Upper Respiratory Infections

My first year of University found me living with a room mate diagnosed with TB part way through our second semester.

Luckily, I didn't get TB - but I was diagnosed with pleurisy and ended up having to take antibiotics....but since then, I have experienced restriction in my lungs.   When I sneeze or breathe really deep, the chest pain is excruciating.  When I get an URI - it seems to be worse than your average joe experiences.  I have puffers that I use, just so I can get air.

When I was an LPN just starting out - it was routine to have X-Rays done yearly because they did not do the standard yearly Mantoux testing.   Without fail, the hospital's health nurse  would always call me over to her office for post X-Ray counselling.....

"They found extensive scarring on your lungs on your last CXRay....did you know....?"

And I would always reply, "Yes,  I had pleurisy when I was 18 and my lungs always show the scarring"

A few years ago, an Xray for my MVA injury showed up incidental "nodules" on my lungs.  Subsequently, I had to have a follow-up CT scan.   The "nodules" were benign, so they said. 

My last trip to the walk in clinic - the MD said to me - "Your asthma seems to be in fairly good control".

I had to tell him that I don't have asthma. 

I don't know what gave him that idea unless the fact that I had had an inhaler prescribed for me for a reactive lung problem a while ago might have made him think that.

I was working L&D in a busy unit and the spray cleaner that was used on a nearby stretcher caused my respiratory system to spasm so badly - I couldn't breathe.  Talk about scarey.  An anesthetist coming down the hallway towards me asked if I was ok. If it wasn't for one of the OB's standing nearby loaning me his salbutamol inhaler, I would have ended up in ER.  Or dropped to the floor.  It was good to know help was so close, just in case.

It reminded me of the pregnant RN I worked with in L&D in California - dx with a placenta previa but still working.... even after she was ordered on bedrest.  She also figured it was safest to be at work. Help would be always close by.

I went to see the Occupation RN for the hospital.  Her take? I would require allergy testing to see if I was "actually" allergic to the cleaning solution (I had reacted the same way with every other hospital using the same cleaning agent - all whom switched to squeeze bottles rather than aerosol - or switched cleaning solutions entirely) but "even then" she stated, "if you test positive for an allergy to that agent, the hospital would change nothing"

I was fortunate that the cleaning staff were very particular and considerate of my plight and would always check ahead of time to see if I was on shift and make sure I was nowhere around when they used their cleaners.

I'ts been two weeks since I have been sick and I am still coughing up "gunk".   It always feels like mucus hangs out on top of my palate in that space.  When I cough there is that harsh spasmy sound.

At least I am breathing and feel like I am getting enough oxygen.  I don't have a fever, either.

The good news?

I found an ad in the local newspaper for an MD within 2 blocks that is now taking patients so I won't have to drive 100kms to see my MD.  I looked him up under Rate MDs dot com  and found out that people are making the exact same complaints of this doc as my former doc (esp complaints such as #2,#6 and #8 - oh and complaints about the laptop use and the decor is "too casual"). 

That shows me he must be pretty good.

Stay tuned.