sunshinedaze
Sept update
Sep 08, 2008
I had surgery Aug 20th. All went well or we thought. I went home a few days after and began the struggle of trying to get enough liquids in, etc. Aug 29th, I went for my 1-week check up. The staples and drain were removed. Lost 17 lbs (pre-surgery weight to post-op). I was keeping busy activity wise. Aug 31 I went to Stoneboro Fair and around 12.30 pm, I got sick after eating my lunch. I puree my food and brought it will me, cause I knew there was NO eating there. Anyhow, I didn’t want to spoil anyone’s fun, so I tried to hang in and about three hrs later, I could take no more. I was in the car, doubled over in pain, nauseated unbelievable and scared. I wanted to just go home, but my other half said, “Um, no, I don’t think so. You’re going to Greenville to the ER” Thank heavens we weren’t 2 hrs away! Anyhow, not to drag this out, but I was admitted and ended up having surgery again on Sept 2nd. I had a kink in my intestine (the dr for some crazy reason thought it’d be ok) that caused a blockage and I had adhesions already. That was a week’s stay. However, I am home and doing much better than before. I’m more tired this time. Food is blah. Nothing really tastes good. Most things taste TOO sweet and that makes me ill. I never was a ‘sweet’ kinda person more the crunchy/salty type. I’m having a hard time with my protein shakes due to they just taste too sweet!
set backs
Jul 10, 2008
What has been going on since my last update:
I had my last test done May 28th. Prior to that, I had called several times over to the office in Greenville to check and recheck on my other tests I'd had done and made sure the reports were in, etc. After the test in May, I waited for about a week and half, didn't hear anything so I called Greenville. I was told that after THAT test all the information would be submitted to the insurance company. Come to find out, Greenville don't have all the paperwork they needed and failed to tell me. And of course, it is up to me to get the information they need. The entire month of June basically wasted, because they can't pick up a phone and call to say "hey we need this info". It's just been a bunch of b.s. When I ask specifically about something and I get one answer and then months down the road am told something completely different which screws up everything, just upsets me. I mean these people are supposed to be competent!They can't even seem to receive a fax properly! My lung dr has faxed information over to them several times and I've heard "well we don't have it or I don't think we got the complete fax" Well, ya know what, that isn't MY problem. And for the phys evaluation, I went to Greenville, the dr added in the report since I see someone on a 'regular basic' she wanted his okay as well. Well, why the heck did I waste time seeing her then!? Ya know. So, now I have to mess with possibly having another phsy evaluation done. I see the dr once a year for a 15 min med check, like he knows me any better than the other dr in Greenville does. And this phys evaluation was done back in March and they are just NOW telling me I need to be cleared by the dr I see. And I asked about this and was told "Oh don't worry about it, I see no problem with the report" Granted it isn't as major as it could be or has been for others, but it just shows how things are handled and I'm not impressed in the least. Perhaps I'm just being overly sensitive because it is something I truly believe will help my health. I want to live not just exist!
It's just frustrating. I feel I've done well on making changes, slowly, so it won't be this huge adjustment after surgery. I don't have the luxury of having the surgery done any old time, I have a child to take care of and don't have the luxury of having people at my disposal for help.
I don't have the greatest faith in the medical community to begin with and this just reinforces what I know to be true.
April 26th
Apr 26, 2008
Not too much is new. I’ve been to the Nutritionist, Cardio, Phys and Pulmonary. Had blood work and other tests. Now I’m just waiting for May 28th. I’ll have a scope put down my throat with a camera on it. Then it is just waiting after that.
Went to my Pulmonary doctor the other day, my PFT’s were ok for me. I do have to have an overnight pulse ox done. Also, a test called a Sniff test to check the right side of my diaphragm.
Since December of 2007, I’ve lost 15 pounds. I don’t know where I’ve lost it, but the scales say I have. =)
April 4th, I FINALLY quit smoking. YaY. I only wished I’d of done it sooner. I do feel better. I can breath easier. Still very short of breath when I walk, but I don’t seem to need as much recoup time as before. Course, it depends on if it’s a good breathing day or not, too.
**What is a Sniff Test**
The sniff test is a fluoroscopic exam used to evaluate whether the diaphragm (the muscle that controls breathing) moves in the proper direction during various maneuvers including normal breathing and while rapidly inhaling. During normal inspiration and expiration, the diaphragm moves down and up respectively. Ideally, both the right and left sides of the diaphragm move in the proper direction simultaneously. The radiologist will observe this motion during the test. A maneuver that is also done during the exam is to have the patient "sniff" or quickly breathe in through the nose. This will exaggerate the difference in a paralyzed or abnormal hemi-diaphragm, which will move paradoxically in the wrong direction. An injury or abnormality resulting in paralysis of the phrenic nerve (the nerve responsible for diaphragmatic motion) can be detected in this manner.
