Sick Day.
Parenting and working full time have been clashing for our family lately.
Poor Eve and Rory got sick pre-Christmas and the virus has been really lingering in E. Rory is back to health but, what I thought was just a lingering virus in the boy, actually turned out to be the flu.
The big flu.
The influenza one. Which is particularly harsh on children this season.
I’m home now thanks to an understanding manager and co-worker who swiftly stepped in to cover/offer solutions. I’m blessed that way.
I also have some personal health issues I’m doing my best to deal with/stay on top of at the moment.
My blood is not in good form. I wish I knew what that meant but, like I said, I’m doing my best to really stay on top of things. I have an appointment with a specialist coming up in the next few weeks at the General. I guess they will tell me all about neutropenia and hopefully provide a possible treatment plan/cure?
For months I’ve been running on empty. Zero energy. I do my radio show, come home and cook dinner/mind the kinds, then pretty much head to bed as soon as Ryan gets home. I could sleep 11 hours and still need more. It’s not normal and this is what started me seeing our family doctor, which lead me down the road to, ‘hey, your blood is off’.
Neutropenia does NOT cause extreme exhaustion. The latest theory from a few doctors is that I have an infection, we just don’t know where or what it is yet.
From the Mayo Clinic: “Neutropenia can make you more vulnerable to infections. When neutropenia is severe, even the normal bacteria from your mouth and digestive tract can cause serious illness.”
So… couple that with a few sick kids + the extra rough seasonal viruses that’ve been going around (yes, I’m vaccinated) = you get the picture.
If it seems like I’ve been sick for a long time, it’s because I’ve been sick for a long time.
Now I’ve got the added element of ‘there’s something wrong’, ‘you’ve probably got an underlying mystery infection’, the repeated tests (not mono, not TB, nothing to do with thyroid, celiac, iron or vitamin deficiency, not my RA medicine), the band aid solutions (of which none have worked to increase my energy level). Despite the absolute mystery surrounding my illness, there is hope that the blood doctor will have some answers.
They may not be what I want to hear but I really do believe that there is a solution to this problem (/these problems).
In the meantime, I’m spending the next few days at home with my son who’s already looking better. I think, for him, the worst is over. Being immunosuppressed my entire life thanks to the RA, I wash my hands A LOT so fingers crossed I’m not next.