The wonders of modern medicine

[SmartWombat]

Three days before our departure from Las Vegas, Angie got sick but didn't tell me, oh no. So after driving her to the Grand Canyon and collapsing into the hotel room to rest a bit, I didn't know I was next.
I spent the two days of our trip to GC in bed. Shivering, sweating, shaking, coughing, the works. I didn't get to see the canyon in the snow. Then Angie had to pack the car and drive back to Vegas because I was just capable of walking.
Another day of bed rest back in Vegas while Angie did the packing and then finally the flight home. Terrible. I just soaked the eye mask in water to stop the burning and sat as still as possible. At least I was spared airline food because I couldn't smell or taste anything, all I had was hot and cold things of various squidgy textures.
I really don't know how I managed the luggage cart through the airport except I could lean on it I suppose.

Turns out it was atypical pneumonia. See? Mine was special, not ordinary boring typical pneumonia
Or as Angie told me, walking pneumonia. Not that the Dr told me. He just prescribed a double dose of the extra strong antibiotics, and an inhaler; and then sent me for a chest X-ray because I'd been coughing up blood.

Well I've had the whole range of side effects. Aren't antibiotics wonderful?
"... can sometimes cause ..." feeling sick (yep), vomiting (yes), stomach pain (no), indigestion (no) or diarrhoea (oh yes).
"... may also experience " numbness (yes) or 'pins and needles' (no). Headache (yes), joint pain (yes) or muscle pain (yes) "... have been reported."

"Some people ..." notice a funny taste in their mouth (me), or a change in their sense of taste and smell (yep).

"There have also been some reports of ... " dizziness (yes), loss of bearings (no), ringing in the ears (yes), difficulty sleeping (yes), bad dreams (yes). "... are usually short-lived."

I almost have the whole set
But I suppose it is better than fighting off the pneumonia unaided.

I'm back to bed now, "see" you all next week I hope.

[freygr]

All I can say is get well and good luck.

[Frog]

Been several years since I've been that sick and never had that range of side effects from anti-biotics thank God!
The traveling must have been horrid, especially when you had to walk.
My prayers for your quick recovery!

[photophorous]

What terrible timing. I hope you feel better soon. I got sick on vacation once and had to take a relatively short flight and it was awful. I can't imagine having to fly all the way accross the ocean.

[gahspidy]

Feeling out like that is the worst. I had alot of those symptoms from strong doses of anti-biotics (been a long , long time since I had any anti bio) but found that high fevers usually gave me the bad dreams. Feel better and sweat it out. thats what I always do. Lots of clothes and blankets until I finally break out in sweat and the fever breaks open.
Best to you.

[another view]

I can't imagine a flight halfway around the world while being that sick. Hope you recover quickly!

[mn shutterbug]

PAul, you have my sympathy. What a nasty way to end a vacation. I sincerely hope you get well very quickly.

[brmill26]

Wow, that's horrible; I can't imagine flying feeling like that. At least you're at home now; get well soon.

[opus]

ooh, what to do when in a foreign country and you get sick? Good question, one I faced a couple of times in London. I thought I had strep throat one year, but I didn't know how to go to the doctor over there in the UK.

So I went and got acupuncture, for the sole reason that I could just walk into the place, pay my money, and get treated.

Made me feel pretty darn good, too. My illness wasn't necessarily shortened, and my wallet got considerably lighter, but I sure felt at peace with the world after each treatment! I'd do it again.


So sorry to hear your vacation was ruined with illness. Terrible, uncomfortable illness. Any chance you'll get back here again anytime soon? Or was that your *only chance* for the next couple of years?

[SmartWombat]

Hm, probably I'm mad enough to get back for PMA 09
And have another go at a national park, though John is persuading me to go to Zion.

Next time though, I might take antibiotics with me as a precaution.
The flight usually dries me out and leaves me open to infection.

But next time there probably won't be someone about 5-8 rows behind us coughing his lungs up on the outbound flight. I know recognise that cough