First thing we find out when I was at the doctors, I was supposed to get blood work done this morning which nobody told any of us. So she didn't have much news to tell us, although we got a lot of questions clarified.
What I did find out is I will be taking one of my medicines (not the shots THANK GOODNESS) for a year, the one that my Nana also takes. As my dad said, we have something in common now that we can talk about at all the family events. I also have to get my blood tested twice a week now for a few weeks until the get the levels of the medicine under control. I also have to be very very careful not to get cuts because if I do, there is little chance of my blood clotting, which is not good at all. So for the girl who is prone to giving herself paper cuts on a regular basis, this is going to be a difficult task.
I'm going to be going to a vascular doctor I believe to figure out how the blood clot came about. That's the biggest thing that they want to determine I think, just so we can prevent it from happening again.
Good news is the doctor said I don't have to cut salads out of my diet completely but we will work adjusting my medicine so I can still eat it. According to her she will never discourage a young girl not to eat her vegetables. For those who know my love for salads, this is the best news ever.
After the doctor's visit I had to go downstairs to get more blood drawn like I was supposed to do earlier in the day. The pressure on my calf was indescribable because my pain medicine had basically worn off. But I champed it and went to get the blood work done. The lady who did it was NOT NICE AT ALL. She barely spoke to me, wanted me to decide what arm to draw the blood from, and when I said I have no idea, she went to the same one that I used on Monday. I really hope she is not there when I go again on Monday. Upside of the whole ordeal is I did not faint after getting the blood taken, like my dad and I both believed would have happened.
I hope everyone has a wonderful New Years. I'm excited cause while I may not be able to walk around like everyone else will be, I will have people over to enjoy. My mom even mentioned about possibly getting me a wheelchair so I can wheel around so that will be an experience. Love you all!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Sitting, Waiting, Wishing
For the past few days, I have been waking up to text messages from my parents asking me how I'm feeling. Then a text from Teddi, one of my other "mothers" asking how the leg feels today. And often to round it out, Kate sends me a Facebook message asking how this little patient is doing. It brings a smile to my face everyday to hear from them, I just wish I had better information then "it's swore. I'm good. Still hurts a bit."
Nothing much has changed the past two days as far as developments. My foot is swollen like it's job as well as my calf still. My dad said the doctor had talked about that but I don't remember any mention of that in our talks with the doctor. The pain becomes unbearable when I don't take my pain medicine but I have been trying to stay on top of that because I just don't have a tolerance for pain whatsoever.
I didn't cry when I got the shot yesterday which is a plus because I didn't make my dad feel like crap. It still hurts when it happens but I didn't want to make him feel bad. It's weird because a tingling starts to happen once the injection is out of my body and stays for a couple of minutes. And it's a sort of hurtful tingling that I made sure is normal with the doctor that first time. It is. What type of medicine hurts after the injection is given? Seriously, boogles my mind.
Yesterday I got my very first visitor! Meghan came over and we sat on the couch and just chatted, basically about everything that had been happening with me but I also got to hear about her holiday. I love visitors. Brings smiles to my face. During the visit, the doorbell rang and I got flowers and a beautiful balloon from my work friends. To say I didn't cry would be a lie. I blubbered like a little baby, especially when I saw the Boom Boom on the little card. It's the little things that make me happy.
The highly anticipated doctor's appointment is today and I can not wait to go. Which is very unusual because I know I have to get blood drawn and I hate that with a passion. Trying to find veins with thin blood should be a blast, I just hope I don't get poked and prodded a lot. I also hope they tell me I'm on the mend, even though they originally said it's going to take two, possibly three weeks. GROSS but I'll take it to feel better.
I'll update after the doctor's appointment with hopefully good news. Cross your fingers and toes people!
Nothing much has changed the past two days as far as developments. My foot is swollen like it's job as well as my calf still. My dad said the doctor had talked about that but I don't remember any mention of that in our talks with the doctor. The pain becomes unbearable when I don't take my pain medicine but I have been trying to stay on top of that because I just don't have a tolerance for pain whatsoever.
