Fever of Unknown Origin

The last couple of days have been yucky. That's a scientific term, you know. My own scientific term to describe when I'm feeling less than well, but not out and out sick.


I just got over a persistent urinary tract infection last month, after taking antibiotics for a solid month. The anti-biotics make me feel -- well, yucky --- too, so I was really not feeling up to par. Finally, finally, I began to feel better, and back to my old self again.


Then yesterday, I was getting a pedicure at my favorite salon. It was crowded, but I got right in and settled down with a book while the tech scrubbed, polished and massaged my tootsies. Ah, luxury.


I don't call this an indulgence, either, but a necessity. Besides having lupus, I was also gifted with Type 1 Diabetes, and that means I need to take care of my feet. Since I can't reach my toes any longer, I indulge myself at the local nail salon. Just my feet. I have yet to have a manicure there, believing I can do my fingernails myself. And I do.


While I was nearing nirvana, I began feeling a bit warm. The day was going to be in the 80s, so I figured the salon's a/c wasn't yet geared up for that temp. But I continued to feel warm even as I paid my bill and departed, flip-flops flipping and flopping out to my car.


Got home and checked the thermostat. It was set for warmer weather and running just fine. Okay, then, why do I feel so warm?


Heh. I also felt sleepy. Laid down on the couch and snoozed -- for about an hour. When I woke, I was even warmer.


So I took my temp. Normally, my temperature rarely gets above 97 degrees. So a "normal" temp of 98.6 is a fever for me. This time, my temperature read 99.7. A fever.


Okay. Time to hit the aspirin and get this temperature down. Don't know where it's coming from, but it's got to go.


Felt better, went to bed early, and got up this morning wondering if I had licked the fever.


Nope. And, my throat felt scratchy. And my ears hurt. Really hurt.


What the heck??? This is May, not December. I'm not supposed to have a sore throat and earaches in May! But have them, I do.


So I'm taking aspirin and taking it easy. We'll see how the next couple of days go. It's not always lupus, I realize. I can have a sore throat and earaches like any normal person, can't I?


We'll see. I'm getting the strange feeling that it might be swelling from a lupus flare that has hit my throat and ears.


Time will tell. In the meantime, it's a mean time.


<Lupus