The first weekend came up and Daniel had a voucher from Club Med. We decided to use it for a quick trip to Vittel, about two hours away. That Friday morning I went swimming for the first time since coming back from California. Well, "real" swimming and was proud that I finished my 1500m almost on time. I went to the outdoor pool, and it wasn't a hot day and started raining before I left. I wanted to take advantage of the outdoor pool before it closed on Sept. 15th. Also, when it's not hot, it's not crowded, always a problem when I swim...
We picked up the kids from school and left directly for Vittel. On the drive, I was thinking "Swimming definitely uses all mussel groups because I hurt all over!" I was kind of scolding myself for doing all 30 laps right away.
The Club Med Vittel was a bit of a disappointment. The food was not good. We went to the show. I took some ifprofene and felt alright. At one point I rubbed my eyes and my eye lids felt sore. I thought, that's strange. Swimming might not use all mussel groups but definitely not the eyelids!
The next morning it was obvious that I had a fever. I really wasn't concerned but Daniel ran out and got me some more meds. I had a thermoitor so I could confirm it. I didn't want to spoil the weekend but I walked around but refrained from swimming and riding bikes. I did do the double bike though.
We returned to Strasbourg and the kids went to school and Daniel left for Brittany. I still had a fever but no other symptoms so I just kept taking pain killers. I kept Davina home with me because taking her to school means going up two flights of stairs and sent the older two by taxi. Monday, I picked them up but late so that I could drive up and they could jump in without my getting out of the car. We planned this ahead of time.
Tuesday night I woke up and had trouble breathing. I sent a text to Daniel that I was worse and to please come home. He said he couldn't and told me to go to a doctor. I called my usual doctor and he didn't think it was serious. He told me to call the local one (they know each other and I go to both). When I called Dr. Ruch's office (the one up the street), the secretary heard 1. Just returned from the U.S. 2. Flu symptoms and they did not want me coming into the office. They told me to call a service called "SOS" doctors, who come to the house.
A woman did come over and wore a mask. She said that it was Swine Flu but that I couldn't get that confirmed. They wont test unless the person has a medical condition where it's necessary to know. "Our labs would be doing just that". She gave me a Px for an antibiotic, some pain killers, some masks and another Px for a lab to get a blood test.
Meanwhile, I did contact one of the mothers at school. Our sons sit together and hers' has asthma. I didn't want to panic her but while Ronnie hadn't been sick at all, I didn't want him touching anyone, no sharing pencils, etc. I thought I better tell her myself than have her hear through the grapevine and panic. She was cool about it but she wanted me to get the test to find out what it was. I told her I couldn't, but that what I had was nasty and swine or not, her son would not do very well getting this. I was not keeping my son out of school when he's perfectly well.
She called her doctor who insisted on giving me the test. I agreed to it but told her, the other doctor who came to the house told me not to go into any public buildings, especially any with children, while I still had the flu symtoms. A pediatrician's office would have been the last choice! Plus, the fact that getting between the couch and the bed was a project, let alone getting in the car and going anywhere... She offered to come over but couldn't.
Apparently panic broke out at the school. One mother had a child who had had cancer and called the parents' association to say that her child absolutely couldn't get this. I stood my ground. The flu is here. If her child can't get sick, the child has to either wear a mask or be kept home until the vaccine is given. No way would I keep my healthy kids out of school! But of course, one did get unhealthy. Talia had a slight fever. Daniel came home and saw the state I was in. He took me to get the blood test. I showed up in a mask, right before closing and they cleared all the other patients out before I arrived (we called to arrange this). Daniel took Talia to the ped the next day and of course, she was given Tamiflu and stayed home the rest of the week.
She, of course, recovered after about two days. When she developed a cough, she was given antibiotics right away, the pediatrician called to get one of the same category I was given in the hospital.
I returned to my own doctor, calling him and saying I needed to see him and not another random SOS doctor. He upped my antibiotic and ordered a chest X-ray. Of course, by the time I got back from the doctor's, went to the pharmacy to get the meds and then picked up the kids, I didn't get around to getting the X-ray. Mother was scolding me transatlantically and I had a very bad night. The next day, I went to my trusted radiologist (kind of scary to have that kind of relationship... with a radiologist!) at Adassa Clinic. I didn't get Dr. Nguyen but his partner, but I've seen him before.
