A Quick Health Update
I think I posted on Facebook a few weeks ago about how my goal was to be 100 percent back to my healthy self by March 1. Well, how’s it going?
Mostly good (and please don’t let me jinx myself by saying that). Most of the respiratory issues seem to be gone, and my energy is rebounding, so in that sense, things are looking up.
I have some lingering voice issues. Sometimes it’s raspy for no reason for a brief period, then it’s magically back to talking normally. Other times, my voice gives out later in the day, like Sorry, lady, that’s enough. Time to shut the hell up. It’s not earth-shattering, and it is something I can deal with, especially since it seems to be improving.
The one thing that is bothering me now is my tongue. It's… sorry for the visual this might give you… black.
Kind of like this, except I didn’t just eat a grape ice pop.
Well, it’s not black exactly right now. About a week ago, it was black. Now it’s more of a gray mottled with white and kind of tender, a side effect from two strong liquid antibiotics plus a liquid steroid. Apparently, liquid medicines can do a number on your mouth, which is one of the benefits of taking a pill, but I am one of those people who cannot under any circumstances swallow a pill without thinking it’s going to get stuck in my throat and suffocate me, so pills weren’t an option.
Anyway, what I have now is a combo of black hairy tongue (a real and weird medical diagnosis) and thrush, and geez, I can’t believe I just shared that detail of my zombie-tongue garbage mouth online.
The solution is a four-times-a-day swish and swallow with a disgusting, thick medicine that is the color of pee and tastes like…I don’t know…something really freaking gross. An added benefit of the medicine is that it turns my teeth blue. I can live with temporarily blue teeth if the stuff clears up the mess in my mouth and I can actually taste food again.
On a side note, I’d like to give a shout-out to the Care Spot in Nocatee and a PA named Josh who works there. I’ve been there so often lately that Josh and I are getting to be pals…har har har. Seriously, if you have a medical issue and getting into your PCP quickly is not an option (because honestly, it rarely is when you’re sick), Josh is your man. He’s a good dude, he’s funny, he knows his stuff, and he always puts this I-Hate-Seeing-The-Doctor girl at ease. On a one-to-ten scale, I’d rate him one hundred and fifty-seven million.
But enough about my mouth. Bill and I are off to Pittsburgh to visit friends and family and attend a little par-tay! Whoo Hoo!