Meet The Contributors

Mandy ~ I am a stay at home mom who has been on a medical roller coaster ride going from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what is wrong with me. All of the doctors agreed that there is something medically wrong with me, they just don't know what... Basically, just about every time that I go to the doctor, I wind up with a new diagnosis. It is very frustrating. I hope that some of these links will maybe help you or lead you in the right direction.

Ferd ~ I have had the honor and pleasure of practicing Internal Medicine for over 25 years. I am now enjoying sharing my thoughts and experience in the blogosphere in a number of ways. I am grateful to Mandy for including me on her excellent blog, Texas Medical Freak!

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Her Option ~ Cryoablation Update

Monday morning, I had the Cryoablation done in my doctors office. Sunday night the anesthesiologist had called me to go over my crazy medication allergies and let me know what would be going on. I can’t tell you really how it went because I was completely out. Not out like surgery but more asleep. I remember them putting me under and a little of waking me up, other than that nada. When I woke up I was really thirsty, I mean really really thirsty. While I was waiting for them to let me go home, I didn’t really have much pain at all. By the time we were leaving the cramping had started. It was more like a really bad period cramp or cramps that you get just after child birth. By the time that we made it home, I had to take an Ultram for the pain and then another a hour later. Throughout the day I had to alternate Ultram and Tylenol. The pain was not like surgical pain but, it was very uncomfortable.

Day 2 was much better. I was still cramping, spotting a little bit and used Tylenol and Excedrin. The added benefit was that since my husband had to drive me to and from the doctor on Monday, he just took the entire week off. So, we went out to eat. When it is just the two of us, we try to go to places that our picky youngest won’t eat. We had planned to go to an Indian place but they were closed? So, we wound up eating at Razzoo’s a very yummy Cajun place. It turned out to be a very nice lunch date.

Day 3, I had a checkup with the doctor. After waiting a bit, he was busy delivering babies, the doctor came in. I told him how I was feeling and he did a sonogram. The sono showed that I still had a little bit of fluid but, nothing big. He told me that my next period may be a biggie. I didn’t really like hearing that but, if my next period is last bad one then it is all worth it. I also, have to go back for my next checkup in three months.

Thanksgiving was great, it usually is my mother and father-in-law cooks. It is always good but this year my f-i-l cooked the stuffing/dressing. Anyway, it was really outstanding! I did completely go off of my low or no sugar and low sodium diet… I had been doing really well on it too. Since we got back from my grandmothers funeral, I have been able to keep my blood sugar in check. Even after the wonderful and bad for you food it was down to normal two hours after eating.

After we ate, I picked my HFA (high functioning autistic) son up at the airport. I have written about him several times but, I don’t think that I have ever addressed his kleptomania on my blog? Ferd left a comment on my last post and he too has an autistic child. Anyway, he had ranted about the trials of being a parent of an autistic child here. All autistic children are different and they can have some very strange habits. My sons is never being able to understand “yours” and “mine.” Well…he gets the “mine” part more, you can not touch his stuff. We have tried everything to make him understand but, I think that it is more of a kleptomania thing. Anyway, I commented on Ferd’s blog about it and the only solution that we have come up with is to get a really big gun safe. We have two fire safes but, you can only put so much in them and nothing of any real size.

I will post more about the visit later. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Her Option Cryoablation Monday

Several months ago, I posted that I was told that I needed to have a hysterectomy. After seeing five separate OB/GYN’s and receiving almost as many opinions…I found a very conservative OB/GYN. While he did say that at some point (within the next 10 years) I will need a hysterectomy. But, for now he has suggested Her Option aka Cryoablation therapy.

Basically, they go in and freeze your uterus to stop heavy bleeding. Who knows maybe, I will not be as anemic if it works out? This is an office procedure which makes the cost much less than a hysterectomy and a much faster recovery time (a day or two). Hubby is going with me since there is some kind sedation. I am glad that he is going with me, I will have someone to hold my hand and help reduce the anxiety of getting this done.

Anyway, I will keep you posted on the results and how everything goes.

Friday, November 7, 2008

My last post was an update on my grandmother and her fight with Pancreatic cancer. Originally the doctors had told her that she had two to six months to live. She decided to start the chemo treatment (not to save her life only to give her more time, she had one chemo treatment.

Two weeks ago, I my dad called to tell me that I needed to get to my grandmother. The doctor had told a family member that the cancer had spread much faster than they thought that it would and that she had hours to days left. It had spread to and completely attacked her liver. I emailed my husband and he arranged to take off work and called my sons school to get his work for the rest of the week so that he would not have so much homework to make up after we got back. We packed the car and drove to my grandmother. By the time that we got there they had already moved her to the hospice section of the hospital. When we got to her room, she recognized all of us, I did not think that she would one of the symptoms of liver failure is mental disorientation or confusion. I am glad that she did recognize us, mainly my youngest.

By Saturday, her liver and kidney function had deteriorated greatly. They had her on a saline drip and my dad asked if there was any medical necessity for it. When they told him no, he had the saline stopped. Then late Saturday night. my dad called me to tell me that she was gone.

I am so glad that I got to spend time with her in the end and that she recognized me. But, I was so hoping to be able to spend time with her before she go so bad. It has really been hard for me and the kids, since it has only been two years since we lost my mother. I don't think anyone can ever get use to death but, it really makes it hard when loved ones go so close together.

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