I need another 20 or so hours in each day. It's 2:30 and I still want to take a walk, call the hematology folks with a long list of questions, and make a casserole before my hubby gets home from work. I haven't made dinner yet this week and the result is that we've been eating very random things in the evening. The walk might not happen today, because its cold. On the other hand, I skipped it yesterday for that reason in favor of eating, so I should probably force myself to get out there. I don't have the luxury of doing a lot of calorie-burning things yet so I should probably take what I can get.
Today, I tried to give one of my shedding kitties a bath. Now I'm covered in scratches, one of which is sure to leave a very long scar. I've also never heard a cat scream so much. Yup...scream. Unfortunately, I have that nerve block next week I'm wondering whether it is better to warn the doctor that I'm covered in scratches, or if I should just let him find them. I'll probably forget.
OK, forcing myself to take that walk now.
-S
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Membership
Well, the day has finally come...I'm done with my bachelor program, and not a moment too soon. The graduation ceremony is Saturday and although I'm *cough, cough* years old, I'm still participating in the ceremony because I suffered through my share of hurdles on the way. Yay!
Otherwise, I became the member of two different clubs last month. The first is a lifetime membership to Delta Mu Delta, Kappa Alpha Chapter, which is a National Honors Society for Business Administration. Then I also received information about my automatic membership to the Great Lakes Hemophilia group. I really feel like I don't belong--I have such a minor case in comparison to people that almost can't move because even a small cut could kill them.
However, the upside for me is that I received two laminated cards and three sheets of paper in the mail from the Hematology Nurse yesterday. Two of the sheets of paper confirmed that the medication that I tested did indeed show a significant increase in my Von Willebrand Factor, meaning that a simple medication will help me stop bleeding when I have minor cuts or nosebleeds. Hooray! The third sheet was a detailed description of the how to handle me if I ever have to go to the ER/Urgent Care again for bleeding. The laminated cards state the name of the disease, 24 hour contact information for the Bleeding Disorders staff, and other standard info. Then I noticed 6 beautiful little words: "DO NOT KEEP THIS PATIENT WAITING". Seriously? This is the greatest day of my life. I have spent HOURS waiting to see a Doctor when I went in for a nosebleed, and even once recently when I was sent to Urgent Care to be checked for internal bleeding after a surgery. Maybe the ER/Urgent Care docs around here (the ones that never even thought to check for this problem) will take me a little more seriously next time.
Otherwise, I have another nerve block with trigger point injections (probably 6-7 injections) coming up next week and then an unfortunate colonoscopy/endoscopy to deal with (regular check-up of other issues) sometime in the near future. I really wish I hadn't watched "Ghost Town" or whatever that movie with Ricky Gervais is called last weekend...
-S
P.S. When spell checking, the suggestion for "colonoscopy" is "kaleidoscope". Strange.
Otherwise, I became the member of two different clubs last month. The first is a lifetime membership to Delta Mu Delta, Kappa Alpha Chapter, which is a National Honors Society for Business Administration. Then I also received information about my automatic membership to the Great Lakes Hemophilia group. I really feel like I don't belong--I have such a minor case in comparison to people that almost can't move because even a small cut could kill them.
However, the upside for me is that I received two laminated cards and three sheets of paper in the mail from the Hematology Nurse yesterday. Two of the sheets of paper confirmed that the medication that I tested did indeed show a significant increase in my Von Willebrand Factor, meaning that a simple medication will help me stop bleeding when I have minor cuts or nosebleeds. Hooray! The third sheet was a detailed description of the how to handle me if I ever have to go to the ER/Urgent Care again for bleeding. The laminated cards state the name of the disease, 24 hour contact information for the Bleeding Disorders staff, and other standard info. Then I noticed 6 beautiful little words: "DO NOT KEEP THIS PATIENT WAITING". Seriously? This is the greatest day of my life. I have spent HOURS waiting to see a Doctor when I went in for a nosebleed, and even once recently when I was sent to Urgent Care to be checked for internal bleeding after a surgery. Maybe the ER/Urgent Care docs around here (the ones that never even thought to check for this problem) will take me a little more seriously next time.
Otherwise, I have another nerve block with trigger point injections (probably 6-7 injections) coming up next week and then an unfortunate colonoscopy/endoscopy to deal with (regular check-up of other issues) sometime in the near future. I really wish I hadn't watched "Ghost Town" or whatever that movie with Ricky Gervais is called last weekend...
-S
P.S. When spell checking, the suggestion for "colonoscopy" is "kaleidoscope". Strange.
Friday, May 7, 2010
So much to share...
Hi folks!
So much happening these last couple of weeks. Here we go!
