I had the tilt table test today. It wasn't as horrific as I'd heard it could be. All in all it was pretty innocuous, and I didn't have to have as much stuff strapped onto me as could have been strapped on. Just a mechanical blood pressure cuff on one arm and a manual on the other.
At first I just sat in the chair and she took my blood pressure (the person taking the test was one of the people who I saw at OHSU before, so I had at least met her before) for an initial reading. It was a bit low, but not abnormally so. She set the machine, and since it's a teaching hospital, she was talking through what was doing to the student in the room. Not sure if the student was at an intern level or what. Anyway, they set the machine at the beginning to take my blood pressure every minute. I just sat there, she asked me to try not to move, for a couple of minutes. She was asking me some questions about what symptoms I had - did I ever feel faint, get light-headed, sweaty, cold and clammy (yes, yes, yes and yes) have pins & needles anywhere, numbness anywhere (yes and yes) and a bunch of other questions (all yes). She told me to tell her if at any time I felt any of the symptoms, and while we were talking I had a couple, so I told her. Easy enough
Then she had me lay down on the table, no straps or anything, flat on my back. The blood pressure machine was going about every minute still. I had a couple of little symptoms but nothing big - I think my hands got tingly, stuff like that. She put the straps on - they were thick velcro straps, maybe 4" across, 4 of them. One went across just above my ankles, one across my thighs, one across my waist and one just under my arms and under where my bra lies. Laying on my back with the straps on, it wasn't bad at first. Then I got almost like an anxiety head rush, weird....so I told 'em. It was different from the stuff I normally get and since I was strapped down I thought maybe it was claustrophobia like the MRI? I don't know....anyway. I told her about it. She had me close my eyes after about maybe 10 minutes, and when I noticed anything I told her about it. Not much just laying there, but a couple little things. At some point the blood pressure machine had changed and was readings about every 3 minutes instead of every minute.
After maybe 15 minute more she had me open my eyes and she tilted the table almost all the way upright. When the table settled upright I had an overwhelming feeling of being off balance, like my equilibrium was off-kilter. It lasted for a couple of minutes. We waited for that to settle down, then got ready for phase two.
I was still leaning back, probably a 70' angle. She had me tuck my hands into the strap that was at my waist so even though they weren't strapped down, I couldn't move them. She had me close my eyes again and asked me to relax, and listen to the sounds and imagine myself on a beach (they had ocean wave stuff playing). She was doing the relaxation technique stuff, and I knew that she wanted me to relax so they could get a good reading, but just relax? **snort** yeah right....I can't just relax on demand. I tried, so of course I could feel that all my muscles were tense. She put the blood pressure machine back to reading at once a minute. Yay....I love having my blood pressure taken. (yes....full sarcasm there. I really hate it.)
I managed to get somewhat relaxed, and got pins and needles in my feet. Great....so I told her, and of course talking and the pins and needles meant that any relaxing was gone. So I had to re-relax, which took time. **focus on relaxing.....** I got all relaxed again, and got a big wave of nausea and a head rush. Again, said what happened, refocused... *sigh* Same thing again......lips went numb. Each time I could feel all the relaxing un-relaxing though. The person doing the test had the patience of a saint though, I do have to say. I felt like I was failing a test that I hadn't studied for enough....ok, my fingers are tingly, is that what they want? My toes are numb....is that good? Not a clue in her voice. She wanted me to keep my eyes closed, and just said "ok, that's great", and I could hear papers rustling and writing, then she'd say "Now relax and feel the warm sun...." so I'd know she wanted me to just relax and all I could feel was every muscle tightened up.
I finally got myself relaxed, I think I started thinking about something completely unrelated to anything going on, like work or something (so maybe not relaxed but I got my BRAIN away which let my body relax a bit) and I got another HUGE wave of nausea and light-headedness, and the odd squeezing feeling I get around my eyes. The lady doing the test said, "Ok that's good! We're done! You can open you're eyes."
She said that I've "become quite good at adapting" so that I don't faint. I said something about how it's very hard for me to relax (it is...I can't just relax on command, physically. I'm quite good at spending time playing but my body doesn't relax easily), and she said, "No, you CAN'T relax. If you relax, you'll faint so you've developed ways to get around that by not relaxing." I did ask her, I had to ask her, that it really isn't all in my mind, because so many doctors have told me it is, and she told me that no, it ISN'T. It's real. She actually said, "The tests are in, it's confirmed. It's NOT in your head. You're NOT making it up." She was very emphatic. Which made me feel good, but also made me tear up. And like a big dork, I've been crying on and off all day.
She's sending the tests to my doctor so he can look at them, and the next time I'm there we can look at the meds I'm taking and see if there's anything I can take for it. I'm not going to worry about the cost for ANY prescriptions until next year when I have to start paying for them. I'm also going to try and figure out how to stock up on as many as I can under this year's insurance because next year will be a lot more expensive.
I've felt off all day, really tired and wobbly, for lack of a better word. I want to stay home tomorrow. I'm not sure, quite honestly, if I want to stay home because I feel like being a hermit or because I don't feel good. I have plenty of time available, but I don't like calling in. I feel guilty calling in, I've gone in with pneumonia. I'll decide in the morning, I suppose.
