I'm ready for all my kids to be healthy at the same time...okay, I'm ready for everyone to be healthy at the same time!
It has been a roller coaster of illness around here, but thankfully, none of it has been influenza.
Emmett has still been grumpy, especially since his antibiotic ran out, which made me wonder if he needed to be seen again.
Then Harrison woke up this morning and told me it hurt really bad when he breathed in an out. Yay!
I didn't think it was anything super serious, but when your 14 year old is telling you the pain level is an 8 or 9 when they are laying down, you begin to wonder what is going on.
When Shane came home, he wondered if maybe Harrison needed to have his back adjusted, but the pain was coming in waves, so I wondered.
In the end, I ended up taking him to the doctor Shane and I go to, since the pediatrician was 100% booked, and he would have to be seen in the night clinic. I didn't want to wait that long.
Our doctor thought he might have pleurisy, which is an inflammation of the lining of the lung. He prescribed him prednisone, which is a steroid. Common practice.
So, we went and got the prescription filled. Since you are supposed to take it with food, we stopped at home and got some food to eat. I guess the pills look like chewables because Harrison chewed the pill. Blech! Of course that worried me because I knew you weren't supposed to chew them, so I called the pharmacist and found out that although super nasty tasting, it shouldn't be harmful (although he didn't recommend chewing them anymore...lol).
Anyway, then I had a few errands to run, and then the thought occurred to me that I should take Harrison to our chiropractor and just make sure that there wasn't a rib out that was causing the pain.
Off to the chiropractor we went. Nothing was out on the front, but when he had Harrison turn over, there was a rib out. So, he adjusted him, did another adjustment, and presto change-o, the pain was immediately gone.
Since we were there, the chiropractor adjusted Emmett too, so hopefully his ear will drain and he will be happy again! After he got adjusted and we were back in the car, Emmett was humming in the back seat. I think because he could hear again!
After this experience I always think to myself, why didn't I start at the chiropractor and go from there?! It would have saved me money. Oh well.
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Monday, February 9, 2015
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Follow Up
A few days after the ER visit, I took Emmett to his follow up with our pediatrician. I had all the kids with me, and Harrison was still having an extremely bad sore throat, so when the doctor asked how everyone was doing, I told him about Harrison and how he still wasn't doing better.
Here is what I found out:
The doctor told me that teenagers can get a micoplasma infection that can cause a severe sore throat that won't go away. So he put Harrison on a zpac. Before he was even finished with the antibiotic (that you only take for five days) his sore throat was completely gone. Hallelujah! To be honest, I questioned the other doctor's assessment that Harrison might have mono, for the main reason that he just wasn't tired enough. With mono, it doesn't matter if you want to be awake, you seriously just sleep, all day and night, and it still isn't enough.
Anyway, glad that was taken care of.
Now on to Emmett.
When I saw Emmett's xray it looked very similar to the xray he ended up with last year when they told me he also had pneumonia, and then the pediatrician really felt like he had RSV because of what the xray looked like.
Well, we knew he didn't have RSV because that test came back negative, but when our doctor listened to Emmett's lungs at his appointment three days later, they sounded clear. Based on the xray, he felt that Emmett had a different virus, that is actually worse than RSV, but shows up on an xray as very similar to RSV. So, we are very blessed that it didn't affect his breathing worse and have to be hospitalized.
By the time he had his follow up appointment, the retracted breathing was all gone, and his respirations per minute were back to normal. So, those are all really good things.
Even though he ended up probably not needing to go to the ER, I am still glad that I took him. I always feel like the ER is a double edged sword. You don't want anything to be really wrong, but when it is, you feel justified for making the trip...but you hate that something was wrong. If nothing is wrong, that is wonderful, but you feel like you just wasted a ton of money going to the ER.
In Emmett's case though, he really was sick, and how bad would I have felt if I didn't go and he ended up not breathing and dying because I was too stubborn to take him in? Yep, I would much rather pay the ER bill and have peace of mind in knowing that I did everything I could as a parent to help him be as healthy as possible.