I didn't cry when I got the shot yesterday which is a plus because I didn't make my dad feel like crap. It still hurts when it happens but I didn't want to make him feel bad. It's weird because a tingling starts to happen once the injection is out of my body and stays for a couple of minutes. And it's a sort of hurtful tingling that I made sure is normal with the doctor that first time. It is. What type of medicine hurts after the injection is given? Seriously, boogles my mind.
Yesterday I got my very first visitor! Meghan came over and we sat on the couch and just chatted, basically about everything that had been happening with me but I also got to hear about her holiday. I love visitors. Brings smiles to my face. During the visit, the doorbell rang and I got flowers and a beautiful balloon from my work friends. To say I didn't cry would be a lie. I blubbered like a little baby, especially when I saw the Boom Boom on the little card. It's the little things that make me happy.
The highly anticipated doctor's appointment is today and I can not wait to go. Which is very unusual because I know I have to get blood drawn and I hate that with a passion. Trying to find veins with thin blood should be a blast, I just hope I don't get poked and prodded a lot. I also hope they tell me I'm on the mend, even though they originally said it's going to take two, possibly three weeks. GROSS but I'll take it to feel better.
I'll update after the doctor's appointment with hopefully good news. Cross your fingers and toes people!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Shots----And not the good kind
Today was day number 485 of staying in bed being a bed bum. Some people would think this is heaven, but honestly I hate it. I haven't even seen the kitchen or living room or even any part of the downstairs. I'm bored and want people around me.
About a half hour ago, I got my second dose of medicine, shot included. I freaked out a lot because that's what I do, and then cried after it was done because once again that's what I do. I think I hurt my dad's feeling which was not my intention at all. He has the very very very brave job of giving me the shot till whenever I don't have to take these bad boys anymore. I guess the shot really isn't a shot but instead an injection. It goes basically skin deep in my stomach. Yesterday I had to have two because they did not have the proper dosage at the hospital. Needless to say I looked like I had been bitten by a very large mouthed vampire. By the end of this, it may look like I have a drug problem but luckily it's my stomach, nobody sees that in the winter time.
My actual calf does not hurt anymore, but around my ankle is swore. I don't know what that deal is but it's a good thing that stuff could go on my calf without me crying out in pain. Moving it still hurts and I could basically only lay on my butt which really sucks. It's not a good thing when you really can't move at all when you sleep.
I really wish I could go back to my younger self and tell myself that using crutches is not fun at all. When I was little, I used to use Stacey's crutches for fun. Now that I have to use them to get around. It blows.
Xoxox
About a half hour ago, I got my second dose of medicine, shot included. I freaked out a lot because that's what I do, and then cried after it was done because once again that's what I do. I think I hurt my dad's feeling which was not my intention at all. He has the very very very brave job of giving me the shot till whenever I don't have to take these bad boys anymore. I guess the shot really isn't a shot but instead an injection. It goes basically skin deep in my stomach. Yesterday I had to have two because they did not have the proper dosage at the hospital. Needless to say I looked like I had been bitten by a very large mouthed vampire. By the end of this, it may look like I have a drug problem but luckily it's my stomach, nobody sees that in the winter time.
My actual calf does not hurt anymore, but around my ankle is swore. I don't know what that deal is but it's a good thing that stuff could go on my calf without me crying out in pain. Moving it still hurts and I could basically only lay on my butt which really sucks. It's not a good thing when you really can't move at all when you sleep.
I really wish I could go back to my younger self and tell myself that using crutches is not fun at all. When I was little, I used to use Stacey's crutches for fun. Now that I have to use them to get around. It blows.
Xoxox
I'm NEVER Simple
As many of you know, I have never been easy when it comes to my health.
Before I was born, they couldn't find my heartbeat. I have had a fainting condition for as long as I can remember. And any simple exercise, I somehow end up pulling a muscle.
This past Wednesday started one of the most epic sicknesses of my life. Beginning Wednesday, I had a stomach bug that prevented me from eating. For all of those who know me, you know how much of a tragedy this was for me. I missed Nana's Christmas Eve feast, I missed Aunt Barb's Christmas Day goodies and tons of family time because I was in bed for the holidays. Unlike most stomach bugs, this one did not leave in a day but basically stayed with me until Sunday. That's when my parents and I decided we would go to the doctors the next day to figure out what was wrong with me.
