Lyme Fun

Well Izzy didn't like being the only one with Lyme Disease in our house so Rick decided to join her.

What a friggin' nightmare the last few days have been.

Let me begin by saying that no matter how much Rick fights me on this, I am right and he is a stubborn old coot. Period. End of story.

And his life would be easier if he wouldn't fight me so. After 27 years you’d think he would just have learned by now that I am always right and even if not, I’m only less right.  Dumb ass.

He has been feeling very tired of late. To the point that I was beginning to think this was going to be my old age with this guy. I have all this energy and he just wants to sleep.

I kept asking myself, "really? this is what it's going to be like?"

I suggested he go back to the doctors. He swore he was fine.

Then last week while walking the dog I was a bit behind him. He had on shorts and I saw an enormous black and blue mark that was just a circle around his tick bite behind his knee.

I said something to him and he said, "Because it isn't red it probably is nothing"

Being ever the smart ass I told him since he was neither a doctor or played one on TV that this should be looked at.  

He repeated his mantra, "I'm fine"

But over our 3 day weekend he wasn't fine. He was a big ole poop head. He was tired.He didn't want to do this or that.

I made crab puffs and after an evening of friends and cocktails on the patio he told me he thinks I gave him food poisoning.

He was nauseous and he felt like the flu was hovering over him.  

I wanted to be sure I didn't give my guests food poisoning as well and checked in with them. A bit hungover they said,  but no food poisoning.  Whew.  

Sunday we went to friends home. After a few hours I looked over at him and boy he looked exhausted. He was barely taking part in the conversation when he jumped up like his ass was on fire and said we should go.  Okay then.....

When we got home the dog was waiting to go out. The 2 of them took a walk and when they got back Rick wanted to go to bed. It was barely 9pm on a Sunday with no work on a Monday. It was still a bit light outside. I told him to go to bed then but I was watching Mad Men.  

So he and the dog went up to bed.

Monday he was cranky as all hell. That is his normal M.O. when feeling ill. I withdraw and get quiet. He gets cranky and makes everyone around him know about it.  Fun for ole Margaret!

Monday night he again went to bed early after napping all day and complaining about his joints and feeling like he's getting the flu.

 I suggest for the 100th time that I was going to call Dr. Kate in the morning to get him an appointment to which he would say, "I'm fine."

You're not fine you stubborn old coot. I wanted to hit him over the head!

But this time I had no plans on listening to him. He was not fine, he was a royal pain in the ass who needed to see a doctor before I killed him. 

And I don’t look good in orange and could never survive prison.

Unless of course I got a female married judge - she would be lenient on me because she too has a stubborn old coot at home. She would understand my frustration with this man and why I had to kill him.

Tuesday morning he awoke to a left elbow 2 times its size and so very red. It was also very hot to the touch. He said it hurt like hell. But he wanted to go work. He said it was difficult to keep his eyes open. I didn't listen to anymore of his chatter. I just called the doctor. He insisted on doing the 1st job so when it was completed he went to the doctor’s office which was thankfully in the same city. 

I had great luck yesterday because the 2nd job canceled that morning for later in June due to plumbing issues. The 3rd I was able to move easily to the next day and they were so very kind about it. Thank goodness, that rarely is the case so it was nice that it all worked out so easily.

Rick got into the doctors office and they yelled at him for waiting this long.  They are all women and I bet they thought what I do, “dumb ass”

He was immediately given the blood work and prescriptions for 3 different medications. Powerful antibiotics.

He came right home because it was difficult for him to stay awake.

(he slept 10 hrs the night before!)

I went to Costco to pick up the Rx’s that were called in.

They informed me at the counter that the main drug he was to start immediately had to have an authorization from the doctor.

I asked if I could just buy it because that would take 24-48hrs.

She said, “You can ma’am but it’s just over $500.00”

GULP.  Okay then. Can I get the amount needed for 2 days until we get this authorized? Sure that is $30. I can do $30 so let’s go ahead.

The other drug needed to start right away they didn’t have. They told me they would order it. I told them I would like to take it elsewhere. They weren’t happy but gave it to me to do so.

I then drove over to Walgreens.  

After sitting at the first pharmacy for an hour while they spoke to the doctor’s office and the insurance company I then drove to the other pharmacy and waited there for 20 more minutes. Aargh.

When I got home I had Rick take these immediately.

He did and then fell back to sleep. He is taking 4 pills a day of one med. 2 of each of the others.  He went to bed again at 9pm.

He had an easy day today so that helped him. He isn’t as tired he said so I think that is a good thing. He will be home by 4p and I'm sure in bed again by 9 or 9:30p.

The doctors say that the meds will make him feel better in 1 to 2 weeks.

He is on these for 60 days. Will this cure it? We don’t know.

Chances are this is for life is my understanding since he waited.

I do not understand why men have this issue with the doctors.

If he had gone weeks ago when I suggest he do so this would not have gotten as bad.

All that goes through my head is, “The dumb ass!”

Yeah, I'm sympathetic like that aren’t I?