Here is what I found out:
The doctor told me that teenagers can get a micoplasma infection that can cause a severe sore throat that won't go away. So he put Harrison on a zpac. Before he was even finished with the antibiotic (that you only take for five days) his sore throat was completely gone. Hallelujah! To be honest, I questioned the other doctor's assessment that Harrison might have mono, for the main reason that he just wasn't tired enough. With mono, it doesn't matter if you want to be awake, you seriously just sleep, all day and night, and it still isn't enough.
Anyway, glad that was taken care of.
Now on to Emmett.
When I saw Emmett's xray it looked very similar to the xray he ended up with last year when they told me he also had pneumonia, and then the pediatrician really felt like he had RSV because of what the xray looked like.
Well, we knew he didn't have RSV because that test came back negative, but when our doctor listened to Emmett's lungs at his appointment three days later, they sounded clear. Based on the xray, he felt that Emmett had a different virus, that is actually worse than RSV, but shows up on an xray as very similar to RSV. So, we are very blessed that it didn't affect his breathing worse and have to be hospitalized.
By the time he had his follow up appointment, the retracted breathing was all gone, and his respirations per minute were back to normal. So, those are all really good things.
Even though he ended up probably not needing to go to the ER, I am still glad that I took him. I always feel like the ER is a double edged sword. You don't want anything to be really wrong, but when it is, you feel justified for making the trip...but you hate that something was wrong. If nothing is wrong, that is wonderful, but you feel like you just wasted a ton of money going to the ER.
In Emmett's case though, he really was sick, and how bad would I have felt if I didn't go and he ended up not breathing and dying because I was too stubborn to take him in? Yep, I would much rather pay the ER bill and have peace of mind in knowing that I did everything I could as a parent to help him be as healthy as possible.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
A whole lot of crazy going on...
So, this last week has kind of been a blur, and this next week, is kind of starting out as a blur. A blur of coping. Seriously.
Last week, Harrison was diagnosed with mono. Yay. I feel bad for the kid. Although, I think as far as mono goes, he has a pretty mild case, thank goodness.
We went and talked to our financial advisor, and had a good meeting. Of course, this meeting took place on the same day as the day that Harrison informed me that his throat hurt bad enough that he didn't think he'd be able to concentrate in school.
So, that was fun.
Then, because his throat hurt bad enough, the pediatrician said that he felt that Harrison should stay home for the rest of the week. Which, he's old enough, so as far as that goes, not a big deal. Still, I always get a little anxiety when my kids miss school, because I always worry about the work that they are going to have to make up.
About the same time, Emmett started having a cough. The cough started to gradually get worse, but nothing big. Nothing big enough to cause me concern, but merely hope that it didn't turn into croup. Well, fast forward to today. Last night, I started noticing that Emmett was retracting while he breathed (in other words, when he breathed the muscles in between his ribs sucked in.) He was starting to use his whole stomach to breathe. Of course this concerned me, but he didn't seem to be struggling, he wasn't coughing THAT bad, and he was happy, energetic, and like his usual little self. I thought, hmm, maybe his cold is getting worse...I hope it doesn't turn croupy.
Well...last night, he woke up and had a coughing fit. I almost took him to the E R right then. I still wondered if it was croup though, so we tried sitting in the bathroom with him while the shower was on hot and steamy. It didn't help really. Maybe a little.
Shane gave him a blessing and I felt ok about waiting until the morning. He had stopped wheezing, and it seemed like his breathing had calmed down.
Well, Hazel and I went to church in the morning, and Shane stayed home with the boys. I kept feeling uneasy about Emmett, so we left a little early and came home. I called the pediatrician and then waited to hear back from him. By this time, Emmett had a little mild grunt at the end of each breath, but still, he was running around, playing with his toys, not lethargic in any way shape or form. I looked at his ribs, and the retraction was worse, plus the little grunts...
The pediatrician called back and recommended giving him a nebulizer treatment. Emmett's respirations were at 42 breaths per minute, which is higher than they like, so he told us to count his respirations again 10 minutes after the treatment and if they were 40 or higher he wanted us to call him again. Well, ten minutes after he was at 42 breaths per minute, 20 minutes after he was at 48. So, we called the pediatrician again. When he called back, we talked for a few minutes, and then told me that his main concern was that Emmett wasn't getting enough oxygen and possibly becoming hypoxic. So, I took him to the ER. (We have a pulse oximeter, which is probably one of the best things we have ever bought, but Emmett is too little for it to read on him.)
