# Reports of my impending demise have been greatly exagerated **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 30, 2001, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-of-my-impending-demise-have-been-greatly-exagerated/96156 "2001-11-30T17:30:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Mermaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@The\_Mermaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mermaid)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-of-my-impending-demise-have-been-greatly-exagerated/96156/1 "2001-11-30T17:30:39Z")
Or No I’m not that sick, so stop looking through my stuff. I have asthma and have been having quite a bit of trouble with it since July or so. It has been long drawn out mess of hospitalizations, medications and nebulizations. Due to being on large doses of steroids, I’m prone to infections. Last week I started with a sore throat, bronchitis and sinusitis. I went to my doctor and left with new scripts in hand and instructions to take it easy for a day or two. I called off work two days this week. Now the reason for my mild rant. I was talking to my sister (another RN) and I mentioned that the doctor thought I might be having some pulmonary hypertension and may need an echocardiogram if my breathlessness doesn’t get better soon. This sister called another sister who called another sister who called another sister and they have all called our mom–who lives 3 states away and told her that I am dying of heart failure and that I swore my hubby to secrecy about it. None of this is true. I talked to my hubby about what the Dr. said but added don’t say anything to my sisters about it cause you know how they tend to exagerate things. I just spent an hour on the phone with Mom trying to convince her that I’m not dying. She’s ready to drive up here to “take care of me”. I’m being made out to be some kind of brave martyr who is just going to sit there and die quietly rather than make a fuss. The fact that I had just finished a breathing treatment and was coughing up a storm while saying “I’m all right, really” didn’t help at all. My side of the conversation sounded something like this _cough_ no I’ll be OK _cough_ don’t worry _cough_ no I only said the dr said maybe _cough_ no you don’t have to come clean my house _cough_ I can decorate my own tree _cough_ Well of course I’m going to be here for Christmas _cough_ I know they are just worried about me but this is enough to make Baby Jesus cry. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-of-my-impending-demise-have-been-greatly-exagerated/96156/2 "2001-11-30T17:44:02Z")
“I’m not dead yet! I think I’ll go for a walk…” ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-of-my-impending-demise-have-been-greatly-exagerated/96156/3 "2001-11-30T18:19:53Z")
Auditions for _La Traviata_ are next week. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mermaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@The\_Mermaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mermaid)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-of-my-impending-demise-have-been-greatly-exagerated/96156/4 "2001-12-01T02:39:25Z")
Forgive my ignorance but I’m not real familiar with this opera. I’ve heard the name of course, just not familiar with the music. Does it have a Tragic Heroine? Does she die in the end? Sign me up. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-of-my-impending-demise-have-been-greatly-exagerated/96156/5 "2001-12-01T03:19:18Z")
Mermaids breathe air? Whodathunkit? I hope your lungs/gills clear up soon.