STUPID INFECTIONS!

TODAY I’M FRUSTRATED!

I have had enough of feeling sick!  I’m so done!  Too bad my body isn’t!

Yesterday evening my digestive issues started up AGAIN!  They had calmed down and things were ALMOST good for about 4 days…THEN BOOM!  I’m doubled over and having stomach cramps really bad AGAIN.  AGAIN!  To be honest, I didn’t think I was out of the woods yet with this small intestine bacterial infection.  My doctor had mentioned it would take awhile and that I’d probably continue to have some bad waves.  But he had told me to take the antibiotics for as long as needed so that I could go through the whole process of feeling really sick and nauseated and wait it out to the other side.  Then he said to wait a couple of days after I started feeling good and then I could stop taking it…

WELL I WAITED FOUR DAYS…just to be SURE.  That’s what I get for taking care of me right?  I mean, the 4th day started and I really thought I was doing well yesterday.  BUT THEN 6pm HIT me like a bomb and I haven’t been feeling well since.  I thought perhaps it had passed by this morning…BUT SLOWLY the stomach cramps started again and I started feeling bloated and nauseous…

UGH!!!!!!!!  GRRRRR!!!!!  I NEED TO FIND MY HULK HANDS AND PUNCH WALLS!

(Disclaimer: No hands will be punching walls on their own…must have lots of cushion…)

So I muttered and grumbled about it this morning and couldn’t help but be angry.  I’M TRYING TO LIVE MY LIFE HERE!  Trying to get back into the swing of things AGAIN!  The stomach discomfort can be so paralyzing and disabling I can hardly do ANYTHING when it happens and I’m usually a mess after the wave passes–IF it passes.

Soooooo, I called the doctor like a good proactive patient even though I resented it the entire time.  He called me back a few hours later and told me that what I’m going through what sounds like a classic small intestine bacterial infection reaction to the treatment itself.  That the good news is that it sounds like the MAIN infection has been killed BUT that there are pockets in the intestines where the bacteria can hide and that they’ve come out and are free since the first layer of crud is gone and the antibiotics are now KILLING these furious LITTLE CHOMPERS and are not letting them hide and sneak around anymore!  At first he was going to have me keep taking the antibiotics twice a day till this passed but I was honest and I told him this was day 18 and I was really irritated and my body was quite uncomfortable from the forced and prolonged detox.  He listened to that, seemed to change his mind and said that I should take the antibiotic twice a day for the next 2 days so that I will have taken it for 20 days in a row with this round.  The next step will be to start a MAINTENANCE regimen and only take it once a day twice a week on Monday and Thursday for a month or two to make sure there’s no more new growth for awhile…  I’m pretty sure I’ve done this before and it has worked out really well…HOWEVER it also means I’m going to continue to have these really bad waves while feeling “almost good” the other times…Sooooo, there will continue to be NO status quo JUST YET–if that’s EVEN possible for me.  Once the maintenance round is done then I start on Probiotics to help maintain even MORE digestive health.

Well OK then.  FINE.  So glad that the antibiotic is still killing and working as necessary BUT what about me?  It affects ME.  It makes me have to STOP everything.  It makes me feel AWFUL as it’s all happening.  I’m the one who has to PAY FOR IT.

SOOOOOOO FRUSTRATING….

I know this will also pass.  I know that being so committed and determined to do what I can to kill this infection is what will help the most in the long run.  IT DOESN’T MEAN IT WILL BE EASY!!!

STUPID INFECTIONS!

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I’m also trying to remember to keep in mind that I also saw my Rheumatologist today for a follow-up regarding my lupus.  The GREAT NEWS is that she thinks the lupus has really calmed down quite a bit and that more and more of the disease seems to have gone into a bit of remission.  Sure I’m having some symptoms that are flaring up but overall I’m doing a lot better…

YES THAT ROCKS!!!!

And it seems like my MS has also calmed down quite a bit so that’s also AWESOME!

NOW ABOUT THIS INFECTION–GO AWAY!  I’M BUSY TRYING TO LIVE MY LIFE!