My PT has been going really well. I can tell that I am making gradual improvement, though the therapy itself leaves me in a lot of pain some days. Switching to a different kind of PT has been the best thing that's happened to me to date. We've really nailed down all of my "trigger points". Unfortunately, there are many. Most are muscular and travel and are as far away as my ribs and back, but the most important find is that the scars from my laparoscopy surgeries are causing the worst of the worst of my pain. The absolute worst is the scar that was cut into two subsequent times, followed closely by the 1 1/2" scar that was left after my ovary was removed in 2007. The therapy is really painful--the PT basically pushes into the adhesion formed by the scar tissue in an effort to break it up. I keep threatening to get up and run out the door, but I know its for my own good. In addition to this, I literally have 3-4 hours of exercises each day, including a 45 minute-long walk. They are mostly centered around creating good posture and strengthening core muscles so that my body stops reverting to overusing the wrong muscles for basic movements. It is grueling and wears me down everyday, especially sitting and standing with correct posture ALL of the time, but I know it is for the best and will make a huge difference in the long term.
Next is the fact that learning all of this information made my treatment through the pain clinic that much better. I had an appointment at 7:45 this morning in Madison (which is just cruel, but that is all they had available that made it easier for the hubby to be there). Now that I can point to very specific sources of the pain, I can receive another nerve block that includes trigger-point injections in the worst areas. I was about to schedule one for the 13th, but quickly remembered that my graduation ceremony is two days later and I really don't want to sit through that in pain from all of the needle marks (my Von Willebrand causes bruising and sometimes bleeding that other people don't get from such a procedure).
Speaking of graduation, I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to wear--and more specifically, which shoes! In my budget-conscious effort, I'm planning to wear things that I already own (or things my sister already owns..lol). Also, I had a debate with myself about how uncool I'm going to look carrying the Tush Cush that I just ordered, which will save me from being completely and udderly uncomfortable during the ceremony. One would think that I'd be past these hang-ups by now, but nope, I'm still totally insecure about appearances when I know 1000+ people will see me walking into my ceremony carrying my butt cushion. Which reminds me that I still have to make the 1 1/2 hour drive to pick up my cap and gown from the main campus. I think I'll wait until the Tush Cush arrives to make that drive!
That's it for me for the moment. I have to get back to my very last paper of my degree that I've been stalling on for weeks. :)
-S
So much happening these last couple of weeks. Here we go!
My PT has been going really well. I can tell that I am making gradual improvement, though the therapy itself leaves me in a lot of pain some days. Switching to a different kind of PT has been the best thing that's happened to me to date. We've really nailed down all of my "trigger points". Unfortunately, there are many. Most are muscular and travel and are as far away as my ribs and back, but the most important find is that the scars from my laparoscopy surgeries are causing the worst of the worst of my pain. The absolute worst is the scar that was cut into two subsequent times, followed closely by the 1 1/2" scar that was left after my ovary was removed in 2007. The therapy is really painful--the PT basically pushes into the adhesion formed by the scar tissue in an effort to break it up. I keep threatening to get up and run out the door, but I know its for my own good. In addition to this, I literally have 3-4 hours of exercises each day, including a 45 minute-long walk. They are mostly centered around creating good posture and strengthening core muscles so that my body stops reverting to overusing the wrong muscles for basic movements. It is grueling and wears me down everyday, especially sitting and standing with correct posture ALL of the time, but I know it is for the best and will make a huge difference in the long term.
Next is the fact that learning all of this information made my treatment through the pain clinic that much better. I had an appointment at 7:45 this morning in Madison (which is just cruel, but that is all they had available that made it easier for the hubby to be there). Now that I can point to very specific sources of the pain, I can receive another nerve block that includes trigger-point injections in the worst areas. I was about to schedule one for the 13th, but quickly remembered that my graduation ceremony is two days later and I really don't want to sit through that in pain from all of the needle marks (my Von Willebrand causes bruising and sometimes bleeding that other people don't get from such a procedure).
Speaking of graduation, I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to wear--and more specifically, which shoes! In my budget-conscious effort, I'm planning to wear things that I already own (or things my sister already owns..lol). Also, I had a debate with myself about how uncool I'm going to look carrying the Tush Cush that I just ordered, which will save me from being completely and udderly uncomfortable during the ceremony. One would think that I'd be past these hang-ups by now, but nope, I'm still totally insecure about appearances when I know 1000+ people will see me walking into my ceremony carrying my butt cushion. Which reminds me that I still have to make the 1 1/2 hour drive to pick up my cap and gown from the main campus. I think I'll wait until the Tush Cush arrives to make that drive!
That's it for me for the moment. I have to get back to my very last paper of my degree that I've been stalling on for weeks. :)
-S
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)