I just joined a dear friend's blog which reminded me that I haven't blogged in months. Just a little post to share some random thoughts today. I am home today due to Doctor's Orders. On Saturday, my Ear started aching and then increased overnight to a throbbing PAIN! I didn't go to Church so I could rest and try to get better but by Monday morning, I felt like passing out with the pain. The entire right side of my face, from my lower jar to the upper side of my head was swollen. I got dressed for work because my Mom always says it's better to make an effort to go in to work and have them send you home that calling in and them thinking you're not really sick. I put make-up on and dressed up but the right side of my face must have been splotched with Cover Girl Make up because I couldn't blend it in. Just going NEAR the right side of my face was TORTURE! I went in to work 30 minutes early and explained the situation to my Manager & the Member Manager. They thought it could be a bug bite. My right ear was a very ANGRY red and completely swollen shut from the inside to the point that I couldn't hear from that ear. So they suggested if I couldn't perform my job at 100% to go ahead and go to the Dr. So, off to my Dr's office I went. Since I was a WALK-IN and my Dr has an EXTREMELY busy Office.... well you know the rest. I got there at 9:30 am. The Office was already full. I kept my dark sunglasses on. I didn't want ANYBODY to look at me, talk to me and not so much as breathe in my direction. I kept my right shoulder up as in creating a wall of defense and huddled in my chair, almost screaming in MASSIVE pain! Patients came and went... I FINALLY got called in around 11:30 am or so. I was BRAVE... err the pain made me angry so better yet I was MEAN in the lobby. I was BRAVE when the Nurse took my temperature and said I had fever. After she took my Vitals, she took me into a room. After about a 30 minute wait in which I called my mommy & also called my Church Mentor, Women's Ministry Pastor Sister Sonia, the Dr. came in. So, my Doctor is probably in his 40's. He is MARRIED with kids but that man is HANDSOME! He has the cutest green eyes and he is so gentle and caring, not rushes you like other Doctors. He walks in with his blue jeans and White Coat.... 'Ms Guerra it's been a while since I've seen you. What's going on?' I took one look at him and busted out crying. I told him that I was in SEVERE pain and that my ear kept pulsating/throbbing non-stop. I told him I know I have a round face but I'm telling you the right side of my face is swollen. He goes to get his 'ear gadget' to look into my ear and sits on his stool, scooting over to me. He TRIES to look into my ear but after one second (in which he didn't even attempt to push the ear gadget in) he says, 'It's too swollen to see anything.' Then he tries to look into my mouth to see if it's my wisdom teeth but also says it's too swollen to see anything. He prescribes me a Pain Killer and Antibiotic. I asked for an excuse to go back to work after I picked up my Prescriptions and he says, 'No ma'am. You are NOT going back to work. There's no way you can work with that much pain. Plus, we have to see how the Pain Pills and Antibiotics affect you.' I will excuse you for today and tomorrow (being Monday and Tuesday). Do not go back to work Wednesday until you have checked in with me. He then explained his priority was alleviating the pain and the swelling in order to determine what was causing it. He said it could be a bad ear infection, an insect bite OR my wisdom teeth/tooth among other possibilities. He also said if it was my wisdom tooth, I would have to go to the Dentist/Specialist. I have to check in with him on Wednesday morning & update him on the swelling/pain and any other symptoms. My Nurse Lillie comes in & tells me to follow her back to the Intake Room, proceeds to give me my prescriptions and then tells me she is going to give me three shots. I yelled, 'THREE? For what?' She's from Cuba and has a STRONG accent so she smiles, shakes her head at me and holds up TWO fingers! One for the Inflammation/Pain and one is an Antibiotic. For those of you who know me very well know that I am a BIG baby when it comes to shots. Ok! Ok! When it comes to many things! lol! ;) I HATE shots! One time when I was pregnant, the Nurse dropped a tube of my blood, bent over to pick it up, lost her grip on the INSERTED needle and the needle twisted at an angle and blood started squirting all over me and my then husband. He was jumping out of his chair ready to beat her butt! I tried not to pass out while trying to calm my then husband down. That experience just intensified my FEAR! Anyways, back to my story. She prepared the shots while I tried NOT to run out of the room. The pain I was in needed to be alleviated and that is WHY I stayed! She proceeds to give me one shot on one butt cheek and the other one on the other butt cheek. I SCREAMED in pain as the medicine started burning as it went in. Lillie sounded SOOOO surprised that it hurt! She told me it wasn't supposed to hurt. The needle going in didn't but the medicine made my butt burn! I think they heard me yelling in the Lobby