At the ER his oxygen level was okay. 90/91. That's not great, but usually if it's sitting at 90 they are okay with that unless it appears like the child is struggling to breathe. After evaluating him, they discovered that he has an ear infection, and after an x ray found out that he has pneumonia. The RSV test came back negative.
Sometimes when a child gets pneumonia they will hospitalize them, but because Emmett was doing well, they felt good about sending him home and giving him an antibiotic, and having us give him breathing treatments.
So, hopefully Emmett will improve. He supposed to be seen about Tuesday or Wednesday as a follow up.
I am so grateful that he is okay enough that he doesn't have to be in the hospital.
Last week, Harrison was diagnosed with mono. Yay. I feel bad for the kid. Although, I think as far as mono goes, he has a pretty mild case, thank goodness.
We went and talked to our financial advisor, and had a good meeting. Of course, this meeting took place on the same day as the day that Harrison informed me that his throat hurt bad enough that he didn't think he'd be able to concentrate in school.
So, that was fun.
Then, because his throat hurt bad enough, the pediatrician said that he felt that Harrison should stay home for the rest of the week. Which, he's old enough, so as far as that goes, not a big deal. Still, I always get a little anxiety when my kids miss school, because I always worry about the work that they are going to have to make up.
About the same time, Emmett started having a cough. The cough started to gradually get worse, but nothing big. Nothing big enough to cause me concern, but merely hope that it didn't turn into croup. Well, fast forward to today. Last night, I started noticing that Emmett was retracting while he breathed (in other words, when he breathed the muscles in between his ribs sucked in.) He was starting to use his whole stomach to breathe. Of course this concerned me, but he didn't seem to be struggling, he wasn't coughing THAT bad, and he was happy, energetic, and like his usual little self. I thought, hmm, maybe his cold is getting worse...I hope it doesn't turn croupy.
Well...last night, he woke up and had a coughing fit. I almost took him to the E R right then. I still wondered if it was croup though, so we tried sitting in the bathroom with him while the shower was on hot and steamy. It didn't help really. Maybe a little.
Shane gave him a blessing and I felt ok about waiting until the morning. He had stopped wheezing, and it seemed like his breathing had calmed down.
Well, Hazel and I went to church in the morning, and Shane stayed home with the boys. I kept feeling uneasy about Emmett, so we left a little early and came home. I called the pediatrician and then waited to hear back from him. By this time, Emmett had a little mild grunt at the end of each breath, but still, he was running around, playing with his toys, not lethargic in any way shape or form. I looked at his ribs, and the retraction was worse, plus the little grunts...
The pediatrician called back and recommended giving him a nebulizer treatment. Emmett's respirations were at 42 breaths per minute, which is higher than they like, so he told us to count his respirations again 10 minutes after the treatment and if they were 40 or higher he wanted us to call him again. Well, ten minutes after he was at 42 breaths per minute, 20 minutes after he was at 48. So, we called the pediatrician again. When he called back, we talked for a few minutes, and then told me that his main concern was that Emmett wasn't getting enough oxygen and possibly becoming hypoxic. So, I took him to the ER. (We have a pulse oximeter, which is probably one of the best things we have ever bought, but Emmett is too little for it to read on him.)
At the ER his oxygen level was okay. 90/91. That's not great, but usually if it's sitting at 90 they are okay with that unless it appears like the child is struggling to breathe. After evaluating him, they discovered that he has an ear infection, and after an x ray found out that he has pneumonia. The RSV test came back negative.
Sometimes when a child gets pneumonia they will hospitalize them, but because Emmett was doing well, they felt good about sending him home and giving him an antibiotic, and having us give him breathing treatments.
So, hopefully Emmett will improve. He supposed to be seen about Tuesday or Wednesday as a follow up.
I am so grateful that he is okay enough that he doesn't have to be in the hospital.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Surgeries, Health, and Music
My world has been a bit eclectic lately, so I felt like the title fit well.
