I want to whine whine whine. Sorry.

Edited to add: just realized it’s the one-month anniversary of my relationship with Fifth Disease. Yuck.

At that point, I took my temperature, and realized I had a low-grade fever (100.3 or so). I also developed gigantically swollen lymph nodes at the base of my skull (high on my neck). I spent the rest of the week feeling flu-like without the cold symptoms, and finally I made an appointment to see the doctor and went in on Friday, July 23rd. I’ve been going to a new doctor’s office for the past two years. My old practice was difficult to deal with. If you needed to be seen, you had to call, follow all the prompts, and wait for a call back– you couldn’t talk to a human. At my new practice, a human answers the phone. But, every time I go, I have to see a student first. It make my appointments about twice as long. But I figure it’s a trade-off. I wouldn’t even go to my old doctor’s office because it was so difficult to get through to them.

I sat in the office with the new student and we went over my symptoms. We both agreed it sounded viral. I usually don’t go to the doctor for a virus, but I was a little nervous that I could have lyme disease, since we do trek around the woods a bit. As I was sitting there, I noticed a red lacy rash on both my arms. I pointed it out to the student, and he proclaimed, “Contact dermatitis”. Now, I do get contact dermatitis from things like laundry detergent and lotions, but I am very careful about the products I use and haven’t had an outbreak in a while. When the doctor came in, we discussed how it was probably just a random virus that would run it’s course… and then I showed him my arms. He immediately said, “Oh FIFTH DISEASE!” I had heard of Fifth Disease as a childhood illness, but didn’t know more about it. After we determined that, I went home and researched it a little more. I discovered that because I had the visible rash, I was no longer contagious (and could feel better about going to work that weekend in a public library). And I also read some scary things on the Internet about terrible lingering joint pain and chronic fatigue symptoms.

By Sunday, July 25th, my joints were getting swollen. And when I say “joints” I don’t mean just some of them… I mean EVERY SINGLE JOINT IN MY BODY. Monday, I felt pretty incapacitated, but made it into my three hour shift at the library… hobbling like an 85 year old. I called my doctor’s office, because I wanted to make sure that if I was walking or trying to move, I wasn’t doing any more damage, and waited for a call-back. Tuesday, we were heading to the Poconos to meet Joe’s parents, and I was moving like I was 90 years old. My toes, my ankles, my knees, my hands (fingers, wrists), shoulders, etc were all swelling up. I even thought I was experience swelling in my forehead! My normally loose rings were stuck to my finger. I wished I had taken them off, but it is actually a useful gauge of how swollen I am. When we arrived in the Poconos, I shuffled to the bedroom and fell asleep. I am not normally a napper, but the fatigue and urge to nap is overwhelming.

Wednesday, July 28th, my joints felt a smidge better. What a relief! I also got the call-back from my doctor’s office. It was the young student calling. I asked him if Arnica, a homeopathic that my mother-in-law had, would help. He hadn’t heard of it. He said stick to Naproxen, and then he threw in this gem: “You’re kinda old to have Fifth Disease.” Thanks, kiddo! Should I have said, “You’re kinda young to be a doctor!”? Fifth Disease is most common in kids 5-15, but I just happen to be a lucky one who didn’t get it as a kid. I hope my mother-in-law is right– that I am helping that student be a better doctor, but I would have hoped he had looked it up before calling me and see that it does happen to adults and that the arthritis symptom is not uncommon. By the weekend, I felt probably 75% better. But now, over a week since I had the crippling arthritis, I am still at probably 75% better. I’d like to be 100% better. Yesterday, I was sore, but able to go out and do some errands and even went out letterboxing (although I did not walk much). Today, I have been pretty sore but overwhelmingly tired, and I took another short nap, which was not rejuvenating.

I’m a little down in the dumps, because I’ve read some things about this lingering not just for weeks, not just for months, but for YEARS. I am nervous. I wish there was something I could do to fight it. I am hoping to start an exercise regimen again soon, and I’m going to watch my diet. I’ve been taking naproxen, but I’d like to not have to take it– I wish there was something natural that helped the swelling. Maybe someone will read this and give me some advice?

Now I just typed so much that my hands are pretty sore. I would like to make some fun updates about our vacations, but I think that will have to wait for another day.

My hand on Wednesday, July 28th– my fingers are normally VERY skinny

My swollen toes and ankle on Wednesday, July 29th– again, my feet are super skinny

But the scariest and saddest story in Food, Inc. was about the woman who became a food safety advocate after her two year old son died from e. coli in a hamburger. There have been a lot of stories about unsafe food– bagged spinach, peanut butter, hamburgers, tomatoes– and I was always thankful that we hadn’t bought anything involved in a recall. But one of those news stories did effect us, back in May 2007.

