The Road Of Life ~ Part 2 of 2

joy
i still do the stretches and stuff the pt gave me and it helps. the sitting is killing my tailbone. everytime I'm up my legs turn red and swell especially the right one. I'm using a pillow on top of a tote at work to keep them up. when do you start PT? I start next Friday for my shoulder. Glad you are getting some relief.

Denise my tummy troubles are much better. still shoulder pain though worse at night. I'm trying to stay off my feet as much as possible. Not easy at work to do. hope your appointments go well' how long did you have to stay off your feet with the blood clots? well hubby is waiting to tuck me into the chair, I can't wait until I can sleep laying down again. night everyone. Barb

Joy,
I remember those spasms well. Do you know how to do extensions? They really help a lot.
hope you get some rest and your back feels better!

Barb,
You know, I don't know when I was able to get around...I had just had foot surgery, and was laid up because of that. I don't really think that they put any restrictions on my activity, but I could be wrong. I guess they knew that my foot would keep me slowed down a while and didn't feel the need to slow me down further.

I just went to my asthma allergy doc today. He cut back on my steroids because I was beginning to get some systemic symptoms--puffy face for one. He did lots of tests--pulmonary function and a nasal scope to look at my sinuses and vocal chords.

Long story short, he's sending me to an ENT he works with to do a video stroboscope to look at my vocal chords to determine whether the inflammation is caused by allergy or reflux. Apparently this guy is very skilled at differentiated diagnoses.

At that point, if signs point to reflux, I'll be back at the PH monitor to see what's happening, and from there you can only imagine. You know, that's okay...remember how I coughed post surgery, and how I always said that I might need a redo in the future because of it?

Oh well...I've got an amazing asthma doc, and he's on the case, so we'll find out what is happening one way or the other. My lungs are actually 100% and show no signs of COPD due to reflux, so that's a positive note. He cut my steroids way down, so we'll see how that goes.

Anyway...just thought I'd stop by. Hope your shoulder lets you sleep tonight!
Take care, and don't work too hard.
Denise

Just a quick hello to all and hope you are doing better soon Joy.  I will promise to post an update on my own appointment to the heamtologist yesterday.   Today I must clean the house - no excuses.  Anyone want to join me for a house cleaning party ?

Love ya all,

Kitt

Hello all; I'm still wishing for bester and bester things for you..Joy has some good news and I'm happy for that!.

Quick update on the latest; I'm following Bills path; an 8 mm kidney stone, chronic UTI symptoms and infections and now they're going to start working on the last and only virgin place left in this body..is nothing sacred?? :) They're very concerned about bladder cancer and they're scheduling all kind of un-natural tests for me. The other thing we've learned is the back pain is from severe arthritis and spinal stenosis. Cleveland still can't figure out the diaphragmatic spasms and they're starting to damage the Nissen repair....and so it goes

My handbasket is getting warmer and warmer....:)

Janice

Janice, I've heard of some of those tests...ouch! These doctors just won't leave us alone, will they?

I found out that I misunderstood the MRI report. I do have some Spinal Stenosis, but it's not severe. Yet. :(

Barb, take care of that leg. Clots are nothing to fool around with.

Good Morning All,

I am so sorry that my issues are tiny compared to what I read here. 

Janice,  I am praying harder and harder and you give me inspiration to just move on when I get stuck in the "what ifs?"  How I wish I could be of help to you as I know you are smiling on the outside and being brave but I suspect on the inside you are very scared.  Take my hand my friend - I am here.

Joy,  So good to read your good news.  It is about time you got a break and I know how tiresome it is to have life revolve around appointments with doctors.

Barb,  Please do take care of you and I hope that someone has stepped up to the plate to help you with that laundry.  I did get my house cleaned - well half way !

Bill,  Hoping you are doing well and wondering about you and your family.  Let us hear from you. 

Denise,  Glad to read your asthma doctor is amazing - yowser.  So your off to see the wizard -  oops I meant the ENT Doctor.  I hope you can get some answers there.  My hubby has been on Prednisone several times and he puffed up seriously and really hated being on the med............he has said he won't use it again.  Thank goodness that there are many newer meds for Crohn's to choose from now. 

As for me .....I saw the Hematologist on Thursday for counseling re the Factor V Leiden (people with Factor V Leiden have blood that has an increased tendency to clot) and he was extremely kind and helpful.  I will continue on the Baby ASA per day as a blood thinner.  He also suggested I have a few more blood tests just to clear me of any other clotting issues and if I am clear then my children will be clear and won't need testing in the future.  So I took one for the team and they drew 7 more tubes of blood. 

He reassured me that this is not a high risk problem for me.  My daughter tested positive for Factor V also and my granddaughters have had the test but we do not have the results yet.  My youngest son was clear so we can not worry about him or his daughter.  :)  As this is an inherited gene mutation,  my daughter is thanking me profusely - giggle. 

Now,  I am leaving for a road trip in the morning but will take my notebook with me as they have wifi where I am staying in northern WI.  Denise,  just so you know where I am..................  I will probably be off line most of the day tomorrow.

