2001/10/23 – at about 14:45 – in a meeting explaining functionality for the new up sequence program (now includes 8-up) I have a coughing fit. a bad one. so bad that I have trouble breathing. the guys in the meeting don’t realize the severity until I dial 911, and hand the phone to Paul because I can’t talk clearly to the operator.

~14:50? (fast!! yay!) Ambulance arrives, and hauls my coughing, sick self to the ER. On the trip, they give me oxygen, and I feel 1000% better.

called doc and was told to go to the ER for a chest X-ray

15:05 – arrived at emergency room, filled out paperwork, mentioned bloody, opaque phlegm, difficulty breathing, cough etc, but and sat here for 45 min. (I was stable by the time I got there)

Got a sputum culture done, a chest x-ray, had blood drawn, got my nose swabbed, along with the usual temperature / pulse / blood pressure.

Took a *long time*. Thank goodness for the palm… between tests, I read the entire onion, and yahoo news, plus some of the books I had packed on there. Also doodled a bit, and made my LJ/palm synch icon. 🙂 I finally got out of there about 19:00 or so, and went to CVS. They’re new to Florida, so don’t support my insurance yet, even though my insurance said they did. Ok, fine, off to Eckerds. They make me wait 45 minutes, and then tell me that they don’t have the antibiotics in stock (they give me everything else), but the store up the road does… I go there, and the tech is having supper behind the counter, and I get to wait another half hour for that medicine. *note to self* Go to Walgreens next time…They’re tons faster, and have my insurance info on file.

Finally got home about 20:45, where I promptly told my poor worried sweetheart where I’d been most of the day.

Home or self-care includes rest and a high-protein diet with adequate fluids, and I’m supplementing that with kung fu movies, cartoons, gabbing with my sweetie, and kitty-snuggles. Maybe a little writing, too. Whatever I can do to fend off malaise.

Yum, Orange Gatorade!