It's kind of interesting to post something about surgery, especially the surgery I am getting prepared to have. Prior to getting pregnant with Jeffrey I had a diagnostic lap surgery where they were going to remove a growth from my uterus. Before that I had struggled for seven years to get pregnant at all. I got pregnant once in that time, but I miscarried. It was a rough time. When I had that surgery it was discovered that I had endometriosis. BAD endometriosis. It was stage 3 which is one of the higher levels of endometriosis. Knowing what I know now, I realize what a miracle it was that I became pregnant with Harrison and Hazel at all. I consider it a huge blessing that I didn't feel or experience the level of pain that most women feel with this condition.
So, during that surgery, they cleaned out the endometriosis the best they could. My cycles after I had Jeffrey were heavy but not bad, and more regular than they had been for a long time. This would probably explain why I was able to become pregnant with Emmett and had him when Jeffrey was 17 months old.
Well, now things are terrible again. The hormones, the mood swings, the PMS, the bleeding, the cramps, etc... etc... it is awful. Every time my period comes, is not a great thing. It's hard on me, it's hard on my family, and I am always relieved when it goes away again.
We decided that it was time. So I am preparing to have a hysterectomy. I am having it done all laparascopic which I think is pretty cool. The doctor I go to specializes in doing this type of procedure and was trained by one of the best surgeons in the country. He is also very fast. I asked him how long he thought it would take and he told me the hysterectomy portion would probably take an hour.
I know that probably sounds like a long time to people who have never assisted on surgery, but I've assisted on lots of hysterectomies and that's super fast! Even a surgeon who is really good at doing vaginal hysterectomies usually takes 2-2 1/2 hours.
Laparascopic surgeries usually take longer anyway, because they are being done with a scope. So, an hour is pretty amazing.
Of course, I will be having my endometriosis cleaned out as well, so that will probably add another hour to the surgical time.
I feel at peace with it. That among many other things lets me know it is a good choice to make.
I think I wrote previously about how my CMT (charcot-marie-toothe) syndrome is getting worse. I am sure that eventually I will have to get an official diagnosis from a neurologist just to say that yes, it has been scientifically diagnosed, but it is quite obvious that I have an active form of it. I have been trying to keep the muscles I have working, especially in my hands, but my right hand has really been acting up lately. My fingers kind of spasm and wont' move correctly.
That makes me kind of sad, but, oh well. It is something I will have to get used to dealing with.
At least I can always enjoy music with my ears or even memories at the very least.
And with that, here is one of my favorite songs, Absolutely breathtaking, sung by Alfie Boe. I hope you will take the time to listen.
It's kind of interesting to post something about surgery, especially the surgery I am getting prepared to have. Prior to getting pregnant with Jeffrey I had a diagnostic lap surgery where they were going to remove a growth from my uterus. Before that I had struggled for seven years to get pregnant at all. I got pregnant once in that time, but I miscarried. It was a rough time. When I had that surgery it was discovered that I had endometriosis. BAD endometriosis. It was stage 3 which is one of the higher levels of endometriosis. Knowing what I know now, I realize what a miracle it was that I became pregnant with Harrison and Hazel at all. I consider it a huge blessing that I didn't feel or experience the level of pain that most women feel with this condition.
So, during that surgery, they cleaned out the endometriosis the best they could. My cycles after I had Jeffrey were heavy but not bad, and more regular than they had been for a long time. This would probably explain why I was able to become pregnant with Emmett and had him when Jeffrey was 17 months old.
Well, now things are terrible again. The hormones, the mood swings, the PMS, the bleeding, the cramps, etc... etc... it is awful. Every time my period comes, is not a great thing. It's hard on me, it's hard on my family, and I am always relieved when it goes away again.
We decided that it was time. So I am preparing to have a hysterectomy. I am having it done all laparascopic which I think is pretty cool. The doctor I go to specializes in doing this type of procedure and was trained by one of the best surgeons in the country. He is also very fast. I asked him how long he thought it would take and he told me the hysterectomy portion would probably take an hour.
