Updated March 9th

David,
Glad things went so well and hope it bodes well for all future treatments. Prayers continue.

had 2 track ya down to see how ya went. keep strong. so ya now in me zapped club.

u deserve some respite mate. private health ins do cover it, in oz anyway, but it's not like it's a known commodity. keep strong. thx for the reply.

Well, we have been married for nearly 43 years now, been through a lot - good times and bad times, fortune and poverty. Sickness and health.

It works both ways. When she was out for months a few years back from major back surgery, she was bed ridden, and I waited on her around the clock, even while recovering from my own multiple surgeries and setbacks. Just the way its suppose to be.

Hopefully, she will retire at the end of August of this year, going to take the age 62 SS deal. Much more interested in hopefully having some time together vs. the money she will lose by not waiting.

She had just turned 18 when we got married, seems like another lifetime ago, and I had only been back from Viet-Nam for less than 2 years. So much has transpired, hard to remember it all, other than life goes by too fast.

You have my prayers and well wishes that this will help you. keeping positive for you.

Aimzee: wife is going to retire at 62 on her birthday in August, that is the plan. Don't have to worry about her waiting till 65 for Medicare, as she is covered free under the Champ VA health insurance. She plan to work p/t after that, staying under the SS income limits.
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HUGE UPDATE/WEDNESDAY EVENING

2nd ECT last Friday was a disaster across the board. Everything that could go wrong went wrong (gee, how that trend seems to follow me)
It's believed they over-voltage me, used too much muscle relaxer, and when taken to recovery room, all hell broke loose. Couldn't get me to breathe on my own, blood pressure was above 220 and rising, and wife said I was beet red all over, gasping and gurgling for breath. When I came too, was scared to death. Didn't know who I was, where I was, why I was there, didn't recognize my own wife, was in a state of utter horror. It was real scary until things finally stabilized.

Some of this I wasn't told until the weekend. Now my wife is a very skilled and experienced nurse, and she couldn't believe what she witnessed, and how casual they were. She broke down in tears to the doctors ( she's not one to cry). Went to work later that day, never told me anything, then had another breakdown at work with her boss.

Sunday evening, after my Patriots won their 5th Superbowl, I told her that I had decided to drop out of the ECT program, that something wasn't right about it to me, and I wasn't willing to take any more extreme risks. She was relieved, then she broke down and told me all the horrible parts. She said she didn't think she could take another treatment (seeing it). So I called the hospital and cancelled.

Just today, VA got back to me, my doctor put me back on the Lithium (600 mg) starting this evening. And when I see him again, we will re-group and figure out what to do next. Meanwhile, my PTSD treatments continue as normal.

I have had the worse luck with treatments, my body seems overly sensitive to things, and I do not believe the treating doctor compensated for some of my on-going physical issues.

Five days later, my body is wracked in pain, it hurts to walk, I have splitting headaches and my right eyes hurts to the touch. I don't feel like myself.

So the battle continues, never gets easier.

David, I so wish there was more I could do, but I do sincerely send my best thoughts and prayers your way. You have done much for us, and experienced extreme pain and danger, but still you are one of us.

May the Force be with you.

Not pulling plug on the VA. These ECT treatments were farmed out by the VA to the largest hospital system in my region, they should have known what they were doing. I had bad past history with the treating doctor of the ECT from some 12-14 years ago, and I had a hard time agreeing for him to administer this. Once again, should have trusted my gut feeling. This doctor is bad news with me.

Saw my PCP today, still having all that shoulder pain (right) after over 4 months. Meds and therapy have not helped, now sending me to an ortho doctor to do a MRI, sure hope its not leading to rotator surgery, last thing I would want to do.

Waiting for the Lithium to cut in, only been 24 hours, very much irritable and edgy. Feeling hopeless again.

Still waiting for new appointment with my oncologist, hoping to get that settled tomorrow before another week goes by.

Been a day full of severe pain, all over, like strong body aches from a bad flu, without the flu part. Can't hardly rest or sleep, any position I am in causes new pain. Almost more than I can stand.

Even getting more and more bladder spasms, much longer lasting and stronger than ever before. Why did they leave that burned up bladder in me back in 2010? Seven years later, still hurts and haunts me.

If my wife hadn't been in that recovery room last Friday, no telling how the story might have ended up. Could have had a stroke or heart attack, or simply been unable to breathe in time. Normally, she would have been in a waiting room, but since she is a nurse, they offered to let her stay the whole time. Says she can't get the gurgling sound out of her head, sounded like I was drowning on my back, unable to catch a breath.

I know many others here have suffered much, and some paid the ultimate price - their life, in their PC battles, but it would be hard to find anyone else that has had so much go wrong over the course of 8 plus years. I never, ever get a break. No wonder I stay traumatized all the time. Never know what's going to happen to me next.

Purgatory said...

It would be hard to find anyone else that has had so much go wrong over the course of 8 plus years. I never, ever get a break. No wonder I stay traumatized all the time. Never know what's going to happen to me next.

That sums it up.

David, like so many others I just wish there was something I could actually do to help. But since, like the others, all I have to offer is words, strongly felt words of encouragement though, that's what I surely do offer to you.

I once in a post likened your situation to that of Job in the Bible. If I do so again, it’s with the added reminder that even Job, after all of his trials, was eventually released from his sufferings. May it eventually be so for you, here and now, so that you come to have a much better path for the rest of this life.

In the meantime you know that so many of us here gladly continue to offer to you whatever heart-felt words of encouragement and prayer that we can

Purgatory said...


The longer my ordeals continue, more convinced I am that its perhaps out of punishment, literally a time in purgatory while still living. Must have been some serious stuff I did in the past for this to be justified.

This kind of thinking will make anyone depressed.

Post Edited (Tim G) : 2/12/2017 4:07:13 PM (GMT-7)

Purg:

I seem to recall way way back suggesting that you try and seek out a place, preferably Mayo, that is world class.
Not sure what else to suggest.
What you are going through is heartbreaking.

I have the same suggestion.

Podunk is not doing it.
But why not request a referral, or self-refer?

Mel