So, the good news is that they sent me home from the ER midday on Christmas Eve.
I went because I felt lousy on the 23rd and had called at 3am on the 24th when I was running a 101.1 fever. Standing orders from Hospital to me are call with fever and/or related symptoms (in this case fatigue). Standing critique of Hospital by me is that they undervalue sleep as a curative.
They wanted me to come straight to the ER by 4am but I said, "how about I see how I feel when I wake up and check with the Clinic at 8am" Fair deal?
The real issue (which I admit is not worth gambling on) is whether I had a functioning immune system at all. Happily (1) I did, with a White Blood Count of 4.5--my first "Normal" range count since March of 2018, actually and (2) I was fighting plain old Influenza A, so there wasn't much for science to do anyway beyond (2a) Tamiflu, on the hunch that my first flu symptoms were monday and (2b) lots of liquids
And avoid people and wear a mask--which is a way, WAAY, better deal that spending Xmas Eve (& morning) in the hospital.
So I'm multi-grateful:
1) To have a functioning immune system
2) To have a "known quantity" virus with a known treament
3) To have no secondary (bacterial) infection (that'd require an IV, usually)
4) To be able to wear a mask and do xmas with the family
Merry Christmas!
