So, a couple months ago, I blogged about coming down with Scarlet Fever. 5 days ago, on Monday, I woke up fine. Went to the new office, participated in Monday morning show and tell, and got through a long day. As i do every Mon, I went to brazilian jiujitsu. Once there, I started feeling a little out of it. I didn't grapple very well, felt tired and hot, but kept going. Afterwards, when I rode back, I felt so exhausted and almost lightheaded that I was afraid I wouldn't make it back. My temp was about 102, and I was still feeling chilled. I tossed and turned for most of the night and then worked from home, mostly laying in bed. For most of that day and night, I continued to have a fever and a steady, heavy headache.
On day 3, I finally went to the doc, when i realized i had a large patch of itchy raised welts on my chest. This doctor diagnosed what I had as non-bacterial, viral infection. I was given Tylenol and sent home.
Day 4 was fine -- I had less appetite, my throat was raw and I wasn't drinking much - but I could still function. The patch of raised welts that had been just in patch areas were now covering 70% of my body, less my face, thank goodness. Nights were bad, as body temp goes up and your body becomes more sensitive to itches.
On Day 5, I went into the office to organize some things, and spent half the day there. Sadly, I wasn't even thinking so straight anymore. I was hardly eating or drinking, and my nights were hours of tossing and turning. I was still doing okay. Until about 3pm, when I realized I was sort of wheezing fluid into my lungs and my lips were so puffy they looked like Angelina Jolie's. I had one more important planning meeting and actually had to have my marketing person talk to me while I typed to her in a chat window. It was strange, but it worked. I went to the hospital and actually was sort of pissed at the doctor who let me leave the hospital with Tylenol only and didn't warn me about any of this. She said it was very unusual for adults to get the same type of virus twice so close together. Then she wanted to admit me overnight. I ended up not doing that, but agreed to walk through a battery of blood samples at a different location.
The doc was great and said:
1. I have a viral infection
2. My liver bloodwork is way off, about 6x
3. He recommended steroid injections to reduce the swelling. Apparently, my body is fighting the virus so hard that my immune system haywire and is super sensitive. Everything is now a threat so my body reacts by getting inflamed, itchy, wheezing, swollen. And that makes me miserable not talking, eating, or drinking.
I took the steroid through an IV drip. I was very worried because the very next day, we were due to host a BBQ and pool party that might draw between 10-40 people. The day rolled around and I woke up and could swallow, talk, and my face was mostly back to normal.
Day went by great, my chest returned totally back to normal. but I have to say that I have never swung between such highs and lows. The worst was feeling like you have a mouth full of ulcers and not being even able to talk without feeling all cut up.
Takeaways?
* Next time you get sick, main thing you can get tested is if you have a viral or bacterial infection. Antibiotics work only for bacterial. Nothing (western) is known to solve viral infections so all you can do is reduce the symptoms and ride it out
* Normal cycle is 5-7 days. After 4 days, get on steroids (last about 24 hrs)
* You are contagious through droplets of moisture you release, but after the first night, i didn't have time to put on the mask
* I feel so sympathetic now for people who have bad allergies. Right now my back is so itchy that if i rub up against sometihing a few seconds later I was to sleep on top of it.
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