Found this site today and thought I would share...
http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/fullmovie.php
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Friday, December 07, 2007
Round 2
Continuing from yesterdays rant...
This past year has been awful from a medical standpoint. I mean, I know how to handle medical issues. I have been a diabetic since I was 13 - in excess of 30 years now. I have taken up to three shots a day, spent more time in a doctors office than I care to remember and have done relatively well over the years! Began using the insulin pump about 4 years ago and honestly that was the best thing that had ever happened. No more shots!
I say all of this to stress that I am not incapable of handling medical issues. I am quite competent. Until this year.
It all started when I was with Tanker for his shoulder surgery. I was talking with my sister on the phone and she noticed that I was slurring my speech. Checked my blood sugar because this is one of the issues I have with a low but all was well. Tanker took me to the emergency room and they hooked me up to all kinds of machines, ran several blood tests and determined...well, not much. They weren't sure, didn't think it was a stroke but suggested that I check with my doc when I got home. My main concern was this was really the second episode that I had had with stroke like symptoms. (The previous one was about a year prior.)
So...I drive home and start looking for a new doc. I was ready for a new diabetic doctor anyway and quite honestly could not stand the possibility that I may just get patted on the head and told to head home from the family practitioner I had been seeing.
New doc was great...listened to me and most importantly did not pat me on the head. He suggested that we have an MRI done just to check things out. Two days later I get a call from his nurse saying there were some "abnormalities" on the MRI and they wanted me to see a Neurologist. Fortunately, they were able to get me in really quickly (aren't cancellations wonderful!!??!!) because I have a very active imagination and had all kinds of things going through my brain.
Neurologist says he believes it is MS but we should wait through the summer, redo the MRI and do a spinal tap. WOW...I knew absolutely nothing about MS so I began reading. And everything that had happened seemed to fall in line with what I was told to expect.
Waited through the summer. Saw the diabetic doc during this time and both he and nurse said that was what they thought. Said the six legions they saw on my brain was the worse he had seen. So, I was working through this and getting my head around what this meant now and for in the future.
Had another MRI done and then went to see the Neurologist in the early fall. Tanker was home on leave so he went with me. Now this doc thinks it is TIA's (mini strokes) and not MS. Now don't get me wrong...I am grateful. But I guess my whole problem with this is I had figured out in my mind how I was going to be able to handle the progression of MS while by myself until Tanker comes home permanently. Now it is mini strokes. Whole different ball game. How do I handle this by myself? And this doc put me on Plavix and basically sent me home. No suggestion that I stop smoking (even though I had but hadn't told the doc that), no talk of any other lifestyle changes I can make. When I asked what to do if I have any more episodes...he told me to check my blood sugar (totally agree...good plan) and then call either him or the diabetic doc. WHAT? Shouldn't we call 911 or at least go to the emergency room?
So...now I am working to wrap myself around this diagnosis. I am scared to death to get behind the wheel of a car and am thankful that Bonnie Blue is driving. Just finally started going back to the gym this week. Hate the drive but I am hopeful the exercise will outweigh my fear.
Heading back to the diabetic doc in about 12 days. This will be the first time that I will see him since the change in diagnosis. Need to see if he thinks I am crazy for wanting a second opinion. Also, having strange feelings in my right thigh. Not quite the falling asleep feeling like I get in my feet and hands. More of a burning sensation. My guess is Diabetic Neuropathy. And the beat goes on...
This past year has been awful from a medical standpoint. I mean, I know how to handle medical issues. I have been a diabetic since I was 13 - in excess of 30 years now. I have taken up to three shots a day, spent more time in a doctors office than I care to remember and have done relatively well over the years! Began using the insulin pump about 4 years ago and honestly that was the best thing that had ever happened. No more shots!
I say all of this to stress that I am not incapable of handling medical issues. I am quite competent. Until this year.
It all started when I was with Tanker for his shoulder surgery. I was talking with my sister on the phone and she noticed that I was slurring my speech. Checked my blood sugar because this is one of the issues I have with a low but all was well. Tanker took me to the emergency room and they hooked me up to all kinds of machines, ran several blood tests and determined...well, not much. They weren't sure, didn't think it was a stroke but suggested that I check with my doc when I got home. My main concern was this was really the second episode that I had had with stroke like symptoms. (The previous one was about a year prior.)
So...I drive home and start looking for a new doc. I was ready for a new diabetic doctor anyway and quite honestly could not stand the possibility that I may just get patted on the head and told to head home from the family practitioner I had been seeing.
