing sure takes a lot out of you and it's worse when I'm not upright. At least typing doesn't require extra breath to accomplish or this post wouldn't have made it past the first sentence! Now I just have to start functioning again before Sir gets what I have - I really hope he skips out on it this time though. This bug really knocks the wind out of you - literally!