So the good thing....I know for sure what's going on, and why I'm spacey! NO ONE can tell me I'm a hypochondriac again. Well they can, but not about this. ;)
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Saturday, 22 October 2011
I'm not looking forward to the tilt table test on Monday. From what I've heard about it, the testee gets electrodes placed on their chest (not sure if they get put anywhere else), has a blood pressure cuff on and an IV in (loves the IVs!). Then they lay down on a table and get strapped in place so they can't move. Strap across the chest and legs, and arms and head too. That in itself isn't sounding good. I don't the feeling when I can't move. The difference from the MRI is that I won't be encased like a sausage.
Once the strapping is done, the table is moved so the testee is in an upright position. The table is tilted to different angles. Blood pressure is taken and the electrodes are read. The reason that everything is strapped down is twofold. One is kind of obvious. If the table is tilted forward, no one wants the testee falling face-first onto the floor. The other is with conditions like the one I'm being tested for, people will subconsciously move - foot tapping, leg crossing or jiggling, little things - that help keep the blood flowing which helps to regulate the blood pressure. If you're strapped in place, you can't do that. So during the test the testers are watching to see, both through the results coming from the electrodes and blood pressure, and well....if someone flat out faints, what symptoms the person has, both from postural (not moving) and positional (the table tilting). There can be other effects - vomiting, dizziness, vertigo, headaches - nothing new but all can be more severe.
The test is supposed to take 90 minutes. I've heard that if you faint, they stop the test. Part of me is hoping that I just faint right away so I won't have to go through 90 minutes of medieval torture. Another part thinks that maybe other results might come from the test.
I talked to someone at my doctor's office today and both my doctor and his assistant have been on vacation for two weeks and just got back. They haven't got to my MRI results yet, so I get to wait until my appointment next Friday. I figure if it's not important enough for anyone to look at or make a priority, it's going to be nothing or I get to add yet another pill to the daily pile. I'd rather it be nothing, for obvious reasons and because the pills are getting to be damned expensive.
Once the strapping is done, the table is moved so the testee is in an upright position. The table is tilted to different angles. Blood pressure is taken and the electrodes are read. The reason that everything is strapped down is twofold. One is kind of obvious. If the table is tilted forward, no one wants the testee falling face-first onto the floor. The other is with conditions like the one I'm being tested for, people will subconsciously move - foot tapping, leg crossing or jiggling, little things - that help keep the blood flowing which helps to regulate the blood pressure. If you're strapped in place, you can't do that. So during the test the testers are watching to see, both through the results coming from the electrodes and blood pressure, and well....if someone flat out faints, what symptoms the person has, both from postural (not moving) and positional (the table tilting). There can be other effects - vomiting, dizziness, vertigo, headaches - nothing new but all can be more severe.
The test is supposed to take 90 minutes. I've heard that if you faint, they stop the test. Part of me is hoping that I just faint right away so I won't have to go through 90 minutes of medieval torture. Another part thinks that maybe other results might come from the test.
I talked to someone at my doctor's office today and both my doctor and his assistant have been on vacation for two weeks and just got back. They haven't got to my MRI results yet, so I get to wait until my appointment next Friday. I figure if it's not important enough for anyone to look at or make a priority, it's going to be nothing or I get to add yet another pill to the daily pile. I'd rather it be nothing, for obvious reasons and because the pills are getting to be damned expensive.
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Flora, Fauna and Merriweather
Actually Flora and Merriweather. Fauna must have been on a break. They're the fairies that help Aurora, also known as Sleeping Beauty in the Disney movie. They have also started working in the lab at my doctor's office and did my most recent blood letting......errrr....blood draw for my lab work.
I have to say it was the most entertaining visit to a lab to get my blood drawn that I ever recall. I had to have a full work up so I knew they were going to take the full five cigar-size vials, and I wasn't looking forward to it. I don't handle blood tests well anymore. I fully admit that I'm quite wimpy. I can handle regular shots ok, but blood draws....nope. I get light-headed and my lips get numb and I feel like I'm going to faint. (How do I tell the difference from any other feeling like I'm going to faint? hehehe.... This is a sudden rush, it's different. Gotta trust me I guess.) Anyway, I was ready for the blood test, all 12-hour fasted and had an appointment set so I could hurry in on my break from work.
I got there and checked in. I had barely sat down and the door open and a woman in a bright red printed labbish/nursish coat popped open the door and called my name. She looked amazingly like the bossy fairy from Sleeping Beauty. I went over and followed her as she bustled down the hall to the lab.
We got to the door of the lab just as another woman started to enter the hall from the lab. She was a little bit shorted and plumper and dressed in a bright blue printed labbish/nursish coat, and was holding a really scary looking bag that had an ominously foul odor emanating from it. As she hurried past she said, "We need to get this out of here quickly!" The first lab tech grabbed a can and sprayed some orange freshener around the room. We were off to a grand start.
I sat down and the first lab tech in red (the print on her coat was little spring flowers) dropped the safety bar down so I wouldn't fall out (I felt like I was getting into a ride at Disneyland). The second tech scurried back into the room. The room was teeny, with the chair for people to sit in being pretty big - it has big padded arms on both sides so you can rest your arms down and they can easily stab you to get at the veins, plus the big padded safety bar that drops down which reminds me of a high school desk. There's also wide cabinets running across three of the walls leaving just enough room for the techs to stand, with maybe a 3'x3' square in the middle. The two techs began to kind of weave a coordinated dance in this tiny space as they got ready to work their blood draining magic.