This was the plan before the epic snow storm that was Sunday into Monday which shut down everything. On Sunday evening, my calf began to hurt but I just thought it was a cramp due to dehydration. But when I woke up on Monday the pain was unbearable to a point where I could not walk to the bathroom. I slide all the way there on my butt which made my mom and I laugh. But we still chalked it up to dehydration. That is until my dad tried rubbing alcohol on my calf which was rock solid and swollen. Right after he saw this, he said we were going to the hospital.
Long story short, I got an ultrasound on my leg which revealed that I have a blood clot in my calf. According to the doctor this is very rare for someone my age and they do not know why or how I got the clot, but it's there. I got some blood taken and then a few medicines to thin my blood so that my own blood could fight the clot and hopefully break it down. One of these medicines is a shot I have to take in my stomach every day, which is all on my parents and gives me severe anxiety because I hateeee shots. I am also taking a medicine that my Nana takes, so as you can tell this is not something that a 23 year old should be dealing with.
There are some risks with the blood clot which obviously terrified me. He said it could possibly move up into my lung without being broken down and that could cause some serious issues. In that sense I have to look out for shortness of breathe, back aches, and pain when I breathe. He said this should not happen but they have to warn you on everything. Tomorrow I go to my regular doctor to see how the medicine is thinning my blood and if we have to change the dosage because there is a fine line as to how thin my blood should be. I'm not looking forward to this because I'm already bored of just sitting home watching tv but if it means me getting better I'm totally down.
I want to thank everyone who has already reached out to me with your well wishes. I'll have you know I'm not really a crier but every time I get something from someone I start to ball. So thanks so much for that. I figured I would start this to keep everyone updated. Maybe I'll delete the blog after this whole stupid thing is over but I figure it's the easiest way to inform everyone without sending many text messages of calling people which would end in tears.
Fingers crossed for good things.
Before I was born, they couldn't find my heartbeat. I have had a fainting condition for as long as I can remember. And any simple exercise, I somehow end up pulling a muscle.
This past Wednesday started one of the most epic sicknesses of my life. Beginning Wednesday, I had a stomach bug that prevented me from eating. For all of those who know me, you know how much of a tragedy this was for me. I missed Nana's Christmas Eve feast, I missed Aunt Barb's Christmas Day goodies and tons of family time because I was in bed for the holidays. Unlike most stomach bugs, this one did not leave in a day but basically stayed with me until Sunday. That's when my parents and I decided we would go to the doctors the next day to figure out what was wrong with me.
This was the plan before the epic snow storm that was Sunday into Monday which shut down everything. On Sunday evening, my calf began to hurt but I just thought it was a cramp due to dehydration. But when I woke up on Monday the pain was unbearable to a point where I could not walk to the bathroom. I slide all the way there on my butt which made my mom and I laugh. But we still chalked it up to dehydration. That is until my dad tried rubbing alcohol on my calf which was rock solid and swollen. Right after he saw this, he said we were going to the hospital.
Long story short, I got an ultrasound on my leg which revealed that I have a blood clot in my calf. According to the doctor this is very rare for someone my age and they do not know why or how I got the clot, but it's there. I got some blood taken and then a few medicines to thin my blood so that my own blood could fight the clot and hopefully break it down. One of these medicines is a shot I have to take in my stomach every day, which is all on my parents and gives me severe anxiety because I hateeee shots. I am also taking a medicine that my Nana takes, so as you can tell this is not something that a 23 year old should be dealing with.
There are some risks with the blood clot which obviously terrified me. He said it could possibly move up into my lung without being broken down and that could cause some serious issues. In that sense I have to look out for shortness of breathe, back aches, and pain when I breathe. He said this should not happen but they have to warn you on everything. Tomorrow I go to my regular doctor to see how the medicine is thinning my blood and if we have to change the dosage because there is a fine line as to how thin my blood should be. I'm not looking forward to this because I'm already bored of just sitting home watching tv but if it means me getting better I'm totally down.
I want to thank everyone who has already reached out to me with your well wishes. I'll have you know I'm not really a crier but every time I get something from someone I start to ball. So thanks so much for that. I figured I would start this to keep everyone updated. Maybe I'll delete the blog after this whole stupid thing is over but I figure it's the easiest way to inform everyone without sending many text messages of calling people which would end in tears.
Fingers crossed for good things.
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