Big fat fail

In my last update, I had all of these grand plans to ride every day this week to prepare for our clinic next weekend.  Mia would do dressage on Monday, fitness Tuesday, jumping Wednesday, dressage Thursday, fitness Friday, trail ride Sat, jumping Sunday and repeat.  It was going to be great.  SO is out of town until the 25th, I didn't have lessons scheduled to get in the way, work wasn't supposed to be crazy, it would be perfect.  I would be 100% ready for my clinic.

Well, last Friday I had a slight tickle in my throat.  No biggie.  Saturday I admitted I may be becoming sick, but nothing major.  Sunday I started to have a slight cough and a runny nose, still no biggie.  Monday I was a bit more sick and started taking Mucinex/Robitussin and took the night off from riding to recover.  Whatever happened between Monday night and Tuesday morning, however, I have no clue.  By the time I woke up on Tuesday I HURT.  I was coughing HARD.  My lungs hurt. By lunch time, I had pulled muscles in my shoulders and ribs from coughing.  I was O/D'ing on Robitussin and it wasn't making a difference so I went to the doctor.

Doctor said I was not in a good state, my lungs did not sound healthy at all.  There was lots of crackling, popping and wheezing going on.  Yikes.  She sent me home with 4 different prescriptions and wants to see me next week if I am not 100% better because it could get worse.  She doesn't think it is whooping cough due to my limited exposure to people but isn't ruling it out.  If I am still sick next week she will have to draw blood to do that test.

So what have I done since Tuesday?  Almost nothing.  It has taken over a full hour to do chores in the mornings when it should take close to 35-40 mins.  Tues/Wed I had to move very slowly because I couldn't breathe in a way that wasn't very slow and very shallow.  No medium/normal breaths, no breathing hard through exertion otherwise I would end up in a ball in a coughing fit.  By the end of the day Wednesday I was slowly starting to cough less and at least I didn't feel myself pulling muscles anymore.  I was able to take normal breaths but no deep breaths.

Today I am about 80 percent.  I can take a semi-deep breath and not break out coughing.  My lungs FEEL much better even though they SOUND horrible.  For example today I still have a very unhealthy sounding rattle with a deep exhale.  My coughing is down to only a dozen or so coughs instead of a dozen or so an hour which is a HUGE improvement.  And I haven't ridden since last week.  Hell, since Monday I haven't even done chores at night and have been paying K to do them for me.

Tonight I am going to try to ride and see how it goes. I don't know if I will be super successful at going faster than a walk but I am going to try!  I have no idea what I will do if I am not better by next weekend, I am not sure if I will scratch or see if K wants to ride for me instead?  We will have to see how the week progresses.  I personally don't need the exposure going cross country, it is Mia so having someone else ride her isn't that big of a deal to me.  Keep your fingers crossed that I can start riding by this weekend so I will be in SOME kind of decent shape for the clinic.