"So..... You've Got Lyme Disease!"

Ok... many of the people who read my blog probably were unaware that I have been suffering for the last three days with what I thought was the mother of all migraines. My head hurt so badly that it honestly felt like my head was going to crack open. It felt better when I had a spinal fluid leak after my spinal tap several years ago than the head pain I've had in the last three days. The first day, Wednesday, around 1 pm, just before it started to rain heavily, my head started to throb. Jane kindly gave me a Advil Cold and Sinus and, before heading out to my SIL's Books, Cookies, and Conversation meeting (I didn't want to miss another one. My SIL is WAY too important for me to not be there for her), I downed two tylenol in an effort to control that evil throb. I am glad to say that it was a mild annoyance during the Book talk. But, on the way home, it started to kick up again. I took one of my "Vicodin" that I keep in reserve for the REALLY bad head pain migraines and went to bed. I woke up feeling better and felt that we really nailed that migraine before it took over. If only I had known...


The next evening, after a day of working in basement, in which I understand I was a little bit on the "grouchy" side (Ok... another word would fit better... this is a family blog), I noticed that I was getting a really odd rash. It didn't bother me toooooooo much, since I figured it was one of two things. It was either a heat rash or it was some kind of dermo-skin allergy rash. Around 9 pm, I started to feel "funny". Lightheaded, blurred vision, waves of warmth, neck stiffness. Immediately, I went downstairs to take my glucose reading (being hypoglycemic for 20 years, lightheaded is usually my first reaction). It was normal. I, on a whim, took my temp. I couldn't believe my thermometer! 101.6! No way could that be right. I, in general, felt fine. So, I borrowed Stephen's thermometer. 101.7! Hmmmm! Let's find a non-digital thermometer. So, I borrowed Jane's thermometer. As I sat there, I realized I couldn't read the clock. So, I counted to 300 and found Jane to read it for me. In Jane's defense, I don't think she understood HOW much pain I was in with my head. She is a very caring wonderful lady who would never let me unneedlessly suffer. Jane read it as 99.something. I breathe a sigh of relief and settle down to watch the ceiling start sprouting blurry grass.

As I prepared for bed, I grabbed my puke bucket (Hyacinth) - a reference that British Comedy lovers will understand - and went to bed. No stomach awareness moments occurred that night, but the temp., according to Stephen's thermometer, was 102.8, at 3 am. I was getting worried.

The next morning, I was back to normal, temp wise, but still had a lingering headache. I thought that this was starting to get VERY annoying and, perhaps I should go to Urgent Care to get some pain meds. I decided, at that point, since I was schedule to see my family doctor on Saturday, wait it out. My fever was gone... I was fine, right?


AT quarter to 4, I took my temp. again. 101.8! YIKE! We started pushing fluids and gave me aspirin at 4. When we took the temp. right before dinner, after three bottles of water and two full strength aspirin, it was now 102.4! Jane was now looking a little worried. I asked when, if at all, we should start worrying about this temp. I never register a normal temp.! So, to me, this was starting to worry me... especially as my neck was getting MORE and more stiff. Jane told me to wait til Saturday, since I already had an appointment. My Stephen concurred. I wasn't totally sold on this, since I was still getting a little scared, since I start work on MONDAY. But, I trust my family, RIGHT?????


Before bed, my temp. was 102.7. At 3 am, it was over 103! Now, I am getting really freaked. The shower I had before bed and the icee weren't working!!!! And my neck was now feeling worse than my head. And, my head was no picnic. Believe me! FLASH forward to this morning.... at 9:10 am, I walk into the doctor's office. He sees me within 5 minutes of getting in the room and checks my rash that appeared several days earlier and that "mysterious bruise" I'd had for several weeks. Needless to say, my bruise kinda looked like a bullseye. But, with the neck stiffness, I got sent to the ER. L. Regional, here we come!


Before you ask... no, that isn't my bullseye. Mine is in a place that I really cannot show on the internet. But it looked like the very first inside ring level of the one above. Expect mine is perfectly round.

Ok.... back to my story! When we get to L. Regional, we get triaged immediately. They shove a mask on me, put me in a low pressure room, and pretty much quarantine the hospital room. They took an EKG, a chest x-ray, and several LARGE bottles of blood... three of them looking remarkably like large Tabasco bottles ( I was told they were specimen bottles for CBC) - they still were trying to rule out Meningitis. Then, they did a chest x-ray and told me to hang on to see if they were going to have to do a lumbar puncture. EEEEEEEK! Not another one! NEVER! But, I didn't say that. I just started praying VERY hard. Jane stayed with me and read from her Jasper Fforde book (Something Rotten - book 4 in the Thursday Next series). Something about Jane and Emergency Rooms makes her want to read to me and I LOVED every second of it.

In comes the chest xray. Then, after about 2 hours, the doctor comes back and says, "You don't have meningitis. Tests won't be back on Lyme for three days... but..." I leave with a script for an antibiotic, a paper that might as well say, "SO you have Lyme Disease!" that details what it is, how it is treated, symptoms, and how you'll probably feel, and the normal 'if you feel worse' letter.

