More Than a Cold

Yesterday I told my co-workers it was just a cold, why go to the Dr. for a simple cold? Today I went to the Dr.

The "Oh my god Stephanie!" as she listened to my lungs put a bit of worry in my mind. She heard very little breath sound in the right lung, mainly a very bad wheeze. The left lung sounded much better but still very congested. No wonder I couldn't catch my breath after a coughing fit or even after lifting a heavy dog or carrying groceries.

I now have antibiotics, a very good heavy duty cough syrup and an inhaler. "An inhaler?" I asked. Yep, for those times when I can't breathe. Hmmm, I was kind of worried a few times the past days when my lungs just weren't cooperating with my need to breathe. Having an inhaler handy is somewhat reassuring.

And I am off work for the next five days. It would be a mini-vacation except for the instructions that I am to be a couch potato; no activity, nothing that causes exertion or a change in breathing pattern such as talking. I guess my lungs are bad enough to require such restrictions. Crap, that also means no smoking. It will be much easier to forgo the talking than it will be to not smoke.