There is an influenza epidemic in Australia at the moment.
I don't mean the common cold, which a lot of people call the 'flu. I mean the genuine article.
Margaret, alas, has it. But that's manageable - fluids, bed rest, paracetamol...
But this morning, through my sleepy fog, I heard "Lee...Lee...Lee..." coming plaintively from the bathroom. A quick exploration found a shaky, cold, clammy and somewhat dizzy Margaret on the floor. Achy and tingly, too. I got her back to bed, explored my options with an phone nurse and decided to take her to the emergency centre at the local hospital.
We got there about 8:30am, were seen by a nurse at 10:30am, seen by a doctor at about 2:30pm. I was starting to wish I had left her in bed. Overall she had picked up over the day. The doctor had one last query about whether she had meningitis. (She had a stiff neck and a headache but had spent most of the night in a recliner rocker to ease her coughing which probably did her neck no good and the headache? Well, she has the 'flu...) While I appreciate his desire to be thorough we would still be there if we hadn't said 'no' and we left with a promise that we would return if any symptoms of meningitis appeared.
Nothing quite stuffs your day as comprehensively as nine hours sitting in casualty.
---
Yes, she still has the 'flu.
No, she doesn't have meningitis. Or I don't think so.
No, I have no idea what was behind the morning dramas.
Yes, it did seem a lot longer than nine hours.
Yes, she is home.
Yes, I am going to bed.
...
Sleep well and hope Margaret is back to normal soon!
ReplyDeleteOh dear! I do hope Margaret recovers quickly and that you do not develop Post-traumatic stress symptoms after your harrowing day.
ReplyDelete(Must admit.. the deaths of the children from flu recently, especially the 5yr old in Melbourne, are making me think seriously about getting the fluvax for my kids)
Hell's teeth!
ReplyDeleteA true nightmare day.
Hope Margaret has a good recovery. Hope you get your quota of much needed sleep.
Hope Margaret is feeling better - there's nothing quite so disturbing as being ill unless it's watching helplessly while someone you care about is ill...
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking good thoughts for Margaret. Also hoping you don't catch it from her as well!
ReplyDeleteDear Margaret, I hope you feel better soon, there is nothing as awful as begin sick, thinking good thoughts for you too from Perth.
ReplyDeleteSame here Lee, I spent 4 hours with my oldest last week at hospital, he was vomiting too and was home for two weeks, he had a mid ear infection too and it sounds like some bug going around, we hear it all over of people here with mid ear infection, it makes them quite dizzy.
Liam had a major fever Monday night and we also called the health line for advice, so far he looks ok but they said the minute he starts coughing we should bring him in for a check up, I am spending this week at home with him just to keep him away from other kids, poor thing was shaking Monday too. I hope it's nothing because I will stress myself silly.
Good luck and quick recovery!!
I hope by the time you read my comment, Lee that Margaret is well on the road to recovery. This flu that is around at the moment is pretty damn persistent. Touch wood it doesn't come a-knocking on my door. I've never ever had the flu and don't want to have it either.
ReplyDeleteGive Margaret my best regards...keep this liquids up...not you,Lee... Margaret!
i'm so sorry to hear about margaret and her miserable treatment (or lack of) at the hospital. if i were to guess, her immune system is slightly depressed due to your son leaving on a long trek. thus she became susceptible to this illness. lee, you are a stalwart husband and i hope you both get plenty of rest and support. feel better soon! bigf hugs, snowsparkle
ReplyDelete...did a gig with my ex at the hospital. Yeah...seemed about eight or nine hours.
ReplyDeleteNo end prognosis, however. Just some medication for her inards and some placation for her outers. Not that she was angry, but then, a nurse is sometimes the worse patient in the world for countless reasons.
Glad to hear she's still in the "upright" position.
Ol' Ma used to do the rocker bit, too, and would always complain of the neck pain the next day. It was easy to say, when she'de say on the phone that her neck hurt so, "Ma? Were you napping in the rocker, again?"
And she'de laugh.
Keep up the recovery. Sending good vibes along the way. Take care.
ReplyDeleteHow's Margaret? Wish she'll recover fast. My hugs to her.
ReplyDeleteWhat a miserable time! Hope she's well soon!
ReplyDeletei'm so sorry to hear of your icky experience! please give margaret big healing hugs from NC and get some rest too!
ReplyDelete