November 2020

December 02, 2020

November 2020

This was a rough month for me (Verity) specifically.

It started out with an excellent birthday celebration. On Monday, Jake and I went to the gym together after dropping off the girls at school. After the gym, we got pedicures and lunch. I went to dinner with some of my favorite friends, and it was all wonderful.

By Thursday morning, it started downhill. I woke up with some chest pain on my right side. I chalked it up to starting a new medication, and attributed said-med to my feeling like crap all day. By bedtime, I was asleep by 8 trying to sleep off whatever was wrong.

I abruptly woke up around 1:30 am gasping for air, with incredible pain radiating throughout my chest. I couldn't inhale, I couldn't breathe. I'm a known bath lover, so I tried to make my way to the bathroom for a bath, and quickly realized that wouldn't help me. I mustered all the energy I could to call out for Jake. He came to the bathroom and helped me to the front room. In between gasps, I was begging him to call an ambulance. He thought I was having Covid issues, but I kept telling him that it wasn't. I had ZERO covid symptoms and was having a lung or heart problem. Finally, we opted on me driving myself to the emergency room. Jake was really certain it was Covid-related, so he didn't want to call anyone to watch the kids in case it was, and then we risked someone else getting it. Ugh. The worst.

As I'm driving to the ER, I started recording videos for each of the girls telling them I loved them and also trying to advise them on how to overcome their weaknesses (laughing out loud now). I also called my parents. I truly thought I was dying. I've never felt pain like that Friday early morning. I was driving so slowly, but also pretty erratically. I saw a police officer and hoped he would pull over so I could throw myself in his backseat, but alas, that didn't happen. Again. Laughing a lot now.

Finally, I got to the ER. I still couldn't breathe and when I told that to the front desk girl, she took my temp (normal) and immediately took me to a room. The nurses and assistants took so many vials of blood so quickly and gave me an EEG or EKG, not sure which. They started an IV immediately and ruled out any heart issues, so they started me on a pain medication while they waited for labs. After a bit of time, I was taken for an X-ray, and then taken back to my room. My nurse kept assuring me that he didn't think it was Covid, and I told him "I know this isn't Covid" in between more gasps. Bless his heart. He really didn't want me to be afraid of corona, and I couldn't convince him that I wasn't.

I was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. The doctor told me it was pretty severe and would explain why I couldn't breathe. They sent me home with a Z-pack and pain meds. It was seriously brutal. At the beginning of the appointment they asked my pain level. I told them, 10. And then to add to the point, I said "I had an 'accidental' natural labor and that was a 7 on the pain scale.'" My nurse laughed and the assistant looked shocked. Again. All of this is so laughable now, but was so heavy at the time.

As soon as I got home and took two days worth of the Z-pack, I had an allergic reaction. I went to urgent care because it was a Saturday and there was no way I could stand the full body rash over the weekend. I got new meds and an excellent steroid shot (that I begged for! I know what's good!).

It's the 2nd of December and I'm still feeling like my lungs are trying to clear out. I have issues with energy throughout the day. It's been a rough transition. It's also been somber in my mind. Several times I've thought of family, friends, and patients who've passed due to pneumonia and it makes me weep to think about the pain they experienced on their way out of life. I hope to never get pneumonia again, and I have newfound empathy for those struggling with it in any way.

Because of the exciting first week of November, the rest was really, REALLY easy going. No adventures.

We spent the holidays with the Blackburns at their new home in Queen Creek, and then had a round 2 at Becky's house--also in Queen Creek. We got our fill of driving in two days. Ha! Family and friends are worth it.

Jake took the girls to the zoo one Saturday.

He made recovery possible for me. I slept in every single day for weeks, and he got the girls beautified for school each day. He picked them up every day. He worked and made all of our meals. He is a rockstar and I'm thankful for his service.

Gwen at school!

Gwen with her 1st grade class, and her teacher Ms. Redd!

Gwen is losing teeth left and right. As of now, there's only one more wiggly tooth!

Emily accidentally had a nap while relaxing with Jake. Snuggle buds forever.

I'm going to do an entire post on memes that have made me laugh during coronavirus. This is a classic.

Emily at the preschool Halloween party!

Gwen's class talked about voting and they got to vote for a rabbit or a farmer. Gwen won't tell me which she voted for and is proud to have some privacy in her brain.