Wednesday, July 11, 2012

It's Good to be Alive

When I first started blogging, I read that you should write about what's going on in your life...so that's what this is about....my life and how close it came to being over last month.

I am a very healthy individual and have lead a relatively healthy life.  My hospital visits have consisted of the three births of my children.Two years ago, I had shingles and had borderline diabetes diagnosed.  Other than the usual childhood diseases and the flues and colds of adulthood, I have rarely been sick.    That all ended in March of this year.  My legs swelled up badly and I had a rash like outbreak on them.  I thought I was getting shingles again, but I finally decided that I needed  to see the doctor.  She felt that I had been spending too much time sitting at my bench making jewelry and not enough time excercising...she was probably right.

I was treated with some antibiotics but the condition worsened.  I had scans for clots and a consult with a heart doctor.  Other than the fact that I was a 55 year smoker and needed to quit, nothing definitive was found, other than my right ventricle was working harder than it should.  I then felt that my stomach was swelling - I felt like I was giving birth to nine pound twins.  Stupidly, I put off going to the doctor's because I needed to have blood drawn for my appointment with her the following week..  I went to see her on a Tuesday, she order a CAT scan for Wednesday and  a follow up with her on Friday.  They were looking for clots again in my torso. When I saw her on Friday she immediately ordered me to the hospital.  I begged to wait til Monday, because I knew nothing gets done in a hospital over the weekend...she refused, but did let me go home and pack a bag. My husband drove me to the hospital as I smoked what was my last cigarrette.

I remember checking into the hospital and being wheel chaired upstairs.  I remember seeing my youngest daughter, which was on Sunday, and my oldest, which was on Tuesday.  I don't remember trying to escape from the hospital - but I guess that I did.  I really have very few memories until Wensday and Thursday.  From what I have since learned, it was touch and go for me over the weekend several times.  I was in the hospital for 10 days and lost almost 60 pounds of  fluids.  They  aspirated 5.5 liters from my lungs alone, and I have no memories of that even occurring.  This is not a good way to diet.

I got out on a Tuesday.  I had oxygen delivered to the house and have been on it ever since.  The hope is that I will eventually only have to use it at night.  I have a weekly visiting nurse. I had 6 physical therapy visits from a great guy.  I had one visit from an occupational therapist.  I am hooked up to the hospital electronically.  Daily they get my weight, blood pressure, percentage of oxygen in my blood and several questions answered...great program.  I'm seeing or have seen more doctors than I want to think about and taking more medicine than I want to - especially for someone who thought twice before taking an aspirin.  I've had an over night test for sleep apnea, which I do not have.

Looks like life is going to be changing again - I am not to spend more 1/2 hour at a time at my jewelry making bench - I used to be there almost all day and night time too.  I am overflowing with ideas and don't have the time to try them out.  Just before this all happened, I was working hard at getting all of my resin pieces on the web site so there are quite a few new pieces in my shop...please take a look.

All being told, I am thankful that this happened...it probably kept me alive.  For one reason or another, which we're hoping to find out.....55 years of smoking caught up with me and I had a type of  carbon dioxide poisining.  It may be COPD , it may not be - but that is my saga for the last month and I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart that it's very good to still be alive....

1 comment:

  1. Praise the Lord! that you are on the road to recovery. Scary journey you just went through. Hope you are feeling better!!

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