Fantastically Sick

When I was pregnant I was almost never sick.  I had heard that pregnant women have weakened immune systems and are thus more likely to get sick. On top of that, you're not really allowed to medicate your symptoms when you're pregnant because most drugs can affect the baby (or there's not enough evidence to prove that they're safe.)

But that was not the case for me. I actually feel like my immune system was stronger when I was pregnant.  I never had a single full-blown illness during my pregnancy.  I would start feeling symptoms coming on, and then within a day or two they were gone.  I had a couple of horrible migraines during my pregnancy but they were SO much fewer than before I was pregnant.  Fortunately - knock on wood - I haven't had a migraine since EH was born.  A good thing, since I'm not allowed to take my prescription migraine medicine while breastfeeding.

In any case, all of that luck - since that is what I believe it was - is over.  I  am sick.  Sooooo sick.  So sick that I cannot remember a time when my throat and ears hurt as bad as they do right now.  It feels like I'm swallowing thumb tacks every single time I swallow.  In addition to that pain, but ears give a painful pop with every swallow and I haven't been able to hear well out of my right ear since Saturday.

I went to the doctor yesterday and while she thought for sure that I had strep throat based on looking at it, the "fast results" test came back negative.  They're sending it "the lab" for confirmation on that.  I could have the flu or perhaps rhumatic fever (not even sure what that is) but whatever I have, there's not much they can do for it.  I was sent home with instructions to get plenty of rest, stay hydrated, and take ibuprofen for my throat pain.  Stupid ibuprofen doesn't even make the tiniest notch in my throat pain - I have been taking 3 every 4 hours and I swear it's doing absolutely not good. (So, I guess I should probably stop taking them.)  They're supposed to call me tomorrow.

Anyway, I left work at noon today, using a 1/2 vacation day as a sick day because I just couldn't continue to function.  It hurts to talk and talking is a big part of my job.  I don't want to take off again tomorrow though, so I might so in and see what I can do about eliminating most - if not all - of my need to talk for most of the day, and work on other things, like some of my reports and budgets.  We'll see. 

I really hope that EH and DH do not get whatever I have.  I am miserable. More miserable than I have been in a long time.  Sometimes the mere act of swallowing makes me want to cry, the pain is that bad.  I can't imagine a baby having to deal with this level of throat pain.  He's still on antibiotics until tomorrow, so hopefully those are helping to ward off anything that might be floating around and contagious.

I just hope I start feeling better soon.  I was definitely taking my health for granted, and I am now reminded that being sick sucks.