Today I had to go to the doctors again! For about a week I have been feeling unwell. The last four days it has felt as if I had something in my ear. I have had trouble breathing, and my joints were so painful that even my bones and muscles were hurting. Then the last three days I have wanted to sleep all the time, not wanted to talk to anyone, and have not had any energy. I have not been out of the house for 5 days until today, partly because I was so drained of energy.
I had wanted to wait until I went to London on Monday to see my specialist because I have got to the stage where I do not trust other doctors to do anything.
But today I was finding it so hard to breathe that I had to admit to my husband how bad I felt. Even then I did not tell him how long I had felt like this or how rough I was feeling.
I rang the doctors’ surgery about mid day and much to my surprise I did not have to beg or talk my way into an appointment I was offered one for six hours later.
I managed this afternoon to go and do some food shopping. The pain was awful. Shopping is supposed to be second nature to women, but when every step feels as if you have red hot knives piercing your joints it is hard to concentrate on what you are trying to buy. But I managed to get everything I went out for. I also managed to get all the way around the shop, but as I said before the pain was unbearable.
Tonight I went to see the doctor. I did not see the one I usually see, but as all three doctors are good I was happy to see the lady doctor today. She listened and did not make me feel as if I was being a pest, or that she did not care. It is so hard to talk about how you feel because most of the time you know the other person has turned off. But then again if you keep trying to be brave and not worry others you have to accept that other people will not understand how awful you feel.
The doctor looked in my ears, because I had told her they hurt. Then she listened to my chest. I was surprised by how thorough she was. It is a long time since anyone has told me to say 99. But I duly did as I was told and said ‘99′ each time she put the stethoscope on the back of my chest.
Apparently she could not hear good ‘air sounds’ on the right side of my chest. I was asked if I was allergic to antibiotics and then given a prescription for them. She said that I needed to come back next week for her to listen again. The problem she had was that she is not in for some of next week. When I mentioned that I was seeing my consultant on Monday she said that I should ask him to listen. I have to explain what she said about not hearing the air movement on the right side. She said he might want to do X-rays and tests. But for the weekend I am on antibiotics.
Now I know why I am so tired and feeling so rough. I seem to have an infection.
In some ways it is a relief to know it is probably an infection. Because it is so hard to feel this bad ALL the time. I don’t like to moan and admit to how bad I feel. I certainly find it hard to tell others how I really feel. An example of this is that tonight I rang my parents to tell them about the doctor’s appointment. Mum answered the phone and told me she was messaging with my nephew and his partner. As they had a baby a couple of weeks ago, when mum asked if it was something important, I said no.
Today I had to go to the doctors again! For about a week I have been feeling unwell. The last four days it has felt as if I had something in my ear. I have had trouble breathing, and my joints were so painful that even my bones and muscles were hurting. Then the last three days I have wanted to sleep all the time, not wanted to talk to anyone, and have not had any energy. I have not been out of the house for 5 days until today, partly because I was so drained of energy.
I had wanted to wait until I went to London on Monday to see my specialist because I have got to the stage where I do not trust other doctors to do anything.
But today I was finding it so hard to breathe that I had to admit to my husband how bad I felt. Even then I did not tell him how long I had felt like this or how rough I was feeling.
I rang the doctors’ surgery about mid day and much to my surprise I did not have to beg or talk my way into an appointment I was offered one for six hours later.
I managed this afternoon to go and do some food shopping. The pain was awful. Shopping is supposed to be second nature to women, but when every step feels as if you have red hot knives piercing your joints it is hard to concentrate on what you are trying to buy. But I managed to get everything I went out for. I also managed to get all the way around the shop, but as I said before the pain was unbearable.
Tonight I went to see the doctor. I did not see the one I usually see, but as all three doctors are good I was happy to see the lady doctor today. She listened and did not make me feel as if I was being a pest, or that she did not care. It is so hard to talk about how you feel because most of the time you know the other person has turned off. But then again if you keep trying to be brave and not worry others you have to accept that other people will not understand how awful you feel.
The doctor looked in my ears, because I had told her they hurt. Then she listened to my chest. I was surprised by how thorough she was. It is a long time since anyone has told me to say 99. But I duly did as I was told and said ‘99′ each time she put the stethoscope on the back of my chest.
Apparently she could not hear good ‘air sounds’ on the right side of my chest. I was asked if I was allergic to antibiotics and then given a prescription for them. She said that I needed to come back next week for her to listen again. The problem she had was that she is not in for some of next week. When I mentioned that I was seeing my consultant on Monday she said that I should ask him to listen. I have to explain what she said about not hearing the air movement on the right side. She said he might want to do X-rays and tests. But for the weekend I am on antibiotics.
Now I know why I am so tired and feeling so rough. I seem to have an infection.
In some ways it is a relief to know it is probably an infection. Because it is so hard to feel this bad ALL the time. I don’t like to moan and admit to how bad I feel. I certainly find it hard to tell others how I really feel. An example of this is that tonight I rang my parents to tell them about the doctor’s appointment. Mum answered the phone and told me she was messaging with my nephew and his partner. As they had a baby a couple of weeks ago, when mum asked if it was something important, I said no.