I was looking at my journal, and found these entries:
Thursday, May 24, 2007:
…Lilia ate chicken & noodles from my soup, some meatball, and some spring roll. And all of her Veggie Booty (her favorite snack). She was eating non-stop, it was adorable.
Sunday, May 27, 2007:
Lilia will be 15 months tomorrow! And she has her first tummy bug ever. It hit yesterday– she was super lethargic. And then she woke up in the middle of the night BURNING UP. Her fever (underarm) was only 101.7, so not too bad. I don’t have any pain relievers/fever reducers– they expired last year– so I just nursed her, gave her water, and crossed my fingers. Then she started with the Big D, which so far has not been TOO bad. She’s been mopey and clingy (to me), but is currently making her dad read ALL of her favorite books to her. So I’m hopeful this won’t last too long. Although Dr. Sears explains that intestines are slow-healing, so it could linger. Oh, this morning her temperature was 100.5. Much more reasonable.
Monday, May 28, 2007:
Saturday, it was hot, and we didn’t go out until late afternoon. We went for a little hike in Fairmount Park, and Lilia did not seem to be having any fun. I chalked it up to tiredness and the heat. We had to stop at 2 CVSes and the grocery store, and she was very tired looking– Joe said, She seems sick. Well, of course, she WAS sick.

Today, Lilia seemed better in the morning, and our pal M came over to hang out. Unfortunately, Lilia is not all better. I hope we don’t all catch it.
Aww, she just woke up with a cry, but is drifting back to sleep. Her eyes are purple from being tired and sick. I’m so glad we are still nursing, or she’d be starving!

Thursday, May 31, 2007:

Lilia is getting better. Still clingy and not quite eating a ton, but she’s definitely improving. She’s been waking up in the night crying though. That is not fun. Especially because nothing helps

June 28, 2007:
Robert’s Veggie Booty is recalled

Copyright 2007 by United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
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So… it dawned on me… Lilia’s favorite snack food was recalled for salmonella. Lilia ate it before she got sick (not just the one day I posted about– she ate it constantly). I had been worried that we all would catch it, but we never did. It was never confirmed that she had salmonella, but her symptoms, combined with the fact that we never got sick, seem to indicate that she did have it.

She had an allergy to dairy when she was little, so I couldn’t give her goldfish or anything with milk in it. I didn’t feel bad giving Veggie Booty to her. I know it was just a snack food, but it had green stuff in it– veggies- and a little bit of calcium. I personally didn’t really like it, so I didn’t eat it. I couldn’t buy it at Trader Joe’s– they sold Pirate’s Booty, but not Veggie Booty, and I didn’t realize why until later– the green veggie powder has stuff from China, and TJ’s has a policy not to sell items from China. And that green veggie powder from China was the source of the salmonella!

If Lilia had any sort of compromised immune system, she could have been much sicker. I don’t even see Veggie Booty listed on Robert’s Gourmet’s website anymore, so maybe they don’t make it? I wasn’t sure if I should contact anyone about Lilia’s case. In August, 2007, I did email Robert’s to let them know they might want to add another case to their list.
They emailed back and told me to fill out a claim form for medical costs reimbursement. We didn’t have any medical costs– just an increased cost of diapers for a few days, and a few days of a holiday weekend spent tending to our sick girl–so I did not fill out the form. I found an article, about a family suing– there little boy had to be hospitalized.
This is the kind of stuff that makes me feel helpless. I know that I can never ever buy something from Robert’s Gourmet again… but how can I make sure that it isn’t going to happen with another snack we get? With the peanut butter scare, we know that it just isn’t China’s fault, so avoiding all things from China won’t solve the problem.

Today I am sticking to green tea.

Anyway, enough ramble about that. I forgot to mention that after this post last week, I DID have a Wawa Turkey Bowl. My first thought was that it was a little like dog food, but that didn’t stop me from having a second bite. The second bite was better (I think the first had too much gravy), and I actually enjoyed it very much. Tomorrow is our big Thanksgiving dinner at my dad’s house. I’m looking forward to it, but feeling guilty for not contributing anything… I asked a few times if I could bring anything, but never received a response, and planned on making the apple cupcakes today anyway… but the migraine interfered with those plans. Oh well… empty-handed. I’m sure there will be enough without us bringing something.

