Hi! How is everyone? I've been wanting to blog for the longest time, but just haven't felt up for it and have been having complications recovering lately. This trip I was accompanied by my husband Mark - he is so amazing, can't imagine going through any of this without him. He takes such wonderful care of me - cooks fantastic comfort food and does everything around the house since I'm unable to do much in my situation! As much as I want to clean or get things done, when I'm having bleeds - all I can do is sit on the couch and wait it out!
As we arrived in CO, I just wanted to go straight to Swedish and get admitted - I was feeling weak and let Mark get me in a wheelchair as soon as we walked in the hospital! Let me say that what I'll be writing, isn't me "complaining", but trying to inform maybe a fellow avm-er or family member what I go through or what to expect. I would have liked to be given the heads up on lots of things and I've sure learned alot through experience! Whenever I get home from an embolization, a registered nurse from my primary insurance calls - and a few nights ago I spoke to a new nurse, so I had to go over all the fun I'm having! She seemed impressed with everything I do in order to stay on track, but I assured her it is a team effort to help me function! I was telling her about the vitamins I take (iron, potassium, calcium), plus the clear Ensure to supplement my diet, as I can't always eat when I'm actively bleeding! Every once in a while I also have some Pedalite - like when I was on a very strong IV antibiotic that upset my digestive system.
Back to the CO trip - we head right up to Dr. Yakes office on the 4th floor and are greeted by patient coordinators JoAnn and Becky! Got put in P.A. Kelly's office right away to start the admitting process. A few minutes later, JoAnn walks in with some Chi Tea for us from the Cafe downstairs! Yummy! What a doll! It really hit the spot and it made me feel sooo good! Got put in a room right away and got settled in for the night!
I guess because my levels were so low is the reason I was so weak. Turns out my blood level and potassium level were low. I felt like my head was not attatched to my body. I couldn't put things together and Mark had to keep "filling in the blanks" of conversations I had - just couldn't remember things. I remember nothing of The People's Choice Awards show - darn!
Was given potassium and a blood transfusion through IV to get me ready for having the embolization the next day. I barely remember being taken to surgery and it seems as soon as I lay down on the surgical bed I am OUT in a few seconds! Next thing I know, I'm waking up back in my hospital room. Here's what I heard happened. Apparently, Dr. Yakes had gotten up to using 16 cc's of alcohol and realized it was affecting my heart, so he stopped @ that point. He worked on my left inner ear area, so all that is black and scabbed over - ugh! Mark hadn't seen it until this weekend - I tell him sometimes I just don't want to burden him w/every single thing I'm going through, but it is a LOT! It's a wonder I don't lose my mind between the bleeding, infection, scabbing and ear drainage.
I hear I was woken up too early from anesthesia - apparently I was irate and was put back to sleep longer. I have no recollection of any of this. I had to wear a heart monitor overnight, so I had lots of wires attached to me! Not sure what is going on w/this blog site - I'm trying to post photos, but it isn't letting me. Sorry! I'll keep trying!
Anyway, I got to see some of my favorite nurses - Dave Labadie - the original member of my "dream team" that took care of me the first time ever @ Swedish! Here he is w/another of my favorite nurses - Elizabeth! My "twilight buddy" Jill is moving to ICU - sad for me, but advantageous for their department! I need to make her a copy of my Breaking Dawn Part 1 Soundtrack from the Twilight Saga! She made me a copy of Twilight's New Moon soundtrack when she knew I didn't have it!
The day I got dismissed from Swedish, Mark and I headed to Sam's Diner (featured in the show, "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives") for breakfast! Got a photo of us outside as we were leaving because we were getting snowed on! We then headed to Barnes & Noble - I was looking for a particular book I couldn't find in Corpus Christi, and of course Colorado's B&N will carry more cross stitch magazines than our location will!
Got the car rental returned, headed to the airport and on home! I've been having some bleeds from my inside my mouth all weekend - so I've spent it all with my mouth packed in gauze! It just started bleeding spontaneously Friday night and I wasn't able to have anything to eat until about 10:00 p.m. Saturday night! By then I had tried to remove the packing several times, but kept starting to bleed. Once I had only one gauze in my mouth, I was able to "eat around it", so that is a relief!
I've still been fighting a pseudomonous and staph infection, so that has been making the left side of my jawline itchy and uncomfortable. Dr. Boynton advised me to stay on the oral Bactrim, but I feel it isn't helping. At this point, I'm just happy to not be actively bleeding.
Originally, we had hoped to take Hanz and Bella to Petsmart for their outing, but I just wasn't up for it w/the bleeds I've been having. I hope to have a decent day tomorrow - Mom will pick me up so I won't spend the day alone in case of a bleed. Mark has to work, but I have the day off. He has been cooking up a storm - so awesome! Made some salmon w/honey breaded topping the other day, along w/some acorn squash and safron rice! Had some italian cream cake from scratch for dessert! Right now food is very important to me - when I'm on steroids after an embolization, my appetite really increases! There are times though that I may be on an IV antibiotic that wipes my appetite away, and I will go the whole day w/nothing to eat but a baked potato or some broccoli w/cheese.
So, if Dr. Boynton's office is open tomorrow, I may call him to order some lab work and get a blood count on me since I've had bleeds all weekend. I may beg for some other kind of medicine to get rid of this ridiculous infection - the oral antibiotic is just not working and I don't need that distraction and discomfort on top of the bleeds! I haven't even seen anyone in my family since I've been back! I haven't felt well enough to go out to see them, although we talk or text several times a day. I'll probably see both Mom and Celia tomorrow. Celia will be going w/me on this next trip right around Valentines day!
I'm going to publish this and try and insert photos later. This blog has a new format that I can't figure out right now on how to insert a photo like I used to! Take Care!
