Life on the road in the Lizzybus Camp Today finally I have fought and won a battle with something that has ravaged through me like a bush fire. It started over ten days ago with a rash that resembled Ring worm all over my legs. We were in a motel in Waterford. I started taking antihistamine which sort of held it at bay. It then decided to spread to my upper thighs, we were due to leave and cross into Canada, the insurance we had for the States had run out. I could not bear the searing pain that came from them, like a Chinese burn as my skin stretched taught into rivulets of raging crimson mounds. I could take no more, we went to a walk in clinic in the small town of Waterford USA, the Dr advised it was not ringworm as we thought (we had just assumed it was as the rash was identical in every way to the pictures Dr David had found on the net) It cost $80 to see her and I was given a prescription for Prednhisone, this calmed the rash and took most of the pain out, finally I thought it was over, as we headed into Canada and Anabel’s. But then it started coming back, I know this seems really stupid now but not wanting to alarm Anabel, we decided it must have been Ring worm all along and went to the chemist to purchase Fluconazole, anti-fungal tablet. A one off tablet, that night was the worst night of my life. I was crawling around on the bathroom floor in total utter agony, the rash spreading across my breasts and trunk. That day I stopped taking everything, just using a Cotizone cream, I never said a word to Annabel or Lenny, being in the basement they had not heard my simpering and whimpering through the night. During the day, we walked the dog. Chatted on the porch and played board games. Then as the pain and the rash had moved up to my face, it was like lock jaw into my ear, I broke down and sobbed with it all. Annabel and Lenny were amazing, David had taken out insurance on me two days before in case, but you could not claim for three days. Despite this we knew we had to get some help, Annabel first took me to the neighbor who is a Dr, but he was out. We then all went to the local hospital, I was processed with all the basic test of temperature blood pressure etc. then went into the next area to have other details next of kin etc. the lady was wonderful. We explained that I had no insurance and we would be paying, advised them how famous we were and to keep it as cheap as possible, Having been processed, I am beginning to panic as my jaw is getting more and more swollen and the rash has gone into free-fall. Then I was given a form to sign, without yet having seen the Dr , the cost was $600 – bloody hell, you cannot be serious. Annabel said I was very tactful as I explained how wonderful they all were, and how good they had been to me and how I would say nice things about them on our website, if there was a way around paying all this money. All to no avail, it was out of their hands I had to pay it. I just asked if one of the Dr. could please just give me some advice, as I was not in a full anaphylactic shock could they not just tell me what it looked like to them and if I should take my adrenalin. The problem is that my body, bless it, tries so hard now to fight whatever it was, the most frustrating is that there was no particular thing that I could point to as to why it was happening. Anyway, I signed a form refusing treatment, they all came out to see and discuss this. One woman Dr looked at the state of me, she was so kind and told me not to take Adrenalin, wrote down some medication I could buy over the counter from the chemist. Diphenhydramine-Hydrochloried & Rantidine It was awful, by now Lenny and David were beside themselves with worry, I’m so freighted myself but stupidly I cannot bring myself to commit to what could be thousands of dollars for treatment. Long story, it’s raining dark and late, we got the tablets I took them, by now no longer worried that not only am I having this bloody ani thing I keep swallowing more and more stuff!! Slowly the pain eased, everything was still swollen but I know it was responding, back at Annabel’s we sat for a couple of hours together to make sure. I then went to bed, next morning I felt the worst was over but like a fire that spreads to the very limit of an area, it was still determined to run its course, now effecting my extremities of feet head and hands. I carried on with the medication and slept until 19:00 hrs took some more and slept until morning. It is now Wednesday 3rd of September, I know that this raging fire has finally been put out, It’s left me vulnerable weak and in a way defeated. Have I got to now live with this fear every time I get a spot or a bite or a rash? The insurance is in place, my body once again has battled on, David’s back has got steadily worse, this with my illness we really are at a low. Thankfully we are being looked after and cared for so well by Annabel. It is not just Lizzybus that needs some TLC we have to get home, for all three of us, it seems we are just about holding it all together, just!!!
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 13:59:36 +0000