They were funny at Adassa. I initially went into the waiting room but when they heard me and my story, I had to wait for the X-ray in the hall. They also gave me a mask and told me at the end that they would send the bill to my home (as opposed to paying for it at reception).
Dr. Schmitt called me in and sure enough, it was pneumonia. How many times have I thought I had pneumonia and didn't and this time, it was not only the real deal but I had it pretty badly.
We headed back to Dr. Benchimol's and I asked him what can be done. Could I have a stronger antibiotic. No, he couldn't give me anything stronger. What I needed had to be given by I.V... in a hospital. Yikes! He tries to be nice and calls a few clinics and tries to get me a bed. No luck. One said for tomorrow but no way would I put this off. Then... you have to go to the hospital.
He directed us to the Nouvel Hรดpitale Civil, which I ironically had written about for the Windows book a couple of years ago. I got to see the final project, although not in circumstances I would have wished.
We came in the emergency room, which luckily wasn't too busy. Dr. Benchimol had called so they knew what was happening. Daniel had to leave with the kids and I was taken into the back room. I put my things in a big bag, and put on one of those nasty hospital gowns. They then started the testing. I got a young, blond doctor who was very clear about explaining things. They put in the I.V. and took a swab for Swine Flu. She warned me that it would probably be negative, since we were now 10 days after the first symtoms and all my flu symptoms were now gone. They did have to leave me on a guerney for three hours while they got the results but I was by myself. If it had been positive, I would have been put in isolation but it wasn't.
At that point, I didn't see very many people. I was still a little nervous, this being my first hospital experience except for having my babies. I had pretty unmedicated births and it was very civilized at Adassa (not so "hospital-like". I was a little hungry and they gave me a snack of yogurt, bread and cheese. Everyone had masks when they entered the room. Meanwhile, Daniel's cousin Francis called the hospital and since he teaches at a neighboring hospital in Nancy, he knows some people here in Strasbourg. He ended up on the phone with the young, blond doctor and she explained everything. Daniel called and told me that I was being taken up to Infectious Diseases at 3pm. Okay, at least I had a deadline!
Sure enough, the blond doctor came back and told me what Daniel just did. They came for me right on time and wheeled me through the coridors (a first for me). A large black box zips along the ceiling. What the heck was that?!? My guerney drivers told me it had the "stuff" for the lab. No one walks around the halls with blood and urine anymore! Safer and quicker too, I imagine...
I get to the room and I was a little confused. There was a woman in the next bed but they were using the "tu" or familiar "you" form with her. "She's a coworker" he explained but then I realized, she was right now a patient! Turns out she was very sick with something that was resisting the antibiotics. She had also had a flu (not swine) followed by a bronchial infection but while she coughed less than I did, it wasn't getting out of her lungs. She had a terrible time sleeping and had been there since the previous Thursday (we were Tuesday).
It was good having a nurse in the next bed. She explained a lot without my having to bug the nurses actually working. For example, she told me that I now knew that my Swine Flu test was negative since I was in the room with her. Swine Flu sufferers are put in isolation. She said this was good as only my husband would have been able to visit me and then only in scrubs and mask.
The downside was the fact that we had a constant stream of visitors. Well, yeah, she worked in Internal Medicine next door! They weren't obnoxious though and everyone put up with the only visitors who came to see me, Daniel and the kids.
The first day in the bed, I did see an intern who I came to dread. She wasn't good at procedures. The blood gases test hurt and she missed the vein, only to give up. The nose thing hurt too. I was kind of glad when she stopped coming after the first few days. I didn't see the actual doctor until about the third day. He was at a conference in the U.S. (but I never got more info than that). I was getting annoyed at the intern because they weren't starting me on antibiotics until that evening. She said something about wanting the right ones or whatever. I'm thinking "just start me on something and change it!" but what could I do?
The bed was more comfortable than I imagined. I was really tired after all that morning's stress. I didn't have my T.V. hooked up yet but I watched my neighbor's when she wasn't. Daniel came later with my things, including a computer which never managed a connection. My iPhone did, and that was a blessing. I was able to access my email accounts as well as some sites, including SFGate.
Daniel hooked up my T.V. the second day but it was only in French, German and yes, Alsatian. These are the most exciting shows; local news and cooking shows mostly. One channel shows some things in Alsatian. French T.V. is infamously dismal, consisting of dubbed 80's shows for the most part. French tastes in entertainment hinge on how many people die in each scene. A tad less violent than in Hong Kong (which had shocking stuff but I digress...).
