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Todays secret word is....

Prednisone.

"Better living through chemistry", as I always say...

And apparently, its not poison oak, but a wide spread skin infection that is making me go crazy.

I spent the morning at the hospital. Apparently when I announced that I was having trouble breathing, it got everyone excited and I had to go to the emergency room, where all the really sick people go. I'm just midly uncomfortable but apparently breathing is not considered an elective activity. I went right in with no waiting, got the funky hospital gown treatment and everything. 6 hours later I'm out and with my new grocery bag sized presecriptions to all sorts of fun steroids, I'm sure if what ever it is doesnt kill me, I'll be able to look buff as I decline.

As soon as the Prednisone is dissolved I'll be following Benadryl chaser. Benadryl of course, is the Absinthe of our times. Hopefully, the steriod and the antihistamine will cancel each other out and I will be awake for awhile.

Oh and one emergency room observation that I must pass on to you.

"NBC's Today show was on the Emergency Room TV. Katie Couric was flogging the "Shotgun Cheney" story and interviewing Mary Matalin when the entire room let out a groan. After Katie started with the "let me read to you a few reactions.." line of questioning to Mary; a senior citizen threw a magazine across the room at the TV and shouted "isn't it illegal to beat a dead horse"?

Everyone laughed.

Posted @ February 16, 2006 01:48 PM | Current Affairs

Comments

Frank,

I'm sorry you are having some kind of skin reaction. I had a rash several years ago from eating chocolate mousse where the main ingrediant was "dutched" cocoa with alkiline. The prednizone wired me. I didn't sleep at all the first night, and got 2 hours sleep the next night.

I feel your pain.

Posted by: Ray-Ray at February 16, 2006 06:14 PM

Check out the Prednisone song by Carla Ulbrich, sung to the tune of "The Colonel Bogey March"

http://www.carlau.com/lyrics/prednisone.html

I first heard it on the XM Radio family comedy channel.

Posted by: Shane at February 17, 2006 12:10 PM

"I'll be able to look buff as I decline"

Heh...wrong kind of steroid. Prednisone is more likely to make you gain weight, making you look the opposite of buff.

Posted by: JPatterson at February 17, 2006 11:52 PM

Been there and done that; still carry some of the weight around. Tricky stuff, that prednisone, and not to be taken at all lightly. Or rashly.

Posted by: Everyman at February 18, 2006 08:12 AM

Hope you are feeling better, Frank.

Posted by: Lee at February 18, 2006 10:43 AM

Be very careful with prednisone. Hope this is just a one week, decreasing dose Rx. I have a condition where, for almost two years, I had to take at least 20 mg (and up to 70!) every day. You bloat up - which also affects your eyes, something my doctor and the info with the Rx failed to mention, so don't go out to get new glasses. Over an extended period, you get nasty mood swings (and sometimes the mood swing is that you are definately a nasty SOB!), strange sleep patterns (fall asleep at a red light, wake up when it turns green), depression, and - boy - you can be a real pain in the butt, more than usual. And, of course, the stuff can damage you enough to bring about an early death. Good luck!

Posted by: OldeForce at February 20, 2006 12:14 AM