Well, that just happened. :( Today's the first day I've eaten in three days. I think I only got up to use the bathroom in a 36 hour period of time. I thought I had the flu so I tried to beat it on my own until day 4 (yesterday) and finally had my wife take me in. I used to think the flu was bad but it's kindergarten stuff compared to pneumonia. I now see why it killed so many on the Oregon trail. :p
 
I'm heading back to bed but looking forward to catching up on all the black Friday-week deals. Hope you are all healthy heading into the holiday...
 
#pneumoniasucksass

I haven't had pneumonia but a client of mine had it a few years ago, huge burly guy and he was as weak as a kitten from it. I've had the flu intensely a couple of times and that's certainly no joke. However the one thing I DO like about being ill with a fever is those mammoth 18 hour sleeps you end up having where you're slipping in and out of consciousness and having the most surreal dreams and periods of delirium. For some reason I quite enjoy that - perhaps it's the feeling of waking up and realizing you still have another 9 hours of sleep left....or the feeling of waking up in a sweat and getting up and having a nice long drink of water and changing into a nice dry t-shirt...simple pleasures....

Been there. You have my sympathy, James.
 
What a shame you had to suffer 4 days before seeking treatment. While there is no effective treatment for influenza other than hydrating and waiting it out, most forms of pneumonia are bacterial and can be knocked out with antibiotics. It's a scary infection, so common and yet potentially lethal if your immune system isn't working at full capacity (e.g. alcoholism, diabetes, AIDS). Be glad you were young enough and healthy enough to weather it. 
 
Look at the bright side: you probably lost a few pounds in the process! And you're gonna feel so good after it's finally out of your system, it'll energize you. Don't be surprised if it triggers a period of unusual musical creativity. 

That sounds well nasty!  I think I've been suffering from costochondritis for the past few days, not a hundredth as bad as pneumonia, but still rather annoying.  Bizarrely, I think it may have resulted from learning to drive; I did a lot of 3-point turn manoeuvrers during my last lesson which involves a lot of rapid full-lock motions on the wheel.  Perhaps having given up smoking recently (in my 5th week now) might also be a factor; the ribcage getting more of a workout than it has for some time perhaps.  Alternatively, a horse may have come into my bedroom whilst I was asleep and kicked the crap out of my ribs.

bitflipper
Been there. You have my sympathy, James.
 
What a shame you had to suffer 4 days before seeking treatment. While there is no effective treatment for influenza other than hydrating and waiting it out, most forms of pneumonia are bacterial and can be knocked out with antibiotics. It's a scary infection, so common and yet potentially lethal if your immune system isn't working at full capacity (e.g. alcoholism, diabetes, AIDS). Be glad you were young enough and healthy enough to weather it. 
 
Look at the bright side: you probably lost a few pounds in the process! And you're gonna feel so good after it's finally out of your system, it'll energize you. Don't be surprised if it triggers a period of unusual musical creativity. 

Thanks Bit. I really try to stay away from antibiotics and only use them if necessary. I was one of those kids that was always on them and I'm terrified that I'll be one of those people they stop being effective on. It's hard to know when to go in. I think I should have made the call one day earlier than I did. I remember asking my wife what she thought and she thought at that point I should ride it out. Maybe in my fever I thought she was a doctor?
 
Oh, and 5lbs! Yes, that part was a bonus. While my stamina is still low I do feel just AMAZING in comparison - like a new human being in a day. Also, I have this weird new perspective on time - how much of it we really have when we think we have little and we just waste it away. Not sure how long that will last. Maybe there's a song in that? :)

sharke
I haven't had pneumonia but a client of mine had it a few years ago, huge burly guy and he was as weak as a kitten from it. I've had the flu intensely a couple of times and that's certainly no joke. However the one thing I DO like about being ill with a fever is those mammoth 18 hour sleeps you end up having where you're slipping in and out of consciousness and having the most surreal dreams and periods of delirium. For some reason I quite enjoy that - perhaps it's the feeling of waking up and realizing you still have another 9 hours of sleep left....or the feeling of waking up in a sweat and getting up and having a nice long drink of water and changing into a nice dry t-shirt...simple pleasures....

