This story is stranger then fiction. Today is the first I've heard that whooping cough is still around. I always knew there is a vaccine for a baby called DPT - the P standing for Pertussin which is whooping cough. I assumed that whooping cough had been eradicated.
So, imagine my surprise when my niece, Dr. Extraordinare, told me that her brother's girlfriend had just come back from Colorado with the exact same cough I have had. Wow, coincidence? So, Dr. E did some checking in Colorado and found out there is an "outbreak" of whooping cough in Colorado.
She said I think that's what you have. Me, always being the investigative type, put into my search engine "whooping cough" and sat dumbfounded at the site I found, where they even had a "sound" file of the sound of the cough.
Exactamente - that's it! That's what I have had for almost 8 weeks. Thankfully, it is almost gone. The exact symptons of coughing and feeling as though you are suffocating, among other gross things. Yes, I had pneumonia too as a result and the torn muscles....from whooping cough.
I sure wish those "dingbats" at the hospital had figured that out and told me. How could my niece "get it" and $36,000 worth of tests and treatment didn't? In addition, I've been so worried because this "thing" hasn't gone away. Now I read that the time can be at least 7 or 8 weeks. If I had only known.
All I can say is, without a doubt, this has been one of the biggest messes I've ever been involved in...... Anyone who doesn't think our US medical system isn't broken, should talk to me!
4 comments:
Yes broken - you need to get a lot of rest - more than you think you do. I wouldn't do as lot more than type - jeeez am I selfish or what?
Seriously take it easy - our son had whooping cough about 11 years ago - took three months to get rid of it.
Thanks Calypso for that info - I'm on another regime of arithromyacin. Hopefully this will make the difference - the drive almost to the beach and back was way too much.....it is SO hard for me to be "still"! BUT I guess I have to........I'll read - I'll get this blogroll done, maybe and little things like that!
Good thing you have such a clever niece!I am not surprised that the doctors didn't know. They probably have never seen whooping cough. I blame the people who refuse to vaccinate their kids for the resurgence of diseases that should be long gone off the face of the earth. I read somewhere that polio is back too! Yuck.
I hope you start to feel better soon.
regards,
Theresa
Holy shit, chica! Want me to drive a little north and gather a boycott march in front of the stupid hospital? I didn't know whooping cough was back but it has to be a relief to know what has grabbed you and shaken you to the bones! Please, please take it easy...lots of naps. What drug do we send to slow you down long enough to get well?
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