Sunday, July 27, 2008

Stress Make Me Sick

Seriously, I have Strep throat! I felt fine yesterday but last night before bed I felt a sore throat coming on so I gargled with some raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. It's a little holistic trick that works every time...except this time. That's when I knew something was terribly wrong. When I woke up I couldn't swallow, the pain was horrible!! After Jeff left for his 7am meeting I was trying to get breakfast for the kids but I could barely talk. I checked my Google Reader **because I'm addicted** and my "friend" Jennifer P. (I don't know her in real life but I like her blog so I read it :) had posted about how she went to her doctor recently because she thought she had Strep. That planted the seed in my mind that maybe this is not just a really bad sore throat and I should got get it checked (see how God works!). When Jeff was done with his meeting I asked him to come home so I could go to the Urgent Care (he normally doesn't come home before our 9am sacrament, see what a good mom I am getting all my kids ready and there on time all by myself :). Anyways, my experience with Strep is very limited but when Leah had it a while back her doctor swabbed her throat and did the Rapid Step Test where it's like a 3 min wait. One line for negative, two lines for positive very basic. And I'm pretty sure the nurses could do the test so I really hoped I'd be in and out quick. Well, the wait was long and my doctor wasn't all that great. He came in, looked at my throat, felt my glands and told me that it looks red and raw but there aren't any puss pockets so he doesn't know if it's Strep. His "sound" medical advice was to take the written antibiotic prescription home with me and fill it if I develop any puss pocket in a few days. I informed him that I have small children and that's why I can in so early with these symptoms and when my daughter had it a while ago they did a swab test. He said that he normally didn't do the test but he could if I wanted it. He had a hard time finding the test in the cupboard, a much need confidence boost for me :), and after he swabbed he said "That went well". Huh, whatever. I waited another 25 minutes for the results of the 3 minute test and he told me it had come back positive for Strep throat. I had to wait again for my antibiotic prescription and then I was on my way. I 100% believe that doctors use their best educated guess but ultimately you have to know the protocol and ask for the treatment you feel most comfortable with. I would have felt like my $30 co-pay was totally wasted had I not requested the test I came for. Not to mention the fact that I would have walked around infecting those closest to me for a few days!!!!!!

Ahhh, I can breath again but I just can't swallow :)

8 comments:

Rache said...

autumn i totally agree!!!!!! you know i havent been to happy with the urgent cares out here. basically you have to find information out for yourself and be prepared when you go to the doctor. so are we still on for tomorrow or are you staying home?

Ruth said...

Sounds like you got a real winner, huh? I'm glad you took your care into your own hands and will hopefully start feeling better!

Sommer said...

Autumn! You poor thing! I'm so sorry about all this crummy stuff happening to you and your family, when it rains, it pours! I want you to know I understand. I understand how hard it is not to be able to fix your child the moment they feel sick. I understand how miserable strep throat feels. Take acre of yourself. Rest when you can. Do you need dinner? I'd gladly make you some!

Sommer

Jennifer P. said...

SOOOO glad you went in! I just thought strep was something you waited out, like a cold----boy! was I wrong! It's what caused rheumatic fever in me, but also caused a friend of mine's kidneys to shut down. He ended up having to have a kidney transplant. Yup! That strep is nasty stuff! I'm sorry your doctor wasn't a little more worth the co-pay!

Thanks so much for the mention--even if it about a bacteria :)!

All the best to you---and a quick recovery too!

Lisa and Bill said...

Autumn so sorry to hear you are under the weather! Glad you took care of it though. Rest easy.. If you need me to take the kids for awhile please call. I'm only 2 mins. away.

Jocie said...

Autumn, Hope you feel better soon! Strep stinks. It is good that you got it so soon though. I had a co-worker come to work with strep and we had to force her to go to the doctor. I was surprised no one else got it, we all took turns looking at her throat and telling her how bad it looked. Smart huh?

Bobbi Leavitt said...

aww.. i hope you feel better. Being sick is aweful, plus you never get your full recovery time when kids are in the pic. get well soon!

Bobbi Leavitt said...

aww.. i hope you feel better. Being sick is aweful, plus you never get your full recovery time when kids are in the pic. get well soon!