I know that probably sounds like a long time to people who have never assisted on surgery, but I've assisted on lots of hysterectomies and that's super fast! Even a surgeon who is really good at doing vaginal hysterectomies usually takes 2-2 1/2 hours.
Laparascopic surgeries usually take longer anyway, because they are being done with a scope. So, an hour is pretty amazing.
Of course, I will be having my endometriosis cleaned out as well, so that will probably add another hour to the surgical time.
I feel at peace with it. That among many other things lets me know it is a good choice to make.
I think I wrote previously about how my CMT (charcot-marie-toothe) syndrome is getting worse. I am sure that eventually I will have to get an official diagnosis from a neurologist just to say that yes, it has been scientifically diagnosed, but it is quite obvious that I have an active form of it. I have been trying to keep the muscles I have working, especially in my hands, but my right hand has really been acting up lately. My fingers kind of spasm and wont' move correctly.
That makes me kind of sad, but, oh well. It is something I will have to get used to dealing with.
At least I can always enjoy music with my ears or even memories at the very least.
And with that, here is one of my favorite songs, Absolutely breathtaking, sung by Alfie Boe. I hope you will take the time to listen.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Surgery
Jeffrey is scheduled for another surgery. This will make number two for him. Our other kids (not including Emmett) had each had a surgery by this point in time, but for getting tubes in their ears. Jeffrey decides to be more interesting and have odd cysts form.
The first surgery was on his eyebrow about a year ago. Everyone started asking me if he had a black eye, and that was when I realized there really was a cyst there. He has deep set eyes anyway, but the cyst really made it look like he had run into something or someone had hit him.
He was young, but the cyst had gotten bigger, and you don't want that to affect their eyesight, so that was one big reason why we had it removed.
Then, about a month ago, he had a cold virus. He was really sick, complaining about his tummy, and that had me worried, because he was also throwing up for more than a day, and lethargic. The pediatrician was concerned about him as well, and even had me watching for certain things to rule out appendicitis. (Our family has a tendency to get appendicitis, especially juvenile.) Thankfully, it wasn't appendicitis.
Anyway, when I took Emmett for his 15 month checkup it happened to be the day after all of that, and the pediatrician wanted me to bring him in for a follow up since I was coming in anyway. Jeffrey was feeling much better, but still not 100%. That is one thing about kids with lots of energy, you ALWAYS know when they don't feel well, because they stop moving!
While we were there, Jeffrey was being silly and sitting on the floor and he stretched his neck. That is when I really noticed a lump in the hollow of his neck (or sternal notch, if you want to get technical). The pediatrician felt it, and said to watch it for a week, and if it was still there after a week, he wanted to see him again, because if it was still there, he would need to be seen by a general surgeon.
It was still there, so off to the general surgeon we went. The general surgeon told us that normally, on an adult he would biopsy it and see if it was something to be worried about, but on a child as young as Jeffrey, it's safer to just remove it surgically. (I agreed with him 100%). He told us he felt that it was something that should be removed, because of the location and size. At this point in time, they suspect that it is a lymph node, but they won't really know until it is removed and tested. Because they suspect it is a lymph node, that is another reason they feel it should be removed, because there is the possibility of it getting larger and obstructing his airway if he ever got sick and the lymph node became inflamed.
I did ask the doctor if it was possible that Jeffrey is prone to getting these types of cysts. He told me that considering his history, it is possible. So, it could be a lymph node, but it could be a cyst. The same type of cyst that he had before, but in a different location.
Never a dull moment in our home!
The first surgery was on his eyebrow about a year ago. Everyone started asking me if he had a black eye, and that was when I realized there really was a cyst there. He has deep set eyes anyway, but the cyst really made it look like he had run into something or someone had hit him.
He was young, but the cyst had gotten bigger, and you don't want that to affect their eyesight, so that was one big reason why we had it removed.
Then, about a month ago, he had a cold virus. He was really sick, complaining about his tummy, and that had me worried, because he was also throwing up for more than a day, and lethargic. The pediatrician was concerned about him as well, and even had me watching for certain things to rule out appendicitis. (Our family has a tendency to get appendicitis, especially juvenile.) Thankfully, it wasn't appendicitis.
