Down Towards the Healing

As many of you know, I brought back a few little souvenirs from Haiti in the from of a parasite and salmonella. At first I hoped (prayed, pleaded!) that it was just an upset stomach and would go away by its own, but after a week of not being able to keep any fluids or food in my body, I headed to the doctor. The doctor put me on one antibiotic while we were waiting for test results to come back from the lab. Two days later, salmonella showed up and I started taking another antibiotic in addition. My levels of energy were so low, which does not jive well with my achiever personality. I was starting to get better and then started feeling achy all over. The pain started out around my joints, in my ankles, knees, elbows and shoulders and then eventually spread to my back and became excruciating, effecting the tendon along the right side of my spine. After getting good advice from a pharmacist ("Go to the ER!"Thanks, Jess!!) I was told what I already believed, that my body hates drugs and that I was having a bad reaction to the antibiotics. I was given pain killers and laughed a lot with my dear friend Jo  (who graciously drove me to the hospital at 2am) every time my oxygenation levels "flat-lined" because I was having such a hard time taking deep breaths.


The next morning I called my doctor who advised me to stop taking both antibiotics (ER doctor only told me to stop taking one-the antibiotics had seemingly already done their job and I didn't need them anymore) and to rest rest rest. I had no option but to rest, I could barely move and was in intense pain, despite taking pain killers faithfully every 4 hours. My friends and family have been amazing, sending out prayers, words of encouragement, bringing me Gatorade and flowers (Thank you,Sharee for the hope flowers!) Not to mention my incredible husband, Steve who deserves a black belt in making Diane feel better. He sings me songs, buys me frost Gatorade, holds my hand, wipes my tears, gets me (goes to three stores to get me organic non-dairy) soup, takes out the garbage, watches LA Ink marathons with me even though I only have enough energy for two episodes and then fall asleep every time, rubs my back, does the laundry, tells me I am beautiful and means it, even when I am barfing and pale, does the dishes, and is working to change the world usually all in a day's work.


So, with that, I bring you today's photo of the day...because my sense of humor is still sort of intact.

[healing | March 22, 2010]