The tech in red asked me if there was an arm that usually worked easier for me. I told her that no, there really isn't, but my veins do tend to hide. She grabbed my left arm and turned it over and started not-so-gently slapping the inside of my arm, I guess looking to see if one of my veins would slap her back. None did so she tried on the inside of my right arm. Those veins also just laid there and ignored her. She made a sound kind of like "Hrrrrrrm" and picked up my hand and started the slapping on the back of my left hand. She commented that my hands were cold. Yes, my hands were cold. I'm ALWAYS freezing anymore.
While she was doing this the tech in blue was arranging the five giant empty tubes in a tray next to me. The red tech said something to her about the special way she had of warming up people's hands when they were cold. She said, "Oh, I can do that!" She grabbed something and was off out of the room again.
All of a sudden it hit me....I was in the midst of the fairies. The scurrying and bustling, the bright colors and flitting about. When the blue fairy came back, the green one would come bobbing in behind her.
Flora (the red fairy) started to rub my hands in hers. She was making small talk - I have no clue what she was talking about, but it was kind, grandmotherly talk. I think it was something about cold hands...that would make sense. Merriweather came back into the room (no Fauna, drat!) with her solution to warm up too-cold hands. I did laugh - I had to. Her solution? An extra-large surgical glove filled with hot water. She flopped it onto the back of my hand and the fingers wibbled about and the thumb bounced off my knuckles.
After a couple of minutes Flora pulled the glove off and did a touch-test on the back of my hand, like you'd check the top of a cake to see if it was done. She deemed me ok to take out of the oven and grabbed needle number one. I looked at the floor. I felt the needle go in and it twinged, but not too bad. Then Flora kind of jiggled it a bit (ouch) and said, "Don't dry up on me now...." and moved the tube a bit. (OUCH).
Merriweather said "Oh I hate when that happens."
Flora, "Well we're going to have to use the other hand. It's just decided to close right up." and she pulled the needle out. (ouchouchouch)
hematoma starting. Hand me another cotton ball, dear." Merriweather fluttered a bit and handed over a clean cotton ball and some tape. I looked over and there was a bubble on the back of my hand, about two inches long and and inch and a half across, and about an inch high (I so wish I was exaggerating). Flora put the cotton ball on it and pressed down firmly (surprisingly it didn't hurt, but then...I had a little bit of ringing going on in my ears just about then.....) and taped it down tight. She was talking, I think Merriweather was too, and explaining that sometimes the blood flow will stop when the needle draw is attached, but when it's taken off the blood starts flowing again under the skin. Yeah yeah whatever.....I know it didn't happen on purpose.
Between the two of them they looked at the vial that had the wee bit of blood in it and decided that it had enough for one of the tests and set it aside. Then the whole thing started over on the back of my other hand. It was cold as ice too, but the water-filled glove had cooled off so Merriweather bustled off to refill it. Flora got me hooked up with needle number two and the drainage started, and damned if 30 seconds in it didn't stop again.
This time not only were my ears ringing, but my lips went numb and my vision started to black out. I thought all kinds of unladylike thoughts. With everything that's gone on, with the constant dizziness and the odds of my fainting everyday, I was going to drop from a blood test? I hate being wimpy. It really makes me angry.....
I really couldn't put my head between my knees or down low so I kind of just leaned over and asked if I could get some water. Flora and Merriweather were busy scurrying about. Right hand had blossomed into a beautiful hematoma equal in size to left hand - one of them was squashing it into submission and the other was staring at the nearly empty tube of blood with disgust (It was finally deemed worthy of one small test too). When I asked for the water they went into high-flurry mode worthy of Disney Oscar mode. I can see why those fairies starred in several different movies. (They did....check out some of those older movies....same 'toons, just different costumes.)
Merriweather scoured the counters, cabinets and drawers and discovered that the room hand no cups or bottles of water. She disappeared out of the room to find me some water. Flora looked at me with a more practiced eye and figured that I was too angry with myself and probably wouldn't faint, and since Merriweather was on the water search, had flipped my left arm over to resume her quest for a usable vein.
Merriweather brought back a glass of water and while I drank it she ran off to get ANOTHER glove full of hot water. This glove sat on the inside of my arm for a couple of minutes. The fairies looked at each other and with true fairy silent communication decided to use a butterfly needle for the last and final try. I gave up all pretense of staring at the floor and just closed my eyes while Flora hooked me up for the last drainage attempt. She actually found the vein on the first attempt, so I told her as she picked up the first vial, "If I faint and the blood is flowing, keep going until you get all the blood you need THEN wake me up, because I don't want to have to come back in!"
The final go worked and they got the last three vials, which were the ones that had to be full. The bubbles on the back of my hands made matching bruises that ended up being about the size of silver dollars, amazing bright really pretty colors. They're still there, over a week later. (They are pretty, bruises, if stop thinking about what they are.) The fairies were happy and fun, flitting and bustling about. The wibbly hot water glove is an awesome invention - I bet the kids love it when they use it. I hope I never have to meet the fairies again. And I kind of wonder where Fauna has been hanging out......
