A view into the everyday messiness of life, that others never speak of.

Friday, August 5, 2016

So to finish the post from yesterday...


Surgery!

The first doctor told me if the gyno found nothing they would assume it IBS.  There is not test for IBS, you just prove it is nothing else.  This involves changing diet, logging the type and frequency of bowel movements, avoiding foods that trigger, avoiding stress (ya right), and occasionally bad bouts that require pain meds.

The gyno in office didn't think it was anything.  Said she could order another ultrasound with her staff that are very focused in these areas.  We said yes.  She gave me plenty of meds.  Found that I needed a hystorectomy.  

I had surgery on 7/13.  Feeling much better now.  Still not 100% but better than I have been since the end of May.

Moral of the story.  Modern Medicine likes to say a lot of female symptoms are PMS or Menopause...it makes it easy.  Follow you heart and gut.  If you think something is not right, keep finding another doctor to confirm or find out what it really is.

Thursday, August 4, 2016

First day of vacation trip to URGENT CARE

If you didn't read the previous entry from the tenth you might want to...for those that did...it is not "He Who Must Not Be Named"...

Monday, June13th is Jamie's first day of vacation.  He is a morning person, I am NOT.  I am a late night person, he is NOT.  But on this day, I am up before him, but not by choice.

I wake at 5:45 a.m. with severe all over abdominal pain.  On a scale of 1-10, it was a steady 7.  Every now and then a sharp left side pain would shoot down raising the pain to a 9.  I try moving positions for several minutes, but nothing changes or eases it.  I roll back to my side facing Jamie.  I start my mental dialog.

It's his first day of vacation.  Should I wake him up and worry him?  Urgent care opens at 7:30 a.m.  Do I need to go to the E.R. or can I wait?  If I can wait, should I wake him up at 6:30 or 7 to get ready?

Eventually, I wake him and explain he needs to drive me to urgent care.  I am a broken record, apologizing over and over for starting his vacation this way.

The urgent care doctor performs a pregnancy test, blood tests, then gives me an anti-inflammatory shot and prescribes pain meds.  (Disclaimer- I am allergic to many medications.  Unfortunately for me all of the strong ones, I can't have.)  The pain med is the equivalent of several tylenols.  They plan to schedule a CT Scan and send me home.

Jamie drives me to Hy-Vee to get my scripts then I crash with ice-packs on the sofa for the rest of the day.  He tries his best to watch tv with me, but I can tell sitting all day makes him feel like a caged tiger.
Tuesday I spend much the same way.  I don't get a call from the doctor's office so I call to speak to a nurse.  Of course, the front desk screens the call and takes a message to pass to the nurse.
Tuesday night we attend Peyton's ball game, not that I remember any of it.
Wednesday I call twice, still can't speak to a nurse (damn desk girls).  Finally, a nurse calls me back stating my CT scan is Thursday.  I will run out of pills before then so I ask for a refill, she claims she will call back.  She doesn't of course.  I call Thursday and leave a message.  I ride to Hy-Vee with Jamie and he has the pharmacist call to see if they can get the doctor to refill.  Bingo that worked.  Enough pills for three more days.

If you haven't had a CT Scan of your abdomen, let me warn you about something my nurse did not.  The appointment time given is an hour before your real scan.  You will drink 1/2 a gallon of liquid in that hour for contrast in the scan.  We were suppose to drive to Carroll, Iowa for a doubleheader that night, but luckily they cancelled due to rain.  We might not have made it in time.

CT Scan showed A large cyst on right ovary, not on the left where my pain was the worst and some cysts on the uterus.  Got the results on Monday.  Scheduled me for an ultrasound on Wednesday.  Of course, I ran out of meds, and had to call multiple times before they would refill.

Let me remind you, its not Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, etc.  But they treat me like a drug seeking addict anyway. I tell Jamie, I could just drink my whiskey and drink till the pain is gone.  He doesn't like this idea.  I feel like I'd be in less pain.  My pills only mask it to about a four of ten.

After the trans-vaginal ultrasound, waiting for results, and calling for more meds...they ask me to see a gynocologist.  Now how do they tell me this?  They don't...I get a call from the gyno they referred me to.  They schedule me an appointment for August 3rd.  Over a month away.  I call my doctor office and complain, that I had no warning they had referred me.  I told them I would call my own, I knew I could get in earlier.

More of this drama posted tomorrow.  (Trust me I am almost pain free now.)
"He Who Must Not Be Named"

Okay, I have been off here for a bit, but going to catch you up the next few days.  This entry is one I started typing on June 10th:

Lord Voldemort of sorts has entered our house.  Those of you who follow Harry Potter are familiar with the term "He Who Must Not Be Named".  This has a new purpose in our home.  What does it now stand for?

Menopause!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And yes, it is a he because no woman would torment like this.

I have all of the symptoms, but maybe not... let me break it down for you.

Symptoms:

Night Sweats-Yep I have those, although it is also listed as a side effect of a few of my perscriptions.

Anxiety-Yep, but I am a mom of two very busy boys, married to a guy working an average of 70+ hours a week...Why shouldn't I be?

Sleep Problems-Yep I have that.  But that is also a side effect of medications and part of my previously discussed here depression.  Besides good books can cause me not to sleep too.

Mood Changes-Duh!  Could again be meds or depression, or the fact I live with three guys.

Weight Gain-Sad to say yes.  Could be depression, lack of sleep, or all the concession stand foods we must eat going to or at games.

Thinning Hair/Dry Skin-Yes I have that.

Breast tenderness-OMG Yes!  That doesn't begin to cover this symptom.  Almost as bad as when pregnant. (Had a tubal so no Baby Stephens here.)


So I called a family meeting and stated we were NOT to say the word Menopause in our house.  I wouldn't be responsible for the poor soul who mentioned it or said "Hey, I think that is the menopause talking..."  If they like life they will tiptoe and avoid the topic.