Furlough drama (paramedics at the door, ER visit, etc) - ridiculous!

Even with the free doctor's visit and nasal spray sample and the cheap $4 bottle of Cipro from Sam's Club, this non-swine-flu thing is starting to cost us a fortune. Last night I developed an allergic reaction to the medication or the combination of drugs, and was annoyed with intense itching. I admit this was too soon after my little head lice incident to not stir up some nasty memories there, as my international friends can attest.

Reading on the internet I learned that more serious and potentially life-threatening side effects included shortness of breath. This was after midnight with the rest of the family sound asleep that I began doing all this research into my please-don't-let-it-be-head-lice-itchy head. Suddenly head lice didn't see so fearsome as the hives spread to other parts of my body and I gradually began having to yawn to suck in enough oxygen.

Soon Jim was up and dressed and we began the dilemma of finding an emergency facility to hopefully see me right away. To speed things up, we dialed 9-1-1 for assistance and directions. Before I knew it, we heard a siren, saw the flashing lights, and the paramedics were at the door. Memories of our other notoriously begun furlough when we were greeted by a police officer escorting our lost children home (click highlighted phrase for that full account). Must we always impress new neighbors with emergency vehicles and high drama?

After a quick check up of my (by then rather high) blood pressure (!), oxygen levels, heart function, and I don't know what all, we declined transport to the hospital, received directions to the facility most likely to see us without a five hour wait, and were on our way to the hospital. Things were fine until they asked where we were from, and the innocent word Mexico set off all sorts of swine flu alarms, necessitating a nose swab to rule out the flu, which of course came out negative. Fun times.

By 4:30 this morning I was home and high on adrenalyn and benadryl, which balanced each other out, and several other drugs that were helping to bring down the red itchy hives all over my body and scalp. Oh, and in case the story didn't have enough built-in thrills, Jim accidentally hit the "panic button" on the key ring of the car we are borrowing, setting off the car alarm with more noise and lights flashing. Safe to say the neighbors did not appreciate that little mistake at that hour of the night, or rather morning.

Now Jim has taken the kids to Sunday school and is hopefully finding a pharmacy open so he can fill all the prescriptions for a different antibiotic for my respiratory infection, and more benadryl and everything else prescribed earlier today. So much for visiting old and new friends at Hudson Church this morning! I guess I'll listen to a podcast of the sermon our group back in Mexico is listening to this morning.

First I was isolated due to contagion, and now I am isolated due to drowsiness and inability to drive a car the rest of the week. When will I ever get to see anyone or go to the store for myself? I haven't even been out to buy a much needed sweater or jacket (Texas had none left in the stores.) I went to the ER wrapped in an afghan I grabbed off the back of the couch, which led to the ill-timed Mexico remark as I explained why I had no warm clothes in the freezing cold middle of the night.

This has been a crazy start to our furlough. God is still on the throne, and will see us through both the excitement and the boredom alike. He has His purposes. I guess it was time to see another miraculous provision.

So, what did you do last night? Email me a story. I'd love to hear from you!
I'll be home a lot this week. Come see me if you trust two doctor's negative-flu-test results.