i never thought that i would become disabled…there was no planning for it…it just seemed to creep up on me…grab a hold of me…and snuff all of the energy from my body.
it started with heart disease…an artery 99.9% blocked…a stent placed into it.
followed by pain, numbness, and tingling in my right hand/arm and let foot/leg
it took 3 years to get diagnosed with ms…multiple sclerosis.
bilateral pneumonia and kidney failure were next.
followed by more bilateral pneumonia, dvt (deep vein thrombosis), pe’s (pulmonary embolisms), fatty liver, and more kidney failure.
hospitalized 4 times in 6 months…received 3 blood transfusions.
now…i have a diagnosis of interstitial lung disease…and have oxygen.
i quit smoking last october…and packed on 30 pounds.
what happened to me? how did i get here? where is my beautiful house?
i will use this page to report what the doctors have to say…a way to chart the progress of my decline.
went to see my pulmonary specialist, dr. lin today. he is such a kind doctor…i am very fortunate to have him! he said that i could call and get in any time, because i am not, “…a complainer!”
symptoms and main complaints for today: blood sugar rise due to prednisone, not being able to sleep from steroids, being hot all the time from steroids, having a hard time breathing again.
resolutions for today: staying on 60 milligrams of prednisone everyday, keeping journal of symptoms related to weather and location, using an albuterol inhaler as needed to breathe when out of breath, coming back to see him in 6 weeks, unless things get worse.
i went to see dr. basch this week. i am so very fortunate to have such a great doctor! she spent 45 minutes with me…making sure she took care of every issue.
symptoms and main complaints for the week: tongue, mouth, tooth, face and neck swelling, excessive sweating, dehydration, a referral to a podiatrist for calluses and toenails, gabapentin and requip adjustments.
in addition to my symptoms and main complaints, i asked dr. basch for a prescription for a cooling vest…and to fill out the paperwork to cancel my student loans due to my disability.
resolutions for the week: referral to podiatrist, referral to ent, referral to rheumatologist, labs, swelling and hardening around neck needs salivary gland biopsy, got meds adjusted, prescription for cooling vest, and all of my paperwork filled out.
i went to the dentist this week for the second time in 14 years. now that i finally have some dental coverage…i really need to take full advantage of it!
had x-rays taken…met with the dentist for a comprehensive exam…he was very nice!
the long and short of it: i have three teeth that need to be extracted, i need a deep cleaning, i need to have several teeth filled.
i am starting treatment next week with him. he is going to do the deep cleaning on the lower right quadrant…and fill the teeth there. and…i am being sent to an oral surgeon to have the three teeth extracted.
i never thought that i would become disabled…there was no planning for it…it just seemed to creep up on me…grab a hold of me…and snuff all of the energy from my body.
it started with heart disease…an artery 99.9% blocked…a stent placed into it.
followed by pain, numbness, and tingling in my right hand/arm and let foot/leg
it took 3 years to get diagnosed with ms…multiple sclerosis.
bilateral pneumonia and kidney failure were next.
followed by more bilateral pneumonia, dvt (deep vein thrombosis), pe’s (pulmonary embolisms), fatty liver, and more kidney failure.
hospitalized 4 times in 6 months…received 3 blood transfusions.
now…i have a diagnosis of interstitial lung disease…and have oxygen.
i quit smoking last october…and packed on 30 pounds.
what happened to me? how did i get here? where is my beautiful house?
i will use this page to report what the doctors have to say…a way to chart the progress of my decline.
went to see my pulmonary specialist, dr. lin today. he is such a kind doctor…i am very fortunate to have him! he said that i could call and get in any time, because i am not, “…a complainer!”
symptoms and main complaints for today: blood sugar rise due to prednisone, not being able to sleep from steroids, being hot all the time from steroids, having a hard time breathing again.
resolutions for today: staying on 60 milligrams of prednisone everyday, keeping journal of symptoms related to weather and location, using an albuterol inhaler as needed to breathe when out of breath, coming back to see him in 6 weeks, unless things get worse.
i went to see dr. basch this week. i am so very fortunate to have such a great doctor! she spent 45 minutes with me…making sure she took care of every issue.
symptoms and main complaints for the week: tongue, mouth, tooth, face and neck swelling, excessive sweating, dehydration, a referral to a podiatrist for calluses and toenails, gabapentin and requip adjustments.
in addition to my symptoms and main complaints, i asked dr. basch for a prescription for a cooling vest…and to fill out the paperwork to cancel my student loans due to my disability.
resolutions for the week: referral to podiatrist, referral to ent, referral to rheumatologist, labs, swelling and hardening around neck needs salivary gland biopsy, got meds adjusted, prescription for cooling vest, and all of my paperwork filled out.
i went to the dentist this week for the second time in 14 years. now that i finally have some dental coverage…i really need to take full advantage of it!
had x-rays taken…met with the dentist for a comprehensive exam…he was very nice!
the long and short of it: i have three teeth that need to be extracted, i need a deep cleaning, i need to have several teeth filled.
i am starting treatment next week with him. he is going to do the deep cleaning on the lower right quadrant…and fill the teeth there. and…i am being sent to an oral surgeon to have the three teeth extracted.
should be a fun week!