E.R.

Unexpected trip to the Emergency Room this morning. Conversation that put me there went something like this:

ME TO NURSE WHILE STUCK ON THE ILLINOIS TOLLWAY
Uh, yes, hi: I’m on the last day of a course of antibiotics to treat pneumonia and this morning, well, I developed a slight rash and I’m finding it difficult to swallow – I just want to confirm with you that I should probably skip this last dose – I think this might be an allergic reaction…

NURSE
You need to get to the ER right now.

ME
Oh. Okay. How bad could this get?

NURSE
There’s no way to know. You need to get to the ER right now. And don’t take your last dose.

ME
Okay. Thank You. (click)

CUT TO:
Me stuck in traffic on the Illinois toll way.
Going no where fast.

It all ended just fine: All the swelling and throat closing that you see with folks who react violently to peanuts and bee stings moved in super slow motion, so I was never in any real danger. And after my two hour wait in the ER the good doc told me what I could have told that nurse on the tollway: that I needed a dose of Benedryl and I would be just fine. (And while I waited for the Benedryl to kick in I had a pair of plump and luscious bee-stung lips that the glam gals would kill for.)

Oh right: And there’s that little problem where I can no longer take two entire classes of antibiotics because the next time the reaction will be compounded. So I need to avoid getting sick ever again. No worries. (Let’s just hope this pneumonia’s gone for good, or I’m hosed.)