Anyway, when I took Emmett for his 15 month checkup it happened to be the day after all of that, and the pediatrician wanted me to bring him in for a follow up since I was coming in anyway. Jeffrey was feeling much better, but still not 100%. That is one thing about kids with lots of energy, you ALWAYS know when they don't feel well, because they stop moving!
While we were there, Jeffrey was being silly and sitting on the floor and he stretched his neck. That is when I really noticed a lump in the hollow of his neck (or sternal notch, if you want to get technical). The pediatrician felt it, and said to watch it for a week, and if it was still there after a week, he wanted to see him again, because if it was still there, he would need to be seen by a general surgeon.
It was still there, so off to the general surgeon we went. The general surgeon told us that normally, on an adult he would biopsy it and see if it was something to be worried about, but on a child as young as Jeffrey, it's safer to just remove it surgically. (I agreed with him 100%). He told us he felt that it was something that should be removed, because of the location and size. At this point in time, they suspect that it is a lymph node, but they won't really know until it is removed and tested. Because they suspect it is a lymph node, that is another reason they feel it should be removed, because there is the possibility of it getting larger and obstructing his airway if he ever got sick and the lymph node became inflamed.
I did ask the doctor if it was possible that Jeffrey is prone to getting these types of cysts. He told me that considering his history, it is possible. So, it could be a lymph node, but it could be a cyst. The same type of cyst that he had before, but in a different location.
Never a dull moment in our home!
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
My Venting of Hospital Bills
A while ago we got a bill saying our payment was late. We have multiple bills combined together so that we just have one medical bill payment, and then we have the payment automatically taken out of our account. This is great when it works....except when it doesn't.
We kept getting a bill telling us that we hadn't paid. Baffled, Shane called the billing service. He was told that our money had been paying, but to an account that was paid in full. Logically, my brain thought, so why doesn't the money just go to the next bill in line?
No no, my friends, that would be TOO EASY!! No. It is not set up like that with this medical billing service. Once the bill is paid, it just keeps paying to that account until you realize it isn't paying down the amount. Then YOU have to call and tell them to switch it to the next account. Because, I know, like you, I have nothing else to do but call about bills all the time. It's so fun!
Now, counter that with a different hospital system...
We had to go to a hospital in a different system, we also had multiple bills, and we got a letter in the mail, telling us... "We noticed that you have multiple bills from our facility. To make it easier for you we combined all the bills together so you only have one payment until they are paid off. If you would like us not to do this please call..."
WOW.
So much easier!
I wish our other billing thing did the same thing. It's such a headache.
We kept getting a bill telling us that we hadn't paid. Baffled, Shane called the billing service. He was told that our money had been paying, but to an account that was paid in full. Logically, my brain thought, so why doesn't the money just go to the next bill in line?
No no, my friends, that would be TOO EASY!! No. It is not set up like that with this medical billing service. Once the bill is paid, it just keeps paying to that account until you realize it isn't paying down the amount. Then YOU have to call and tell them to switch it to the next account. Because, I know, like you, I have nothing else to do but call about bills all the time. It's so fun!
Now, counter that with a different hospital system...
We had to go to a hospital in a different system, we also had multiple bills, and we got a letter in the mail, telling us... "We noticed that you have multiple bills from our facility. To make it easier for you we combined all the bills together so you only have one payment until they are paid off. If you would like us not to do this please call..."
WOW.
So much easier!
I wish our other billing thing did the same thing. It's such a headache.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
6 Day Blur
It's been an interesting few days. It seems like longer than it's been too. Last Wednesday I started to get sick...quite suddenly. It kept me from going to Hazel's school celebration of learning, which I kind of felt bad about...except I was sick enough that all I wanted to do was lay in bed.
I kind of felt a little bit better on Thursday and then Friday happened. I really didn't feel great, but somehow I managed to go to the pediatrician twice in one day. Once for Hazel, once for Harrison... (more on that later...). By the end of the day, I felt awful, and wondered why I hadn't just let Shane take them. I was sick enough that Shane stayed home from work. He usually works Fridays just as an extra day anyway, but yeah...
