200 Lothrop st
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Downtown Pittsburgh
About the hospital:
UPMC website
and the best place in Pittsburgh:
http://phipps.conservatory.org/
My baby Babycakes
My baby Babycakes
Monday, October 18, 2010
View Pittsburgh
A map of downtown Pittsburgh, or google the address of the Presby building, where my Dr.s and procedure area are,
Downtown Pittsburgh
About the hospital:
UPMC website
and the best place in Pittsburgh:
http://phipps.conservatory.org/
Downtown Pittsburgh
About the hospital:
UPMC website
and the best place in Pittsburgh:
http://phipps.conservatory.org/
Home from Pittsburgh
Hi to all and thanks for everyone's well-wishes and prayers, it helped me get thru a difficult few days. Right now I am home and well, feeling just a bit better than the day before, but can definitely feel that they poked around in my panky. (I just added panky to my dictionary, its short for pancreas and the name of a friend from the Milford Fire Co.) I slept for 12 hrs. last night, I definitely needed it. I also just erased a whole paragraph and lost it, it saves drafts as you go along, but couldn't retrieve it-damn..
So, we started the journey at 5:30am Thurs. Oct. 14th with my parents picking me up in Schwenksville and I was actually awake and ready. We arrived in downtown Pittsburgh by 11am and was plenty early for my noon appointment to have the PICC line placed. Instead of the PICC I thought I was getting they placed a simple IV line in my upper arm, just for IV access. My veins are just very small to begin with, and have been used too much in the last 6 years. Next I went thru pre-op testing, hoping that its in the window of time before a surgery, I'm not scheduled yet and really don't know when it will be. But they did everything-blood test, chest x-ray, heart monitoring, and a general exam. Got a CT scan a little later than scheduled, and had to drink my yummy radioactive drink for an hour before, 1 cup every 15 min. Then when the CT tech attached my IV for the test, she was worried about me leaving the hosp. with the IV site, said they weren't supposed to release people with one. So it took almost an hour to get the head CT woman to write a release, that I was indeed ordered to keep the line for my procedure in the am. My parents were in the waiting room most of the day, they came prepared for that tho, and took a break for lunch. I have a new little electronic solitaire game, I used to play it on my iPod constantly, esp. waiting for appts. but it broke recently :( Was difficult to get thru all of this without one, and will really need a new MP3 player of some kind before surgery. I am working with a wonderful hypno-therapist who made an MP3 to listen to just for hospital stuff-IVs, procedures, hospital stays, etc.
My parents went out to dinner alone, I wasn't feeling well from the CT scan drink and not eating all day, plus was fed up and cranky from everything taking too long. I stayed in with the TV and had crackers and ginger ale.
Fri. am at 6:30 my mom and I arrived at UPMC's Presby building by taxi. My procedure was scheduled at 8:00 and I needed to arrive then for pre-procedure stuff. Glad I had the IV site already, they were about to give the job to an EMT student, don't wanna mistrust the kid, but I really doubt he could have found a vein. I was quite nervous at that point, but everyone was nice, and I'd had a Xanax with my morning meds. In the procedure room I was out in a minute or two, thanks to what ever the nurse gave me, "for the ride" from the pre-op area down the hall. Next thing I know (about 2 hrs. later I think) I kind of woke up, was in great pain and feeling sick enough to move my body towards the trash can on the side of the room, with the bars up on the bed. A nurse came over, gave me the tiny kidney-shaped thingy to puke in and got me shots of Dilaudid and Zofran (for pain and nausea, respectively). The Dr. who preformed my surgery, Dr. Sanders, talked to my folks, and I was taken to a room. They figured I was in too much pain and nauseous to go home. My parents told me what went on when I was in the room and mostly awake. Dr. Sanders intended to get a wire thru the length of my pancreatic duct, he tried from one end with the wire and discovered how clogged it was in the middle, tried to go in from the other end with a needle. He was not successful in getting thru either way, and could not get the wire in. He put a tiny stent in, designed to fall out as soon as I ate. He told them, and me, that the surgery Dr. Moser previously talked about doing was definitely the only option left. They tried the last possible procedure that could help. The surgery is not yet scheduled, Dr. Moser is in China currently and I'll need to coordinate times that I can get there and get back home, with being in hospital for at least 2 weeks after surgery.
