My Bout with Pneumonia Brings Back Ugly Memories

My nearly three-year streak of good health came to a screeching halt at the beginning of March. I guess you could say March Madness came a little early for me. I came down with a nasty virus that quickly turned into pneumonia. While I had pneumonia on roughly a bi-annual basis until my spinal fusion at age 9, I had it only twice since before now.

As of writing this, I’ve been sick for 24 days, and I’m still not entirely well. I still need to use my cough machine a couple of times a day. Even though that’s not a huge deal, it means I can’t go far from home, because I don’t want to risk getting too far from my machines.

Honestly, I largely forgot how miserable pneumonia is because my case in 2015 wasn’t this bad, nor this prolonged. Every four hours, I did treatment cycles that consist of an albuterol nebulizer, the Vest Airway Clearance System, postural drainage, and, of course, cough and suction. This is a great way to combat respiratory illnesses, as it first loosens the junk, then removes it.

Even though it’s an effective treatment, it means I have zero relief until I get better. Doing an hourlong cycle every four hours means I get very little sleep, so I’m too exhausted to even watch TV. I was essentially bedridden for a few days, as it’s easier to breathe lying down. It’s a perfect storm of misery where all I can do is focus on my next breath.

After a few days of this, I went to the doctor, who quickly diagnosed me with pneumonia and prescribed antibiotics. I was hesitant to take the antibiotics, which can be hard on your stomach — the last thing I needed — because whether I actually had bacterial pneumonia wasn’t a sure thing. The doctor simply listened to me. I wasn’t X-rayed. I did take the medicine, but it’s hard to say whether it helped or prevented anything. No stomach issues, though, so nothing lost.

It’s difficult to take away any positives from an illness like this, but in the interest of becoming refined by fire, I will find a silver lining. Being so sick reminds me of life’s fragility, and how unexpected it is that I’m still here. The sickness refreshed my purpose and appreciation for life. Perhaps I needed a reboot, but pneumonia can leave me alone for a while now.

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