Saturday...sick
Sunday...sick
Monday...sick
Today....recovering but so exhausted! I feel like I ran a marathon...although, I haven't ever ran a marathon before so I can't really say that that is how I feel, but I've swam distance before...so, yes, I feel like I just swam distance at a swim meet. Jelly legs, wobbly, tired, yeah...
I'm trying really hard to be good and not do anything too tiring, but watching two toddler boys play seems to be tiring enough. :)
I am trying to motivate myself and tell myself that I am doing great. Compared to two days ago, I am. I am doing awesome!
I am also hoping that working tomorrow won't cause me to relapse... but it will probably help me be super tired when I get home.
One thing that getting this sick always does for me, is reminds me of how grateful I should be when I am healthy.
I kind of felt a little bit better on Thursday and then Friday happened. I really didn't feel great, but somehow I managed to go to the pediatrician twice in one day. Once for Hazel, once for Harrison... (more on that later...). By the end of the day, I felt awful, and wondered why I hadn't just let Shane take them. I was sick enough that Shane stayed home from work. He usually works Fridays just as an extra day anyway, but yeah...
Saturday...sick
Sunday...sick
Monday...sick
Today....recovering but so exhausted! I feel like I ran a marathon...although, I haven't ever ran a marathon before so I can't really say that that is how I feel, but I've swam distance before...so, yes, I feel like I just swam distance at a swim meet. Jelly legs, wobbly, tired, yeah...
I'm trying really hard to be good and not do anything too tiring, but watching two toddler boys play seems to be tiring enough. :)
I am trying to motivate myself and tell myself that I am doing great. Compared to two days ago, I am. I am doing awesome!
I am also hoping that working tomorrow won't cause me to relapse... but it will probably help me be super tired when I get home.
One thing that getting this sick always does for me, is reminds me of how grateful I should be when I am healthy.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Another thing to think about....
I feel like all things medical have come to a head this year. Well, I guess this has just been the year for them to become a real thing to worry about. Of course, I tend to have medical things every year. Hmmm.... I was hoping this year would be different, but it's not heading out that way.
So, back when Hazel was a littlie, she didn't want to walk. In fact, she didn't show any desire or inclination until she was about 16 months old. I remember specifically talking to the pediatrician about it, but at that point in time they weren't too concerned about it.
Shortly after that conversation, she started walking. It was always somewhat of a struggle though. Then, unlike most little kids that go quickly from walking to running, she never really did. I remember watching her and wondering about it, but then just figured it might be something she would grow out of. Still, walking and running have always been something that have been hard for her.
Well, now she's 10. She still has an interesting gait to her walk, and her run is...unique to say the least. These in an of themselves aren't the concern, its HOW she walks, and HOW she runs. I can't describe it...but I'll try... imagine trying to run without using your hips. You stiffen your hip joint and use the rest of your leg. For those in dance, color guard, etc...it is described as a jazz run. That is what she does.
So, she has an appointment with the pediatrician to get a referral to a specialist, so we can see if there is something wrong, preventing her from using her entire leg the way she should, or it it's just the way she is.
Worst case scenario, it will be something she has to have surgery to fix...best case scenario, it will be nothing but the worry of an overattentive mother. :)
So, back when Hazel was a littlie, she didn't want to walk. In fact, she didn't show any desire or inclination until she was about 16 months old. I remember specifically talking to the pediatrician about it, but at that point in time they weren't too concerned about it.
Shortly after that conversation, she started walking. It was always somewhat of a struggle though. Then, unlike most little kids that go quickly from walking to running, she never really did. I remember watching her and wondering about it, but then just figured it might be something she would grow out of. Still, walking and running have always been something that have been hard for her.
Well, now she's 10. She still has an interesting gait to her walk, and her run is...unique to say the least. These in an of themselves aren't the concern, its HOW she walks, and HOW she runs. I can't describe it...but I'll try... imagine trying to run without using your hips. You stiffen your hip joint and use the rest of your leg. For those in dance, color guard, etc...it is described as a jazz run. That is what she does.
So, she has an appointment with the pediatrician to get a referral to a specialist, so we can see if there is something wrong, preventing her from using her entire leg the way she should, or it it's just the way she is.
