Back to Normal
Hard to believe that I haven't been on LJ (or my computer, for that matter) for almost 2 weeks. Just one of those times when RL gets extra busy. My birthday was fun - my kids decorated the kitchen like Halloween, which was a fun surprise. My daughter also made me a skull cake; considering she's only been baking and decorating for about 2 months, it was fabulous. Tasted fabulous too. Mmmm, chocolate.
Hubby gave me the LOTR extrended edition Blu-Rays, which was a surprise; I was asking for it for Christmas, so I was thrilled that it came early! I've only watched half of the first disc, but I'll be working my way through them, and also through the bonus material. I don't always watch the bonus stuff, but I like what they put on the DVDs, so I'll probably like what's on these. There was more presents, but I don't need to go into everything. Oh, wait. My kids gave me an autographed 8 x 10 of ASH (as Giles). Now, THAT I couldn't forget to mention! LOL. I have it up in my bedroom, although I took it down when my mother-in-law was here over the weekend, as I give her my bedroom to sleep in, and she might think it a bit odd. Although considering our house is full of Doctor Who, Outer Limits and Star Wars stuff, maybe she wouldn't have. Anyway, ASH is back in place now.
Monday, Oct. 3rd was a day I was looking forward to for months. It was the date of my appointment with the gastroenterologist surgeon. I was pinning my hopes on the doctor being able to do something about the constant pain in my abdomen. What a disappointment. The appointment was a disaster almost from the beginning. First off, my family doctor hadn't sent him ANY of the test results (Upper G.I. Series, Ultrasound, CT, blood work) so he had nothing to work from. Then, when I'm trying to explain my symptoms, he cuts me off and basically suggests that it's just heartburn. Um, no, sorry. Heartburn doesn't hurt so bad you gasp and double over from the pain. Heartburn doesn't last for 4 months non-stop. So then I tried to tell him about what the doctor who did the Upper G.I. Series of tests said in his report, and again he cut me off, saying that "sometimes those guys exaggerate". Why would he say that when he hadn't even SEEN the test results?! Then he does a physical exam - which lasts all of 20 seconds. After I'm dressed again, he remarks that I should take care of my "blood issues" (that would be the severe chronic anemia) before I take care of the gasto issues. Again, sorry, but no. I can't take iron for the anemia BECAUSE of the gastro issues, so until the grastro issues are taken care of my "blood issues" are going to be major. Then he tells me he'll schedule me an Endoscopy (tube down into your stomach) and an upper and lower colonoscopy. Goodbye, see you later. Hmph! So, I got to the clerk to schedule the appointments, and get two upsets. First, the earliest appt. for the colonoscopy is in six months. Second, the Endosocpy is NOT the one recommended by both my family dr. and the other specialist. That one, you are heavily sedated for the procedure which takes about 2.5 hours. The one this doc wants me to do puts a tube through you nose (not your mouth, like the regular one), does the test, which takes about 2 hours, removes that tube, then puts in another one which STAYS in for 24 hours, and they send you home, until the next day when you have to go back and have it removed. Oh, and they say while the test is "extremely uncomfortable", they use NO SEDATION OF ANY KIND. wtf! I was so upset when I left his office that I sat in my car and cried. I had really hoped that I was going to get a break from the pain after seeing this guy. Now, not only was there no break, but nothing was being done for six months, so I was going to have to continue living like this (which is no life you would want) for over half a year. I was just so damn frustrated, disappointed, and angry.
My sister called me that night and gave me the name and phone number of a gastro specialist she is seeing who does the NORMAL endosocpy (the one where you are heavily sedated). Now I have to call my doctor and tell her I want a second opinion. So, last week I was pretty upset most of the week. Then I had to cope with Thanksgiving in spite of how I felt. Which meant major cleaning (my mother-in-law believes cleanliness is next to Godliness). Still, I got it done, and I did get a lot of help with the meal prep on Sunday, so that was a godsend.
I have been immersing myself in reading, tv, movies and cross-stitch, trying to keep my mind off my health. Sometimes it even works. :
Hubby gave me the LOTR extrended edition Blu-Rays, which was a surprise; I was asking for it for Christmas, so I was thrilled that it came early! I've only watched half of the first disc, but I'll be working my way through them, and also through the bonus material. I don't always watch the bonus stuff, but I like what they put on the DVDs, so I'll probably like what's on these. There was more presents, but I don't need to go into everything. Oh, wait. My kids gave me an autographed 8 x 10 of ASH (as Giles). Now, THAT I couldn't forget to mention! LOL. I have it up in my bedroom, although I took it down when my mother-in-law was here over the weekend, as I give her my bedroom to sleep in, and she might think it a bit odd. Although considering our house is full of Doctor Who, Outer Limits and Star Wars stuff, maybe she wouldn't have. Anyway, ASH is back in place now.
Monday, Oct. 3rd was a day I was looking forward to for months. It was the date of my appointment with the gastroenterologist surgeon. I was pinning my hopes on the doctor being able to do something about the constant pain in my abdomen. What a disappointment. The appointment was a disaster almost from the beginning. First off, my family doctor hadn't sent him ANY of the test results (Upper G.I. Series, Ultrasound, CT, blood work) so he had nothing to work from. Then, when I'm trying to explain my symptoms, he cuts me off and basically suggests that it's just heartburn. Um, no, sorry. Heartburn doesn't hurt so bad you gasp and double over from the pain. Heartburn doesn't last for 4 months non-stop. So then I tried to tell him about what the doctor who did the Upper G.I. Series of tests said in his report, and again he cut me off, saying that "sometimes those guys exaggerate". Why would he say that when he hadn't even SEEN the test results?! Then he does a physical exam - which lasts all of 20 seconds. After I'm dressed again, he remarks that I should take care of my "blood issues" (that would be the severe chronic anemia) before I take care of the gasto issues. Again, sorry, but no. I can't take iron for the anemia BECAUSE of the gastro issues, so until the grastro issues are taken care of my "blood issues" are going to be major. Then he tells me he'll schedule me an Endoscopy (tube down into your stomach) and an upper and lower colonoscopy. Goodbye, see you later. Hmph! So, I got to the clerk to schedule the appointments, and get two upsets. First, the earliest appt. for the colonoscopy is in six months. Second, the Endosocpy is NOT the one recommended by both my family dr. and the other specialist. That one, you are heavily sedated for the procedure which takes about 2.5 hours. The one this doc wants me to do puts a tube through you nose (not your mouth, like the regular one), does the test, which takes about 2 hours, removes that tube, then puts in another one which STAYS in for 24 hours, and they send you home, until the next day when you have to go back and have it removed. Oh, and they say while the test is "extremely uncomfortable", they use NO SEDATION OF ANY KIND. wtf! I was so upset when I left his office that I sat in my car and cried. I had really hoped that I was going to get a break from the pain after seeing this guy. Now, not only was there no break, but nothing was being done for six months, so I was going to have to continue living like this (which is no life you would want) for over half a year. I was just so damn frustrated, disappointed, and angry.
My sister called me that night and gave me the name and phone number of a gastro specialist she is seeing who does the NORMAL endosocpy (the one where you are heavily sedated). Now I have to call my doctor and tell her I want a second opinion. So, last week I was pretty upset most of the week. Then I had to cope with Thanksgiving in spite of how I felt. Which meant major cleaning (my mother-in-law believes cleanliness is next to Godliness). Still, I got it done, and I did get a lot of help with the meal prep on Sunday, so that was a godsend.
I have been immersing myself in reading, tv, movies and cross-stitch, trying to keep my mind off my health. Sometimes it even works. :