I have to say it was the most entertaining visit to a lab to get my blood drawn that I ever recall. I had to have a full work up so I knew they were going to take the full five cigar-size vials, and I wasn't looking forward to it. I don't handle blood tests well anymore. I fully admit that I'm quite wimpy. I can handle regular shots ok, but blood draws....nope. I get light-headed and my lips get numb and I feel like I'm going to faint. (How do I tell the difference from any other feeling like I'm going to faint? hehehe.... This is a sudden rush, it's different. Gotta trust me I guess.) Anyway, I was ready for the blood test, all 12-hour fasted and had an appointment set so I could hurry in on my break from work.
I got there and checked in. I had barely sat down and the door open and a woman in a bright red printed labbish/nursish coat popped open the door and called my name. She looked amazingly like the bossy fairy from Sleeping Beauty. I went over and followed her as she bustled down the hall to the lab.
We got to the door of the lab just as another woman started to enter the hall from the lab. She was a little bit shorted and plumper and dressed in a bright blue printed labbish/nursish coat, and was holding a really scary looking bag that had an ominously foul odor emanating from it. As she hurried past she said, "We need to get this out of here quickly!" The first lab tech grabbed a can and sprayed some orange freshener around the room. We were off to a grand start.
I sat down and the first lab tech in red (the print on her coat was little spring flowers) dropped the safety bar down so I wouldn't fall out (I felt like I was getting into a ride at Disneyland). The second tech scurried back into the room. The room was teeny, with the chair for people to sit in being pretty big - it has big padded arms on both sides so you can rest your arms down and they can easily stab you to get at the veins, plus the big padded safety bar that drops down which reminds me of a high school desk. There's also wide cabinets running across three of the walls leaving just enough room for the techs to stand, with maybe a 3'x3' square in the middle. The two techs began to kind of weave a coordinated dance in this tiny space as they got ready to work their blood draining magic.
The tech in red asked me if there was an arm that usually worked easier for me. I told her that no, there really isn't, but my veins do tend to hide. She grabbed my left arm and turned it over and started not-so-gently slapping the inside of my arm, I guess looking to see if one of my veins would slap her back. None did so she tried on the inside of my right arm. Those veins also just laid there and ignored her. She made a sound kind of like "Hrrrrrrm" and picked up my hand and started the slapping on the back of my left hand. She commented that my hands were cold. Yes, my hands were cold. I'm ALWAYS freezing anymore.
While she was doing this the tech in blue was arranging the five giant empty tubes in a tray next to me. The red tech said something to her about the special way she had of warming up people's hands when they were cold. She said, "Oh, I can do that!" She grabbed something and was off out of the room again.
All of a sudden it hit me....I was in the midst of the fairies. The scurrying and bustling, the bright colors and flitting about. When the blue fairy came back, the green one would come bobbing in behind her.
Flora (the red fairy) started to rub my hands in hers. She was making small talk - I have no clue what she was talking about, but it was kind, grandmotherly talk. I think it was something about cold hands...that would make sense. Merriweather came back into the room (no Fauna, drat!) with her solution to warm up too-cold hands. I did laugh - I had to. Her solution? An extra-large surgical glove filled with hot water. She flopped it onto the back of my hand and the fingers wibbled about and the thumb bounced off my knuckles.
After a couple of minutes Flora pulled the glove off and did a touch-test on the back of my hand, like you'd check the top of a cake to see if it was done. She deemed me ok to take out of the oven and grabbed needle number one. I looked at the floor. I felt the needle go in and it twinged, but not too bad. Then Flora kind of jiggled it a bit (ouch) and said, "Don't dry up on me now...." and moved the tube a bit. (OUCH).
Merriweather said "Oh I hate when that happens."
Flora, "Well we're going to have to use the other hand. It's just decided to close right up." and she pulled the needle out. (ouchouchouch)
hematoma starting. Hand me another cotton ball, dear." Merriweather fluttered a bit and handed over a clean cotton ball and some tape. I looked over and there was a bubble on the back of my hand, about two inches long and and inch and a half across, and about an inch high (I so wish I was exaggerating). Flora put the cotton ball on it and pressed down firmly (surprisingly it didn't hurt, but then...I had a little bit of ringing going on in my ears just about then.....) and taped it down tight. She was talking, I think Merriweather was too, and explaining that sometimes the blood flow will stop when the needle draw is attached, but when it's taken off the blood starts flowing again under the skin. Yeah yeah whatever.....I know it didn't happen on purpose.
Between the two of them they looked at the vial that had the wee bit of blood in it and decided that it had enough for one of the tests and set it aside. Then the whole thing started over on the back of my other hand. It was cold as ice too, but the water-filled glove had cooled off so Merriweather bustled off to refill it. Flora got me hooked up with needle number two and the drainage started, and damned if 30 seconds in it didn't stop again.
This time not only were my ears ringing, but my lips went numb and my vision started to black out. I thought all kinds of unladylike thoughts. With everything that's gone on, with the constant dizziness and the odds of my fainting everyday, I was going to drop from a blood test? I hate being wimpy. It really makes me angry.....
I really couldn't put my head between my knees or down low so I kind of just leaned over and asked if I could get some water. Flora and Merriweather were busy scurrying about. Right hand had blossomed into a beautiful hematoma equal in size to left hand - one of them was squashing it into submission and the other was staring at the nearly empty tube of blood with disgust (It was finally deemed worthy of one small test too). When I asked for the water they went into high-flurry mode worthy of Disney Oscar mode. I can see why those fairies starred in several different movies. (They did....check out some of those older movies....same 'toons, just different costumes.)
