Breathing -- Is It Too Much To Ask For?

I have some fairly serious sinus troubles. I have had 4 sinus surgeries for my nasal polyps. It's a painful business and to add insult to injury, surgery gives only temporary relief. My last surgery was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN on June 1, 2006.

I was doing pretty well until the middle of September, even though I lost my sense of smell last summer. At first I thought my misery was allergy related. Although I'm not really allergic to anything except mold and cats, it was a bad allergy season and my ENT once told me that I was probably sensitive to various things. In October I was using my albuterol inhaler 4 or 5 times a day. I was coughing loud enough to wake the dead. My nasal passages are swollen shut. Every now and then I blow a large, dark thick wad of something disgusting out. What fun. My head hurt. My throat was sore. Well, when I called my GP to make an appointment I found out she is going to another clinic and won't be seeing anyone there until the 1st week of November. So I went to another doctor at the clinic and she said it didn't look like a sinus infection. I asked for a Kenalog shot and she said she didn't give out steroids for any reason. She perscribed Singulair for my wheezing. Well, that was really good. I don't wheeze much anymore. But it cost a lot and did nothing for anything else. Now my gums ache and I just want to be able to breathe through my nose. Really, I'm pretty sure it's a sinus infection. After 15 years and $75,000 I consider myself an expert. I called my ENT for an appointment. The earliest opening is Dember 13. Good grief.

So next payday, when I can afford it, I'm going to see if I can get in to see my regular doctor and get taken care of. She'll give me a kenalog shot and some antibiotics that might help.

Sometimes life just sucks, ya know?