After blowing my nose on Thursday, February 7, my left ear felt like someone had shoved a pillow in it. It felt more serious than any other ear pain I’ve had, but I did not expect to wake up around midnight with horrible excruciating pain. It was so bad, that I called the doctor’s office, but was told my only option was to either page the doctor, or drive to the emergency room. I suffered through the night– 2 ibuprofen only helped for about 20 minutes, and soon blood started running out my ear. Around 6:30 AM, I gave in and paged the doctor, who arranged to see me at 9 AM. She confirmed that I broke the eardrum, and I started anti-biotics and super high doses of ibuprofen (declined the narcotics), which helped keep the pain away. However, my right ear decided to join the party, and started dripping fluid too (but never blood).

By Saturday evening (about 48 hours since I damaged the eardrum), the pain was under control, but the severe hearing loss was quite shocking. I was convinced it would never get any better. I walked around for the next week in a fog– my head was so congested. The following Saturday, I was sure it was getting worse. And then, my right ear started popping. And popping. After a few days of this popping, my hearing in my right ear cleared up considerably.

Now it is two and a half weeks later, and my left ear is getting much better. The hole has healed, and the congestion is better, so I am just experiencing tinnitus and decreased hearing. Sometimes I feel some pain, but not too often.

Anyway, just thought I’d put this out there for anyone suffering through this. My fingers are crossed that in another week or two, as the lingering congestion clears up, my left ear will be close to normal.

Part 1 is here.

*When I googled it, most broken eardrums seem to happen from accidents– scuba diving, water-skiing, etc.  I think having the flu/ear infection is what kept me in such a fog for 2 weeks.

I took Miss Lilia to the doctor today. She’s been very snotty and she has said her ears hurt. Yesterday was probably the worst day, but it was very bad weather, and I didn’t want to venture out to the doctor in it. Thankfully, the doctor thinks she is over the worst of it, and that she doesn’t need antibiotics. The doctor also looked in my ears, and proclaimed my left ear “a mess”. Joe has been under the weather too, and finally went to the doctor. Diagnosis: Bronchitis. Unless it’s pneumonia.

Ah, so, we are surviving. But Lilia actually seemed a lot more perky today– this gives me hope that we are at the end of this! And then I’ll just have to wait for my ear to heal.

How about some Valentine’s Day pictures of my February Sweetheart? (Only 2 weeks till Lil is 2!)
The Ham (who knows where she learned this smile!?!)

Can you believe this girl didn’t win Regis and Kelly’s most Beautiful Baby contest?

1. Our water supply is pretty icky. We use either a Pur or Brita filter on the kitchen sink, but both of them get clogged pretty quickly. There is an off-white substance coming out of the water– I can’t believe that’s good to drink. So I am considering getting some sort of under the sink water filtration system. I don’t know where to start looking, and have no idea how much something like this would cost. Any ideas?

2. A new digital camera. I’ve been suffering with my hand-me-down, old, slow, sometimes-won’t-take-a-picture-even-if-I-push-the-button-a-dozen-times camera, and I really want a new one. I’m not looking to spend a lot, so no fancy Digital SLR for me. I want something small and good. Joe always liked his Canon PowerShot Digital Elph, but the screen died on the last one, and that discouraged him. He got a Panasonic Lumix, but is taking a long time getting used to it. I’d be willing to forgive Canon for the screen problem. What do you think? What kind of camera do you have? How much was it? Do you like it?

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In other news, I think my hearing is getting worse. The info I’ve seen about broken eardrums makes it sound like it isn’t a big deal. However, the pain in the first 48 hours was worse than labor. And the lingering not being able to hear (due to constant ringing and cloudy feeling) is really discouraging. It looks like it could take 2 months to heal. Fingers crossed that it is much less than that.

BUT

I have to share this: I blew my nose yesterday afternoon, and immediately my ear felt like there was a pillow shoved into it. It didn’t get better, and in the night, woke me up with excruciating pain. I am bleeding out the ear.

I have broken my eardrum. Or more precisely, perforated my tympanic membrane. It is terribly painful, but apparently, is not that big of a deal. I have some nice medicine to take, and will hopefully be in less pain soon.

But let this be a lesson to you, especially those of you with large Italian noses…

Lilia was actually born on Fat Tuesday. It must have been late that year, or early this year.

I have been battling the flu (fever, chills, fever, chills, cough cough), since Friday. Lilia and Joe are next in line for getting it (they have cold symptoms, and that’s how it started for me).

I haven’t taken any pictures or done anything exciting in days. Hence, this is a boring post. Just didn’t want you to think I’d dropped off the face of the earth.