Pneumonia again!

 The outing on Tuesday was so successful that on Wednesday I asked my son if he wanted to go squirrel hunting the following Saturday.  He enthusiastically said yes.  While he's not a shooter yet, he wants to call the squirrels in with the squirrel call.  That is probably the best way to introduce a youth to hunting.  Let them call.  It keeps them from getting bored, and they know that they are actively contributing instead of being a tourist.  

My body had other plans.  Wednesday night I couldn't sleep because I got cold.  The house got down to 66 degrees, which is cold considering we'd been having highs in the 90s the previous week. It was in the lower 40s outside. Thursday night, at my son's theater rehearsal I got chills.  Everyone else was in shorts and t-shirts, while I was in jeans with a long sleeved shirt, a sweater, a jacket, and a wool broad brimmed hat.  After rehearsal we picked up dinner, ate (I could only eat half a taco), and went to bed.  I didn't sleep a wink.

I went from cold to freely perspiring.  With the fever came a soreness on my back that kept me from finding a comfortable position.  In the morning I could barely function, and there was blood in my sputum.  I could read the signs.  Loss of appetite + chills + fever + back pain + blood in my sputum = pneumonia.  I took my son to school and started an antibiotic treatment.  I lay in bed all day, not eating, sleeping, or drinking enough.  I got up and picked up my son, swung by the pizza place and ordered a large supreme for me, and medium cheese for him.  I knew we could get several meals from these, since I didn't know when I'd feel like cooking the wife was out of town until Sunday.  I drank as much water as I could tolerate.

In the night the pain in my back receded enough to allow me to sleep.  The sleep was enormously beneficial, and I give all credit to my antibiotic.  My son and I did hunt squirrels that morning, but it was on the property.  My son called in two, but I couldn't get a viable shot opportunity.  They probably heard me coughing or breathing hard.  Either way, I was happy to see my son bring them in.  I hope he's not discouraged by the lack of game.  

We started a project.  A gun and gear box for the truck, made mostly from reclaimed red cedar.

The finished product (except for the latches).  My son insisted on a lid.  It's a bifold lid, so you can open it inside a vehicle.  It also has carrying handles on the sides (which are not visible).  The hasp we bought for locking it will not work, so we'll be going back to Home Depot to get the finishing touches.  

On Sunday I felt so much better because......

Medicine, it's what's for breakfast.  Two steroid tablets for inflammation, one (or two, or three on the first day) NSAID (Ibuprofen) for inflammation, pain, and fever, an expectorant, an antibiotic, an antihistamine, and finally my normal statin and blood pressure medication.  The NSAID can be taken throughout the day.  It's best to eat before you take all of this, or you won't be hungry.  After two days of this, if your condition does not improve, consult a physician.......  In the ER!!!!

I hope things keep going in the right direction.