So the doctor’s office finally called Friday afternoon with the results from my lab tests from Monday, and from my blood test on Thursday (to check my potassium level). My potassium was improved but still low, so she prescribed another round of potassium supplements.
The labs showed that I do NOT have worms or giardia or coccidia, thank you very much for those of you who guessed that (Fred was predicting giardia), but that there were a whole load of white blood cells present in, y’know. The items. That I dropped off. At the lab. For testing. Don’t make me say it, we don’t need to be talking in detail about that stuff so early in the morning, so early in the week, right?
The nurse asked if things were improved, and I told her “improved some, but not all the way”, and she conferred with the doctor, who put me on an antibiotic and wants the nurse to schedule me with a gastroenterologist. The nurse should be calling today to make those arrangements.
Saturday morning, late, I picked up my antibiotic and potassium supplements, and I took my first antibiotic Saturday night.
“This might make you just a wee bit dizzy,” the label warned me.
Well. That antibiotic didn’t make me dizzy – it knocked me for a fucking loop. We sat down to watch TV around 5:30 that evening, and I stayed awake during the first show, but I dozed through about half the second show. Then we got Clash of the Titans on Pay Per View, and I was maybe awake for ten minutes total of the movie. I’d wake up, squint at the screen, and Fred would say “You’re going to be up all night!” and I’d grunt and shift around a little, and go back to sleep.
When the movie was over, we did our usual bedtime stuff downstairs, then went upstairs and hung out with the kittens, and we went to bed to talk – as we do every night – and I could barely keep my eyes open. Fred went off to his room after about ten minutes, and I fell asleep and slept like a baby through the night.
My Sunday morning dose of the antibiotic still didn’t make me dizzy, but it gave me a bit of a buzz. I swear to god, I’ve never had antibiotics have this sort of effect on me, but it’s a pretty strong one that I’m pretty sure I’ve never taken before. (Do you note that I’m not telling y’all exactly which antibiotic it is so you can’t tell me I shouldn’t be taking it because your cousin’s husband’s sister’s friend’s nephew took that exact antibiotic and died the next day? Let’s just say that if I get a case of anthrax in the next week, I should be all set.) I double-checked the informational sheet I got with the antibiotic, and one of the cautionary points it lists is “if dizziness occurs, drive with caution.”
You’d think they’d tell me not to drive at all, wouldn’t you?
The biggest pain in the ass with this antibiotic is that I can’t take a multi-vitamin or iron 6 hours before or 2 hours after I take the antibiotic, so there’s this whole thing where I take the antibiotic, set the timer for 2 hours so I can take my multi-vitamins and such. Then set the timer for 6 hours so I know when it’s safe to take my evening antibiotic, then another 2 hours before I can take my evening probiotic and magnesium.
Today, two weeks after the first onset of the symptoms of whatever the fuck I had, I feel just about 100% better (if a little bit buzzed from the antibiotic). In total, I lost 16 pounds at my lowest point, and I’ve gained back 10 pounds since the middle of last week. Thursday I ate, in total, one bagel and two cups of Gatorade, and the next morning I was up three pounds. I know it’s all water weight, and I know I’m going to gain back to my starting point and I’m okay with that, but it is still MADDENING to gain three pounds on a bagel and some Gatorade.
I still haven’t gone back to Diet Coke yet. Not that I don’t want to – believe me, I do! – but another of the cautionary points on the sheet of information I got with the antibiotic is that I should avoid caffeine. I’m doing okay with water and Gatorade and the occasional cup of orange juice for now, so I guess I can wait.
Stay alive, my beloved Diet Coke! You stay alive, no matter what occurs! I will find you. No matter how long it takes, no matter how far, I will find you.
The MMMs and Dodger will probably be going this week to be spayed and neutered. Actually, Moxie’s already spayed, so just Melodie, Martin, and Dodger need to be done. They’ve all been well over two pounds for more than a few weeks, but there’s no rush due to the slowdown of adoptions, so I decided it wouldn’t hurt to wait.
They’re having a good time with the run of the upstairs. Most of the time when I go up to hang out with them, they’re in various places in my room. Martin and Moxie really like to hang out on my bed, Dodger likes the little kitty condo near my bed, and usually Melodie goes running when she hears me coming up the stairs, but comes out pretty quickly from her hiding place in the bathroom.
Moxie in the window.
I think maybe her eye color changes with her moods. Sometimes they look this pretty golden brownish color, and other times they’re gorgeously orange.
Martin and Melodie battle it out.
The Bookworms were hanging out in the back yard with me. Suddenly, the meter reader went tromping through the side yard and scared the heck out of them. Bolitar went and hid beside the steps and kept an eye on him.
SOMEONE’s super-annoyed by the fact that he was trying to sneak out the door and found that I was already out there, yelling at him to get his butt back inside.
“What? I’m trying to fold this laundry, lady.”
Spanky’s already annoyed by me and the camera, and I’ve only taken one picture of him!
Previously
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: Jessica Simpson, if I want to see you doing the Tush Push for an entire song, I will go out and buy Nick & Jessica porn that your father will SURELY be flogging any day now.
2004: “SOMEWHERE WHERE I CAN GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM THE SOUND OF THAT TELEVISION!” I bellowed.
2003: Sometimes.
2002: Basically, I’m just a freak.
2001: Now I’ll never know if Lance was going to put the moves on me!
2000: Insects are invading our house at an alarming rate.