The Sick Room

[cjmmytunes]

Tomorrow I have to go to Winthrop. And I am almost certain they will call for the ambulance to take me to the hospital. I now have three ulcers on my leg and one of them is right on my skin graft. So it looks like I will lose my leg this time around. Since this started, I have been gearing myself up to accepting the obvious. The last time I fought the doctors and they managed to find a plastic surgeon to save my leg. So I have had it for ten years that I shouldn't have. And for that I am very grateful. With all this pain, losing a leg sounds great as long as they take this incessant, hideous pain with it. I know about shadow pain and all that goes with an amputation. But it can't be any worse than what I am experiencing this minute.

So far I have taken four gabapentin and three Vicodin to get the pain tolerable. How long the pills will control the pain, I have no idea. But I will find out I am sure. Right now I am going to try and get some sleep. I have been up for more than 38 hours. Between the pain and lack of sleep, I rather have the sleep.

You're in my & Mom's thoughts and prayers, Addie. Please keep us updated, or maybe get Pirate to get on here and update us.

 

[Addie]

You're in my & Mom's thoughts and prayers, Addie. Please keep us updated, or maybe get Pirate to get on here and update us.

Pirate got his instructions many months ago regarding who to notify and how. DC is right there at the top of the list. Thank you for the prayers. I have the feeling I am going to need them all.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

+1...

Ross

+2 !!!

 

[Rocklobster]

Best of Luck!

 

[buckytom]

+2 !!!

Best of Luck!

Me too. Godspeed through this, Addie.

 

[caseydog]

Ahem...

:

In reality, getting older is better than NOT getting older, eh?

CD

 

[TATTRAT]

I feel like as I've gotten older, there was a lot of stuff they left out of the brochure.

I guess part of life is reaching that point where life stops giving you things, and starts taking them...be it mobility, people, breath, aches, all of it.

I'm just happy for every vertical day I'm given. Anxiously awaiting my quarterly results, see how bad my lungs have gotten.


Thinking of you, Addie!! Good vibes and positive energy heading your way!

 

[Cheryl J]

I know I should put this in MIA, but I just want to lay down right now. If you don't hear from me for more than three days, I am still in the hospital. Thank you for the well wishes.

How did it go yesterday, Addie? I noticed you're in the game forum this evening, so assuming everything went well and you're recovering nicely!

 

[Whiskadoodle]

I think everybody needs a group hug.

 

[Addie]

How did it go yesterday, Addie? I noticed you're in the game forum this evening, so assuming everything went well and you're recovering nicely!

I have to go see the plastic surgeon. She will make the finally decision. I will be notified when they have an appointment available. My leg is not life threatening, I am in just a whirlpool of pain. Fortunately, my age does not affect the availability of pain meds. Most doctors are terrified to write any scripts for pain meds. But since I have been on these meds for about ten years, for my spine and hips, they didn't increase the dosage, just the amount of times I should take them. But I still only take them when I need them. I refuse to take them just because someone says I should. Tonight, my pain is presently under control. I was scheduled to take some two hours ago. But I don't need any at this moment. The pain gives me warning when it is starting, and that is when I will take something. I have learned not to let it get out of control.

Before all this happened to my one leg, I would get enough meds for thirty days at a time. Take two three times a day. If I had a day when I did very little walking, then I didn't need any and I didn't take them. As a result, I would have some left over at the end of the month. Not many, but enough that if I went outside and walked, I would need those extra ones. Walking outside is the worst thing I can do to my legs and back. The hard cement is not as forgiving as a wooden floor.

 

[cjmmytunes]

Addie, glad to seed they didn't put you in the hospital immediately. Do they have any idea as to how long of a wait there will be for the plastic surgeon's appointment?

 

[Addie]

Addie, glad to seed they didn't put you in the hospital immediately. Do they have any idea as to how long of a wait there will be for the plastic surgeon's appointment?

About two weeks. With the medication, I can keep the pain at bay. So I am not too concerned. Any doctor in his right mind is reluctant to operate on a patient with all the health problems I have. And I understand that. The only thing that makes all the surgeries I have had over the years successful is my attitude when I am wheeled into surgery. I am very calm and just know everything is going to be all right. When I had open heart surgery, my youngest son was in the gallery watching the surgery and right at my side when I came to. In less than ten days I was up and doing stairs. It is all in my attitude.

