Well, that was SO not how I planned it

I spent last Friday in the ER....  WOW.  So not how I planned my Friday at all.  I called my primary care physician on Friday morning to get an appointment, because I thought I had a sinus infection.  My throat had been hurting all week, and at first I thought it was just a cold coming on.  But then it got to the point where I could barely swallow and drink.  Well, my quack of a PCP closes early on Fridays.  SERIOUSLY?!?  WTH!  I wish I could close early each and every Friday, just because it is Friday.  Anyway, I told them what was wrong, and all they could tell me was that he couldn't see me until Monday.  Yeah, that was not acceptable.  So I called Tricare...  which, although they have been good for my children, I don't always get the same answer twice.  Anyway, I wanted to see if I could go to urgent care without being charged.  I mean what's the point of having insurance, if they won't cover your medical procedures, right?

So, luckily, Tricare had instituted a policy that we have up to 4 times a year to visit an urgent care facility in our home towns.  PHEW!  So I literally hopped into my car, leaving the TV on, and my breakfast on the table, and drove on over.  I was seen pretty quickly by the doctor there, who then told me that he was sending me to the ER.  What I had was not a sinus infection, but in fact, he thought (from only looking and feeling my glands) I had an abscess on my tonsil.  My mouth and tonsil were so swollen, I think I surprised him that I was able to breathe.  So, again I hopped in my car and drove over to the ER.  I was seen pretty quickly there too.  And finally got SOME relief.  They gave me a steroid to help with the swelling... this was the first steroid I think I've ever gotten (at least that I remember).  They hooked me up to an IV for fluids, because I couldn't eat or drink.... gave me some antibiotic and the kicker, I got morphine.  WOW!  That was a ride.  I've never had morphine before Friday.  The nurse was laughing at me.... I was happy that I was lying down when I got it!  It made my head spin. 

So I slept off and on for a bit... finished the bag of IV fluids, felt a little better.  And then got to experience a CAT scan for the first time.  Friday was a day of firsts for me.  They wanted to make sure that the abscess was on my tonsil, and it wasn't just something that could have been fixed with antibiotics.  So...  had that procedure, and back to my room in the ER.  The doctor came in and confirmed that I did in fact have that abscess and it needed to be drained.  They called a local ENT, and got me in there.  What a fun day.... so I hopped again in my car, and drove over there... I probably could have walked, but I wanted to have my car out front of the building.

The ENT was very nice, but the procedure was VERY painful.  I first was sprayed with a numbing spray that was supposed to taste like bananas... yeah, that's no banana I've ever tasted.  It literally made me choke.  He was laughing at me, because of it.  And his nurse was funny... she asked if I wanted more.  Umm... no thank you!  Then she said, "That didn't taste like banana huh?"  She knew sure as $H*T that it didn't.  Anyway, got the local and got the procedure done.  Thank goodness, because even though the procedure hurt like a you know what.... I had relief!  PHEW!  I still hurt the next day, but they gave me pain killers and antibiotics, and I was on my way.  And today, I am happy to say that (knock on wood) I haven't had to take any pain killers!  WAHOO!!!! I'm still not 100%, but I'll take it... at least I can eat and drink somewhat normally. 

I am usually not a person who runs to the doctor for every little ailment, but this girl has learned her lesson.  Although we caught it early, I will take things a little more seriously, with my own health, from now on.  With my children's healths, I always take it SUPER seriously.

It's been an interesting and I guess you could say, exciting two weeks for us.  Little man had his ear drum burst, and we have a referral to an ENT for him to see about tubes.  Fun times.  But I would much rather get it fixed now... than wait and have serious complications later on.