One thing I have learned with this disease....never assume. Never get complacent while your symptoms are in remission because you never know when they are going to rear up and bite you in the tush. This week for example. I had many things to tick off my to do list. By Monday afternoon, I had our bread baked (and somehow managed to break the glass plate in our microwave, go me!) but I started to feel quite blah. By 2 I was on the couch, by 2:15 I was shaking with a headache and a fever and by 2:45 I called my husband home. By 5 I was in the hospital getting my 8th spinal tap of the last 10 months. My temp was at 103. The nausea and vomiting began. Sure enough, meningitis strikes back...AGAIN. This was my 5th bout since mid December. I was moved into an ICU room by 11 and there began the round of wake ups for neuro and vital checks. The biggest blessing with this stint of meningitis was that it didn't seem to affect my brain as much. What a blessing! I always knew who I was and where I was at all times.
I was in ICU until Wednesday and then moved to a "general population" room as I like to call it where they could stop wearing the gowns and masks. The MRI was pretty unpleasant. About half way through I was sure I was going to be ill so I made them stop. I really dislike MRI's under the best of circumstances but when you are coping with nausea and headaches from meningitis as well as a headache from the spinal tap, it's no walk in the park.
The two best things about being ill is all the prayers & love that pour out to us from family, friends and our church family, as well as the lovely visitors I get in the hospital and at home afterwards. This time around an old old old (yep David, you are OLD!) friend came up to visit whom I haven't seen in years. He came bearing chocolate ice cream! :)
Tuesday had been miserable with headaches and pains. By Wednesday night I was able to wean off all of the pain meds which is wonderful. Thursday morning I was raring to go and the doctors were so surprised (this what happens when they give you intravenous steroids that would make a football player happy) but they released me!
Now the recovery journey begins. Building up my energy, getting back into sleeping at home without hospital wake ups but with other distractions like husbands and dogs, learning to take it easy (which, ask anyone who knows me, that does NOT come easy to me) and to just relax.
I'm looking forward to a weekend of nothingness. I'm knitting my boy a hat, and will work on some other projects that only require me to sit on my rear and relax. I am hoping next week I can start to (SLOWLY...so don't yell yet Lea) get back into the swing of things. Here's to hoping we can keep the meningitis at bay......
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