Stubborn Me

I've had this cough for over four weeks. You know, when you're a mom, you sort of let these things go sometimes.

We were on our way to Colorado when it started. The usual "allergy cough" that plagues me certain times of the year.

Of course, I was thinking, when we get to the clean, mountain air, it will clear up. But where we ended up was Steamboat Springs. Where they make the finest hay in Colorado. And you have to leave your windows open because it gets hot there in the summer (in Colorado!) and they don't have A/C.

There is nothing like being on vacation, that glorious time when you go out to eat nearly every day (and I like to eat out and try new things) and not be able to taste any of it.

Not to mention, that you are in the ER the first night because it seems that son #2 has broken his ankle.

So, I let it go. Others were coughing, too. We were relegated to our own room in the condo, "the coughing room" so that the non-coughers could sleep at night.

And then I let it go the second week of vacation, because still others were coughing (the first coughers having finished their bout with allergies) and it will get better when we get back to sea level.

But through that second week I learned where all the sinuses in my head were as we travelled up to 13,000 ft and down again. I never thought my ears would be unstopped again.

Returning home, we had to do some quick unpacking. And then repacking for Don and M2 to go off on a two week trip to the Pacific Northwest (A 10 year birthday tradition in our household. Read all about M1's trip here).

Once they were gone, I figured I just needed to rest and then I would feel better. I have to get everyone ready for school now. I don't have time to go to the doctor.

But at the start of week four of coughing, I woke up in the morning with swollen, painful joints. All the sudden, I thought I might actually be sick.

After visiting the chiropractor, to no avail, I decided it was time for the big guns.

My family practice doctor, who has seen me as a patient since I was about 10 was not pleased. She said I had to take antibiotics and get a chest x-ray.

I didn't want the antibiotics and didn't initially fill the prescription. But I did go get the xray, not knowing what tomorrow would bring.