because ALL eyes were staring at me when I walked out! I ran to the Nurse's Counter, picked up my Doctor's Excuse and was told to call the Dr. back on Wednesday to update him before I went in to work. Next, I went to the Pharmacy to pick up my Prescriptions at MY HEB where they know me by Name. I thought I was going to be slick & minimize the wait time due to the shots kicking in and my pain, so I TOLD Lilly (yes another Lilly, I'm not 'looped' out ;) lol) that I did have Insurance but I THOUGHT it would be cheaper and faster to run it thru the HEB Rewards Program. NOPE! The Antibiotics would come out to almost $290 WITH the Rewards. The pharmacist suggested he could call the Dr and try to get a Generic Brand that would cost less thru the Rewards program. The Dr. switched the Meds to two generics and one pain at $40 each. This was NOT saving me time so I gave Lilly my Insurance Card. The Pharmacist was UPSET at this time. He said with my Insurance Card, the two Generic Antibiotics and the one Pain Killer would be REALLY expensive, but the ORIGINAL prescription with my insurance card would only be ONE antibiotic and ONE pain killer at $15 each. He had to call the Dr. back to get my prescription changed YET again. Trying to make an easy transaction so that I could go home and go to bed turned out to be a 2 hour wait, and that was with me FASTING since I didn't know if the Doctor needed to draw blood or what have you. At 2 pm I got home from Work, the Doctor's Office and the Pharmacy being in MASSIVE pain and without eating. I sat down to eat at home and when I opened my mouth and started chewing my food I ALMOST passed out! It hurt to open my mouth, chew and swallow. Yet this BIG girl made it thru since I had to take my meds with food. ;) The pain killers kicked in and made me soooo loopy and feel no pain, but I couldn't go to sleep for some reason so I spent the afternoon in a haze talking to my Cousin, Wally. I have NO idea what we talked about, but I hope it made sense! I missed my overnight pill so when I woke up this morning, the DREADED pain was back! I quickly ate some Cereal and took my medication. I now feel noooo pain. The swelling has gone down some but I still can't put a Q-tip in my ear so it's still swollen from the inside. I know it takes some time for the Antibiotics to work their magic so eventually this too shall pass. Today I am at home resting and letting the medication kick in. Along with Prayer, Positive thinking and under Dr's care, I will be just fine! Thanks to all who have emailed, texted, called, sent messages on Facebook and IM'd me with love, support, prayers and well wishes. Hopefully, my Dr. will release me back to work. It might sound NERDY but I do miss my Members. I like living up to my name.... Sandra- Helper of Mankind and Guerra- War... I like to help the Members and FIGHT the Provider's when my members are not being treated right. Of course, FIGHT in a professional manner! No offense to my Medical Occupation friends, but some of these Nurses, Dr's and Office Staff can be so RUDE! If they treat ME like that, how do you think they treat elderly people with hearing issues or illnesses. NOT on my WATCH!!!!!! I truly believe God has placed me at this occupation for a REASON!! To help my Members by promoting health and well-being. While I am helping my members I am daily reminded of MY health and well-being. We are starting a Diet Contest at work. We have a designated walking path in the Building with little foorprints leading the way. We can bring our walking shoes and walk during our lunch and breaks. Then to top ALL that off, my Manager's name is also SANDRA LEE! For real! She looks like Paula Dean on the Food Channel and even sounds like her! I have heard NOTHING but great things about her! Other Co-workers say she's a 'mom' and LOVES to cook for her kiddos! In all truthfulness, God opened the door for me to be hired at UH. The hiring process was grueling! I am truly blessed! As I get older, I realize it's NEVER too late to live your life right! I pray I perform above and beyond all expectations at work, with God by my side! I will take care of my job and am hoping to make this my 'late in life, but better late than never' career. They have Medical/Dental and Vision Insurance, they have an Adoption Reimbursement Program, 401K and all of those perks! Of course, on the side I will be writing and striving to become a published author. Plus, in 2012 the Company is looking to start a 'Work at Home' Program. They come into your home and set EVERYTHING up for you!! ;) Life is looking good! I just hate that I had to miss work these two days. I am hoping to advance one day as my Trainer suggested to take advantage of any and all opportunities to do so. I will rest for the rest of the day and get better to get back to my normally scheduled life!!! God bless! Take Care! I'm sure only 1-2 people will read this LONG blog, but that's ok! I'm just sharing my thoughts and documenting them for myself. So I can look back and see the even BIGGER blessings God will send my way. To see the results of my journey in life with Christ! God is good all of the time and all of the time God is good!
