I'm trying not to be selfish

But I am so tired and in so much pain.

I posted a while ago and got some honest answers about my situation - my coworker is a high risk pregnancy due to her poor health, I have an autoimmune disease. Between the two of us we are running the company. I was told her issues take precedence because she's pregnant by the commenters.

She's been in and out of doctors appointments, and writing exams and while she does all this, I have to hold the fort and do literally everything. This could be for an entire day or only a few hours (or four days like a few weeks ago).

My position in the company is also a more stressful one as I take care of the finances. Month end/ beginning month is always incredibly stressful for me. My autoimmune condition causes anemia, chronic fatigue, chronic pain due to inflammation, arthritis and the slow fusing of my bones, insomnia, etc.

I went to the doctor yesterday for blood tests because I am really struggling these last few weeks. I am needing to take multiple naps throughout the day, I am losing focus and concentration and thus messing up at work, I'm up to daily painkillers, I am losing a lot of hair, daily headaches, getting bad random bruising and I'm drinking more energy drinks to try get me through the day (not daily, but I'm up to like one or two a week. Because my liver has been affected by my condition I try not to drink rubbish (this condition typically also affects liver, heart and kidneys)).

I was given a script but instructed not to go get the meds until the results of the tests came back. Some of them have and my iron levels are half of the lowest they should be so my doctor rather prescribed an IV drip and two of the meds he prescribed.

I managed to get an appointment for this afternoon and I told my coworker (who I was covering for again as she went for another check up this morning) that I needed to go get this done so I can start to feel better. This is just part of the blood test results and the treatment.

She replies back saying she needs to be admitted to hospital again. So I can't go get my drip. And I am trying to be understand that she's high risk but I am so, so, SO tired and in so much pain. I also need treatment. I also need help, and I have expressed that.

I really don't know what to do. We can't afford to hire someone to help us, and I literally cannot go on like this.

*there is no one above us. We are the only two running it. Everyone else got retrenched during COVID, even our boss jumped ship (left us the business to run). Each month gets better financially but we're not in a position to hire someone yet. In February / March we will be. Our business was hit really, really hard during lockdown.