'roid rage

last night while i was at work i started to get a really weird pain in my chest and it hurt terribly when i took a breath. by the time i woke up this morning it felt like someone was sitting on my chest and pressing a million thumbs into my ears, cheeks, and forehead. each time i tried to catch my breath, i couldn't, and instead i got shooting pains up my neck and into my ears and cheeks. sounds super awesome, right? i went to work today because i was afraid if i called in sick everyone would think i was playing hookie for sxsw. i left about an hour early and went to the walk-in clinic across the street from where i work.

it was hard to describe my symptoms to the nurse and i don't think i accurately explained how much pain i was/am in. my temperature is elevated (again) but the rest of my vitals seemed okay. the doctor put me on prednisone and ventolin so, basically, i'm not going to be able to sleep for days. i really, really hope the steroids start working asap though because pretty much all the tissue in my head and chest is swollen right now and that's why i'm in so much pain. so, it's pleurisy and then some.

i am miserable. sometimes when i take consecutive "deep" breaths i feel like i am going to cry because it hurts so bad but i try really hard not to because i have enough pressure in my head, i don't need to add the pain of crying to it. the venotlin inhaler has barely made any difference and i'm afraid to use it too often because i'm already feeling pretty "speedy" from the steroids. i really hope i can get some sleep tonight.

so as of right now i am not going to the rachael ray party tomorrow at stubb's. i am super sad to miss it but there's just no way i can go stand around outside for 7 or 8 hours. i'm hoping i can rest up and then head out to the perez hilton party in the evening but i can't make any promises. my good friend robin is in town from lubbock this weekend, on a break from chemotherapy, and if i don't get to see her i am going to be really, really upset.