Like an ulcer in my side

For those of you who don't already know. I've been very sick. For nearly the last two weeks I have had an intermittent fever, sweating, swollen glands, bloating, heartburn and a pain in my side that hurt when I breathed in too much. I couldn't really eat, well, actually didn't really have the appetite anyway, and just generally felt like sleeping all the time. Was it mono? Was it a bad flu? What was going on? Without insurance or a way to pay the hefty tag, it was hard to tell. But sick as I was and as worried as Mom got. She took me to Instacare. $250 later and a whole lot of blood tests revealed no mono, strep, pregnancy, hepatitis. Blood count was good, blood pressure good. All in all I was a bill of health...hmmm. Then the doctor came in, poked around my stomache a bit and told me I have gastritis and an ulcer. "But what about the flu-like symptoms? The fever that comes and goes, the fatigue, the swollen glands?" I asked. "My guess, it's the flu on top of everything else. And I'll bet you have a lot of stress in your life".

Umm, oh yeah.

I realize from the prognosis how much stress I have in my life. Lately I feel all I've been doing is chasing wind mills. My first possible paying client never paid, it's been a month and a half and I have to take it to collections now. I'm trying to run my own business. One thing after another has come up to make that process a lot more slow than anticipated. My parents are in town. I can't keep up with the yard work and house cleaning all on my own. I found a good deal on a sno shack, thought I could run it but it's not up to health code (I need four sinks, not three for some reason). I tried to sell it but it's too late in the season. I'm still trying to get over my ex-boyfriend (who lives three blocks away and has a new girlfriend - which, according to his stupid friend T-bone, has a way more awesome body than me. Great!). Oh, and my super-conservative ultra-religious parents are in town way longer than expected. Ya, way too much stress.

Comments

Joy said…
*Hug*
mj said…
SJ, all that really sucks. What a lot of lousy timing. I am still really impressed that you had the, um, cajones to try all that in the first place instead of all the safe/boring career choices most of us make. I second sherpa's hug.
Unknown said…
I've tried every home remedy my mom has recommended, on top of the prilosec the doctor gave me... finally went to an accupuncturist this morning (I have been so sick I'm desperate to try anything). He said my kidney meridian wasn't good and that the radiating pain may not be an ulcer but a kidney stone. Or, it could be an ulcer and a kidney stone. All I know is my stomache rejects everything but pudding and watermellon. But the kidney thing would explain the fatigue, fever and dark urine on top of the digestive troubles and pain in my side.

Thanks for the hugs from both of you. I need 'em.

MJ-I have no idea how a nice girl like me forced myself into a mess like this.

everyone - We're throwing a "save the snow shack" event this wednesday at my neighbor's house to raise the funds I need to get it up to code and salvage what I can. The event is on my Facebook profile. Tell your friends.

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