The month of being sick is over

Remember back on the 11th of June when I wrote about being sick with the flu? Well, just after I started to feel better I managed to pick up a virus and got smashed.

You can tell how sick I am based on a few indicators:

• Whether I see a doctor
• Whether I work from home or not

On the Tuesday I didn't work at all, not even checking in my email. I tried to sleep, and rest. My hubby even stayed home to keep an eye on me, he was that worried.

Seeing the doc

The night before we had tried to call a home doctor, but alas they were fully booked. Tuesday afternoon I dragged myself from bed and saw the doc. Initially he thought it was just a flu, but to be safe he decided to do a nasal swab.

Revelation: Nasal swabs are fucking scary.

Imagine a cotton wool bud that looks like it's going to go up your nose and into your brain. When he took it out of its case it was like revealing a ninja sword! The first time he tried to put it up my nose I flinched, and then I had to hold my head steady so he could get the gooey mess he was after. It hurt.

I'm glad he insisted though, as the following day he called with some news.

You have a virus, and if you're not showing signs of improvement in a week we will be putting you in hospital.

My diagnosis

Essentially, I had caught RSV, or Respiratory Syncytial Virus. It was an inflammation of the lungs and the respiratory tract, and normally is similar to a cold. The problem was that because my immune system was low from the pregnancy, and had taken a beating from the cold, it meant I copped it.

I was coughing every few minutes, and each time I would spit up gunk. On the worst day I vomited over 10 times from not being able to breathe due to the gunk stuck in my throat. It was worrying!

The reason for the threat of hospitalisation was due to dehydration and appetite. The doctor was concerned about how run down I was, and whether Rocky Bambino in my tummy was surviving OK. Long story short, thankfully I did get better, and my little soldier in my tummy kept kicking on. It took nearly 3 weeks, and I still have a cough, but I am so, so close to being over it.

My entry into the third trimester

It's been so long since I've felt good that I have almost forgotten what it's like. I haven't slept well in over a month, and for most of that time I hadn't been able to breathe properly. My energy had sucked.

Now, I'm waking up at 5.30 again a bit easier, and I feel like I want to get up and do things again. Today I did pregnancy aerobics at home (it was waaaay too cold to go for a walk, and I had to be in the office by 7.30 so no time for a gym visit). I can keep my mouth shut and breathe through my nose – how much I take that for granted when I'm not sick!

My OB was sad to see I missed the "glow" period in the second trimester, but honestly right now I feel great. I've had a brilliant start to the third trimester, and apart from the odd heartburn there hasn't been much that's troubled me.

Next up: get back into a routine with blogging and getting some 52s cracked!