Getting sick for me is just not an option. Even if it means being patient zero of the zombie apocalypse.
It’s not that I’m an indestructible machine, but just that I rarely, if ever, fall ill. So getting sick to the point that I broke down and had to get my ass to the emergency room was quite a different experience for me. It’s not too often that I admit defeat, and as with my stubborn nature I kind of refuse to take pills and concoctions for every sniffle, fever, cough, ache, and pain. Damn, have you seen all those drug commercials lately with all those crazy side effects. Uncontrollable explosive diarrhea, third eyeballs, webbed fingers, and anal leakage just don’t sound too appealing when looking for a cure. Nope.
I don’t even go to a doctor that often even though I know I am way overdue for a physical. Just a normal pig-headed man, and I give my gal a lot of credit for putting up with me at times. So on Sunday afternoon when I poked my head into the bedroom while she was on the phone with her mom and announced that we had better hit the ER she knew it was serious business. We grabbed a few things, made sure I had my health care insurance card, and jumped into a taxi.
Now let’s make something perfectly clear here. I’m not one of those guys who succumbs to having “man flu” and becomes an infantile whiny baby when a little sniffle shows up. No, that’s not my style. Even recently when I ran the Urban Mudder I did it with torn up shoulders and tendonitis in both elbows due to overtraining getting ready for it. Yet, I did not say a word or complain. I just ignored it and worked through it. So when it got to the point that after three days of coughing, not sleeping, and alternating burning fever and freezing chills I just could not ignore it anymore. I could not walk straight from dizziness, my eyes were glazed over, drenched in sweat, and I was ashen colored. Pretty much I had turned into one of the zombies on The Walking Dead. Not like the rotting flesh and snarling “Walkers” seen on the original series, but more like the freshly dead “Infected” on the new spinoff Fear The Walking Dead.
Pretty much I felt like patient zero as I entered the ER. I do have to say that here in NYC the Lenox Hill Hospital emergency room was terrific. Got me in quick and onto a bed within minutes. Good timing too as I was burning up with a 104 temp. Terrific staff on hand that night from the doctor on duty to the nurses who generally ran the show. Mine also had a good sense of humor which came in handy when I passed out. Then when I could not pee for a urine test and she threatened the catherize me. Yikes! Let’s just say after she gave me a bucket of water and gulped it down I willed myself to start flowing like a river. This after having two bags of fluids also IV’d into my arm. No way was a tube being shoved up my wing-wong! Pee Dammit Pee!
Well, let just say that I won’t be gnawing on human flesh anytime soon. Turns out I had a bad case of Walking Pneumonia. Not fun stuff at all. They put another IV into me full of antibiotics that takes almost two hours to administer. After asking why it takes so long I was told because it can cause deafness if done to quickly. Woah! Not a good side effect. While this was going on we had to listen to the poor guy next to us projectile vomit repeatedly. So glad there was a curtain between us. Suffice to say they still deemed me young and healthy so there was no reason to keep me in the hospital. Not much you can do for it. It’s basically a bacterial infection in the lungs. Could have picked it up anywhere. Like the flu bug. Fluids, rest, and take an antibiotic pill for five days. I feel 100% better already. Feel like a new man.
Also, I have to say thank God I have good health care. My co-pay for the ER visit was $100. I can’t wait to get the itemized statement listing what everything really costs – chest x-rays, Tylenol pills, the IV’s, antibiotics, blood work, urinalysis, etc, as I bet it will be well over $1000. It’s crazy how much health care costs nowadays. People can bitch and complain about Obamacare, and I don’t talk too much politics, but I’m a firm believer that everyone should have access to proper health care. It’s a human right and no one should go broke because they fall ill. It’s just crazy how much it costs to see a doctor or need a hospital visit.
Well, except the Walking Dead. Those people are too far gone to care. They would eat the healthcare staff down to the bone. So yeah, charge them full price. Not like it matters to them. I was close to being one of the infected, Patient Zero, and even had the groans and zombie shuffle walk down to a T. Glad I survived and back in the real world.
Almost forgot. The admissions desk asked if I had been in contact with anyone who had Ebola…….
Ohmigosh, Phil, let me first say that I’m glad you received good care and on your way to healing. I’ve had walking pneumonia, so please make sure you get plenty of REST. It took me two to three weeks after I started taking the antibiotics to feel like my old self because I was so tired. Pneumonia will try to suck the life out of you.
Your story gives me flashbacks. I had two weeks of hell about seven years ago. The first week I thought I had the flu (puking, sweating, extreme chills, and a please-kill-me-now headache) and the walk-in clinic doctor (on his first day there) confirmed it. “Oh, you’ll be fine in a few days.” Yeah, well in a few days, I first called my co-worker and balled over the phone about how awful I felt, then I called my husband and told him to get his butt home and take me to the ER. Thankfully, I had a doctor who confirmed pneumonia after an X-ray and peeing in the bottle. I didn’t have your issue, I pee easily no matter what. I know, TMI. Anyhow, after an IV, a horse pill ibuprofen and a prescription for antibiotics, I felt tons better. The bill came later and was around $2,000. I have insurance too 🙂
Again, Phil, please REST. You will need it. Don’t be going to the gym or working 10 hour days until you feel up to it. Instead, stay home, eat cake and watch lots of crappy daytime TV.
Hey Mary!
Yeah, walking pneumonia is no joke. Thanks for the well wishes. I caught it early so that is why I think I also knocked it out pretty quickly. I was feeling so much better after a week of antibiotic horse pills. Already back in the gym and feeling great.
Oh, and I just got my itemized bill from that day and it was over $6000! Thank god my insurance covered it all!
1. wing-wong. hahahahahaha
2. so glad you are feeling better
3. thank you for not being a whiny baby with the sniffles.