I want to know... WHY ME? Why three days before the start of my new job do I have to go and get diagnosed with something that may or may not (doctor danced around that one) reduce my headache to the point I can shove boxes on Monday. ACKKKKKK!

Oh Tree... Oh, TREE!

The county finally came for the tree today. When Jane called, they said they had three phone calls about the tree and would be there ASAP. I have to give them credit, they got here within 2 hours after that and got to work immediately. ONE small issue, though. They left the branch attached to the wires. Only Verizon may touch the rest of the branch. When we called them, they said they'll be here on the 5th of August. Jane pointed out to them that our neighbors are without phone because of this and asked if we could send them these pictures. I guess the lady acted offended and said, "There is no where to send us emails. So, no... we don't want your photos." Verizon should be ashamed of itself. In this photo, taken from the right side of the log, you can see the exposed wiring and how the line literally runs RIGHT through the tree branch.
This is from the other side (left) of the tree. It literally demonstrates how that line had the tree grow around it over a number of years. It isn't like we didn't warn them years ago.
This is one of my favorite pictures. This is my father in law, Bill, demonstrating how low that wire is to the ground. He is about 6 feet tall and, with putting his hand slightly above his head, can touch the branch leftover. Also, see the pile of wood... that is what was left over from the fallen branch that they left us for firewood. I cannot remember EVER having a fire in the fireplace, much less needing firewood in this house. But, I bet the wood will be gone when we wake up tomorrow. Neighbors will scavenge.
This is the log/branch leftover from the front of the house. You can see Bill's hand. This thing is probably a 20 to 30 lb., if not MORE, log still hanging on the phone line. AND they want to wait until the 5th of August?

A closer picture of Bill to show how very little he had to stretch to touch this chunk of wood hanging in our front yard.

I wanted to get one last picture of this &^(*-ing phone line log. The darn thing is just "THERE" and I still feel a fat squirrel walking on it can make the whole kit and caboodle snap. This honestly worries me. Verizon is very foolish to leave a branch of this magnitude hanging there... especially with that exposed wire. THEN again, it is a utility. When have they ever been really rationale. That is, unless they want their payment. Then the deadline is a RIGHT NOW. :)

The Tree: Part 2

This first picture with this grouping is the actual split in the tree. I took this picture with a zoom feature on the camera. I was several hundred feet away since BG&E had not cleared the tree yet (no power lines difficulties). It is now almost 20 hours later. BG&E still hasn't cleared it.









This next picture is of the "line" that is stuck in the tree. We "THINK" that it is a phone wire. However, even phone wires can have electrical connections. So, the power company STILL needs to participate.









This third picture is of the yard. The tree came down in the storm last night (around midnight). As I said earlier, the green car next to the tree is my car. I am delighted it didn't knock the tree the other way. But, just to be safe, Stephen moved my car WAY out of there. By the way, in this picture, you can see our attempt at growing grass. There is a grass line with new versus old grass in front of that railroad tie.







This picture is to show exactly HOW close it came to the house. That window in front of the tree is where my Father In Law has all his "stuff". It is the room he feels the safest in. There is less than 2 ft. from the tree and the house.









Another shot of the split in the tree. I wanted to get the picture to people how big a split this was. Jane had warned the phone company for years that that tree was a hazard. They wouldn't do anything until the line came down. Well... still been almost 20 hours... WHERE ARE YOU??? You can also see my car just behind the tree again.








Between when I took this picture and now, the split has become more defined and the tree branch is closer to the ground. We, luckily, still have power, phone, and cable. I keep saying that, one overweight squirrel and we are toast, though.

The Tree: Part 1

When I got up this morning, I was met by my mother in law stating that she "had a surprise for me". She took me outside and showed me the tree branch. That green car by the tree??? MINE! It wasn't hurt a bit.

Welllllll?????????

Welllll..... I start Monday! :) Bought work boots and gloves for work within an hour of being hired. WOOOHOOO!

BACK!

Just got back from my second interview. Went well. Have third interview tomorrow at 2. :)

Well... Interview Time!

Today is my call back for UPS. I have to say I am a little bit nervous. I haven't been on a non-educational interview since my first year of teaching ended (other than last week). Last week, I had direction of what to wear. Today, I have NO clue. I think I will wear a nice polo shirt and khakis again. It worked well last week. Wish me luck.

Anyway... yesterday was our "family" gathering to celebrate my birthday. All-in-all, it went well. The only "glitch" in the thing was that my husband's grandmother, being the kind soul that she is, brought lemon cookies and two bite brownies. I only had some of the lemon cookies (and I thought they were great). But, my brother in law wasn't fond of either of the items. Some things got said that made my husband's grandmother sad. I made it a point to tell her how much I liked the lemon cookies.

We also had time to sit down and watch my new favorite movie, Keeping Mum. It is a dark comedy from the Brits. Great movie... but rated R for language and nudity.

I also received three great gifts. I got a copy of Flogging Molly's latest CD from my sister in law, and a cat pillow/picture frame from my niece. Cool, huh? :)

If all goes well, I'll try to blog again when I get home from the interview. Blogcentral OUT!