As much as I hate to stay in hospital (and I like to write it like that now, as if I'm British), I was glad to be still and medicated. They kept on IV fluids thru the night. I had the wonderful resident doctor, Dr. Daniella Damian who was from Romania, very sweet and attentive, she stopped to check in on me 3 times Fri. afternoon and evening. Dr. Sanders and his resident came back to see me around 8pm, which impressed me, that's a long day for them, I was probably the first procedure at 8am but that's a longer than 12 hour day. My parents had gone back to the hotel and to dinner after I got in a room, I slept off and on most of the afternoon, was so tired from the procedure. I had some ginger ale and ice water in the evening and that went OK.
I was in lots more pain in the morning, I slept a few hours in the middle of the night, and being in one position and still too long hurts worse, and all of the anesthesia had worn off. I got a yummy tray of clear liquids for breakfast-decaf tea, broth and jell-o. Had half the tea and jell-o, just can't do broth for breakfast. Dr. Damian came in around 9, asked if I wanted to try oral meds and go home later, said definitely yes. It was worth some extra pain to not have to stay in hospital. My parents came in around 11, and sometime after noon, they let me go. The discharge insructions were to just take it easy, go back to my normal diet and get an x-ray and see my local doc in two weeks.
We went back to the hotel, I had a fabulous shower and cup of coffee. (I know panky people, I shouldn't drink coffee, its the one vice I can't completely give up) My mother had read about an orchid show on Sat., at a building of the Phipps conservatory, not in the actual botanical gardens, but another old building nearby. I felt well enough for a short visit to the orchid show, in the small building and bonus of orchids for sale. Talked to almost every grower there, got some good tips and information. My folks bought me a lovely dark purple lady slipper ordhid. Went back to the hotel to lay down, that's really the only way I feel any more comfortable, sitting isn't great. I feel best laying on my left side with a pillow under me. I had broth, jell-o and crackers while my parents went out to dinner at the Hofbrau house, which sounded intresting but I was too interested in laying down and sleeping a bit. I also took in as much cable TV as I could, since I now have an antenna and converter box set-up at home. I slept off and on thru the night, we got up for free breakfast, with lots of Steeler fans around, there was a game at noon downtown. Left around 9am and was home before 3, not too bad really, but was hurting by the end of the trip. The kitty miss Babycakes was very happy to see me and even let my parents say hello. I also came home to a nice surprise, a new espresso maker! From Paul, who came over to feed Miss Cakes while I was gone. (again, I know with the coffee, hehe)
As I began with, I now feel a bit better each day, sleeping a lot and just hanging in there. Hopefully will schedule the surgery soon so I know when to expect and plan for things. I didn't follow my own tip this last visit and get all my records, but UPMC is much better than Grand View or Jefferson with returning phone calls and getting things done and I asked for records to be sent to me today. And my new tip is to read your written prescription before you hand it to the pharmacist. I was given a script for 5 mg. of Oxycodone, to be taken in addition to my usual 10 mg. a few times a day, and was written as such. The bottle came out with "take one tablet by mouth every 6 hr. as needed for pain up to 7 days". I knew what the Dr. was giving me, but if someone didn't understand, or the Dr. didn't explain exactly how to take it, it could be misconstrued and they'd take only 5 mg. and feel worse than usual. I doubt it, but hey, basically just a good reason to read exactly how to take things and/or ask your Dr. how to take it correctly.