4. hope you made grannies soup!
Hey Mo!
I will be trying to make that soup over the winter. It’s too damn hot for me still to eat soup. I wish winter would come already.
Feeling back to my old self and it was pretty quick recovery. Drugs baby. That stuff works. Glad I went to the ER early and not waited. Oh, and so glad I have insurance or I would hav ebeen stuck with a $6000 bill!
Also, no, nothing is getting stuck up my wing wong!
So glad you’re feeling better, Phil. I’d hate to have to sic Carol on you!
Hey Jessica!
Thanks, feeling all fine and dandy now. Carol would have made me look at the flowers – and then you know what would happen then!
Always reassuring when they ask you about Ebola.
Glad to hear that you are on the mend. You’ll be back out there abusing your body in no time, I’m sure!
Hey Cassandra!
Yup – already back to abusing myself in the gym and at work. I recovered pretty quick. Not ebola! Thanks for the love.
Oh my gosh! Phil! Glad that you’re feeling better, but man that is scary! It’s a good thing your lady knows when to drag you to the ER.
Hey Chrissy!
Thanks! Yeah, I never get sick so I knew a trip to the ER was a must at that point. Feeling back to normal now because of the antiobiotics and resting a week, but I just can’t slow down. It’s just the way I am.
So happy you are feeling better Phil and resuming full recovery! Enjoy the Labor Day Weekend!
Hey Peggy!
Thanks for the well wishes. Yeah, I recovered in time for a terrific Labor Day weekend. Pool, BBQ, and some fun family time. Pneumonia is not fun!
Leave it to you to make Walking Pneumonia funny.
Seriously, though, I’m sorry you were that sick, but I’m glad you’re getting better and not sentenced to a life as the walking dead. I’m not sure I could read what kinds of meals you’d be posting about then . . .
Hey Karen!
Well, I had to laugh about it. Had to keep my spirits up as I hate getting sick and I hardly ever get sick. I felt like a Walker for a few days there. Good thing the ER had some great drugs to get me back to the land of the living. Thanks!
Take care of yourself,Phil. As others have commented, walking pneu can take a long time to get out of your system. Be a good boy and follow doctor’s orders!
Hey Patricia!
I will. Took it easy that week after my ER adventure, and made sure to take all my antibiotic prescription. I knocked it out pretty quickly considering how bad those first few days were. Now back to my normal crazy self!
I’m glad you’re on the mend! You know if I’d been in the ER and someone was vomiting anywhere near me I’d be doing the same, I can’t take that.
Hey Emily!
Thanks, and feeling so much better. Yeah, you experience all kinds of people and situations in an ER!
WOW! Any trip to the ER is not to be taken lightly. So glad you’re feeling better.
Hey Holli!
Thanks so much. Yeah, it’s been a long time since I was so sick I needed medical attention. I don’t want to go through that again!
OMG! ‘Glad that you’re OK and that you got to the hospital ASAP. It’s always the good people who keep a stiff upper lip even though they were screaming inside! Kudos to you for having all your medical stuff sorted out so that it’s not another headache but just a few dollars.
Thank goodness for European socialist healthcare. In Britain, healthcare is 100% free and in Germany, it isn’t free but linked to your income AND it’s illegal not to have healthcare! And being Germany, they take this stuff seriously. My German healthcare provider was very generous and even offered me an assisitant who would go shopping for me and do the housework for a few weeks after the birth of our son!
Get better soon Phil and take it easy. I don’t want zombies as blogger friends!
Hey Victoria!
Thanks for the well wishes. All better now and I’m not a total zombie. Yeah, good healthcare is such an important thing. It seems our country is sort of on the right path now and I’m glad my insurance covered it all. The bill would have been over $6000!
Hope you are up and on the mend! Sounds like a crazy case of something! I always used to be pretty good about being ill. I could basically plan one good case per year, then last year — I don’t know what it was — but damn, I was sick more than ever. Hoping not the same this year. I’ve been popping Vitamin C to hopefully fend it off. Damn stuff. Be well!
Hey PJ!
Walking pneumonia is contracted just like the flu – someone who has it sneezes or coughs on you and you catch the bacteria. It germinates for 10-15 days in your system before becoming full blown. I probably caught it from some idiot on the subway. It was strange but I recovered pretty quickly. Back in the gym and partying it up. Thanks, and be well yourself. Hopefully nothing more than a winter cold!
Damn dude, glad to hear that you’re ok! Walking pneumonia is no joke, so rest up and make sure that you’re 100%.
Hey Sujeet!
Thanks! Made sure to get some rest and took all my drugs. Back to normal. That week really sucked!
Happy to hear it wasn’t Ebola:) I also try not to discuss politics on my blog, and I definitely keep away from discussions regarding politics in other countries, but I grew up in Denmark with free healthcare, so to me it’s really hard to understand, how you can have a system, in which only people who can afford it receive proper health care? I don’t know how I would be able to cope with that as a doctor (yep, that’s me in a couple of years), only treating the patients, who can pay. I know it’s none of my business, but I really don’t understand how people can be against Obama-care.
Hey Mitzie!
Thanks so much. Yeah, ebola would have really sucked! Walking pneumonia was bad enough. So glad my health care insurance covered it all as the real bill would have been over $6000! We all need proper health care and no one should be turned away or not have medical access. It’s a crazy subject here but hopefully will get better. So glad I recovered quick and back to normal!
Happy to hear you are okay. I had walking pneumonia six years ago. Took me three months to get rid of it. I seriously thought I was going to fall over and die at work. It literally sucks the life out of you. Rest rest rest please take it easy.
Thanks. It was a pretty hairy week. After taking the antibiotoic pill for five days it was knocked out of me. I recover pretty quick from being sick. Already back in the gym and feeling great!