Wednesday, December 21, 2022

In Sickness and In Health

 Tim has been sick with some respiratory thing since just before Thanksgiving. The coughing pretty much did his hunting season in before it even started. We argued about it, and finally, I argued hard enough to get him in to see his doctor. 

He was presribed an antibiotic. He took every last dose, but the cough was still there. The coughing started about as soon as he laid down and no one was sleeping well, that's for sure. He was up and down all night. I was up and down all night. I cannot tell you the number of times I woke up to a not fully awake man coughing a lung up directly in my face. 

ACK.

I went out and bought a vaporiser. Didn't help. Vicks didn't help. Mucinex helped a lot, but he still will have a couple coughing fits in the night. 

I noticed wheezing and started getting alarmed. He ignored me. Last night, he coughed for 20 minutes straight. It was a productive cough. 

This morning, he was exhausted and slept in. I got up early to do the school stuff. When I returned, he was still asleep.  I made my coffee and carried it out to the office. I am worried about things. I honestly think this is the sickest that Tim's ever been. It certainly is the longest he's ever been sick. 

Reaching a decision, I called his doctor's office. I explained the situation. 

"Do you want us to call in another prescription?"  

"No," I said. "I really think he needs to be seen." I explained about the rales and the wheezing. 

"Can he be here at 9:45?" she asked.

I looked at the clock. It was 8:55. "Yes, he can."

I hung up the phone and went upstairs. "Hey!" I said. 

"What?" he mumbled. 

"Get up! You've got a doctor's appointment at 9:45. He looked over at the clock and sat up abruptly. I left the room before he woke up enough to speak coherently. 

He came down the stairs shortly after me. Bless his heart, he did not argue with me. 

He has a stronger antibiotic and a bottle of Tessalon Pearls (which unfortunately do not work for him). Most importantly, he has lab work ordered to figure out exactly what they are dealing with. We should have some answers by the end of the day tomorrow.

32 comments:

  1. The coughs are prevalent and extremely persistent this year, more so than I can ever remember. I hope they can figure it out and get rid of it! Sleep is so important.

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  2. Also perhaps a chest x-ray (or whatever they do now) to rule out pneumonia?

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  3. I was thinking pneumonia too, can he sleep propped up in a sitting position? Sometimes that helps.

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  4. Glad you called and he cooperated with an appointment. Surprised the tessalon pearls don't work for him. Let the doc office know about that. I had to be on two rounds of antibiotic, but the cough is tricky. He may need a nebulizer and albuterol or other breathing treatments like asthma folks (me) use. Linda in Kansas

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  5. What a worry - that is a LONG time for a cough to persist. I am glad they have taken a sputum test now as it sounds like it's an infection.
    Well done for taking the initiative and getting him to the
    GP.

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  6. What a worry - that is a LONG time for a cough to persist. I am glad they have taken a sputum test now as it sounds like it's an infection.
    Well done for taking the initiative and getting him to the
    GP.

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  7. I think he should have been ordered tests at the first doctor visit. Hopefully the tests will reveal some useful diagnosis that can be treated. Coughing can be very exhausting.

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  8. Debby, good for you for being so proactive. Us men sometimes need a nudge in the right direction. Poor Tim, I hope you get some real answers.

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  9. I hope they can determine the cause and provide the right treatment. It must be exhausting for him.

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  10. I hope you are able to get some answers and an effective cure. I can't imagine how weary both of you must be from a month of coughing.

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  11. There is lots of coughing going on this season! Hope you get an answer soon with a quick solution for Tim.

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  12. Sometimes a woman has to do what a woman has to do.

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  13. I'm glad you were assertive about Tim's care. It's worrying, so many new variants around. Let's hope he does better.

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  14. You did the right thing to take him in to see the physician. I hope they find something that will help him recover.

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  15. I imagine you know he's sick when he doesn't resist going to see the doctor. Hopefully the antibiotics help. I'd never heard of Tessalon Pearls. I learned something new and shall put that in my back pocket, should I need it in future.
    If this round of drugs doesn't help, he should get a chest x-ray. Hoping he's feeling better soon. Sending hugs.

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  16. Glad you went ahead with the doctor visit.

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    1. What kills me is hearing him tell someone that he hates to call the doctor and was glad I made the call. Next time I will not even waste time trying to convince him.

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  17. Good for you, for getting it addressed. Here's hoping it's something easily dealt with. What are Tessalon Pearls?!

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    1. Benzonatate. They do not work for Tim's cough.

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  18. I am particularly interested in this because I have been going through something similar to Tim. Susan and I have both had cold symptoms off and on for about two months. We'll get better for a few days, then it starts up again. Finally, she saw a doc early last week and I went a few days later. We are both on antibiotics. She is 100 percent better, and better than she has been since this all started in October, but I am only marginally so. I do not have the flu, covid or pneumonia (tested for all of it). The cough gets better as the day progresses but gets worse when I lie down at night. Also sleeping beside a vaporizer. What are Tessalon Pearls? Looking forward to hearing about Tim's results.

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  19. It is a prescription drug, generic: benzonatate. They don't work for him though. I used them once years ago. They were miraculous for my cough.

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  20. It is usually good when they put a name to things rather than leave everybody guessing.

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  21. Good call! I do hope that he gets better soon.

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  22. I hope he gets better soon! So glad you called the doctor.. this is why it’s so good to have ‘a better half’ living with you.. who knows you well enough to know when it’s time to make that call/kick ‘‘em in their butts! We should all be so lucky! All the best wishes..❤️ XO, Ricki

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  23. I find that they are more than happy when we make the decision to call the doctor. That way if it is nothing (which it never is) they can blame us for over-reacting but typically they get the treatment they need. I can't remember if Tim has had covid. That cough lingers for months.

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  24. Debby. Same exact issues. Walk in clinic then doctors ofc. Ended up in ER, now hospital after abdominal tear because of coughing so hard.
    Day 11 now. Never ever had a cold/cough like this. Diagnosis RSV. Shocked, thought only younger ones were getting RSV.

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  25. Margaret is right, if he hasn't had a chest xray already , and this goes on for another week without improvement, he needs one.

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  26. Hope he is feeling better soon, Debby.

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  27. Tessalon Pearls are completely useless & are prescribed to make you think you got something! This long with a cough should have invoked a chest x-ray! I am an old RN & absolutely have little faith in our healthcare system. Hope Tim gets over whatever this crud is. Merry Christmas.

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  28. It's unfortunate the Tessalon Pearls are not working for Tim. When I had pneumonia they helped and I could sleep. Glad you got Tim in to the doctor and they're culturing the sputum.

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  29. Good for you! I'm glad you took it upon yourself to get him looked at. I sure hope he recovers quickly.

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