For the past three months (ever since around Thanksgiving) I have had a cough off and on... (more "on" than off). I haven't felt "sick".. no aches, no fever, no snooky nose... just this cough. Sometimes it seems to lighten up and other times it comes on with a vengeance. The past couple of weeks, it's been with a vengeance. And so bad, that at times, I get these coughing "fits" and I actually get sick to my stomach. Twice this past week, I had to leave a dog class and go outside to catch my breath and regain my composure. Several friends have been bugging me about seeing the doctor, but again, since I don't feel sick... I didn't know what I would say except that I have this cough. I have no tightness in my chest, I don't get "winded".. my energy level is a little low.. but I think mostly because I don't sleep well...(from coughing all night long)... however today, I finally went and saw the doctor.
The first thing is.. I have lost 17 lbs since I last saw them, and my blood pressure has also come down. The doctor noticed that right away and made a comment on it... asking if I was "doing anything special" to make this change. I told him no...I am trying to eat small portions, and told him that my hubby and I were building a new house, so I have been busier than usual working at the house. But all in all, I haven't really "changed" anything. Then he went on with a list of questions, and when he asked how long I had been coughing... I said... "three months"... he goes... "and you're just coming to see me now???" Again I told him, I haven't been "sick"... and sometimes, I actually thought the cough was gone. He listened to my lungs, asked more questions.. then, got quiet for a moment.
"Tell me about this house building you're doing".... "what are you doing"... so I told him that we are completing the entire inside... sheet rock, mud and tape, painting, etc. etc..... "You're handling all the sheet rock.. and sanding" he asked... I told him yes.... "You are wearing a mask when you do these things" he asked .. and I answer.... no......
He ponders a bit more, schedules me for a chest x-ray, blood work and a breathing test... but says.. "I don't believe you are sick.. I want to be sure.. but I think this cough is from the sheet rock work that you have been doing. " I began to think about it and when I put the "timing" together, I think he might be "on to something". When we were sheet rocking last fall, we opened the windows in the house,but all winter, they have been shut. And we go in stages.. so .. some weeks we are sanding and hanging sheet rock (which could be why the cough reappears) .. then, we move to something else for a bit like painting ( and the cough settles down some) then it's back to sheet rock...it does make perfect sense.
I did the x ray and blood work, the breathing test will be next week... the doctor doesn't want to me use a mask just yet, in case I am "sick" he doesn't want me breathing in the "sick" while wearing a mask...but he does want me to get one, and as soon as we know the test results to start using it. He feels pretty sure.. its "just the dust".....
so... dear readers, if you have any projects of this nature going on... get a mask and use them.... I know we will from now on... our good health is too fragile and needs to be guarded... wished I had thought of it.....
5 comments:
PLEASE tell that to David! We're re-doing the office and he's been in there sanding up a storm. Without a mask. Like usual. He never wears a mask when he does a project! And I've told him to! Maybe he'll listen to you!
Oh Sue. One serious kick yourself moment right?! Grrr. Whats that they say about hindsight...?! I know when I don't wear one at hay time I get serious coughs...
Please, please use the mask. That dust could lead to something more serious on down the road. I love stories from farm blogs and found yours by way of another's.
My first thought when you said you had a cough was that it had to do with the dust from working on the house. It's nice to know that you have a doctor who cares and is willing to investigate. I read things like, "If you have this symptom for more than x number of weeks or months, go to the emergency room..." Then I wait longer than that and just go to my general practitioner only to be told not to worry about it or only to have him shrug his shoulders and say he doesn't know what it is. Dropping the ball seems to be a common behavior in the medical industry around here.
Oh dear. I'm not an overly precautious kind of person, but I do use a mask when working with sheetrock. I learned the hard way too.
I love how many beautiful colors you are getting to use in your house. I can't wait to get to work on the new house. The rooms are broken up a bit more than our current house, so I won't be obliged to stick with one color.
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