Season 1. Episode 1.

The planning was fast and furious. It was the second year we held the event in Tampa, but still so many details to complete. The annual awards program celebrates entrepreneurship. Those amazing people who leap, not knowing if they will land standing up, but they leap nonetheless. They are willing to take on great responsibility, because they are sure they have the answers to the problems of the world. And the ones we were honoring had proven that they did.

It’s February 4, 2019, attendance is at an all time high. We have everything is order for the day. But I’m not feeling well. I never get sick mind you. I’m not quite sure why I every get sick days for work, because I never take any. But I’m just not feeling well. Getting to Tampa a couple days before the event, I figure I should probably go get some medicine. I go in early to the Walgreens Walk-in Clinics. We determine that I am sick and test for the flu, just for the heck of it to make sure I don’t have it.

Have you ever been tested for the flu. They stick this thing up your nose and it feels like hundreds of tiny little finger nails are tickling the inside of your nose. I can actually still feel that sensation now. Test came back positive for a mild case of the flu. (shit)

I have our biggest event of the year in 2 days and there’s no way that I can be sick. She gave me a prescription for the Tamiflu and I went on my way. I started the medicine right away, but the morning of the event I woke up feeling the worst I had felt. Luckily, I had a team. Vanessa, Zach, Paulina, Hannah, Gina, Ashley, Stacy were all there to make sure everything went as scripted.

The morning session was great! The evening event went smoothly and by the time the reception came, I was actually feeling better. Probably the adrenaline, but I didn’t care. We got through and honored our entrepreneurs in the way they deserved. (yipee)

A couple of weeks went by and I got over the flu symptoms, but I still had this nagging cough. (annoying)

So I hit up Google again for an answer. Search terms, flu, cough, won’t go away. The suggestion was to see a pulmonologist. Okay. I can do that. It’s now the end of March and the pulmonologist office can’t see need until the end of April. (annoying) So I take the appointment.

In Naples, it’s hard to come by specialists that have open calendars and can take you right away. We have an aging population and these specialists’ calendars are busting at the seams. So we wait. It’s okay. It’s just a cough.

The weeks go by, and it’s Easter Weekend. A beautiful weekend. Weather was amazing. Kids were down so we got to color eggs, have a wonderful Easter dinner. That evening the phone rings. It’s the doctor’s office. Wow, calling on Easter Sunday to confirm my appointment.

The voice on the other end begins to tell me that they don’t understand why I’m coming in. I have no chest x-rays and it’s impossible for the doctor to see me without those. (grrrr) (shit) (fuck)

I lost it on the phone with them. “It’s taken me a month to get the appointment to begin with and now your telling me I can’t come in!” I did it. I hung up on her. Well, I was pissed. Wouldn’t you be? Couldn’t they have told me I needed this when I made the appointment? I had month to get it done for pity sakes.

So, later that week I just went to the walk in clinic. They were great. No wait time. They took my vitals, asked me some background questions and decided to do a chest x-ray. Which they did right there on the spot. Since I had the flu there could be a lingering infection in my lungs, which would show up on the x-ray.

They did see something on there. Prescribed antibiotics for 10 days and told me to come back. At this point, we are thinking walking pneumonia. 10 days pass, antibiotics are gone, but the cough lingers on. Back to the clinic and another chest x-ray. Still something showing up so they send me for a CT scan.