what goes up...

Minor Set Back? I walked into our local Urgent Care this morning. I have been fighting for a couple weeks with an upper respiratory problem. This is not atypical for me at this time of year. August is often the month that begins my allergy season. I started to get a little wheezy and then we were afflicted with several days of the worst air we've ever had. Forest and grass fires surrounded us. It got so that we couldn't see the mountains ringing our valley. Shades of our winter inversions!  I began taking OTC meds that  we had on hand, eg, Zirtec, etc. That has kept me sort of in a not-getting-better state. And then I had a really bad day yesterday which may have due to taking some leftover cough syrup with codeine. That may have interacted with my other drugs. I was lethargic and sleepy all day. Then I had a terrible night where my BIPAP machine was making my sinuses very painful. I slept upright in my bedroom chair using the canula for O2 because I couldn't lie down without the machine blasting air into me. Whenever I lay flat I would cough. Enough already!

We are so lucky. The nearest insta-care is just five minutes away and it is a part of our hospital network. I can usually waltz in there and be immediately served. This morning was no different. There was no one ahead of me. Long story short: the doc said, "Sounds pretty gunky in there." They took a picture to make sure there was no incipient pneumonia--there wasn't--and I walked out with a script for a Z Pak, an antibiotic.  We'll see what that does. I quipped to the doc that the antibiotic was being given despite any convincing evidence of a bacterium. His comment: "Yeah, its what we do."  We'll see how this plays out.

Taste Buds. I had a sudden revelation that perhaps the diet and the prior heart stuff was not the proximate cause of my so-called change in taste of food and drink (especially wine!). I am dropping my jaw within my BIPAP machine during the night and I generally am awakening with a severely dry mouth. Last night when I used the canula and slept upright, not so dry. More taste in my food this morning! Do not know how to proceed on this one, but I have an appointment upcoming with the sleep doc and will make inquiries.

Off to workout...