Merriweather scoured the counters, cabinets and drawers and discovered that the room hand no cups or bottles of water. She disappeared out of the room to find me some water. Flora looked at me with a more practiced eye and figured that I was too angry with myself and probably wouldn't faint, and since Merriweather was on the water search, had flipped my left arm over to resume her quest for a usable vein.
Merriweather brought back a glass of water and while I drank it she ran off to get ANOTHER glove full of hot water. This glove sat on the inside of my arm for a couple of minutes. The fairies looked at each other and with true fairy silent communication decided to use a butterfly needle for the last and final try. I gave up all pretense of staring at the floor and just closed my eyes while Flora hooked me up for the last drainage attempt. She actually found the vein on the first attempt, so I told her as she picked up the first vial, "If I faint and the blood is flowing, keep going until you get all the blood you need THEN wake me up, because I don't want to have to come back in!"
The final go worked and they got the last three vials, which were the ones that had to be full. The bubbles on the back of my hands made matching bruises that ended up being about the size of silver dollars, amazing bright really pretty colors. They're still there, over a week later. (They are pretty, bruises, if stop thinking about what they are.) The fairies were happy and fun, flitting and bustling about. The wibbly hot water glove is an awesome invention - I bet the kids love it when they use it. I hope I never have to meet the fairies again. And I kind of wonder where Fauna has been hanging out......
Friday, 7 October 2011
Speed typing test.......
I have twin bullseye targets on the back of my hands in beautiful mauve, purple and yellow with red spots in the center. A teeny matching one blooms on the inside of my left arm. They really are pretty. Needle bruises really, from blood draws. My veins hide from needles, rolling away like wet spaghetti and disappearing in a flash so I almost always end up with bruises.
MRI tomorrow morning. I get to be stuffed into the tube like a sausage. I just know that my hair will be all squoonched up on top for days after, twisted into a knot where they tried to tie it off like a sausage is tied off....... I hate MRIs. Really. HATE. They make me claustrophobic, to the point where I have to take anxiety pills before hand and have someone drive me home, which was a job in itself, getting a ride there an back. But I did. Eventually.
OK, back to work. **tapdances off into the distance**
MRI tomorrow morning. I get to be stuffed into the tube like a sausage. I just know that my hair will be all squoonched up on top for days after, twisted into a knot where they tried to tie it off like a sausage is tied off....... I hate MRIs. Really. HATE. They make me claustrophobic, to the point where I have to take anxiety pills before hand and have someone drive me home, which was a job in itself, getting a ride there an back. But I did. Eventually.
OK, back to work. **tapdances off into the distance**
Sunday, 2 October 2011
Chewing on erasers.....
The thought of doctor shopping intimidates me, so I decided I would give my current doctor-group one last try. Not the one I've been seeing, but the one last person there who hasn't given be bad advice or f*cked me over in the past. His name is Seth, and in the past he's been pretty good. He's not actually a doctor - he's a FNP, nurse practitioner? He can order X-rays and prescribe medications. He's the one who, after about four months of going to different doctors and being told that nothing was wrong with me (I was really drained and had a hacking cough that wouldn't go away) by several different docs in the office, diagnosed me with pneumonia. I didn't have a lot of the typical signs and the other guys hadn't been listening to me (seems to be something I have problems with....).
So anyway, I was sitting there on Friday at work, feeling like crap, thinking how ridiculous it was that I had to go to a cardiologist for a tilt table test when I don't have any problems with my heart and I thought, "Maybe Seth will listen...". So I called up the office and asked if he had any appointments. And he did! So off I went.
The nurse who lead me back is usually snarky but she was friendly; that was a really nice start. I've lost another couple of pounds, and I'm down one of the 50 pound sections on the doctor's scale - that was great. I'm not losing huge chunks at a time anymore and losing at a more even keel. I'm still losing from being sick (believe me......I'm on a kick of eating cookies!) but it's not as huge so I'm not as freaked out by it. Anyway. The visit was off to a good start.
When Seth came in I him, "I want you to know that you're my Obi-wan Kanobe" and he laughed and said, "I'm your only hope?" I told him what's been going on. Everything. How I got sick, starting with the stuff several years ago and how it built up (Reader's Digest version) and how I've had problems with the other doctors and staff in the office. Remaining professional, and not saying anything against anyone he works with, I got the feeling that he wasn't surprised at anything I said. I might be wrong. I don't know if it matters. He spent about an hour, aside from the time that I spent telling him what had been going on. We went over what the OHSU specialists had recommended, reviewed my meds and made some adjustments. He's going to contact OHSU and get the tilt table test set up there - he agrees that there's no need for me to go a cardiologist and have a full work up there when OHSU can do the test right there. (yeah! 4-hour new patient test and $50 co-pay saved!) Plus with the changes in meds, it will probably save me about $100 a month in Rx co-pays, $75 on one prescription alone.
He spent a lot of time asking me different questions that no one has asked before. Some things that my friends and I had discussed, some things that I've read in articles, but stuff that isn't main stream. Which is why I like him. He wants me to get tested for Lyme's disease. He recommended having a naturopath do the testing because they do more extensive testing (I LOVE Portland!). I forgot to call my insurance to find one that's covered. **note to self...call insurance on Monday** (why is it that cartoons seem so much louder at 1AM than during the day?) He specifically asked about any odd bites in the last year to two years, and I've been eaten alive over the last two years with several bites being out of the norm that didn't seem like either mosquito or spider bites. He said that if it IS Lyme's, I probably will still have the other conditions and those won't go away and may not get any better but the Lyme's needs to be treated, and the Lyme's might have triggered the other conditions.
