ON PNEUMONIA

Original Content | 3/6/2014 | By Laz A. Mataz

[Lazamataz]

I had a bacterial pneumonia over this last week.

It manifested as flu-like symptoms, at first: Low-grade fever, dizziness, chills, then sweats, and a constant fatigue. I thought nothing of it for the first day, having been the self-administered victim of minor food-poisoning before. However, this illness didn't seem to want to pass. By the second day, Sunday, I became more anxious as to the true cause of the malady. It was less likely to be a true influenza, because I had received a flu vaccine shot this year. So what was it?

I almost thought to get to the doctors, but it was Sunday, he would not be open until Monday morning. I did contact a friend who is a health care professional (an anesthetist) and knowing he was not versed in general practice of medicine, figured he might have picked up a thing or two along the decades. He was quite alarmed at my symptom list and suggested that I might have a bacterial or viral pneumonia. Upon looking the symptom list up, on a one-for-one basis, each symptom listed corresponded to a symptom I was presenting. The various literature indicated that a viral pneumonia was (generally) less severe, although more dangerous because they tended to occur in infants and elderly. Mine was likely a bacterial pneumonia.

The treatment indicated was a good antibiotic, and the one most commonly mentioned was one I just so happened to have: Amoxycillin. It is part of my Grid Down supply kit. I decided -- based on all available input -- to start a 7 day course of 750MG a day.

The next day, before the antibiotics had a chance to work, was the worst. I was completely unable to get into a car to get to the doctor. I genuinely felt at deaths door. I seriously considered, several times, calling 911 to get help, but backed off. It was awful.

Things improved, and now, six days after it started, I am well enough to pen this article.

The thoughts I have had emerge from this event:

1) While it would have been best to go to a doctor, it was an interesting experiment (thankfully, a successful one) to be able to treat yourself with supplies on-hand, with the guidance and expertise of someone in the medical field. It may well be that under the new 'Health Care System' we will be living under, we'll be needing to be a lot more proactive with our health. We may need to be able to diagnose and treat ourselves to the best of our abilities.

2) I do recognize I got lucky, and that this is not my best option while the system still works. However, it was the best I could manage without calling an ambulance, and until Monday, I wasn't that bad. I seriously considered it four times on Monday.

3) SHTF supplies are useful. They were critically useful for me. SHTF does not NECESSARILY mean societal breakdown. The SHTF for me, personally, last week. I am glad I had the proper supplies ON HAND to treat the probable disease.

4) This has caused me to do a mortality check. I am not bulletproof and 10 feet tall. Death is an option for me. I need to have my spiritual house in order, and to try to maximize the order in my physical house.

5) It's important that there be instructions left on things to do after my death. Contacting relatives, friends, and perhaps this very forum, might be one instruction. Another may be an 'unofficial will' ... I have no great wealth, so the various items I have acquired should be allocated by my instruction. Important notes to loved ones might be something I also want to leave.

[VeniVidiVici]

Obviously, it was only a matter of time before I acquired Streptococcus pneumoniae alpha-hemolytic septicemia osteomyelitis necrotyzing meningococcal meningitis (Neisseria meningitidis) H7N9 staphylococcal coronavirus fasciitis Marburg hemorrhagic fever causing Endocarditis, rheumatic heart disease, diabetes, Chrones Disease, scalp spasms, and valvular revolvular.

I had this once. Just sit in a hot steam bath for an hour or so.

[Hetty_Fauxvert]

Instructive! Thanks for sharing. I just want to add that I ended up having viral pneumonia once last year, and what may have been bacterial pneumonia a second time about three months later. My new doc opines that the second bout may have been caused by a pocket of “gunk” (the medical term, apparently) left in the lower lobe of one lung. At any rate, the second time I had to take TWO rounds of different antibiotics, and also get an X-ray to confirm my lungs finally being clear.

So while I appaud your independence, if you have health coverage, I suggest strongly that you actually go to a doc and get a follow-up on all this. At least get your lungs listened to by a pro, and possibly get an X-ray as well. My second bout of pneumonia was much like yours (fever, chills, severe shaking, all sorts of goodies) and I would not want to go through that again if a little follow-up could prevent it!

[BuckeyeTexan]

Geez, buddy. That’s scary. So glad you’re okay.

[MrB]

I believe that’s listed as a “common side effect” to some medications.

[Celtic Conservative]

At least you didn't succumb to the vapors or the heartbreak of psoriasis! Seriously, though I too came down with a lung infection in Feboo Ferbruer, last month. The same night It started to seriously get worse, My furnace broke. It got down to -20 in the frostbitten thumb of the enchanted mitten that night, and about 45 indoors. I piled all available blankets and cats on the bed (they eventually wimped out and got under the covers with me) and called the heating and cooling guy pronto at sun-up. T'was then I heard the heating guys words of pain: "gee, they don't make these any more!". I heated the house with borrowed space heaters for a week until a part came in. fortunately it was relatively cheap, but what with losing one of my furbabies and the biblical proportions of this winter it was just too fripping much.

CC

[familyop]

Thank you. Good learning.