So, we started the journey at 5:30am Thurs. Oct. 14th with my parents picking me up in Schwenksville and I was actually awake and ready. We arrived in downtown Pittsburgh by 11am and was plenty early for my noon appointment to have the PICC line placed. Instead of the PICC I thought I was getting they placed a simple IV line in my upper arm, just for IV access. My veins are just very small to begin with, and have been used too much in the last 6 years. Next I went thru pre-op testing, hoping that its in the window of time before a surgery, I'm not scheduled yet and really don't know when it will be. But they did everything-blood test, chest x-ray, heart monitoring, and a general exam. Got a CT scan a little later than scheduled, and had to drink my yummy radioactive drink for an hour before, 1 cup every 15 min. Then when the CT tech attached my IV for the test, she was worried about me leaving the hosp. with the IV site, said they weren't supposed to release people with one. So it took almost an hour to get the head CT woman to write a release, that I was indeed ordered to keep the line for my procedure in the am. My parents were in the waiting room most of the day, they came prepared for that tho, and took a break for lunch. I have a new little electronic solitaire game, I used to play it on my iPod constantly, esp. waiting for appts. but it broke recently :( Was difficult to get thru all of this without one, and will really need a new MP3 player of some kind before surgery. I am working with a wonderful hypno-therapist who made an MP3 to listen to just for hospital stuff-IVs, procedures, hospital stays, etc.
My parents went out to dinner alone, I wasn't feeling well from the CT scan drink and not eating all day, plus was fed up and cranky from everything taking too long. I stayed in with the TV and had crackers and ginger ale.
Fri. am at 6:30 my mom and I arrived at UPMC's Presby building by taxi. My procedure was scheduled at 8:00 and I needed to arrive then for pre-procedure stuff. Glad I had the IV site already, they were about to give the job to an EMT student, don't wanna mistrust the kid, but I really doubt he could have found a vein. I was quite nervous at that point, but everyone was nice, and I'd had a Xanax with my morning meds. In the procedure room I was out in a minute or two, thanks to what ever the nurse gave me, "for the ride" from the pre-op area down the hall. Next thing I know (about 2 hrs. later I think) I kind of woke up, was in great pain and feeling sick enough to move my body towards the trash can on the side of the room, with the bars up on the bed. A nurse came over, gave me the tiny kidney-shaped thingy to puke in and got me shots of Dilaudid and Zofran (for pain and nausea, respectively). The Dr. who preformed my surgery, Dr. Sanders, talked to my folks, and I was taken to a room. They figured I was in too much pain and nauseous to go home. My parents told me what went on when I was in the room and mostly awake. Dr. Sanders intended to get a wire thru the length of my pancreatic duct, he tried from one end with the wire and discovered how clogged it was in the middle, tried to go in from the other end with a needle. He was not successful in getting thru either way, and could not get the wire in. He put a tiny stent in, designed to fall out as soon as I ate. He told them, and me, that the surgery Dr. Moser previously talked about doing was definitely the only option left. They tried the last possible procedure that could help. The surgery is not yet scheduled, Dr. Moser is in China currently and I'll need to coordinate times that I can get there and get back home, with being in hospital for at least 2 weeks after surgery.
As much as I hate to stay in hospital (and I like to write it like that now, as if I'm British), I was glad to be still and medicated. They kept on IV fluids thru the night. I had the wonderful resident doctor, Dr. Daniella Damian who was from Romania, very sweet and attentive, she stopped to check in on me 3 times Fri. afternoon and evening. Dr. Sanders and his resident came back to see me around 8pm, which impressed me, that's a long day for them, I was probably the first procedure at 8am but that's a longer than 12 hour day. My parents had gone back to the hotel and to dinner after I got in a room, I slept off and on most of the afternoon, was so tired from the procedure. I had some ginger ale and ice water in the evening and that went OK.