That's my good doctor news. It's quite exciting for me.
I stayed home a couple of days last week, Monday and Tuesday. Migraines were out of control again and I was out of pills. Two months since went back to work without any time off....I'd hoped to be able to keep working. I have Monday off, then some time in November (a week and a half) and a day in December. I'm hoping the staggered extra days off will work to keep me rested enough to not have to call out sick. All in all I feel pretty much back to about where I was before I went out for disability. The differences are that I kind of know what's going on know, and I'm not as fully totally exhausted. On weekends, like today, I pretty much can plan on sleeping until noon (which I SHOULD NOT DO) or if I don't sleep until noon I'm a couch potato until noon. I don't do anything productive on Saturdays, couldn't if I wanted to. Sundays around noon I have a "holy CRAP I have to get this place clean!" moment and I try to do what I can. That usually entails basic bathroom wipedown (it's sanitary), clean kitchen counters & stove top, change bed sheets and try to tidy up some. The tidying up is really slacking off. The last three loads of laundry haven't gotten folded and put away. The work clothes get hung up when they come out of the dryer - the rest are in the chair right over there by the TV. *sigh* One of my friends said, "It's just you so it doesn't matter." but it DOES. I want my house clean and tidy. I don't want to look at piles of laundry, or have my counter/island cluttered up. It WAS cleared off. Granted, there's only a few things on it and it's not junk. But I can't keep up with it the way I want to, and the way I feel that I should. Oh, and dusting does NOT happen.
I'm having problems with proteins. What the heck? Where did that come from? I need to figure this one out....the "easy quick" stuff isn't good for the migraines, and the fresh stuff isn't sitting well with my tummy. Brook suggest tofu. Reminds me of chewing erasers.....
So anyway, I was sitting there on Friday at work, feeling like crap, thinking how ridiculous it was that I had to go to a cardiologist for a tilt table test when I don't have any problems with my heart and I thought, "Maybe Seth will listen...". So I called up the office and asked if he had any appointments. And he did! So off I went.
The nurse who lead me back is usually snarky but she was friendly; that was a really nice start. I've lost another couple of pounds, and I'm down one of the 50 pound sections on the doctor's scale - that was great. I'm not losing huge chunks at a time anymore and losing at a more even keel. I'm still losing from being sick (believe me......I'm on a kick of eating cookies!) but it's not as huge so I'm not as freaked out by it. Anyway. The visit was off to a good start.
When Seth came in I him, "I want you to know that you're my Obi-wan Kanobe" and he laughed and said, "I'm your only hope?" I told him what's been going on. Everything. How I got sick, starting with the stuff several years ago and how it built up (Reader's Digest version) and how I've had problems with the other doctors and staff in the office. Remaining professional, and not saying anything against anyone he works with, I got the feeling that he wasn't surprised at anything I said. I might be wrong. I don't know if it matters. He spent about an hour, aside from the time that I spent telling him what had been going on. We went over what the OHSU specialists had recommended, reviewed my meds and made some adjustments. He's going to contact OHSU and get the tilt table test set up there - he agrees that there's no need for me to go a cardiologist and have a full work up there when OHSU can do the test right there. (yeah! 4-hour new patient test and $50 co-pay saved!) Plus with the changes in meds, it will probably save me about $100 a month in Rx co-pays, $75 on one prescription alone.
He spent a lot of time asking me different questions that no one has asked before. Some things that my friends and I had discussed, some things that I've read in articles, but stuff that isn't main stream. Which is why I like him. He wants me to get tested for Lyme's disease. He recommended having a naturopath do the testing because they do more extensive testing (I LOVE Portland!). I forgot to call my insurance to find one that's covered. **note to self...call insurance on Monday** (why is it that cartoons seem so much louder at 1AM than during the day?) He specifically asked about any odd bites in the last year to two years, and I've been eaten alive over the last two years with several bites being out of the norm that didn't seem like either mosquito or spider bites. He said that if it IS Lyme's, I probably will still have the other conditions and those won't go away and may not get any better but the Lyme's needs to be treated, and the Lyme's might have triggered the other conditions.
That's my good doctor news. It's quite exciting for me.
I stayed home a couple of days last week, Monday and Tuesday. Migraines were out of control again and I was out of pills. Two months since went back to work without any time off....I'd hoped to be able to keep working. I have Monday off, then some time in November (a week and a half) and a day in December. I'm hoping the staggered extra days off will work to keep me rested enough to not have to call out sick. All in all I feel pretty much back to about where I was before I went out for disability. The differences are that I kind of know what's going on know, and I'm not as fully totally exhausted. On weekends, like today, I pretty much can plan on sleeping until noon (which I SHOULD NOT DO) or if I don't sleep until noon I'm a couch potato until noon. I don't do anything productive on Saturdays, couldn't if I wanted to. Sundays around noon I have a "holy CRAP I have to get this place clean!" moment and I try to do what I can. That usually entails basic bathroom wipedown (it's sanitary), clean kitchen counters & stove top, change bed sheets and try to tidy up some. The tidying up is really slacking off. The last three loads of laundry haven't gotten folded and put away. The work clothes get hung up when they come out of the dryer - the rest are in the chair right over there by the TV. *sigh* One of my friends said, "It's just you so it doesn't matter." but it DOES. I want my house clean and tidy. I don't want to look at piles of laundry, or have my counter/island cluttered up. It WAS cleared off. Granted, there's only a few things on it and it's not junk. But I can't keep up with it the way I want to, and the way I feel that I should. Oh, and dusting does NOT happen.
