2nd hand smoke = inhaler & antibiotics

Note: Thank Facebook for the details on when this all happened, my memory isn't that good.

Friday Night
October 23

As a DD (designated driver) for my friends I felt it wouldn't hurt too much if I kept my mouth shut and let them smoke in thier own car. I was wrong, extremely wrong!

I already had a sore throat (I get it usually once or twice a year - at least I don't get the flu) so my immune system was already fighting off whatever that was... I've stood outside by people who were smoking but never crammed in a car with the windows closed for 15 min of smoke inhalation.

Saturday
October 24

Throat still hurting & coughing getting pretty bad. My boyfriend was amazing and gave me therapy after only 4 hrs of sleep (I woke up because of caughing).

Sunday
October 25

I had an extremely bad cough (sore throat had disappeared, like usual after 1-2 days), wheezing, lack of energy & loss of appetite - the 4 symptoms of a chest infection. I was under the impression that I needed a fever as well to think of it as anything serious. I was wrong. again.

Wednesday
October 28

Side note: yes I was dumb again to wait so long before doing something about my symptoms.

I asked my dad to confirm what I thought were the symptoms of a chest infection, when he didn't list "fever" all I could say was "I have all 4", his advice was to call the doctor and get antibiotics & an inhaler.

Knowing what needs to be done and getting it done - two totally different things!

Here is what happened in list form:

Wednesday
- called left a message for my family doctor (in hindsight I should have called CF clinic)
- got a call back just before she was leaving and was told to go to the local ER

Thursday
- got a sermon from the ER doc about the H1N1 vaccine because I told him I've never been vaccinated and don't plan to ever be! (I'll also add that he said I would die if I got H1N1)
- finally got an antibiotic!
- talked to my mom (ex-nurse), she said that my CF doc had told her that as someone with CF we need a larger & longer dose of antibiotics
- called my CF clinic & left a message

Friday
Got a call back & prescriptions faxed to my local pharmacy with a follow up check-up date set for Monday, November 2nd.