I’m finally getting over pneumonia and back to blogging! I have been wanting to sit down to update my blog and just kept feeling super, super tired every afternoon after work. I knew I wasn’t feeling my best, but I had no idea how awful I truly felt until last Thursday. I had actually been to the doctor a week before. I was wheezing really bad and had this dry cough that was deep. I felt tired and I decided to go on into the doctor’s office when I heard the wheezing. The doctor I saw decided I had an upper respiratory infection and sent me on my way with an antibiotic.
A few days later, I wasn’t really noticing any improvement. Along with the wheezing, it sounded like I was gurgling in my chest. I woke up Thursday morning and pushed through getting ready to go to work. I was hurting in my lower right side but determined to try to get through the day. I made it an hour in and had to leave work because I was absolutely miserable and in tears. I went straight back to the clinic, and five hours later I had a diagnosis of pneumonia. Apparently, I had been misdiagnosed before.
The waiting room was absolutely packed and miserable because of the flu season. I sat as far away from others as I possibly could. I was worried sick it could be something going on with my heart, or worse. The doctor I saw this time was very, very thorough and she ran so many blood tests. She was worried about pulmonary embolism. I had bloodwork and x-rays, and thankfully, it was just pneumonia, although that’s bad enough. One cool thing about the x-rays was that the technician let me see my chest x-ray and I finally saw my sternum wires since having heart surgery.
In all, I spent five hours at the clinic waiting to be seen and waiting for test results. I was prescribed a different antibiotic and an inhaler and sent home. Besides still feeling a little sore, I do feel so much better. I’m moving a little slower, but I’m trying not to push myself too hard until I am 100% healed. I was really impressed with this doctor (one I had never seen before) and I plan to request to see her from here on out. She was very detail-oriented and determined to get to the bottom of things. I’m glad I went back in for a second opinion.
Wow – so glad you finally got a good diagnosis. You just visited my blog so you know that my husband went to the doctor Friday and was sent home with a diagnosis of a URI and possible sinusitis, but then on Saturday night, he had collapses with complications from the flu and pneumonia. I am currently NOT happy with our family doctor for not being more thorough. So glad you are doing better. It takes some time and lots of rest to get over pneumonia. Thanks for visiting my blog. YOu are welcome any time. I will be back to visit yours again soon as well.
Thank you so much for stopping in Deb! I sure hope your husband continues to improve. I was actually misdiagnosed the week before with a little respiratory infection. The doctor who saw me did no x-rays or bloodwork. Thankfully, when I went back a little over a week later the doctor I saw was very thorough and checked me out for everything. I do feel better now…just still a little tired.