Influenza, anyone?

I woke up on Monday to find myself feeling not so great. After realizing that it wasn't your typical "morning sickness", I curled up on the couch and hoped that it would pass soon. I knew something was not right when I started to get light headed and short of breath. A few times, I thought that I might pass out. I was so weak, I couldn't even pick up the kids. I spent my time between the bathroom and couch.

I had an ultrasound scheduled that I didn't want to miss, so I mustered up enough strength to get myself and the kids dressed. (Don't worry- it only took me 1 1/2 hrs) I then loaded them in the car, barely, and said a prayer. I didn't ask to feel better, but to help me not crash the car on the way to the hospital. My dear sister got to the hospital and took the kids, and I slowly made my way up to get the ultrasound. The baby is great, and getting bigger. I am still in shock that I have a baby growing inside of me, so seeing the baby on the screen helped.

When the doctor came in to go over the ultrasound, she asked how I was feeling. I told her not well. I explained that I had been throwing up all morning and now felt really weak. I was short of breath at that point and when I took my heart rate, it was at 120 bpm- after laying still for 20 minutes on the table. She quickly did another scan and said that she thought I had the flu and I should probably get checked out. She left to call my midwife, so I curled up in a ball on the table and nearly fell asleep. She came back to say that I needed to go the ER to get examined b/c of my fast heart rate, shortness of breath and possible dehydration.

Once I got to the ER and into a room, I just sat in the wheelchair- too weak to even get up in the bed. The doctor came in and asked a million questions. I could hardly keep my head up so he left and sent the nurse in to get me started. She helped me into bed where I got changed, she drew 4 vials of blood, started the IV, and then got me a warm blanket to cover me. I was then wheeled down to x-ray to see if anything was wrong with my lungs. After that, I crawled back into the bed, asked for another blanket and said that I was nauseous. The nurse came back and gave me some anti-nausea medicine in my IV, and then brought back some morphine b/c of the pain I was in from being so achy. I was hooked back up to the heart monitor and BP cuff and pulse/oxygen level. After that, a man came in and sucked out some snot out of my nose to check for infection. I laid back in the bed, wanted another blanket as I was shivering from being so cold. At some point, the nurse changed the bag of fluids and helped me get up to go potty for a urine sample. The doctor came back and said that I had Influenza Type A, which is viral- so NO meds for me to feel better. There is a medicine that will shorten the duration of time you have the symptoms, but since I am pregnant, I couldn't take it. By now, Scott had been in and out with the kids and had been given some tylenol to bring down my fever. Once I had finished the 2nd bag of IV fluids, they discharged me with some prescriptions for more anti-nausea meds and pain killers.

Although I don't feel like I did on Monday, I am still feeling weak and am now pretty congested. I am praying that this doesn't go to pneumonia (I guess there is a chance...) and that I can get on with life. I have done nothing but lay on the couch for 2 days with Duncan and Carrie on the other couch. Scott has been so wonderful to help out in picking the house up at night when he gets home from a long day at work. I have now eaten my 2nd full meal since Sunday night- and haven't thrown anyting up.

I don't think I have ever felt so sick before in my life! I would have rather been in labor on Monday, then felt how I did. I hope that none of you have to experience what I did, as it just plain sucked! Well, I am off to making Carrie a sandwich. Hopefully I don't get too winded from the task! :)