Is there a doctor in the house?!

Haha. I made a funny. :)

In all seriousness though- I've been positively down-right, down and out. Almost out of commission. Here's my story.

Three weeks ago, I started to notice a (very) swollen lymph node on the right side of my neck, just below my jaw line. It stayed that way for about 5 days, with no other sypmtons. Thought it was strange, but went about my business. Around day 6, I began to have the usual cold symptons, in the usual way. First sore throat, then coughing, then sneezing, etc. Except this cold was a bad one. You know - the kind that really take a toll....but business as usual. However, I couldn't seem to get over the coughing part. There were probably a good 3/4 nights where I didn't really even sleep, I just coughed. Tried sitting up, tried sleeping on the couch, tried cough drops, tried honey-water, you name it. And it was the kind-of coughing that gives you that immediate headache...ouch. My voice got bad and all raspy, and I felt like a big pile of you know what! But life goes on. So- around Day 17ish, I have some type of reaction. My legs start to itch, down my feet and on my shins. It then moves up my thighs, and onto my lower back. It literally looks like I've clawed myself. The rash was linear, red, and raised. I woke up Ben to let him know and we started the online research. (Never a good idea, btw.) To my amazement, the rash was pretty well gone the next morning. Sure enough though, it came back that next afternoon....and the next, and the next, and the next-- and the next times 8! And don't forget- my lymph node was still swollen. Yes, I finally went to see the doctor and she put me on an antibiotic. I also had another random sympton. My right wrist and arm started showing signs of tendonitis or arthritis. Talk about pain- I couldn't unbutton my pants, giving the kids a bath was unsafe, and even turning on the tv with the remote was painful. That simple twist was excruciating. About 4 days later, I ended up with a temperature- of 103. This time the ER visit was for me. The rash was at it's all time high, my temp too, but my lymph node had gone down a bit. And I was still coughing every so often..plus this weird pain in my arm.

At the ER, they took x-rays of my chest. They took tons of blood. They took 6 bottles worth of more blood for some bacteria cultures. They gave me an antibiotic and steriod through an IV. They diagnosed me at that point with Cat Scratch Fever and pneumonia. Some motrin and tylenol...I was on my way.

So since then-- my main doc said she didn't think I had Cat Scratch Fever, nor pneumonia. Another doctor said he thought maybe I had mono, lyme disease, or tuberculosis. Do you see why I asked for a doctor?! Three different doctors, three different diagnoses. I'm almost done with both my medications, although I still am a bit itchy. All of the other symptons are gone. :) I may just be some type of weird medical mystery. Let's really hope it doesn't come back- yuck.

Here is some of the rash.


Do you see my goiter?!