Still Sick Here (***Updated)

Day #11 of not feeling well.  I guess that's not entirely correct since I had a sore throat for 5 days, and then actually started feeling better for 1 day.  Then I came down with that terrible, deep cough for 4 days and now here I am today still sick.  I sent DH to a Super Bowl party and I'm home alone.  My body finally waved the white flag of surrender yesterday and I ended up at Urgent Care.  I usually hate going to that germ-infested place and I never know about the quality of treatment, but I was desperate and it was only Saturday morning. 

So I waited 75 minutes to see a doctor (I was desperate to feel better), who spent a whole 10 minutes looking at my throat, ears, and listening to my lungs.  He said he heard a lot of wheezing in my lungs, but didn't run any tests or do anything else, and concluded that I had bronchitis (I'm taking after St. Rita's Roses during her pregnancy) and possibly the start of a sinus infection.  He gave me 2 prescriptions...I asked if both were ok to take during pregnancy...he asked how far along I was...26 weeks...and said, yes.

I filled my prescriptions pronto and read the information from the pharmacy and the warning info in the box on the first one- Azithromycin- before taking it.  The other one- an inhaler for my lungs- I decided to take later, so I just read the info from the pharmacy.  I took it later, totally forgetting that I hadn't read the warning information inside that box.

Last night, sleep was rough as I woke every 30-45-60 minutes.  Every time I woke up, I had to clear my nose again in order to try and breathe and sleep and then drink more water because my throat was so sore.  I didn't go to church this morning, which hardly ever happens.  DH said many people asked about me because I wasn't there (our congregation is pretty small) and were worried.

So do I finally feel better?  I'm not really sure.  I guess I have a little more energy and I'm not coughing as much, but my body is still definitely fighting something.  I've used a whole box of Kleenex in 24 hours and am now wondering if I really just have a killer cold or something viral instead of anything bacterial??  Even my old standby, Netipot, hasn't helped to keep my nasal passages clear.

Baby seems to be extra active the past couple of days, so either he/she went through a growth spurt or all my coughing/nose blowing is keeping him/her awake too.

Here's the kicker though.  I finally realized today that I hadn't read the warning information on the inhaler, so I did and found out it's a Class C drug during pregnancy (the other prescription is Class B ie. safer), and while there are no human studies in pregnant women, animal studies have shown various congenital anomalies, including cleft palate, limb defects, and teratogenicity (malformation in fetuses)!!!  Hello, I would not consider that safe during pregnancy.  Why didn't the Dr. tell me?  I am so ticked at myself for not reading about it before taking it because I would have probably postponed using it until I talked to my OB.  I feel like it was a moment of weakness because I was so desperate to feel better and so out of it that I wasn't as cautious as I typically have been with taking stuff during this pregnancy, and now I'm going to spend the next 13 weeks worrying about the effects of that drug on this amazing gift of a child. 

I've only taken 4 doses, but my worry-factor has just shot through the roof.  I've already been feeling guilty about being a bad mother because I haven't been able to kick this cold and I've been wondering....should I have slowed down more when I first got the sore throat, should I have gone to the doctor sooner, etc.  Now I'm left with all those "what-ifs" that swirl around in my head and accomplish nothing good.

So I've been thinking about my blog title and verse a lot...I definitely am weak and have been weak throughout a lot of this pregnancy.  There have been so many moments looking back (not just this cold incident) where I truly have been weak, but Christ's strength has worked through me and made me strong.  So that's really the only thing I have to rely on at this point.  I've said all along that this is His child...I'm just the "holder" or the "carrier" (get it, those of you that know my name?) for such a time as this.  I don't know how long that time will be, but I pray it's for many, many years with a healthy child!

On a somewhat related note, would you pray that this is indeed the tail end of this cold/virus/bacteria?  DH and I are supposed to get on a plane Thursday night for what was supposed to be a fun weekend- celebrating my brother's birthday, the baptism of his child (my niece) as well as he and his wife having finally found a church home (huge answer to prayer), and then a couple's shower with family and friends for us.  I was so looking forward to all of those celebrations with my family and I can't bear the thought of not going, but if that's what is best for Baby and I, would you pray for wisdom and a clear sign if that is the case?

And if we do travel, does anything have experience bringing syringes and needles (for progesterone shots) through carry-on luggage?  Did you have any problems getting the needles through security??

***Updated: Thanks everyone for your encouraging comments!  They made me so much better (and calmer) when I read them this morning.  I guess it's always dangerous to post while freaking out, but sometimes posting my thoughts/struggles does help me feel better because then I don't stew about them for so long.  I took some Benedryl last night, which helped me sleep better and a lot of my nasal congestion is gone this morning!  I also talked to my OB's office and they said the inhaler (albuterol sulfate) is what they would have prescribed as well.  I'm still going to run it by Mr. Hebrews though;-)

I also checked the TSA website and they say, "All medications in any form or type (for instance, pills, injectables, or homeopathic) and associated supplies (syringes, Sharps disposal container, pre-loaded syringes, jet injectors, pens, infusers, etc.) are allowed through the security checkpoint once they have been screened."  They don't specifically mention needles, but if you have syringes or a Sharps container, can I assume you are also bringing needles on board?  I think I'll be safe carrying syringes and needles with me.

I'm feeling much more hopeful about getting better and being able to travel.  I'm still at home resting today and am going to take it easy the rest of the week, but at least this is improvement.  Thanks again for your prayers, support, and encouragement!  Baby PPIW is lucky to have you (and I am too).