When Your Body Betrays You (Again)



I came home on Sunday feeling utterly broken. Not just the usual post-travel exhaustion, but something deeper—like my body was waving a little white flag of surrender. At first, I chalked it up to overdoing it, to pushing too hard. Then came the sniffle.

A few days passed, and the sniffle didn’t go away. So, I did what any chronically ill person learns to do: I sent in a sputum pot and a swab, because sometimes, a cold is never just a cold. And sure enough, the results came back with a delightful double feature—pseudomonas and influenza A. Because of course. Because why wouldn’t my flu vaccine fail this year? That was exactly what I needed.

The Battle Plan

Off to the GP I went, where I was handed antibiotics for a chest infection. I took them dutifully, hoping they’d be enough. But after a few days of feeling just as awful—fever, exhaustion, lungs like lead—immunology intervened. They suggested adding an antiviral to the mix, because apparently, I wasn’t done collecting diagnoses for the week.

Meanwhile, my peak flow plummeted. At my worst, I was down to 300. It’s creeping back up now, currently sitting at 450, but considering I’m usually at 550, I can’t help but be worried. Imagine going through everything I’ve been through with my asthma care only to end up with bronchiectasis now? The irony would be almost impressive. Pissed off doesn't quite begin to cover how I feel. 

The Uncertainty

The thing about CVID, asthma, and whatever fresh nonsense my immune system decides to throw at me is that it never really lets you rest. There’s always the lingering question: Will this be the time something changes permanently? Will my lungs recover, or am I looking at another long-term complication?

So yes, please pray for me.
Lol.
No, actually. Please pray for me.

For now, I wait, I rest, and I hope my lungs decide they’re still on my side.

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