Adams Wife’s Weblog

My daughter suffers from asthma and allergies.  She had to be taken to the ER last night because she was having so much trouble breathing.  Her hubs is picking her up now to bring her home again.  My life used to have almost no drama in it.  Ah! for the good old days.  

I’m looking more like this these days.  It’s been a long haul, but I am finally feeling better and what’s more my sense of humor is returning.  My smile has become pretty constant again.

Immediately post-surgery I was doing pretty well.  Next morning I enjoyed pancakes and eggs for breakfast, and I was drinking lots and lots of water.  I had packing in my nose and had to breathe through my mouth - needed constant sips of water to keep hydrated.  Doc removed the packing and sent me home.  My daughter was able to get an extra day off and so was with me for my first day home.  Her fiance (newly engaged) helped watch the kids after school while she was working those first few days, so I didn’t have to worry about them so much while I was recuperating.

First problem:  The packing in my nose had caused my eyes to water continually for 24 hours or more.  They dried up a few hours after the packing was removed, but by then my left eye was so sore it took days and days to heal.

Second problem:  The antibiotic capsules they sent me home with did not dissolve in my digestive system as they were supposed to.  Consequently I got an infection.  The surgery was Tuesday, I was eating and drinking fine on Wednesday, by Monday when I saw the doctor again I was in so much pain that I was beginning to dehydrate from lack of water and the only meal I was able to get down was Ensure.  It took an average of two hours to drink an 8-oz can of the stuff.  And I was taking pain pills every 3-4 hours day and night.

Third problem:  Swallowing my regular meds for my diabetes and gastrointestinal problems.  The pills would stick in my throat (not mentioning how bad it hurt to swallow them).  A couple times it was so bad I gagged and threw up.  That felt good!

Fourth problem:  When I saw the doctor and got the splints out of my nose he changed me to a liquid antibiotic.  This helped greatly.  I forced myself to drink more water and in a couple days was able to eat soft foods.  Then the antibiotic caused gastric distress and I began spending a great deal of my time in the bathroom.  On Friday I called the doctor and was taken off the antibiotic.  I was terrified the infection would have a resurgence, but it has not.  By Thursday I was able to get off the pain pills and only needed an occasional Tylenol for pain control.

All problems solved!  Yesterday and today I have been able to increase the types of food I’m able to eat.  For Mother’s Day my daughter grilled hamburgers and I was able to eat a hamburger and some fries.  It was a little bit painful, but well worth it!!!!!!! Â

The surgery was necessary because I had sleep apnea so badly that it had caused me to retain water (didn’t know that could happen - but it can).  The more I retained water, the harder it was for me to breathe until I was on oxygen pretty much 24 hours/day.  And, of course, the more problem I had breathing the more I retained water.  And round and round and round.

Since the surgery I have lost 10 pounds - mostly water I think (had taken about 10 pounds off with diuretics before the surgery).  So I’m now 20 pounds lighter.  A surprise benefit is that I have cut my long-acting insulin in half and reduced the short-time insulin, too.  I had no idea that that might happen.  If I hadn’t been so sick with the infection and kept forgetting to take my evening injection of Lantus, I probably would have had some serious low blood sugars to deal with.  As it was I had to eat a couple times when I didn’t really want to because my blood sugar was only 90 and still falling.

The long and short of it is I am going to live and live well.  I am already reaping the rewards of going through the whole process.  I didn’t really expect it to make this big a difference this quickly.  Thank you all for your prayers and your good wishes during this time.  My faith in guardian angels has been reinforced.  I have definitely felt the presence of my loving husband at the most trying and troublesome times during this recovery process.

I finally heard from my doctor’s office yesterday.  The poor girl was working really late - called me at 6:30 pm.  I am tentatively scheduled for surgery on April 27.  The hospital will call Monday to confirm the appointment and go over the details.  I’ve tried and tried to find some humor in this situation.  I guess it’s just not funny.  I’ve had several surgeries in the past and never had a lot of nerves with any of them.  This one is making me nervous.   I think the aftermath scares me more than the surgery.  I’ve never had a ‘messy’ surgery - not even a bandage that needed to be changed.  With this I will have splints in my nose for a week and a drip pad that may need to be changed as often as every 15 minutes.  And I will be alone.  My daughter has to keep working, can’t afford time off.  They will give her time off to be at the hospital during the surgery, but when I get home I’m pretty much on my own.  Hope I’m strong enough both physically and emotionally to get through it.  I know my friends and family will be praying for me.  I guess I’ll just have to trust that angels will watch over me if I need them.  

I’ve been waiting for 3 days for the doctor’s office to call with the results of the sleep study.  My surgery should be scheduled at the same time.  Yesterday I got tired of waiting and called them.  The nurse said the doctor hadn’t had time to check the report yet or talk to my cardiologist and endocrinologist.  She assured me he would probably get to that today and then they would call me.  I’m still waiting.  I want this done!

No, I didn’t hit the sales this morning.  I’d very much like to post something really awe-inspiring and articulate about all the good things I enjoy.  However, I’m finding it very difficult to be grateful for getting the stomach flu for Thanksgiving.  No turkey, no gravy, no smashed taters.  And definitely no pumpkin pie.  I am no longer worshiping the porcelain god, but I’m still not celebrating with good food.  I’ve had Sprite and chicken broth to sustain me today.  The best I can do for gratitude is to be thankful it didn’t land me in the hospital.

