OT September Chit Chat

[SalpalSally]

Sally, I hope this doesn't discourage you from your intention of staying in your home. A person doesn't have to be constantly running for shelter or cowering in a basement--just taking some sensible precautions.

At my age, I figure if a storm wants me, it can just come and get me. I used to cower under my bed when I was a kid and in the basement or safe rm.

[Cat Dancer]

Cataract surgery is tomorrow morning (Tuesday), 10 a.m. Should be home by noon, they tell me. Unhappy visit at the wound clinic today. Doctor says wound hasn't changed much since 2 months ago (we beg to differ...seems much smaller to us). anyway, now on a different treatment. I've lost count how many they've tried over these 2 years, but at least this one needs to be done only every other day (instead of every day, or twice a day, as some of the earlier ones). Oh well. Still trying to get disciplined about the physical therapy. Really have to work on my core...sit up straight, bend from side to side without falling over, all that sort of thing. So a bit discouraged, but will plod on.

[stillstANNding]

Cat-

Good luck tomorrow. Hope things turn out better than expected.

ANN

[Frog42]

Very good luck, Cat.

[Howie]

Cat, we will all be wishing the best for you tomorrow. And when you get home, keep up the PT like you are, and get back here to be the sharp tongued Cat we all know and love!

You are an icon on this forum!

[Cherie]

Thank you all for the "WOW" factor. I feel a bit overwhelmed as well. My input apparently made a major impact. I have been invited to participate in another National Patient Powered Conference in October which I may be able to go to if there is funding. Still waiting to hear. Apparently the FDA is wanting to hear what we have to say. Hopefully I will properly represent us. Tomorrow is a bilateral hip arthroscopy under MRI. Outcome anticipated is bilateral hip replacement. Left hip was injured in an accident in 1993. Right hip by a Chiropractor in March of this year. Going off meds for the 5 days prior to exam has had me in pretty intense pain and poor sleep for the past 3-4 days. They tell me I need a driver tomorrow as I will not be able to drive myself there and home (I love you David). Not sure what to expect beyond that. they told me they would be injecting a hundred Mg of dexamethasone into each hip. I asked them not to . So they say I will be in more pain than usual I cannot afford the side affects that steroids give me. They told me I would have trouble walking for a few days after the exam if I did not do the steroids. I have to be in NH by Friday. My sister Jean needs transport on Wednesday and Thursday. I cannot afford to be "dis-abled" by this test.






They tell me it will hurt. And I will likely be gimpy for a few days.

[SalpalSally]

Much luck and good wishes to you Cat. And I'm with ya on keeping up the PT. Use it or lose it.

[Jeanie Z]

:) Cat I pray your surgeon is very skilled and your surgery turns out to be a blessing. Sally I am glad you are home and that you like your sofa.

I went to see Jamie for two hours this afternoon and she was sleeping. She acknowledged when I got there but drifted back off to sleep. Andy came about 6 and I left and stopped to eat at Cracker Barrel and home. Had to take Immodium. Going to bed early again. I can't seem to shake this extreme tiredness.

It is nice to have Lacy greet me when I get home. She is really sweet. Jeanie :)

[Gary]

Cat good luck!!

Sally am glad that things are looking up.

Jeanie its good that you are getting some rest. I hope that Jamie can rest as well.

Wednesday is the first day of fall and the temp is 85 deg???

I am still not feeling well. I have no energy and am sooo tired. No appetite and nausea. Anyone ever heard of this with MS. I am not dizzy just feel sick to my stomach. I need to see my Dr so will bring this up I hate taking the nausea meds as they make me (more) sleepy. When I had a UTI a month or so ago I lost 30 lbs in a week so far I really have not put it back on. Actually only put 6 lbs back on. Not that I need it ha ha According to my weight I should be about 6'9" tall. I had my colonoscopy and the stomach one as well nothing looked bad. I do take the pill for stomach acid. Any thoughts?

[agate]

Cat Dancer, good luck with the cataract surgery Tuesday. I hope it goes as smoothly as people say it does.

Gary, if I'm too tired I feel sick to my stomach. That's been a new thing in the last 7 years or so. It also happens if I'm overly anxious, which is one reason I asked the doctor for something for anxiety, and Xanax was prescribed. I haven't taken any of it yet but it's here.

If your sick feelings have no connection with being anxious, Xanax probably wouldn't be of any help, but what do I know?

nuthatch (Joan), congratulations on becoming a grandmother!

Virginia, I have been really busy lately, catching up on appointments that I put off all summer on account of the heat--or other appointments that just happen to come along. I've already done the hearing aids visit, one neuro visit, an MRI, and a new dentist, but still have lab work, flu shot, another neuro visit, PT, and back to the dentist for just a cleaning. Scheduling rides and waiting for them keeps me occupied.

All pretty routine stuff, but the older you get, the more time you have to spend just taking care of yourself, I guess.

[Gary]

Thanks Agate, I am not stressed at least any more than anyone else with MS ha ha. Maybe it does have something to do with being tired. I literally have no energy or interest in doing anything well that isn't true I have lots of stuff I would like to do just the thought of doing anything other than sitting and vegging in front of the TV seems like more than I can do. I am thinking that I am going to go out and putter around in the shop (the one with A/C) this afternoon. Maybe I just need to make myself do something other than holding the couch down.

Agate it seems that you have had more heat in Portland than normal. My wife and daughter spent quite a bit of time over there this summer and they both commented how warm it seemed not compared to the eastern side of Oregon of course.

The little girl that I have written about with cancer had her last radiation treatment her numbers are good but it appears that it has spread she will go on a maintenance program. It is a case of wait and see how it goes. She seems happy and still has fight in her. I just cant imagine how it is on the parents.

[Cherie]

Had MRI arthrogram of left hip today (right hip on October 13). Despite the fact that I have noted in my record an extreme allergy to most local anesthetics (by name) and there is one I can use, the mix of contrast that came from the pharmacy to be injected into the hip joint contained Lidocaine (TOP of the list of allergies!). Everything got delayed for an hour while I refused to have that injected, they sent a nurse and a radiologist and a pharmacist in to determine if I was truly allergic or just wanted something else and then had to remix. They literally could have killed me. This despite the fact that the PA sent a script yesterday for Carbocaine instead of Lidocaine "due to severe allergy to Lidocaine". Also despite the fact that I talked to scheduling three weeks ago and told them and again yesterday and this morning when the hospital called I told them. People...Be Very Careful with accepting the fact that hospitals know and listen and take safety measures. Advocate, be vocal and repetitive.

[Jeanie Z]

:) Hi everyone. Cherie I hope your results are good. Cat let us know how your eye surgery went. Sally welcome home.

Jim was coming today to help me but I called him and cancelled so I could rest. Gary do nothing. Listen to your body. I did and I stayed in bed all day today. I had a few short naps but the phone calls kept me from sleeping. Also the neighbor was hammering near my window most of the day.

Andy came to do my trash and he said the doctor thinks Jamie may have another blockage since nothing is going into the colostomy bag. She has had surgery twice before for that. A few days of not eating and drinking very little and on IV pain meds can cause it. They are trying to make things move first. I doubt she would be strong enough to have surgery right now.

I am not going to visit, I am going back to bed. Y'all take care. Jeanie :)

[Howie]

Cherie, without your medical knowledge, and understanding of the mistakes that can be made, Joe Blow might not have known to not have the injection. I'm glad you are pro-active, and stopped this action which you would have suffered with or worse.

[SuzE-Q]

So sorry you had such a terrible experience, Cherie.

Gary, hope you feel better soon.

Jeanie, please rest up!

Cat, hope your eye surgery went well!