…for me…

Dd

Pompadour withstanding, coughing and sneezing are defence mechanisms to avoid choking. Right?

Yeah, and so…

In mid August, I discovered that coughing is a sure way to become overwhelmed.

On an uneventful Wednesday, I consumed a microwave breakfast sandwich, ready made, no bigger than a jelly donut, without the jelly.

I took a bite, chewed and swallowed rather hastily, I took another bite, followed closely by a third. By the fourth bite is was gone.

Suddenly, I started to cough for reasons unknown.

I hacked and hacked, I could feel some of that crap clumping mid-chest.

I was coughing so much I had tears running down my face…

At last, I got the crap down to my stomach, and stopped coughing… end of story, yes?

Later that week, I started to feel pain on my right side, for an unknown reason. I took some ibuprofen, but the pain did not go away.

Sunday came, I was in a lot of pain now, coughing or bending over or just about anything! Even breathing was an issue! I couldn’t take a deep breath!

So, Monday morning, way before the rooster’s alarm went off; I headed to Emergency at the hospital across the street from my complex.

At 4 AM there was no line, I was triaged immediately, and had an EKG while waiting for the interpreter to arrive.

Some painkillers, a couple of painful X-rays, a endurance testing CT scan and more painkillers; I was informed that I had pneumonia!

I was given an prescription and told to get it filled immediately.

I was discharged, sent home; my wife asked the question I didn’t know I should have asked: was it Viral or Bacterial Pneumonia? I didn’t know the answer, the doctor didn’t tell me.

Later that evening, my Doctor called and wanted me to return to the hospital. She was, and my wife too, was concerned. I needed to know what kind of pneumonia I had.

Let’s just summarize, before you swipe up, I was diagnosed with Aspirational Pneumonia! Thanks a lot ataxia!

What that implies is that; while I was coughing my lungs out that uneventful Wednesday morning, a small piece of nearly digested crap from that crap breakfast donut was hurled north along the esophagus, became entangled in the pharynx region, took a wrong turn and entered the trachea. That tiny piece of crap ended up at a place it wasn’t supposed to be, namely a nondescript bronchiole!

This situation is not unlike wayward people ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time, just because of a nasty cough!

After a week of antibiotics, the piece of crap dissolved and I could take deep breaths of roses.

That Cough led to: a quick Modified Barium Swallow test last week, a series of physical therapy sessions over the next three weeks (and beyond), and a future appointment with a occupational therapist (like I need a job now?).

So, that uneventful Wednesday has turned into many opportunities! Yeah yeah!

Thank you for reading, liking and donating!