 

[rodentraiser]

Thank you all for your well wishes.

Yeah, a hangover counts. If it has left you with a pain in your head, that definitely counts. But the bright side is that you know the pain in your head will go away. Unlike a pain in the a**. That is harder to get rid of.

That would be my brother.

 

[CWS4322]

Addie and Taxy, so sorry. I hate it when my Dad refers to my Mom's room as the sick room. I get a flu shot every fall because of my Mom. Got a pneumonia shot last fall for the same reason. We have a rule, if one of the caregivers is sick, don't come. The only problem with that rule is that I am not exempt. I have to make meals and care for Mom when no one else is here (my Dad is useless--except for his checkbook).

 

[cjmmytunes]

When I had open heart surgery, my youngest son was in the gallery watching the surgery and right at my side when I came to. In less than ten days I was up and doing stairs. It is all in my attitude.

WOW! Is this the son that is in the medical field?

 

[Addie]

WOW! Is this the son that is in the medical field?

Yes it is. There were some medical students in the gallery and it was breaking the rules to allow him up there, but the doctor understood. Then to come to and find him shaking my shoulder lightly telling me "Wake up Mom, it is time to wake up" made all the difference to me. I had the interbation tube down my throat and tried to smile. The surgeon took one look and said my son could remove the tube. I was going to be fine. And I was fine.

 

[cjmmytunes]

Yes it is. There were some medical students in the gallery and it was breaking the rules to allow him up there, but the doctor understood. Then to come to and find him shaking my shoulder lightly telling me "Wake up Mom, it is time to wake up" made all the difference to me. I had the interbation tube down my throat and tried to smile. The surgeon took one look and said my son could remove the tube. I was going to be fine. And I was fine.

Awe...... that is so sweet.

How are the legs feeling today?

 

[Addie]

Awe...... that is so sweet.

How are the legs feeling today?

My soon to be my former foot doctor insisted on bandaging both legs even though my left leg was fine. I took the dressing off my left leg, the bad one, because he had wrapped it way to tight, to the point he almost shut down my circulation. My toes were stark white and my leg above the dressing was so swollen. Today the both of them have calmed down.

What has me so angry is that he put silverdine on my open sores. That is medication that is used on serious injuries to removed blacked skin of burn victims. Not ulcers. And he didn't even ask me if I was allergic to it. Had I been, the way he applied it would have caused the ulcers to enlarge quite a bit. Had I left it on any longer, there was a good chance that the healthy tissue would have been damaged.

But today, I am feeling fine. I a presently waiting for my vascular doctor to call me as to what the next step is going to be.

 

[Caslon]

I don't have that much to complain about, health wise. Yet. However, my old brother has un-explainable itchy red sores on his back. I've seen them. He tried stopping his meds to see if one was causing it. Didn't help. He went to see a few dermatologists, and his latest one prescribed soaking in a tub with oatmeal and vinegar.

I'm not knocking that prescribed treatment. It just sounds awfully homeopathic to me.
Has anyone heard of taking a bath that includes oatmeal and vinegar added to relieve his symptoms? Not knocking it necessarily. He got minor relief. He is by himself. The hassle of it got to be a bit much for him.

Dermatologists don't have it easy. A rash or whatever could be caused by so many factors. Millions of years of evolution.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I don't have that much to complain about, health wise. Yet. However, my old brother has un-explainable itchy red sores on his back. I've seen them. He tried stopping his meds to see if one was causing it. Didn't help. He went to see a few dermatologists, and his latest one prescribed soaking in a tub with oatmeal and vinegar.

I'm not knocking that prescribed treatment. It just sounds awfully homeopathic to me.
Has anyone heard of taking a bath that includes oatmeal and vinegar added to relieve his symptoms? Not knocking it necessarily. He got minor relief. He is by himself. The hassle of it got to be a bit much for him.

Oatmeal is a good skin soother, Aveeno has made a fortune on it. Not sure of the addition of vinegar, sounds like it would hurt. The dermatologist didn't give a definitive diagnosis?

Instead of medicines, I would use coconut oil, it has antibiotic properties and will soothe itchy skin.