Now that I have hope of some of my long-standing health problems clearing up and am generally feeling better than I have for a long time I have developed a new malady.  I first noticed it when I woke in the middle of the night rubbing one foot against the other.  I had an itch that would not quit.  In the morning when I looked I discovered that my right heel is all red and funny looking.  I have tried very hard not to scratch and hoped that it would clear up.  It just got worse.  So - this morning I took myself off to the RediCare to have it looked at.  The doc didn’t say what it is for sure - maybe a viral infection, maybe yeast - but he’s pretty sure it’s not bacterial ’cause I’m presently taking three antibiotics.  He is a bit afraid the red nasty is CAUSED by the three antibiotics.   So, he consulted with my diabetic doctor and they changed one of the antibiotics.  Then he took his pen and made marks around the outside edge so we would know if it got bigger or started to shrink.  (My five-year-old grandson was very entertained by the doctor writing on my foot.)

You may be asking yourself what all this has to do with gratitude.  I did say I was going to talk about gratitude during November.  Well, I’m grateful I once again made my doctor scratch his head and laugh (at my expense) that it’s just a rash on my foot and not something REALLY nasty.  So - I rub on the Lotrimin, apply lotion and oil to stop the itch, occasionally scratch ’til it hurts, and give thanks that I’m not vomiting to the point I have to be hospitalized.

I’m also very grateful today for the sunshine.  Cold weather has come to town, but it’s so much easier to take when the air is clear and the sun is shining.

I don’t care what the calendar says, this is my Tuesday post! I was so busy yesterday, and started my new job (I work from home from 2 to 10 in the evening). I composed this post in my head, but was signed in to work before I got it written. Actually this post is a bit of an addendum to Monday’s post.

I got a call from my doctor’s office first thing this morning. They found that I have H. pylori.  That is treatable.  The nurse said it could be the cause of all the problems I’ve been having.  Just when I had started believing that I was never going to be better than I am right now and that I should learn to live with my limitations, I find out I can be fixed!  I am so excited.  I have a lot of things I want to do that I have not been able to accomplish because of the health problems.  Now I have hope for the future.  For that I am more than grateful!

I determined last night to make a blog each day for the rest of this month wherein I would express gratitude for something in my life.  Well, this morning I was abruptly awakened by acid reflux burning my throat and into my sinuses.  Not a great way to start a day when I long to find gratitude!   I guess today I can be thankful that it was not worse.  Actually I had a gastroscopy and colonoscopy last week to check out my innards and make sure all is well within.  I had begun to fear that my Barrett’s esophagus which had been healed with Prilosec and Nexium might have returned.  I am grateful that it has not.  So, perhaps that is my thing to be thankful for today.  It could be much worse - but it’s not.  Kind of an ass-backward way of being grateful, but there you go.

So what makes you grateful today?  Please leave something in comments that you would like to give thanks for.  This is the month when we celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the United States.  I feel a need to concentrate on that for which I should be grateful.  There are too many of the negative things and they sometimes dominate my thoughts.  I would be grateful for any reminders you will share with me.

Each time I’ve sat at my computer today I’ve wanted to add a post to my blog.  But I didn’t know what to post about.  Then I read my e-mail.  This essay so eloquently says what I’ve been feeling for days that I had to share it with others.  I hope you’ll take time to read it.

But you don’t look sick.

Stupid formatting options are not working.  I can barely read this font.  Grrrrrrr!!!!!  Not a great way to start my day. Â

(Oh, that’s better.)  Not much going on, considering how much is going on.  Last week my daughter had bronchitis along with her asthma.  It kept her off work for a full week.  I spent a lot of time taking her to the doctor.  She has no insurance.  This was such a not-good news week all the way around!

I’ve been fighting diverticulitis for several weeks.  Lots of pain.  I saw my gastroenterologist a week and a half ago and have been taking two antibiotics since then.  A broad-spectrum antibiotic and an anti-flagellant.  The a-f leaves a terrible taste in my mouth.  It’s like getting a taste of a nasty pill as you attempt to swallow it, and then having it stay with you all day.  I’m feeling so whiny!!  And my cousin, who listens to me whine, has been busy with her own family and I haven’t been able to have a good whine.  I think a good, occasional whine is very therapeutic.  In November I have to have a double scoping (gastroscopy and colonoscopy at the same time).  I hope I can find as much humor in this as Dave Barry brings to his tale of colonoscopy.  I’ve had the procedure before, and I have to admit Dave covers it very well. LOL

I have had to face the reality that I feel as good at this moment, I am as healthy, as I probably will ever be.  I used to think that I could watch my diet, get a bit more exercise, follow doctor’s orders and eventually I would improve.  I don’t believe that any more.  This is my life.  I gotta learn to deal with it.  I think the one thing I CAN change is my attitude.  Gotta get past feeling picked on and start living to the best of the ability I have.  I can’t do it all, but I can do what I CAN do.  I’ll probably be posting a lot of verbiage dealing with learning exactly what it is that I can do.

In the meantime - Good Morning.  Our projected high is in the 60’s or even 70.  It’s a beautiful day!  For this day I will get dressed, eat breakfast, and then get out into the lovely weather and take a walk.  What are you doing to make the most of your day?