I was in lots more pain in the morning, I slept a few hours in the middle of the night, and being in one position and still too long hurts worse, and all of the anesthesia had worn off. I got a yummy tray of clear liquids for breakfast-decaf tea, broth and jell-o. Had half the tea and jell-o, just can't do broth for breakfast. Dr. Damian came in around 9, asked if I wanted to try oral meds and go home later, said definitely yes. It was worth some extra pain to not have to stay in hospital. My parents came in around 11, and sometime after noon, they let me go. The discharge insructions were to just take it easy, go back to my normal diet and get an x-ray and see my local doc in two weeks.
We went back to the hotel, I had a fabulous shower and cup of coffee. (I know panky people, I shouldn't drink coffee, its the one vice I can't completely give up) My mother had read about an orchid show on Sat., at a building of the Phipps conservatory, not in the actual botanical gardens, but another old building nearby. I felt well enough for a short visit to the orchid show, in the small building and bonus of orchids for sale. Talked to almost every grower there, got some good tips and information. My folks bought me a lovely dark purple lady slipper ordhid. Went back to the hotel to lay down, that's really the only way I feel any more comfortable, sitting isn't great. I feel best laying on my left side with a pillow under me. I had broth, jell-o and crackers while my parents went out to dinner at the Hofbrau house, which sounded intresting but I was too interested in laying down and sleeping a bit. I also took in as much cable TV as I could, since I now have an antenna and converter box set-up at home. I slept off and on thru the night, we got up for free breakfast, with lots of Steeler fans around, there was a game at noon downtown. Left around 9am and was home before 3, not too bad really, but was hurting by the end of the trip. The kitty miss Babycakes was very happy to see me and even let my parents say hello. I also came home to a nice surprise, a new espresso maker! From Paul, who came over to feed Miss Cakes while I was gone. (again, I know with the coffee, hehe)
As I began with, I now feel a bit better each day, sleeping a lot and just hanging in there. Hopefully will schedule the surgery soon so I know when to expect and plan for things. I didn't follow my own tip this last visit and get all my records, but UPMC is much better than Grand View or Jefferson with returning phone calls and getting things done and I asked for records to be sent to me today. And my new tip is to read your written prescription before you hand it to the pharmacist. I was given a script for 5 mg. of Oxycodone, to be taken in addition to my usual 10 mg. a few times a day, and was written as such. The bottle came out with "take one tablet by mouth every 6 hr. as needed for pain up to 7 days". I knew what the Dr. was giving me, but if someone didn't understand, or the Dr. didn't explain exactly how to take it, it could be misconstrued and they'd take only 5 mg. and feel worse than usual. I doubt it, but hey, basically just a good reason to read exactly how to take things and/or ask your Dr. how to take it correctly.
Wow, when I previewed this I realized its really long! If you read this far, thanks. I just keep writing, its good to get it all out.. so there's another tip, if you write it all out things really do feel better, more finished.
my new orchid
sunset view of Pittsburgh, Allegeny river to left, tallest building is UPMC's main building
Thursday, October 14, 2010
UMPC, take one
This is going to be short and sweet, I'm in a rather foul mood. Leaving Schwenksville at 5:45am was a bad enough start. Everything that had to be done today took waaaay longer than expected, as usually happens here. We got into Pittsburgh around 11am, the trip only took about 5 1/2 hrs. PICC line placement was first and it turns out they ordered a mini PICC or something, don't remember its exact name, but basically a line in my upper arm, but doesn't run as long as a usual PICC. Schedules clashed for CT scan and Pre-OP testing and signatures, both took way too long and we didn't leave UPMC until after 6pm. I'm a cranky tired bitch after all that and lack of sleep so I said I wasn't going out to dinner and my parents are out eating now. I have a hotel room to myself, which is nice, and I'm soon going to lay down and watch some TV until I pass out. Wake up at 5 something in the morning, get a cab back to UPMC (hotel shuttle doesn't run that early) and start ERCP/EUS procedure at 6:30am.
Hopefully some funny TV and time alone will calm things down, heading to the lobby now for a cup of tea.
I hope to be able to update after the procedure tomorrow. I just keep in mind that even if I do have a flare-up from the procedure, I'll wake up under medical care, anything is better than dealing with flare-ups home alone. I have faith it will all turn out OK.