I'm having problems with proteins. What the heck? Where did that come from? I need to figure this one out....the "easy quick" stuff isn't good for the migraines, and the fresh stuff isn't sitting well with my tummy. Brook suggest tofu. Reminds me of chewing erasers.....
Monday, 26 September 2011
Happy things!
Jedward. Oh my GOD but they're flippin' hilarious. Found them on (where else?) Graham Norton. Two Irish twin boys (twins usually come in twos....), 17 when they started out on UKs X-factor so they're 19 now. They sing, and dance and talk. They talk a LOT. The talking isn't part of their act but it's part of the obscurity and hilarity. I told Marissa about them and they entertain her too. And Skennifer. Just need to drag Tara in and we can sing "Lipstick" next time we're at the Ship.
My migraine is gone for now! That's a HUGE happy thing! Especially since I'm almost out of pills (they are on their way and should arrive probably tomorrow). Four-day migraine, it was here this morning when I woke up so I called out from work and went back to bed and miracle of miracles I fell back asleep. I woke up at 12:45 and it's GONE. The Howee inside me is tap-dancing like mad.
Kittens are always happy, I have one next to me purring away, and one across the room being silly and meowing for no reason. Both of them have finally stopped shedding (maybe the super hot weather is done?) and have their extra-soft fur back on.
Speaking of super hot weather, it's NOT hot out. It's actually rather cool. Cool enough that my window is only partly open and I have a blanket over my legs. It's windy out. I love this weather.......
Some Jedward for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtKFmct9nCI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXouSYabDig (flashy light warning)
My migraine is gone for now! That's a HUGE happy thing! Especially since I'm almost out of pills (they are on their way and should arrive probably tomorrow). Four-day migraine, it was here this morning when I woke up so I called out from work and went back to bed and miracle of miracles I fell back asleep. I woke up at 12:45 and it's GONE. The Howee inside me is tap-dancing like mad.
Kittens are always happy, I have one next to me purring away, and one across the room being silly and meowing for no reason. Both of them have finally stopped shedding (maybe the super hot weather is done?) and have their extra-soft fur back on.
Speaking of super hot weather, it's NOT hot out. It's actually rather cool. Cool enough that my window is only partly open and I have a blanket over my legs. It's windy out. I love this weather.......
Some Jedward for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtKFmct9nCI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXouSYabDig (flashy light warning)
Saturday, 24 September 2011
He always makes me laugh...
Graham Norton.
I have him on now. I record his show, just because he makes me laugh. He's one of my happy thoughts, always. He's a British talk show host. Oh, I know. He's done a lot more, but that's what I record. He's completely unrestrained, and does things that wouldn't be allowed on US shows. He and his guests are bleeped all the time by US censors. Silly US prudes. Right now his guests are Sharon & Ozzy Osborne and Ricky Gervais. I'm watching it and listening to the conversation, but I could just listen to them laughing and it would cheer me up, especially Ricky.
So I had to clean out the litter box. Yes, one of the joys of cat ownership. I love my cats. (I really do. *L* NOT finding something good to say about myself!) Cleaning out the litter box.......before the new body that I got for Little Christmas, I did it, didn't LOVE it but didn't really think twice about it. Now it's an adventure. First, getting the litter home from the store. It's cheaper in the bigger containers and since I'm paying over $200 a month in Rx costs money is on my mind a lot (trying not to bring it into my mind a lot......going to focus on manifesting it somehow!) so I do the brand/cost comparison at the store, and look for coupons. Hoist it into the cart, then if I'm lucky I'm at a store where they can scan it in the cart and I don't have to haul it up onto the counter for the checker-clerk. Haul it out of the cart into the trunk, drive home then out of the trunk and totter with it into the house. Each of these times I'm internally praying "don't get dizzy don't get dizzy don't get dizzy" because picking up heavy things from low spots will usually, 9 times out of 10, trigger a great dizzy episode. The litter boxes are downstairs (and they're staying there!) so the container can stay downstairs. Score! But today when I went to the store I had two bags to carry in (each rather heavy) as well as my purse and my dinner. So I left the litter in the car. Tonight at about 9PM I realized...I need to clean out the boxes.
The meds I'm taking that were working a little bit for the fibro pain, Savella, isn't working any more. When my doctor prescribed it she said that for some people it may only work for a short while, then it would stop. I was hoping that wouldn't happen. The relief it gave wasn't huge but it did give some relieve....I wasn't aware of how much until it stopped working completely. I'm back to everything aching, "happy face scale - mid-range" all the time. (Side note, I love Ozzy. He has no filter at all. *L*) My doc hasn't prescribed anything to replace it. I've mentioned that she's stopped doing her job? I have a call out on find a new doctor.....
