This Knife In My Back

*Update: Got the chest X ray and the doctor said she did not see a huge pneumonia so she thinks we caught it early. They did a blood draw on me to check... something about something in my blood. She also said that antibiotics won't help any and to go home, go to bed, and drink plenty of liquids, blah blah blah, and all the stuff you all said. (You guys are so smart!) She gave me a prescription for cough syrup with codeine that I didn't get filled -- I don't need help sleeping and I am not really hip on mixing it with the meds I already take, even though I coughed so hard I threw up last night. I can't wait to get back on my feet because we are in danger of the pigs moving in and pushing us out. Other than that I am enjoying lounging in pj's all day, watching movies and having drinks and soup brought to me.

Go frickin' figure. I just got over being sick and what happens (right before I am supposed to do Tysabri)? I get sick again only this time it is a doosy. (Or should I say a sha-ZAM shadoobie?) My back has been hurting the last few days and I feel more tired than I ever have. I brought up my winter clothes from the basement and huffed and puffed like a dog in heat, trying to catch my breath. The night before yesterday, whatever that would be called, I really started hurting; my back, right below where a bra strap goes, was killing me. It feels like there is a knife sticking out of my back on the lower right side. I'm walking like a little old man, hunched over with a hand on my back trying to find the knife to pull it out. I went to the doctor yesterday to see if maybe I had bronchitis or what and got a bigger shock than I had expected. I'm sure by now you have figured out what I'm going to say: pneumonia. That dreaded word. I don't know much about it and it seems it is a fickle thing that is hard to predict the course it will take -- sounds a lot like MS. I've been trying to find information on it to know when or if I should go to the hospital, what I should be looking out for etcetera, because I know it can be a potentially fatal disease (is it a disease? I have no idea and I am so slowed and foggy I'm having a hard time finding the right words.). The doctor gave me some antibiotics and said that if I'm not better in a few days to come back in and get a chest X ray. She didn't do one yesterday because, I can only assume, I was still standing. She did write on the sheet where they write the diagnosis on, under Multiple Sclerosis of course, that they need to rule out pneumonia and when I asked her what was wrong with me -- she never came right out and said what was wrong -- if I had bronchitis or what? She said, "Bronchitis, a lung infection, pneumonia." Not exactly what I wanted to hear. Today I am feeling much worse and think I am going to call them back and see about that chest X ray. I had to quit smoking because it tasted disgusting and my lungs revolted at the tiniest bit of nicotine, that and it seems stupid to smoke when it is suspected you have the hideous P word. I may have to take a holiday from blogging until I am able to muster the energy to move my fingers. The only way I got this done is from the coffee I just drank and I am already feeling very weak again. Take care, gentle readers, and I hope I'll be back soon.