Hopefully some funny TV and time alone will calm things down, heading to the lobby now for a cup of tea.
I hope to be able to update after the procedure tomorrow. I just keep in mind that even if I do have a flare-up from the procedure, I'll wake up under medical care, anything is better than dealing with flare-ups home alone. I have faith it will all turn out OK.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Information about and images of the pancreas
I understand that if you don't have pancreatitis yourself its difficult to figure all this out. Hell, its difficult for me and I've had it for 6 years. So here are some links to good websites where you can enter a term you want to understand, or see images of the areas I'm talking about.
http://pancreas.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancreas
http://pancreasfoundation.org/
http://pancreas.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancreas
http://pancreasfoundation.org/
How it all began...
Hi All...
The main reason I've started this blog is to keep friends and family updated on my health and upcoming surgery. I'm also here to follow friends' blogs more easily.
I have had chronic pancreatitis for over 6 years. I am having surgery to help stop blockages and pseudo cysts from happening and to hopefully lessen my pain. The surgery will take place sometime in the end of November, it is not scheduled yet because they are doing more testing before and putting in a stent on Friday, Oct. 15. The stent will go through the length of my pancreatic duct. Its likely to cause a flare-up of my pancreas because my pancreatic duct is not straight and narrow like it should be..it balloons up in spots, goes sideways, and is too narrow in some spots. The stent placement, by ERCP/EUS and upcoming surgeries will be done at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in downtown Pittsburgh, PA. It is 6 hours away from my home in Schwenksville, PA, which is about an hour north of Philadelphia. So even the first 3 visits for testing and consultation were difficult. My parents drove me twice and the last time my good friend Anna S. drove me. My parents are taking me to have the ERCP/EUS, we leave super-early on Thrusday so I can have PICC line placed (a central line in my upper arm) and then have a CT scan done. Then we get to relax a bit before going to bed early. The procedure is scheduled for 8:00 am and I need to be there by 6:30. I will keep you updated on the procedure. This what my pancreatic duct looks like:
So this was going to be about how this all started. It was 2004, I was living in Lansdale, sharing a house with a friend. A few months into living there I began to have serious depression, a stay in the mental health wing of GVH and things went downhill from there. I quit my job of about a decade of working in group homes with Mentally Retarded adults, a job I loved for a long time but had been getting burned out in. I really was no longer useful at the job, I could barely take care of myself, how could I take care of others who depended on me? I lived off my retirement fund for a while but had to go on state assistance for medical care and food stamps. Around the same time I started losing weight rapidly, getting nauseous often and pain in my upper abdomen. For about 6 months I would vomit for up to days at a time, most of the time just bile and then dry heaves (its gross, but that's what you're in for if you read this...this disease has lots of gross moments) All I could do was go to the ER, usually driving myself because I had isolated myself from friends and my parents. All they ever did in the ER (Grand View in Sellersville, PA) was treat my nausea, give me fluids and ignore my pain. They figured I was drug seeking because I had mental health issues. They also assumed I was drinking, I quit drinking alcohol completely when I began feeling sick, and rarely ate much. Overall, I lost 70 pounds in under 6 months, was malnourished and ignored by the medical community. One episode came with MUCH more severe pain, vomiting blood and scared the shit out of me. I went again to the ER, and these symptoms finally got their attention, my pancreatic enzymes were thru the roof on bloodwork and they did a CT and then ultrasound. They found tons of tiny gallstones in my gallbladder and a stone lodged in the common bile duct which had inflamed my pancreas. Basically at that time I needed my gallbladder removed immediately and was having an acute attack of pancreatitis. GVH removed the gallbladder, kept me NPO (nothing by mouth, IV fluids only) to rest the pancreas and eventually sent me to Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia. Dr. Thomas Kowalski at Jefferson is known as one of the leading pancreatic specialists on the east coast and my Dr. Dobroda, my GI at GVH knew him personally and they worked together on my care from then on. They couldn't