Today the "happy face scale" has moved up and is higher, don't know why and probably never really will. The migraine level isn't so bad though, I've only had to take one migraine pill and an ibuprofen. And drink lots of water, of course! (also took a forbidden nap...heheheh) I've got the Tin Man walk going today. So walking downstairs, hauling the 27 pound cat litter out of the trunk and bringing it in and cleaning out two litter boxes didn't sound appealing. When I got there, the sweet adorable teeny kittens had been quite active and kicked litter all over the floor so I had to sweep too. By the time I got to the trash can, I was crying. I rarely cry because things hurt. I think it was partly because it hurt and partly frustration. Days and times like that I do feel quite wimpy. There's no other adequate word.
What saved the moment? It's a beautiful night. It's clear out, and there are a gazillion stars, with a few wispy clouds. I leaned back on the car and relaxed and found the 7 Sisters and listened to a little boy laughing as he ran down the street, taking a walk with his dad. After a few minutes the dizziness went away and I got my breath back. The sound of the little boy laughing faded away and it got still.
I went back inside and upstairs, and sat down on the couch. Gromit is next to me, a giant white furball and Wallace is looking at me from across the room, her eyelids drooping as she starts to snooze. They are worth it. They're middle-aged; they're 12 now. I hope they last quite awhile longer. Will I get other cats when they go? I really don't know and I'm not going to think about it now. When I wake up tomorrow I'll be sandwiched in between them, struggling to get out to use the bathroom. Oh, and Wallace is still carrying her Snoopy carcass around like her baby, so cute!
I didn't provide a song to listen to, but since Ricky Gervais makes me laugh I'm adding this. It's a lullaby, the softer side of Ricky.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc20vMz0V7Q
I have him on now. I record his show, just because he makes me laugh. He's one of my happy thoughts, always. He's a British talk show host. Oh, I know. He's done a lot more, but that's what I record. He's completely unrestrained, and does things that wouldn't be allowed on US shows. He and his guests are bleeped all the time by US censors. Silly US prudes. Right now his guests are Sharon & Ozzy Osborne and Ricky Gervais. I'm watching it and listening to the conversation, but I could just listen to them laughing and it would cheer me up, especially Ricky.
So I had to clean out the litter box. Yes, one of the joys of cat ownership. I love my cats. (I really do. *L* NOT finding something good to say about myself!) Cleaning out the litter box.......before the new body that I got for Little Christmas, I did it, didn't LOVE it but didn't really think twice about it. Now it's an adventure. First, getting the litter home from the store. It's cheaper in the bigger containers and since I'm paying over $200 a month in Rx costs money is on my mind a lot (trying not to bring it into my mind a lot......going to focus on manifesting it somehow!) so I do the brand/cost comparison at the store, and look for coupons. Hoist it into the cart, then if I'm lucky I'm at a store where they can scan it in the cart and I don't have to haul it up onto the counter for the checker-clerk. Haul it out of the cart into the trunk, drive home then out of the trunk and totter with it into the house. Each of these times I'm internally praying "don't get dizzy don't get dizzy don't get dizzy" because picking up heavy things from low spots will usually, 9 times out of 10, trigger a great dizzy episode. The litter boxes are downstairs (and they're staying there!) so the container can stay downstairs. Score! But today when I went to the store I had two bags to carry in (each rather heavy) as well as my purse and my dinner. So I left the litter in the car. Tonight at about 9PM I realized...I need to clean out the boxes.
The meds I'm taking that were working a little bit for the fibro pain, Savella, isn't working any more. When my doctor prescribed it she said that for some people it may only work for a short while, then it would stop. I was hoping that wouldn't happen. The relief it gave wasn't huge but it did give some relieve....I wasn't aware of how much until it stopped working completely. I'm back to everything aching, "happy face scale - mid-range" all the time. (Side note, I love Ozzy. He has no filter at all. *L*) My doc hasn't prescribed anything to replace it. I've mentioned that she's stopped doing her job? I have a call out on find a new doctor.....
Today the "happy face scale" has moved up and is higher, don't know why and probably never really will. The migraine level isn't so bad though, I've only had to take one migraine pill and an ibuprofen. And drink lots of water, of course! (also took a forbidden nap...heheheh) I've got the Tin Man walk going today. So walking downstairs, hauling the 27 pound cat litter out of the trunk and bringing it in and cleaning out two litter boxes didn't sound appealing. When I got there, the sweet adorable teeny kittens had been quite active and kicked litter all over the floor so I had to sweep too. By the time I got to the trash can, I was crying. I rarely cry because things hurt. I think it was partly because it hurt and partly frustration. Days and times like that I do feel quite wimpy. There's no other adequate word.
What saved the moment? It's a beautiful night. It's clear out, and there are a gazillion stars, with a few wispy clouds. I leaned back on the car and relaxed and found the 7 Sisters and listened to a little boy laughing as he ran down the street, taking a walk with his dad. After a few minutes the dizziness went away and I got my breath back. The sound of the little boy laughing faded away and it got still.
I went back inside and upstairs, and sat down on the couch. Gromit is next to me, a giant white furball and Wallace is looking at me from across the room, her eyelids drooping as she starts to snooze. They are worth it. They're middle-aged; they're 12 now. I hope they last quite awhile longer. Will I get other cats when they go? I really don't know and I'm not going to think about it now. When I wake up tomorrow I'll be sandwiched in between them, struggling to get out to use the bathroom. Oh, and Wallace is still carrying her Snoopy carcass around like her baby, so cute!
I didn't provide a song to listen to, but since Ricky Gervais makes me laugh I'm adding this. It's a lullaby, the softer side of Ricky.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc20vMz0V7Q