An explanation of what's going on with me
Some of you already know about this. But for those of you who don't, I want to explain what's been up with me lately.
I am severely ill with an unknown disease of an extremely painful and debilitating nature. It started in July and has gotten progressively worse. For the last couple months, I have been so sick that my entire life has come to a near-complete standstill. Since no one can figure out what's wrong, no one knows how to treat it or what my prognosis is. I was recently in the ER for seven hours and given morphine twice, and that was very sincerely one of my better recent experiences.
American President Teddy Roosevelt was once shot in the chest right before he was scheduled to give a speech. He proceeded to give the speech anyway before seeking medical attention, because he was supposed to give that speech. I totally identify with that. If it is physically possible to go on with my life, I will. It has recently not been physically possible, so that is how serious things are.
I have not wanted to discuss this publicly for a number of reasons, but the main one is that since I don't have a diagnosis, people who are not doctors keep emailing me diagnoses and treatments. 100% of the time, these suggestions are unwanted, unhelpful, and unoriginal. (I am not telling you my exact symptoms in the probably forlorn hope of discouraging this.) If you are a doctor, feel free to email me and I will send you a complete medical history. If you are not a doctor, DO NOT GIVE ME ADVICE. (If you know more about what's going on, there are exceptions and you know what they are. If this is all you know… NO ADVICE.)
However, there has been a possibly hopeful recent development. Early on, I was treated with antibiotics for something that turned out to not be the cause of my illness. My symptoms briefly improved, and then I went on getting worse. For complicated reasons, this didn't seem significant. But I recently requested experimentally re-running the course of antibiotics, because that was the only treatment that has ever had any positive effect whatsoever. And I again had a modest improvement.
It seems that whatever I have, it responds to antibiotics. I am not a doctor, but I assume that suggests some sort of bacterial issue. And either an unusual bacteria or my symptoms are really atypical for it, because I have now seen something like 15 doctors and they have all been baffled, except for the ones who were very certain that what I really needed was a psychiatrist.
This is a very recent development, and the first real lead I've had in this entire time. I am seeing an internist tomorrow and an infectious disease specialist the day after. Hopefully they will have some ideas.
I just wanted to let you all know why all my books are late, I've been posting with uncharacteristic gloom, not responding to comments or emails (I read and appreciate them, but often don't have the energy to reply), etc. Especially since I don't know if or when this will change.
Once again, DO NOT SEND ADVICE OR DIAGNOSES UNLESS YOU ARE A DOCTOR. (Actual doctors are welcome to contact me.) Non-advice emails or comments are welcome.
Crossposted to http://rachelmanija.dreamwidth.org/1222825.html. Comment here or there.
I am severely ill with an unknown disease of an extremely painful and debilitating nature. It started in July and has gotten progressively worse. For the last couple months, I have been so sick that my entire life has come to a near-complete standstill. Since no one can figure out what's wrong, no one knows how to treat it or what my prognosis is. I was recently in the ER for seven hours and given morphine twice, and that was very sincerely one of my better recent experiences.
American President Teddy Roosevelt was once shot in the chest right before he was scheduled to give a speech. He proceeded to give the speech anyway before seeking medical attention, because he was supposed to give that speech. I totally identify with that. If it is physically possible to go on with my life, I will. It has recently not been physically possible, so that is how serious things are.
I have not wanted to discuss this publicly for a number of reasons, but the main one is that since I don't have a diagnosis, people who are not doctors keep emailing me diagnoses and treatments. 100% of the time, these suggestions are unwanted, unhelpful, and unoriginal. (I am not telling you my exact symptoms in the probably forlorn hope of discouraging this.) If you are a doctor, feel free to email me and I will send you a complete medical history. If you are not a doctor, DO NOT GIVE ME ADVICE. (If you know more about what's going on, there are exceptions and you know what they are. If this is all you know… NO ADVICE.)
However, there has been a possibly hopeful recent development. Early on, I was treated with antibiotics for something that turned out to not be the cause of my illness. My symptoms briefly improved, and then I went on getting worse. For complicated reasons, this didn't seem significant. But I recently requested experimentally re-running the course of antibiotics, because that was the only treatment that has ever had any positive effect whatsoever. And I again had a modest improvement.
It seems that whatever I have, it responds to antibiotics. I am not a doctor, but I assume that suggests some sort of bacterial issue. And either an unusual bacteria or my symptoms are really atypical for it, because I have now seen something like 15 doctors and they have all been baffled, except for the ones who were very certain that what I really needed was a psychiatrist.
This is a very recent development, and the first real lead I've had in this entire time. I am seeing an internist tomorrow and an infectious disease specialist the day after. Hopefully they will have some ideas.
I just wanted to let you all know why all my books are late, I've been posting with uncharacteristic gloom, not responding to comments or emails (I read and appreciate them, but often don't have the energy to reply), etc. Especially since I don't know if or when this will change.
Once again, DO NOT SEND ADVICE OR DIAGNOSES UNLESS YOU ARE A DOCTOR. (Actual doctors are welcome to contact me.) Non-advice emails or comments are welcome.
Crossposted to http://rachelmanija.dreamwidth.org/1222825.html. Comment here or there.