do anything for me at that time other than rest the pancreas, give me anti-nausea and pain meds. I began taking enzymes with my food, and will need to take them the rest of my life. If I eat without taking enzymes, especially a meal with any fat in it, I will vomit or have diarrhea. Even with enzymes, I often have diarrhea, or I have days of constipation from the narcotics. I would love to have a normal poop. So I figured I was in for a life of pain and sickness, was malnourished and relatively thin (I'd been chubby all of my life, my eating habits probably contributed to the gallstones.) and feeling hopeless. I then applied for social security, as I knew I wouldn't be able to work for at least the near future. Was turned down the first time, as most people are (due to too many people trying to abuse the system) but was approved the 2nd time, working with a lawyer. I was at the end of my friend's generosity to let me remain in his home after I was unable to pay rent. I'd been babysitting when able for a friend's neighbor. One night I talked to the kid's mom about needing somewhere to live and she offered me their spare room in exchange for my babysitting services. I continued to get sicker while living there, spent many hours sitting on the floor by the toilet, have been known to actually fall asleep with my head on the toilet seat. I still watched the little girl, she grew used to hanging out in my bedroom on on the living room couch just watching movies, instead of running around at the park or with the dog. I had fun with her and feel lucky to been a part of that family for a while, I lived there for 3 years altogether. The family was somewhat disfunctional, it was messy and there were drug problems I found out about. I was also really ready for having some independence back and looked for my own place. In 2006 (I believe) I ended up at Jefferson Hospital for 65 days in a row, with a stent placed in my pancreas, to drain the pseudo cysts that had grown from blockage. I was NPO most of that time and on high doses of pain killers. When I was finally released I was still living with the family, and glad they allowed me to stay and kept the room while I was gone for so long.
So we're up to around 2006. I need to end here for now, and consult records for dates and what surgeries and procedures I've had. I can't remember much at all off the top of my head. I've learned to keep all of my own medical records, esp. while going to 3 different hospitals, they don't always transfer what you need or when you need it. That's my tip for the day, no matter what your health is: keep all your own records! It will help in an emergency to have them all in one place, and available for the Dr. to see, without relying on other places to coordinate.
So I am leaving early Thrus. morning and should be home Sunday afternoon as long as I don't have too bad of a flare-up and get stuck in Pittsburgh...
The main reason I've started this blog is to keep friends and family updated on my health and upcoming surgery. I'm also here to follow friends' blogs more easily.
I have had chronic pancreatitis for over 6 years. I am having surgery to help stop blockages and pseudo cysts from happening and to hopefully lessen my pain. The surgery will take place sometime in the end of November, it is not scheduled yet because they are doing more testing before and putting in a stent on Friday, Oct. 15. The stent will go through the length of my pancreatic duct. Its likely to cause a flare-up of my pancreas because my pancreatic duct is not straight and narrow like it should be..it balloons up in spots, goes sideways, and is too narrow in some spots. The stent placement, by ERCP/EUS and upcoming surgeries will be done at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in downtown Pittsburgh, PA. It is 6 hours away from my home in Schwenksville, PA, which is about an hour north of Philadelphia. So even the first 3 visits for testing and consultation were difficult. My parents drove me twice and the last time my good friend Anna S. drove me. My parents are taking me to have the ERCP/EUS, we leave super-early on Thrusday so I can have PICC line placed (a central line in my upper arm) and then have a CT scan done. Then we get to relax a bit before going to bed early. The procedure is scheduled for 8:00 am and I need to be there by 6:30. I will keep you updated on the procedure. This what my pancreatic duct looks like:
