Drugs, Glorious Drugs!

How is that for a header? :) And how's this for two posts in one week!!

So a couple of years ago, I don't think I would have ever envisioned myself titling a blog entry like this, or practically salivating at the doctor's office when he handed over his prescription for antibiotics (not to mention checking my bag for it three times on the way to the pharmacy just to make sure I hadn't somehow misplaced it).

But two years ago, I couldn't remember the last time I had been sick. I had perfect attendance in middle school, high school, and two bouts of college --- or at least perfect attendance due to health -- I can't vouch that I never skipped for another reason. My pregnancy was pretty easy... I did have fatigue and nausea in the first trimester, but I think I only actually prayed to the porcelain god a handful of times, and within in a few weeks it all blew over.

I was of the mindset that my body could, for the most part, heal itself of common ailments, and pretty much had to have a horrible headache or something to take any kind of pain medication. And that was pretty rare. I planned a drug-free birth, and even negotiated having a hep lock placed on my arm instead of an IV.

So when did this first change? Oh, about nine hours into intense back labor with the beautiful petri dish I now call my son. And the epidural, ahhh the epidural. It made the rest of the labor so much easier... and the 30 minute repair work that took place afterwards. And once the epidural wore off, it wasn't hard to be convinced to partake in the cocktail of available medications available in the hospital... and then those that were sent home with me too.

And I became even more of a fan of the drugs after the second trip to the Doctor last summer when the "cough/cold" I had wouldn't go away. After the first visit, I agreed with him, that my body was fighting this and would get better. But then when I did something to my rib from coughing so hard (pulled a rib muscle, is that possible?) that I couldn't twist at all, and it hurt to pick up my 1-year old child, I began to panic. My daily conversations with my husband entailed the questions "Exactly when do you have to leave and when will you be home? Are you sure there is no way to get out of it? Can't you reschedule..." So I went to visit the doctor again, who wanted to tell me just to go home, I was getting better, but to appease me had me get a chest x-ray that showed fluid (or something like that), which entitled me to the technical definition of "pneumonia" - which made me feel much more entitled and less lazy.

But I still hadn't learned the magic of drugs --- not entirely. Because those glorious antibiotics had a not-so-glorious side effect. And no, Mom, I don't blame you for not instructing me to drink cranberry juice and eat yogurt --- after all, I hadn't taken antibiotics since I needed more than two hands to count my age. So when that side effect came about, I was resistant to see the doctor. Oh, I can handle this, it will get better on its own.

One very uncomfortable and sleepless (even with the help of sleep pills) night later, I learned that in fact that side effect is best treated quickly and strongly. And it took two attempts to correct it.

So this time, I gave my body three days to heal itself. And when I woke up on the fourth day to a sore throat that had jumped the span from one side of my neck to the other, I made an appointment to the doctor. And hoped, hoped, hoped that he would give me that wonderful little white slip. And he did --- even without any begging (or even asking for that matter) on my part. And I was so delighted and proud that it was bad enough for even him to think it warranted antibiotics. And I asked for a prescription for that side effect just in case.

And as I waited for my prescription to be filled, I stocked my grocery cart full of cranberry juice, enough yogurt to last two weeks, and many, many servings of probiotics. Then I picked up a movie and a package of hostess cupcakes. Because I am that sick after all to need antibiotics, so certainly Mark would continue to entertain Ben while I watched my movie and ate cupcakes tonight. And I even feel slightly justified in writing this blog entry instead of playing out in the puddles with Ben (I am very sick after all, so certainly shouldn't be playing in puddles).

And much to my delight, when I opened my delightful little package of pills, I discovered that I get to take a double dose, TWO pills tonight!