New doc was great...listened to me and most importantly did not pat me on the head. He suggested that we have an MRI done just to check things out. Two days later I get a call from his nurse saying there were some "abnormalities" on the MRI and they wanted me to see a Neurologist. Fortunately, they were able to get me in really quickly (aren't cancellations wonderful!!??!!) because I have a very active imagination and had all kinds of things going through my brain.
Neurologist says he believes it is MS but we should wait through the summer, redo the MRI and do a spinal tap. WOW...I knew absolutely nothing about MS so I began reading. And everything that had happened seemed to fall in line with what I was told to expect.
Waited through the summer. Saw the diabetic doc during this time and both he and nurse said that was what they thought. Said the six legions they saw on my brain was the worse he had seen. So, I was working through this and getting my head around what this meant now and for in the future.
Had another MRI done and then went to see the Neurologist in the early fall. Tanker was home on leave so he went with me. Now this doc thinks it is TIA's (mini strokes) and not MS. Now don't get me wrong...I am grateful. But I guess my whole problem with this is I had figured out in my mind how I was going to be able to handle the progression of MS while by myself until Tanker comes home permanently. Now it is mini strokes. Whole different ball game. How do I handle this by myself? And this doc put me on Plavix and basically sent me home. No suggestion that I stop smoking (even though I had but hadn't told the doc that), no talk of any other lifestyle changes I can make. When I asked what to do if I have any more episodes...he told me to check my blood sugar (totally agree...good plan) and then call either him or the diabetic doc. WHAT? Shouldn't we call 911 or at least go to the emergency room?
So...now I am working to wrap myself around this diagnosis. I am scared to death to get behind the wheel of a car and am thankful that Bonnie Blue is driving. Just finally started going back to the gym this week. Hate the drive but I am hopeful the exercise will outweigh my fear.
Heading back to the diabetic doc in about 12 days. This will be the first time that I will see him since the change in diagnosis. Need to see if he thinks I am crazy for wanting a second opinion. Also, having strange feelings in my right thigh. Not quite the falling asleep feeling like I get in my feet and hands. More of a burning sensation. My guess is Diabetic Neuropathy. And the beat goes on...
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Safe place to vent...
Since I have been so bad with blogging and the only one who reads this even occasionally is Ms. Smitten, I thought this might be a good place to vent. Wow...this past year has really sucked. There have been good things that have happened but overall 2007 has really been a challenge for me and I am hoping that I am able to do whatever is necessary to make 2008 better.
Have I said lately how much I hate where we live? And I have stayed here so that at least one of my kids has a normal upbringing without being drug all over the country! She graduates in May so once she is settled in college next fall, I will be in a better position to go to be with Tanker and get away from here. The funny thing about this whole situation is that he has been told he will not be able to extend his orders past next November. So now he is working on what he will do when he comes back home (he doesn't want to go back to driving a big truck)...so...that puts me back in small town USA. WOOHOO!!!
I have just had one too many situations in the past few months where people that I thought I could count on have let me down. UGH...don't ask me what you can do to help, agree to do something when I ask, and then not follow through. I guess this is just another learning experience.
There have been too many medical situations this past year that I have become very comfortable not leaving the house. I know this is part of my problem...I need to get out more. The sad thing is that I get out to go to church (Sunday AM, Sunday PM, and Wednesday PM) and this is the only place where I have contact with anyone. And there is where I find the disappointment. I know that Christians are human too but there is something that makes the disappointment even greater when it is done by folks who claim to be Christian. Enough...for now!
Have I said lately how much I hate where we live? And I have stayed here so that at least one of my kids has a normal upbringing without being drug all over the country! She graduates in May so once she is settled in college next fall, I will be in a better position to go to be with Tanker and get away from here. The funny thing about this whole situation is that he has been told he will not be able to extend his orders past next November. So now he is working on what he will do when he comes back home (he doesn't want to go back to driving a big truck)...so...that puts me back in small town USA. WOOHOO!!!
I have just had one too many situations in the past few months where people that I thought I could count on have let me down. UGH...don't ask me what you can do to help, agree to do something when I ask, and then not follow through. I guess this is just another learning experience.
There have been too many medical situations this past year that I have become very comfortable not leaving the house. I know this is part of my problem...I need to get out more. The sad thing is that I get out to go to church (Sunday AM, Sunday PM, and Wednesday PM) and this is the only place where I have contact with anyone. And there is where I find the disappointment. I know that Christians are human too but there is something that makes the disappointment even greater when it is done by folks who claim to be Christian. Enough...for now!
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