Where I have been...

It would be fun to say Japan.  Or perhaps Australia.  Or even to some favorite shops here in Black Mountain or Asheville, NC.  Sigh.  I've been to the doctor's office again.

Last Thursday I patiently awaited the medical records of our hospital to be sent from my visit THREE WEEKS prior to my doctor's appointment.  They never arrived.

So my doctor again took blood and got a pee-test.  I'd also had blood drawn by his office the day I went to the emergency room.  He apparently didn't like his own results.  Of course there were more things done to my blood at the hospital.

But for 2 months I've been experiencing extreme tiredness and fevers and chills, and some lung-related chest pains. (I did spend 3 days hospitalized with Pneumonia in early November.)

I'd even been asked by the ER doctor to keep a journal of the fevers and other symptoms.  So I read off the 3 weeks of results to my own doctor last Thursday, and he entered them into his chart.  But he didn't know what I had.  Since twice in that 3 weeks I'd actually felt good, almost normal, he said I'm getting better.

I contradicted him.  I'd just concluded that I was getting worse before I'd get better.

Since I've spent most of my time horizontal, I have no stamina for standing, walking or even sitting.  I haven't done any housework.  There's a pile of bedding on the floor waiting till I have energy to haul it to the laundry across the parking lot from my building. 

I was so grateful last week to have a friend from church volunteer when I asked for a ride to the doctor's office over 20 miles away.  I didn't think I would have the stamina to drive there and back.

I've run out of silverware and dishes because standing over the sink is so overwhelming to me.  As a potter, I've got more kinds of dishes on shelves, so I'll probably never run out of them.  And for some reason (am I a hoarder?) I have a small collection of plastic-ware forks and spoons.  (I've just about used them all up however!)

Today's early morning doctor's visit finally had the ER blood work results.  The doctor said I had negative results from his test for Mono. There was only a small possibility of a Urinary Tract Infection, which I've had no symptoms for, so we're not treating that.

He didn't have the results back yet for the test of Lyme Disease...but will call me if that is positive.  When I asked about the treatment for it, he said it's the same antibiotic which I just took for 10 days...which his Nurse Practitioner prescribed on the day she sent me first for a chest X-ray and then to ER.

I also have had some nausea, and lack of appetite.  Cooking has not been something I felt like doing, so I've been eating pretty light, except when I go pick up a meal and spread it over several meals.

The doctor said I have a "Mysterious Virus."

I just about jumped on him.  "What do you mean, 'Mysterious Virus?'"

He said, "There are a lot of viruses in a cluster similar to Mono, and it looks like this is one of those.  There are so many they haven't got names, or have been studied yet. Of course we'll see if the Lyme test is positive.  In the meantime, you're doing the right things to get better.  Rest, do as much as you feel like. Let me know if anything suddenly changes. I'll call you with the results of the Lyme test."

So I posted on Facebook that I've got my very own Mysterious Virus.  I even named it after myself. 
"Mysterious Barbara's Virus, MBV." Why not?