Crypto Sporidium

Yes, it's true. I have a parasite. A disgusting, living organism inside my body called Crypto Sporidium. Incredibly resistant to cholorine, this particular parasite often lives in pools, lakes, streams, and other bodies of water, and I hate to even type it, it is passed through fecal matter. Ugggh.

It all started last Saturday. I got up and ran six miles, feeling like a champ. Took Kate to a birthday party where I started to feel a little nauseous (I'm going to type queasy from now on because I refuse to type nauseous over and over), but I thought I just needed to eat something. Had a hot dog....didn't to much. So later that afternoon, we went to a baptism, followed by dinner at a friend's house. I kept feeling more and more sick, but being the fool that I am, I just kept feeding my nausea. Bad idea.....we drove home and I went straight upstairs to bed, so queasy I wanted to cry. I took a Unisom thinking I might just be able to sleep my woes away.....but that only worked from 9-11 when I awoke in a delirium of cramps, pain, nausea, and Unisom-induced sleepiness. What happened for the next six hours probably goes without explanation. I finally took my pillow and slept on the bathroom floor, between the waves of diarrhea and nausea that I was going through. One would think that at some point there is just no liquid left to be expelled, but I now know first hand it just keeps coming, and coming, and coming.

So finally the light of day broke, and I was almost in hysterics I felt so sick. After a blessing, some pacing, lots of crying, some attempts at sleeping, I decided we had to go to UrgentCare. Like a dog marking its territory on a tree, I left my mark by vomiting right there in their parking lot. Well, no big surprise the UrgentCare doctor sent me straight over to the ER. They gave me two bags of fluid, Zofran, pain medicine, took blood, urine, and stool samples (pleasant), and sent me home two prescriptions and as high as a kite. I barely remember getting home....but when i woke up the next morning, I did not feel better. I was so weak and dizzy and I still could keep anything in or down, so back we went to the ER. Two more bags of fluid, more Zofran, more pain medicine, and a diagnosis. Along with finding an amoeba in my blood, they also let me know I had developed a urinary tract infection. Oh the joys of a parasite! And here I am, still laying on my couch like a limp noodle, no good to anyone. When I'll feel better.....I have no idea. But seeing as some of my unpleasant symptoms are still occuring several times a day, it's not looking too good.

So you know the expression "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." Well, in my attempt to do that, I have discovered in the midst of my misery, that I am grateful for certain things. So thank you Crypto Sporidium, for helping me realize a few things: thank you clean, soft bed and sheets, thank you roll after roll of toilet paper and for a toilet that flushes over and over again, thank you Crypto Sporidium for helping me lose six lbs. in just five days (sure it won't last, but I'll enjoy it while I'm down), thank you hospital staff and doctors that did not dismiss a single one of my syptoms/concerns, thank you modern medicine, thank you Dilodin (sp?)--a potion that made me all warm and fuzzy inside and took me to a land where I forgot all my troubles....at least for a few hours, thank you Jessica for providing all of my fellow bloggers with a visual of how disgusting my parasite is, thank you husband who had to literally help me get dressed and wait on me hand and foot, thank you John and Tiff for watching my kids, thank you mom for flying out on a moment's notice, coming to our rescue and being so incredibly helpful with me and my kids, exhausting as it has been, and finally....one big thank you to everyone who thought of, prayed for, called, prepared meals for, and visited us. In times like these, it ceases to amaze me how much love and support surrounds me, and what wonderful family and friends I have.

So Crypto Sporidium, even in my decrepit state, my blog.......must.........go..........on.