I spent Rosh Hashana in the hospital. Daniel and the kids couldn't invite anyone, nor could go to anyone's else's home due to the Swine Flu threat they posed, even if not sick.
Yes, that's the room I was given. Now, if you're not familar with Chinese numerology, it wont mean much but 4 means "death". It's said the same and often, in China, there will not be a 4th, 14th, 24th floor. What do I get on my first hospital stay??? Double death! I couldn't exactly ask for another room. Okay, maybe if I were actually Chinese but having once lived in Hong Kong and being from San Francisco wouldn't have cut it...
Every morning, I dreaded the sound of The Cart that would clang down the hall. They gave the blood tests before breakfast. Luckily, there were fewer tests after the first couple of days but still... They started having trouble drawing my blood. My veins were "exploding" they said, directly translated from French. They were having to take it from my hand, which is supposed to be less comfortable but since one nurse was especially skilled and I didn't mind. Honestly, it was better to just get stuck once!
The last night was dire as my I.V. finally gave out and leaked. Of course, one nurse blamed the excessive showers... Anyway, they had to stick me three times, finally going with the other arm which they had tried to avoid, only because I'm right handed. He had to call in his collegue, who ended up holding my hand. It was 11pm and my legs were shaking. I was glad when it was over and I realized that the other I.V. site hurt. I was well out of the hospital when it recovered.
I joked with them that the next time I go to the hospital, I'm going to first do my waxing and get my hair cut! It was funny as they kept apologizing for pulling the tape off my arms. I am true to my Eastern European heritage and am basically a bear when not plucked, waxed and shaved. They were surprised when it didn't hurt and I explained that I get it waxed usually. One nurse quipped that their waxing service was free. This had to be done daily with changing the dressing on the I.V.We were also kind of under the helipad, which made things kind of loud sometimes. With a mountain range nearby, they did come almost daily.
The hosptial is huge, 250 beds but every department imaginable. The maternity was closed (after a nearby hospital expanded its maternity). There was a MRI on the ground floor and a big chart showing all the other departments. The shop was small and only had French and some German newspapers
It was a novelty staying in such a brand new hospital. In addition to those weird black boxes running along the ceiling, they had elevators for carts which worked automatically. The first time I was looking for the button to go downstairs. No button. Then the other elevator arrives and a cart comes out all by itself. Someone comes and gets it (obviously alerted). Then I saw on the floor big signs painted saying "Do not go beyond this line" and so on. Oops! I asked later and they explained that the carts are on a schedule and there is a team in the basement to do just that. The carts carry everything; food, supplies, garbage, etc.
On Saturday, after nine days in the hospital, the poor nurse in the next bed finally was able to go home. She was still pretty sick though. I was alone for one night and most of the next day. Towards evening, without any notice, they came in and pulled the other bed out. Then came in a pretty black girl, her friend and son with all her stuff. Turns out that she had a private room but they needed it to make another isolation room.
She was a real hoot. Luckily, both of us were at the end of our dramas. I had just been told that my bloodwork was good. She had visited her home country of Burkina Faso and had picked up some exotic disease carried by mosquitos. The department's full title was actually "Infectious and Tropical Diseases" so we were one of each. She is much younger than I am but we had a lot in common. She was divorced from her Alsatian husband and also had three kids. We were laughing and talking to the point that the nurses were joking about us.
She was for sure going home the next day but I was not so sure. The doctor came over to her first and gave her the good news. With me, he was a bit more reserved. "Do you have help at home? Is your husband around?" Of course I said yes without hesitation! He said yes, I could go home but he wanted to check my bloodwork. When he didn't come back, I assumed it was good news. We were given lunch but asked if we could leave asap, as there were a lot of admissions. I was given a Px for my 5th different antibiotic, which I had for another week.
My roommate goes in the bathroom for ages and comes out completely transformed. Wow! Heels and everything. When Daniel came in, he had a shock. I introduced them and we took off. In the car, he was hysterical. "You should have seen the gal who was in Sharon's room. I walked in and thought to myself 'I'll take you BOTH home!'" I had to laugh because he never talks like that!
1 comment:
Hi Sharon! We just got back from CA ourselves, and I was checking in for updates, and this is one helluvanupdate! I hope you're feeling better...How horrible to go through it....
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