Welcome to Kelly Martin's Blog! Here I share my stories from my blessed life as a wife to a super-talented man, Jason, mom to my precious kids, Lucy, Jack, and Connor, and friend to my amazing girlfriends who inspire me every day!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

pneumonia

Well, I'm blogging from bed, layered under at least four heavy blankets feeling worse than I ever have in my entire life. It's worse than morning sickness, worse than strep, worse than watching Alabama win on a day when Auburn lost :-)

I have pneumonia.

Yesterday, I had chest pains and it felt "cold" in my chest when I took deep breaths. At one point, my teeth were chattering so bad I was sure I was about to break them :-). Fever spiked at 103.7, so I went to the doctor this morning thinking I had the flu. Chest x-rays proved otherwise. I had to get two shots-one antibiotics and one steriod. The antibiotic shot sent me into a dizzy spell, my vision blurred, and I nearly passed out. The nurse kept saying to me, "Say something, darling, stay with me." But then she fanned me and kept a cool cloth on my face for a while and that was nice. I remember thinking, I did not sign up for this! :-)

Had a terrible experience with the doctor...I've stopped going to my General Practitioner because every time I go I have to sit through no less than a half hour of family history medical questions and it's never quicker than a two-hour ordeal; plus at the end of the visit I usually end up getting referred to some other doctor-very frustrating.

(I've asked some friends for referrals, but turns out, none of those offices are taking new patients-great :-(

Thinking I just had the flu and needed a quick prescription for Tamiflu, I took my chances at Phoenix Emergency Care where you can just walk in. I've been there before. Nothing to rave about, but nothing terrible. Well, there was a lady doctor there today, one I've never seen before. Before I got my shots, I forgot to tell her that I was still nursing Jack (bad oversight, I know, but my head was spinning so bad and I felt so awful, it just slipped my mind). Before she wrote my prescription (and after I received the shots), I asked her to make sure the Rx was safe for nursing moms. She promptly scolds me for not telling her sooner (again, I agree, she's right, but her tone is way out of line), and then she says, (and I quote), "I'm a nursing mom too, and I would never forget to tell the doctor something like that."

Seriously!?! How rude! There were three or four other things she did during the visit that I thought were bad manners for doctors, and she didn't even show up to the office until 90 minutes after they had opened (I went first thing at 8am hoping to be in and out-yeah right!) I left at 11am. 3 HOURS!

They sent me out to the waiting room to wait on my prescription, and after a half hour more of waiting, I go up to the nurses desk and ask them to check on it. I'm crying at this point, and I don't even care. I feel so awful and have had such a horrible experience -I'm fearful I won't even be able to drive home I'm so dizzy- I just want to run home to the safety of my bed. Twenty minutes after that, they finally give me the Rx. My face is red, streaked with hot tears, and I leave. They didn't even schedule a follow-up. Not that I'd ever visit that place again.

So, I'm back to square one: MUST FIND GOOD DOCTOR! I don't even feel confident in the care I received today, so I'm wondering if I should have another dr. look at me if I don't feel better soon. And I definitely want a follow-up chest x-ray in a month when this thing should be out of my chest.

So, anyone love their doctor? And I mean, LOVE. I'm through with mediocre doctors. People should give a crap about how they do their job. I can honestly say I never strived to just be a mediocre teacher-the little ones I was interacting with daily were too important for that. And doctors should feel the same way!

Sorry for the rant today. But I'm stuck in bed, I miss my kids (Jason's taking sick leave to be Mr. Mom, thank God), I've already taken two naps today, and I'm just feeling worse than I ever have before. And I won't be able to go to Bunco tomorrow night, to boot! Boo!

8 comments:

  1. awwww...that sounds terrible! josh and i go to total sports care just off of airport road. i really like my doctor, but i've only been in there for non-serious things like having moles removed and yearly physicals. i have dr. cowart and josh has dr. cost. he likes dr. cost a lot, i think.

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  2. thanks rebecca! i'll definitely look into their office and find out if they also take care of "sick" situations :-)

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  3. Yes, I like Dr. Cost a lot. Also, he went to Auburn so you could have something to talk about:)

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  4. Oh Kelly - so sorry to hear how sick you are - miserable!!! Let me know if you hear of any good docs - we do have an IM doc we are patients of - but I haven't been there since my original physical 4 years ago - I usually just go to the med center if needed, but it would be a good idea to have a doc on hand. Take Care!

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  5. Oh Kelly, that is awful!! Plus a bad, horrible, terrible clinic experience (with a stupid nurse)! I go to Elizabeth Trotter and really like her a lot. She is a mother and just past the Library on Bailey Cove, so close by. I dont know if she is taking new patients but it is a sweet little office and she is very good. 256-880-6138 is her number. Feel better soon! Molly

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  6. Kelly,

    I'm so sorry you are sick! I had pneumonia once and it wasn't fun. I will pray for you.

    Love,
    Wendy

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  7. So sorry you had to go through that Kelly - SO unprofessional. Matt and I have been going to Dr. Cost for about 4-5 years and have been happy with him. See if they are taking new patients!

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  8. Oh no!!! How awful... Here's to hoping that you have one heck of a speedy recovery.

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