It’s been a few weeks since I have been able to look outside myself for any period of time due to health issues. Nothing with deadly consequences mind you, but enough to make me wonder if it was time to get ready to pay the piper. As horrible as it sounds it was a cold. Just a cold. Except it wouldn’t go away. Dec 18, 2012 I finally went to the doctor rather embarrassed to walk in and say, “I have a cold.”
Doc says, “I hear chest sounds lower right quadrant (he knows I am a nurse) so let’s do an x-ray and depending on results I may have to order medication.” I was impressed that in this day of madly writing prescription physicians who are overburdened by our health system and who just need to push on to the next patient, this man sat back and said what he did. I thought this quality kind of health care was long gone. AND he was a younger doctor!
Long story short I get a call I have right lower lobe pneumonia (something I have never had before) and can pick up a prescription at my pharmacy. The ten day supply seemed to go on forever but by the end I was all ‘Yeahhhh I am healed’.
That is until two days later when I awoke coughing and sneezing. I couldn’t, wouldn’t, believe I had a cold so spent another two weeks convincing myself it was a figment of my imagination before relenting and heading back to the clinic. This time definitely bronchitis, also something I have never experienced. More antibiotics. Ten more days. Yesterday I returned to the clinic on my last day of this round of meds. Chest clear but my cough sounds, as someone said, like it comes from the soles of my feet. Follow up x-ray to ensure all is clear and puffers to take for a few days. Good grief. These were meds I gave out for years to patients, mostly the elderly. Was it possible I was now ‘elderly’? Yikes!
But none of this is the point of my post. Now that I am securely back in the land of the living, and I am not sure if that is something that is ever ‘secure’ I started looking around at the world around me. What is going on?
The Pope resigns – unusual since it is the first time it has happened in 600 years, but later that night lightening is photographed striking the Vatican not once but twice. To paraphrase one comedian who said, “It looks like his Boss is not happy with his resignation.”
Asteroid2012 DA14 – buzzed earth then continued its cosmic cruise. It came a little too close for comfort I think at 27,600 km away. I consider our moon pretty close at 239,000 odd miles so this asteroid flew closer than some of our satellites. This guy weighed 143,000 tons. How do they know that? Are there interstellar weigh stations these objects but stop at, much like truckers on our highways? That baby may be much smaller than the one that supposedly ended life for the dinosaurs but it could still have done considerable damage wiping out about 2,000 square km *Associated Press. But while everyone was watching this spectacular show the cosmos had a bigger surprise for us.
Meteor Explodes – While all eyes were turned to our expected cosmic company a meteor speculated to be about the size of a bus but weighing 7,000 tons blazes across the Siberian sky exploding before hitting our little blue marble, but the resounding explosion which equals about 20 Hiroshima bombs caused incredible damage to buildings and people. Had it not exploded prior to actually hitting the earth, the press (and we all know we can trust what they say) said that the result would have been similar to the destruction shown in some fiction movies. I don’t doubt it. We never knew this meteor was coming, and the only reason we had any warning on the asteroid is that it was discovered not too long ago by a dentist whose hobby is looking ‘out there’.
I am surprised that all the folk who forecast the end of life December 21, 2012 have not come forward saying, “This is the beginning of the end.” Of course there is always someone out there making forecasts, and while some may not believe, you just never know.
There is nothing mankind can do to change the way the universe functions. We don’t control space. Heck, half the time we can’t control our own immediate inner space. I figure that the best we can do is to live well remembering the Golden Rule, accept the miracle of our existence, whether Science or Creation based, and get on with it.
Except of course for those days when micro bugs take over and force us to have a ‘Benylin Day’ or two, or three.
bridgesburning 
Loved your comment that these treatments used to be for the “elderly:–I’ve felt the same way, that can’t be me, can it?? Ha, guess it is. Where did the time go?
It really cannot be us..not us? 🙂
I hope you are feeling better. As for all the events that have taken place – I like it when the universe/God reminds us that we have absolutely no control on so very many things. A little wake-up call to, as you said, remember the Golden Rule and enjoy the time you have.
You are far from alone in what I am calling “The Winter of the Chronic Cold and for many. I’ve been sniffling and coughing off and on since Thanksgiving. So have the hub, the kids, and the grands. You have a day or two of “Okay, it is over” and then it all comes back. I’ve been to the doctor an he shrugs his shoulders. No anitbiotics as marginal fever, and good oxygen levels.
When I get depressed, I think a plague that will take us out; then I feel better and I think a plague, but those of us suffering are building resistence and will survive the final onslaught.
Must say it is depressing and although I manage to function must days, I need spring to get my bounce back.
Stay strong all.
Thanks Kate, I have kept reading blogs even though I wasn’t up to commenting!
Glad to hear you are feeling better. It was a crazy week to be sure. On top of all the strange happenings we all thought we felt an earthquake on Friday at work. The tremors kept happening. Finally we sent someone to investigate. The building shoke because bricks were being loaded onto a large truck right out side our building. We all breathed a sigh of relief! Take care of yourself my friend.
Oh Darlene I can’t imagine how you felt when the building shook! I’m glad it was just bricks! Can we even begin to imagine how the Russians felt?
I know. It must have been very scary for them.
PS: I tagged you in a blog challenge. Check my site tomorrow 2-17. Challenging, it is, too! If you’d prefer not to play, I completely understand! It’s time consuming, and I know how little of that there is sometime.
I hope you are better soon.
I will check Georgette it sounds like fun! Bring it on!! 🙂
I hope you are feeling chipper VERY soon. I hope none of those doomsdayers are reading your post because you just handed them something to start complaining about!!!! 😉
I am sure the naysaying is going on 🙂 I felt great earlier today so that is a good sign! Thanks for the good wishes Colleen!
10 days of antibiotics? Have you ever taken a Zpack? (ziithromax) its the only one I can take, easy on my stomach, and only 5 days of it, but it lasts longer. I have bad asthma and when I get an URI, everything goes downhill fast but the Zpack really seems to help me. Hope you stay on the healthy side for a while and don’t forget to wash your hands!
What is so strange is that I seldom ever take antibiotics so you can imagine how frustrating it is. I have heard about the Zpack and am glad you reminded me. The other strange thing for me was the ordering of puffers which I imagine you have used for your asthma! So let’s both promise to stay on the healthy side!!
Fingers crossed for us both! Yes, I use inhalers every day!
Do hope that you will soon be 100%…sometimes it is difficult to get rid of all the little things which slip into one big problem…
I never knew the Vatican was hot twice by lightening
Hi Patrecia, I would be happy with 80% but will aim for 100! The whole Vatican thing was strange because it happened twice the same day as the papal announcement was made. It must have been a difficult decision for him.
So sorry you’ve been poorly, Chris! It has been an eventful week, to be sure. Hope you’re feeling right as rain now….