I was back "home" in Virginia and anxiously awaiting the New Year's Day match-up between Tech and Cincinnati (UC). My close friend Cris was having a party and I was ready to celebrate. Unfortunately, I began feeling sick with flu-like symptoms but nothing really developed into anything. I went to the party and UC tanked. After watching the first half and feeling lousy, I went home. I returned to work on Friday, still feeling horrible. Over the weekend, I had a very high fever - something really unusual for me. By Monday I knew I was sick - flu? I got an appointment with my doctor. She drew blood and told me to rest. The next day she called in the early evening to tell me to go immediately to the ER - I had sepsis (blood infection). After hours in the ER I was finally admitted and started on major antibiotics. Here I was again in the same hospital as August, seeing the same doctors. After 12 days, I was finally well enough to go home. Back to work for me...
I had such a hard time performing my job but had to keep going. My next adventure followed a routine blood draw to make sure that the infection was gone. I received a cell call from my doctor telling me to go to the ER for blood work as the lab said that my white blood count was dangerously low. Again, I returned to the ER and spent hours waiting, knowing I was going to be admitted. Finally I was given a room and moved from the ER. Again, the same familiar doctors were treating me. I was receiving numerous antibiotics via IV. On Super Bowl Sunday, I vividly remember feeling "itchy" all over. I was not alarmed. About half way through, I felt different and contacted my nurse. With the lights on, I realized I was covered with a red rash and my body was swollen to twice my normal size. After numerous calls, the doctors responded and began efforts to control the reaction I was having to something. I was given extremely high doses of steroids. It took almost a week for the rash to subside and my body to reduce in size. When I was being discharged I put on my jeans and my legs barely fit in them! I also noticed that my hair was falling out.
Being home meant back to work. Yet again I returned to work without anytime off. After 3 weeks of no hospitalizations, I was feeling pretty confident. I went for my routine doctor's appointment. My doctor was concerned since the swelling in my legs had never subsided and she was concerned that I could have a blood clot, so back to the hospital. This time I was only in 3 days!!! I had driven to the hospital and parked in long-term parking so on discharge, I had the shuttle van drive me to my car so I could drive home - rather strange.
I finally felt that I was really getting better. I felt stronger by each day but really wanted all of my doctors to have a conference call so that my primary care doctor could manage my care with all of the specialists input. I received a call on Friday, April 10 telling me that the conference had taken place and all of the doctors agreed with my treatment plan. I vividly remember telling my doctor that I finally felt like my old self.....
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