I know that weird sweat-fueled dream world of which you speak. For me, it is usually not pleasant as my mind rarely takes me through happy trips. :)
 
I didn't get any of that this time though. With the crud in the lungs you don't actually get to sleep. You just fade close to sleep and then cough and start over. At one point, I almost broke down in tears because I had been in bed for over 30 hours and felt like I hadn't slept in days. The fever did make the process odd - I felt like I was trying to solve some weird problem or puzzle and if I could just solve it I could sleep. Every time my brain thought I was about to solve it, the cough would hit and I'd reset. It felt like and endless loop - like Sisyphus. :)
 
I can see as bit said that this could kill you if you aren't strong enough to handle it or can't get the meds in time. I got measurably worse every day - I don't know how long the body can do that on it's own.
 
PS: there is lack of Amazon boxes at my door and I realized I probably saved some cash this week! :)

ston
That sounds well nasty!  I think I've been suffering from costochondritis for the past few days, not a hundredth as bad as pneumonia, but still rather annoying.  Bizarrely, I think it may have resulted from learning to drive; I did a lot of 3-point turn manoeuvrers during my last lesson which involves a lot of rapid full-lock motions on the wheel.  Perhaps having given up smoking recently (in my 5th week now) might also be a factor; the ribcage getting more of a workout than it has for some time perhaps.  Alternatively, a horse may have come into my bedroom whilst I was asleep and kicked the crap out of my ribs.

I just had to look that up. I had no idea cartilage could get inflamed! Good on you for quitting smoking. The stuff I was hacking up was like the tar I've seen in pictures from smoker's lungs. I can't imagine having that stuff every day.
 
Keep at it man, that is a fight worth winning!

smallstonefan

sharke
I haven't had pneumonia but a client of mine had it a few years ago, huge burly guy and he was as weak as a kitten from it. I've had the flu intensely a couple of times and that's certainly no joke. However the one thing I DO like about being ill with a fever is those mammoth 18 hour sleeps you end up having where you're slipping in and out of consciousness and having the most surreal dreams and periods of delirium. For some reason I quite enjoy that - perhaps it's the feeling of waking up and realizing you still have another 9 hours of sleep left....or the feeling of waking up in a sweat and getting up and having a nice long drink of water and changing into a nice dry t-shirt...simple pleasures....

I know that weird sweat-fueled dream world of which you speak. For me, it is usually not pleasant as my mind rarely takes me through happy trips. :)
 
I didn't get any of that this time though. With the crud in the lungs you don't actually get to sleep. You just fade close to sleep and then cough and start over. At one point, I almost broke down in tears because I had been in bed for over 30 hours and felt like I hadn't slept in days. The fever did make the process odd - I felt like I was trying to solve some weird problem or puzzle and if I could just solve it I could sleep. Every time my brain thought I was about to solve it, the cough would hit and I'd reset. It felt like and endless loop - like Sisyphus. :)
 
I can see as bit said that this could kill you if you aren't strong enough to handle it or can't get the meds in time. I got measurably worse every day - I don't know how long the body can do that on it's own.
 
PS: there is lack of Amazon boxes at my door and I realized I probably saved some cash this week! :)

Wow I can totally identify with that puzzle solving phenomenon. I think that's pretty common. In your moments of delirium the problem seems totally reasonable and makes complete sense, then you snap out of it for a little while and realize that you've been thinking about total hogwash, abstract nonsense with random shapes and insane concepts like "I really need to renegotiate the umbrella deal with that fork but there's a huge triangular mustard in the way."

Sometimes pain can find its way into your dream in crazy ways. Years ago I had the flu so bad that every inch of my body had intermittent stabbing pains. Every time I drifted off to sleep I was taken into this large, misty room in which pieces of sharp cutlery hung from the ceiling on lengths of string at body height. I had to walk across the room but the knives and forks were stabbing at me with every step. A true nightmare.

smallstonefan
 
I just had to look that up. I had no idea cartilage could get inflamed! Good on you for quitting smoking. The stuff I was hacking up was like the tar I've seen in pictures from smoker's lungs. I can't imagine having that stuff every day.
 

 
Oof.  How're you feeling now?

Keep at it man, that is a fight worth winning!

Ta!  I fully intend to persevere.  I'd given up for a year and a half a while ago now, but then crashed my bike which, as excuses go, isn't a bad one to start again ;-)

I've never had pneumonia but I have S.A.S.