Deja vu at the hospital all over again...

This morning brought me chills and a fever of 102.7 F, so I called my poison man. He was worried I might have a pulmonary embolism, so he told me to go the ER. Another day, another trip to the ER. This time we stayed in the ER from roughly 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., when they admitted me to the hospital for observation.

Before then, they sucked all kinds of blood out of me for more cultures (which I assume will find as little as Monday's cultures did), and did a scan to rule out a pulmonary embolism. Since I am allergic to flouroscopy dye, they ended up doing a radionuclear scan instead. Luckily, my lung checked out "100% normal and perfect" according to the pulmonary specialist who just stopped by. That is excellent news, particularly since the radiologists almost always find something to complain about and only give an 80% or 90% normal rating. So apparently my lungs are especially normal -- for once a good thing!!!

The lung man thinks the cough may thus still stem from my postnasal drip and proposed ways to manage that better. Exciting. However, they still don't have a clue where that fever is coming from, which is why I'll apparently get to meet an infectious diseases specialist sometime in the near future. Well, that sounds exciting. So for my return visit (even the nurses who checked me in remembered me...!) at least I am getting to take different tests and meet new folks, as well. 

Once again, I drew the short straw, though, and got the bed by the door. But tonight I'll be knocked out by Benadryl, anyway, and I brought ear plugs and a eyeshade just in case. Since the last bad experience I've wowed to be prepared... But this time my roommate seems much more sedate and quiet, even if she will have one of her sisters here at all times as a private nurse (four of her sisters actually are nurses, and they are taking turns!). But they are all very nice and very considerate. So that's ok. 

I sent DH home at seven p.m. to let the doggie out and feed him. The poor thing has had to spend the day by himself in this heat -- even if we did turn on the AC for him. In the meantime, I have resigned myself to my renewed hospital fate. I even received a belated dinner. If I can find a few more blankets to keep me warm I should be ok for the night. Right now I'm feeling a tad chilly, even though I supposedly no longer run a fever. Go figure. 

So here I am on the hospital's cancer station, experiencing deja vu all over again. But this, too, shall pass. My guess is they will find nothing, send me home with more prophylactic antibiotics, and chalk it all up to the chemo. But at least other nasty causes for this fever will have been ruled out, which will be reassuring. Thus I consider this my contribution to the nation's economic recovery (a "victory fever" of sorts???? Boy, my health insurance must hate me!) ...