So this was going to be about how this all started. It was 2004, I was living in Lansdale, sharing a house with a friend. A few months into living there I began to have serious depression, a stay in the mental health wing of GVH and things went downhill from there. I quit my job of about a decade of working in group homes with Mentally Retarded adults, a job I loved for a long time but had been getting burned out in. I really was no longer useful at the job, I could barely take care of myself, how could I take care of others who depended on me? I lived off my retirement fund for a while but had to go on state assistance for medical care and food stamps. Around the same time I started losing weight rapidly, getting nauseous often and pain in my upper abdomen. For about 6 months I would vomit for up to days at a time, most of the time just bile and then dry heaves (its gross, but that's what you're in for if you read this...this disease has lots of gross moments) All I could do was go to the ER, usually driving myself because I had isolated myself from friends and my parents. All they ever did in the ER (Grand View in Sellersville, PA) was treat my nausea, give me fluids and ignore my pain. They figured I was drug seeking because I had mental health issues. They also assumed I was drinking, I quit drinking alcohol completely when I began feeling sick, and rarely ate much. Overall, I lost 70 pounds in under 6 months, was malnourished and ignored by the medical community. One episode came with MUCH more severe pain, vomiting blood and scared the shit out of me. I went again to the ER, and these symptoms finally got their attention, my pancreatic enzymes were thru the roof on bloodwork and they did a CT and then ultrasound. They found tons of tiny gallstones in my gallbladder and a stone lodged in the common bile duct which had inflamed my pancreas. Basically at that time I needed my gallbladder removed immediately and was having an acute attack of pancreatitis. GVH removed the gallbladder, kept me NPO (nothing by mouth, IV fluids only) to rest the pancreas and eventually sent me to Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia. Dr. Thomas Kowalski at Jefferson is known as one of the leading pancreatic specialists on the east coast and my Dr. Dobroda, my GI at GVH knew him personally and they worked together on my care from then on. They couldn't do anything for me at that time other than rest the pancreas, give me anti-nausea and pain meds. I began taking enzymes with my food, and will need to take them the rest of my life. If I eat without taking enzymes, especially a meal with any fat in it, I will vomit or have diarrhea. Even with enzymes, I often have diarrhea, or I have days of constipation from the narcotics. I would love to have a normal poop. So I figured I was in for a life of pain and sickness, was malnourished and relatively thin (I'd been chubby all of my life, my eating habits probably contributed to the gallstones.) and feeling hopeless. I then applied for social security, as I knew I wouldn't be able to work for at least the near future. Was turned down the first time, as most people are (due to too many people trying to abuse the system) but was approved the 2nd time, working with a lawyer. I was at the end of my friend's generosity to let me remain in his home after I was unable to pay rent. I'd been babysitting when able for a friend's neighbor. One night I talked to the kid's mom about needing somewhere to live and she offered me their spare room in exchange for my babysitting services. I continued to get sicker while living there, spent many hours sitting on the floor by the toilet, have been known to actually fall asleep with my head on the toilet seat. I still watched the little girl, she grew used to hanging out in my bedroom on on the living room couch just watching movies, instead of running around at the park or with the dog. I had fun with her and feel lucky to been a part of that family for a while, I lived there for 3 years altogether. The family was somewhat disfunctional, it was messy and there were drug problems I found out about. I was also really ready for having some independence back and looked for my own place. In 2006 (I believe) I ended up at Jefferson Hospital for 65 days in a row, with a stent placed in my pancreas, to drain the pseudo cysts that had grown from blockage. I was NPO most of that time and on high doses of pain killers. When I was finally released I was still living with the family, and glad they allowed me to stay and kept the room while I was gone for so long.
So we're up to around 2006. I need to end here for now, and consult records for dates and what surgeries and procedures I've had. I can't remember much at all off the top of my head. I've learned to keep all of my own medical records, esp. while going to 3 different hospitals, they don't always transfer what you need or when you need it. That's my tip for the day, no matter what your health is: keep all your own records! It will help in an emergency to have them all in one place, and available for the Dr. to see, without relying on other places to coordinate.
So I am leaving early Thrus. morning and should be home Sunday afternoon as long as I don't have too bad of a flare-up and get stuck in Pittsburgh...
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