Bacteria, Bachelorhood, and Blogs

I came down with a nasty Bacterial Infection back last week, just as my wife, Karin, was planning to go visit her Dad and Step-Mom in Illinois. This infection really knocked me for a loop.

I kept thinking I was just experiencing some minor problems, related perhaps to my allergies. But by Tuesday evening (April 25) I was in pain! My body ached all over. Every muscle and joint…even my eyelids hurt. So the next day I got up and called my regular physician.

Only I haven’t had a regular physician since 2004, when my regular physician decided to go back into research. The family practice that he used to be at told me that they’d have to refer me to one of their other doctors. Okay, fine, call him and let me know when I can see him. They called back in a while and told me that none of the other physicians could see me and I’d have to wait until around 5pm when I could come to their after hours clinic.

I knew I wouldn’t be in any shape to go to that clinic. I went to the urgent care center that the county hospital runs on this side of the county. Thank the LORD, there were only two people in the waiting room.

They determined that it was a bacterial infection, gave me a prescription and sent me to get it filled. Again, Thank the LORD, the pharmacy was essentially empty when I got there. So I went home took the meds and went to bed.

Unfortunately when I took my second dose of antibiotic that evening I had a reaction. Within ten minutes I had a rash, and that was a little scary. This happens to me pretty often, so I wasn’t that surprised by the reaction, but I always worry if I’m going to have a “major” reaction. You know, the type that they always show on TV, where the patient goes into shock and nearly dies. I haven’t had one of those since I was a kid, and that was a reaction to a virus, not meds. But still, I keep a close watch on ANY allergic reaction.

Next day I called up the clinic and got them to call in a replacement drug. Went to town, picked it up, went home and went to bed. Felt terrible. Had back pain so bad I nearly threw up.

Not a fun infection at all. Ran a fever for several days, finally getting some relief around Saturday.

Meanwhile, there had been a change of plans for Karin. Seems that her Step-Mom’s own Step-Mom had passed away, and the time table for Karin’s visit to Illinois needed to be stepped up. We had been planning a visit to her folks beginning Wednesday (May 3), in time for her Dad’s birthday. But now she wanted to leave on Sunday (April 30). The thing is, Gypsy Bandwagon had a performance in Johnson City, TN on Saturday (April 29), and I knew I wasn’t going to make that one.

Karin was really in a spot. She wanted me to go with her. We haven’t been apart that much since we’ve been married. A couple of nights here and there, usually because I had a meeting early in the morning in Charlotte, or some such. So she had to make a decision, she could come back from Johnson City and get me, if I thought I’d be well enough to travel on Sunday.

I didn’t think I’d be up to travel for days to come. So she went on to the show and after the performance left for Illinois. I stayed home.

This is the first time Karin has ever left me to be a “bachelor” in 18 years of marriage. It sucks. I’m really lonely, and a good bit distracted.

While I have returned to the studio and managed to create some good work, my heart isn’t really in it. I keep thinking about her.

Well, I’m not going to go into many details about this man and his wife. Those feelings aren’t for public consumption.

As for the infection. Today I got a follow up call from the urgent care people. They were wondering how I was feeling and if the infection had cleared up. Seems that the secondary prescription that they called in had a 50/50 chance of actually working on this bacteria.

I told them I felt fine, and thanked them for checking on me. Then my mind went into hypochondriac mode. “Am I fine? I have been having some minor pain still. Hmmm…what if I have a relapse?”

So I called them back. They said if there was any doubt maybe we should do another culture to make sure I wasn’t still breeding bacteria all over the place.

It turns out I was fine. The doctor said I was clean and clear. Good news.

But Karin’s still not home. So rather than sitting at my desk working on art that’s late (relatively speaking, all my clients are being cool at this point) I’m sitting here writing my blog.

Is there a meaning to all this? Some moral that can be gleaned from my experience? Let me think…

Okay, don’t mess around with bacterial infections! Always see your doctor if you suspect that you’ll feel worse if you don’t. If your doctor isn’t available see some other doctor. If you get a reaction to a drug, stop using it and consult your physician. Being apart from the one you love is not fun. Waste not, want not. Allow your wife to do the things she needs to do, and you’ll be glad you did (even if the waiting for her to come home stinks).

Man! Those are lousy morals.

How about this:

At the Biltmore House there is a framed advertisement from a 19th Century magazine. It’s in the staff dining area, and it cracks me up every time I see it. It’s a cartoon of a man sitting at a table and the caption reads, “The wife is away, but there’s Kellogg’s Corn Flakes in the cupboard, Hoorah!”

I haven’t even looked at a Corn Flake since Karin left. No Corn Flake could console me.