Sending many warm healing hugs to all,

Kitt

Thanks Denise,  I am a bit anxious about going off on my own but once I get going I hope to be fine.  I need to give my hubby a break from the stress I dump on him  .  At times like this I miss my sister so much as I could have gone to visit her. 

Happy Birthday to your son  -  eat cake.       

Hugs,  Kitt

Hi all-
Sorry for the extended time away. We are in the process of moving and ball and this and that and wow! We did win our first tourney of our 16u season today and won a berth to the USSSA Nationals. Those crazy girls just keep on amazing me. We are in the process of packing now and plan on being moved in 2 weeks. I probably will be away a bit longer while we complete the move. This came on rather sudden.
Also dealing with an old baseball injury to my throwing sholder and the ortho thinks he may have to remove the scar tissue from my rotator cuff and tighten things up. oh boy!

Take care,
Bill

I start PT next Monday. :(
She said my last disk in my back looked squashed and this was causing my pain. :S

Hi Kitt,
That's a bummer...don't beat yourself up, though. And don't assume that if you got anxiety this time, it will plague you next time you give it a try. You've got to push past that fear sometimes, and you did! You made it home all by yourself. Chalk that up as a win!

Sorry that things got your GERD flaring. NO FUN at all.
Be kind to yourself and give yourself credit where credit is due. Don't look at what you couldn't do...look at what you did do...
Hang in there my friend. Get that GERD into control and feel better!
((((Hugs))))
Denise

Hi all, sorry I've been Awol this week. Monday we had to go get me a new lazyboy recliner as I could no longer sleep in my husbands wheel chair. My arms were falling asleep and my tail bone hurt so bad even with 2 cushions under me. I bought one right off the floor because I couldn't wait. I wish we would have gotten one sooner. I have slept wonderful all week in it. I have no tailbone pain at all no matter how long I am in it and only use one of my cushions for my back and tailbone. I probably won't be getting another air mattress now as my chair address's all my needs. I saw my doc on Tuesday and he answered all my questions and we came up with a workable plan for me for work where I can be up for 10-15 minutes and then have my feet up for 15-30 minutes. He also assured me that when on blood thinners the incident of another blood clot is next to zero. I am lucky to have such an understanding doctor that takes the time to really talk to me. I got a chance to help him out a little by giving the NP student that was shadowing him a chance to see what superficial and dvt clots are like. The ones in my left leg have turned to hard lumps and he thinks that those veins have become blocked now and the blood will be rerouted through other veins. Wednesday I got my usual allergy shots and my hair braided. Thursday brought a scare when the did my protine and it was down to 1.7. I could see by the look on the nurses face that it was not good. My blood was too thick and we figured out that it was probably from a combination of foods I had ate. The blood thinner and diet related problems are a night mare. I have a friend at work that has one in her brain and I now understand what she goes through. She is having the same issues this week with her blood so it gave both of us the opportunity too have someone to talk to that can relate. I always try to find the good in every thing that happens to me. Friday I started my shoulder therapy. It wasn't so bad. I have alot of work to do at home as far as my shoulder goes. The therapist thinks the pain I have in my other shoulder now is the start of bursitis from using it so much since I had surgery. So nice to be rid of the sling and I can't wait to be able to do my own hair again. I go 2x a week to see my hairdresser to have my hair braided. My hubby asked about that getting expensive and I asked him if he was going to fix my hair for me and he said no so that was the end of that conversation. She only charges me $7 each time so that's a pretty good deal.

Bill, I can sympathize with you on the shoulder pain. If surgery can help though it is worth it. We'll miss you around here while your getting settled in your new residence.

Kitt, sorry your trip to my state didn't turn out well. I got really nervous my self when we had to drive down to Indiana to drop my grand daughter off. I am afraid to travel now since my trip last year when my asthma flared up and resulted in a 5 night stay in the hospital 800 miles from home so I understand how hard it was for you to be that far from home. Be proud of yourself for at least giving it a try. Maybe you can try some place closer next time around.

Joy, I'll be praying that the PT helps you. It can make a huge difference.

Denise sorry to hear about your stomach troubles acting up. Hope you had fun on your son's birthday. My daughter's 24th birthday is on the 29th and I am ordering a cake from the bakery and having a small family party for her at our house. Well time for me to retire to my wonderful chair for the night. Barb

Barb,

Glad to see you checking in and yes mam, those lazy boys can be wonderful.  I am glad you got one.

I understand your problems with the blood clots and you must feel like you live at the clinic/hospital 1/2 of your life right now. You have so much grit and are always planning ahead to make family celebrations happen -  I am so proud of you.  You really are amazing.

As your state is my home state I truly thought I had planned well but I guess I over extended.  My hubby will not travel anymore other then up north to the cabin and hunting. I will not stop but have taken a major step backwards and saw my PCP last Thursday and have new appointment set up with my therapist.  My Pdoc  is out of town................she is probably up in northern WI I truly need someone to be with when I travel as I feel like I am all alone in the world when I am by myself.

To each of you a Happy Sunny Day.

Gentle Hugs,

Kitt