A Memorial Day Weekend to Forget

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First off, I want to send a quick shout to all the US troops out there which includes family members and friends. I also express my condolences to the families that have lost loved ones who fought for this country.

This weekend for me was nothing but pure hell. For weeks my allergies have been killing me, but Friday night I got hit with the works.

– migraine headache
– ears ringing
– neck pain
– swollen, scratchy throat that felt tight
– ice cold chills
– constant sweating
– chest discomfort
– difficulty breathing
– body aching and weird pains all over
– sinus and nasal congestion… lot of throat clearing, but no phlegm
-… and ummmm other stuff I won’t go into detail about

Anyway, I did what most folks would do under the circumstances. I started drinking lots of fluids. Saturday morning came around and I could barely talk without pain. Wife went to get her hair done, so after she left I ran the customary Saturday errands to the Amish Market, Costco, etc. The weather was awesome outside, but I was freezing. I mean goosebumps all over. Around 3pm I realized that I couldn’t survive any longer, so I drove back home and got in the bed. But before I did I took some Tussin, popped a few Hauls lozenges and took a Percocet. When I woke back up the Celtics-Pistons game was starting and I felt no different. The wife was kind enough to fix me some tea upon her return home and after celebrating the Celtics victory, I fell back into a deep sleep.

Sunday morning was worse. But again I attempted to nuke the ills out of me with hot tea, juices and water and some Alka Seltzer Cough & Cold. I was so bad that I didn’t even go to church. Now I’m not one for missing church. In fact, I enjoy the services and have been very active with the youth over the past few weeks. However, I couldn’t do it. Pretty much the same as Saturday. I laid in the bed the majority of the day. Wife was kind enough to hit the grocery store and replenish the liquids I had devoured in just 24 hours.

Monday morning hits. I opened my eyes and finally gave in. I was going to the hospital. I mean, I literally sweat through at least 6 sets of t-shirts and basketball shorts and was up to at least 4 showers a day trying to stay warm. I informed her of my decision and off we went to the VA Hospital. Ya know… for Veterans. You better believe that if given the choice I would never go to any other ER in the MD/DC area. I’ve always been treated with care by the VA Medical Center for health issues once my time spent in the Navy was complete. I was not about to spend 3 hours in nobody’s waiting room at PG, Laurel or Wash Hosp Center. Nope, the kid wasn’t going for that. The minute I walk into the door, they take my VA ID card and take my vitals within 5 minutes. From there I’m whisked away to a bed in a backroom where I donated blood for lab work, took chest x-rays and was poked and prodded by the nurses for a while. I ended up spending pretty much my entire day IV’d and drugged up. I mean they had two bags of phosphate solution going into my arm.

What’s funny is that in mid sleep, I caught a glimpse of my wife coming towards my room. Seems that one of the old Vets was talking a hole in her head while she was trying to read and she decided to vacate the premises. What’s even funnier is that that same dude had been outside my room about 20 minutes earlier talking the same nonsense. I had to briefly explain to her how old school Vets get in waiting rooms… they love to talk. Plain and simple. They talk about any and everything. So she decided to keep me company in my room and critique everything from the smell of the room to the nurses to me face looking grizzly from lack of shaving. That what wives do I suppose. Here it was Memorial Day, a day to commemorate the Veterans and where was I… the VA Hospital.

Doc comes back, looks at my wife and says “Why is your husband moaning like this when he has such a lovely wife?” If I could’ve sat up long enough to give him the “Yeaaaaah aiiiiight playa” look, I would’ve. I do have a beautiful wife though. Besides keeping me company all those hours in the ER, she even made some burgers and hotdogs when we finally got home since my sick behind couldn’t make it to any cookouts. Thanks baby! I didn’t even get to take my nieces to the park as I had planned. I’ll make it up to them though. Now If you wondered whether I was really moaning like a big baby in that hospital bed, yep I sure was. I was in a ton of pain. Doc finally tells me that I have a respiratory infection. Turns out that my severe allergies were a lot mor than I ever realized. I’m given some Cipro, some Tylenol 3 and sent home on 3 days bedrest. That means, no work and lots of judge shows. It also means that at 1 o’clock in the morning I’m wide awake. I’ve slept more than half the day on meds and what not. Now I can’t sleep. Amazingly what will I be missing tomorrow at the office you ask? Our annual yearly Health & Fitness day. *shakes head*

I’m gone… Pray for a brotha. I got meds, but I’m far from 100%…

Peace-N-Love

G. Mo

4 thoughts on “A Memorial Day Weekend to Forget”

  1. Aw. Feel better soon, I’m sure. I have such a ‘suck it up’ attitude when it comes to being sick I wouldn’t earn any wife of the year award (for that department). When MP (my husband, Mr. Proactiff) gets sick he usually fights it off with plenty of rest (read: doesn’t bother me for ish). I do, however, bring hot and cold fluids to his bedside. Then, I get as far away from the sick room as I can. Yet when I’m sick I’m still fending for a spouse and three kids. So not fair. Guess that’s why I say ‘suck it up’!

  2. feel better soon homie!!! I know exactly how you are feeling.. after going through that about a month ago.. I tell ya.. the worst thing they did was make allergy meds OTC.. cause they don’t work as well 🙁

  3. definitely hope you feel better soon….those respiratory infections ain’t no joke…so i really hope you take the dr advice and just relax…

    and YES old vets LOVE To talk! my late granddaddy and MY Daddy-BOTH vets and both can run it down!

    feel better!

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