My Night in the ER

I spent an evening in the emergency room last week. I'm someone who doesn't like hospitals and tries not to complain if something's bothering me. I'm also someone who waits until the last minute to seek medical attention sometimes. So, Wednesday night, I finally went to the hospital. I had been complaining of headache and the chills since Monday. What prompted me to go the emergency room was when Peter said I seemed warm and then I finally took my temperature: 102.9. I searched for my hospital discharge papers (after giving birth) for any special instructions. There was one that said to call your physician if you have a fever over 100.4. I might have had a fever the previous couple days but never knew it due to my chills. When you have the chills, you obviously don't think that you must be hot when you feel so cold. I just wanted to wrap a blanket around me. I didn't even have an appetite that Wednesday. In the evening, I ended up putting on a long-sleeve shirt.

I spent from around 10:30pm to 5:30 the next morning in the hospital. I was sent home basically with the instruction of "Take Tylenol" as needed. Strangely, your subconscious wants something more to be wrong for all the hassle of going to get checked out. I had the whole gamut of tests done: blood work - vials and vials, urinalysis, chest X-ray, and sonogram of my uterus. It didn't appear to be an post-partum issue. And in the end, my diagnosis just said "febrile illness" and "viral" something or the other... I was to follow up with my doctor and still don't know what was wrong with me. I was simply sick and that's all that can be said. I did have chills on Thursday and my temperature to spike back up past 102. But I'm better now and haven't had any recurring symptoms.

I hate hospitals and hope I never have to go back!