Worst case scenario, it will be something she has to have surgery to fix...best case scenario, it will be nothing but the worry of an overattentive mother. :)
Monday, April 28, 2014
Feeling Relief
I had my doctor visit with the surgeon today. I think it went well. After discussing what was going on and then having another exam, he really felt like for the time being, things were ok and I don't have cancer. That is a relief.
So, I am supposed to watch it. Do an exam each month, and note if there are any changes or not. Keep a record of it. Changes include: pain, skin change (color, texture, etc...), discharge that is a color other than white, if the mass gets larger, or becomes hard.
The hope is that it will go down, get smaller, and disappear. Because of it's size and shape, the doctor felt that it was a milk duct that hasn't gone down because it's plugged/blocked. If that's the case, eventually the milk in it should reabsorb.
However, that being said, if it changes in the opposite way, I need to go back and see him again. He really doesn't think that will happen, but you never know. The symptoms that I have right now, he really didn't feel like warranted having an MRI done, but if I had really pushed for it, he would have scheduled one. (Pushed as in....just asking and saying I would like one scheduled.) He really didn't feel like it was necessary though. So, I decided it wasn't necessary.
The reasons I decided it wasn't necessary....of course a big one was because the surgeon didn't think it was necessary. He has a lot more experience with this than me. He has seen a lot more unusual things then I can even possibly imagine, and he did part of his training at a breast cancer center.
Here are my other reasons:
1. It's shape
2. It's mobile (which is a big sign that it's not cancerous)
3. The skin
4. It's location
5. No pain
6. It can't be seen on ultrasound. (I know that some breast cancers can't be seen via ultrasound, but they usually have other characteristics that I don't have, so that's encouraging.)
Because he felt it involved a milk duct, he really didn't want to do a needle biopsy. He felt the risk for it causing a fistula was higher than the risk of it being done and showing something abnormal. So, I was spared that.
If I still have it in six months, I'm supposed to have another ultrasound done, and be evaluated again.
So, I admit, it is a tentative relief, but it is a relief still the same.
So, I am supposed to watch it. Do an exam each month, and note if there are any changes or not. Keep a record of it. Changes include: pain, skin change (color, texture, etc...), discharge that is a color other than white, if the mass gets larger, or becomes hard.
The hope is that it will go down, get smaller, and disappear. Because of it's size and shape, the doctor felt that it was a milk duct that hasn't gone down because it's plugged/blocked. If that's the case, eventually the milk in it should reabsorb.
However, that being said, if it changes in the opposite way, I need to go back and see him again. He really doesn't think that will happen, but you never know. The symptoms that I have right now, he really didn't feel like warranted having an MRI done, but if I had really pushed for it, he would have scheduled one. (Pushed as in....just asking and saying I would like one scheduled.) He really didn't feel like it was necessary though. So, I decided it wasn't necessary.
The reasons I decided it wasn't necessary....of course a big one was because the surgeon didn't think it was necessary. He has a lot more experience with this than me. He has seen a lot more unusual things then I can even possibly imagine, and he did part of his training at a breast cancer center.
Here are my other reasons:
1. It's shape
2. It's mobile (which is a big sign that it's not cancerous)
3. The skin
4. It's location
5. No pain
6. It can't be seen on ultrasound. (I know that some breast cancers can't be seen via ultrasound, but they usually have other characteristics that I don't have, so that's encouraging.)
Because he felt it involved a milk duct, he really didn't want to do a needle biopsy. He felt the risk for it causing a fistula was higher than the risk of it being done and showing something abnormal. So, I was spared that.
If I still have it in six months, I'm supposed to have another ultrasound done, and be evaluated again.
So, I admit, it is a tentative relief, but it is a relief still the same.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
An Interesting Thought
So, I have about 5 books I am reading right now simultaneously. I know that seems kind of nuts, but most of them are non-fiction, spiritual, improving yourself, type books. The way my thought process works, I have to read it in chunks. I can't just sit down and read through the book. This is thinking material!
Anyway, one of the books is "Choose Higher Ground" by Henry B Eyring.
At one spot in the book, where he is talking about increasing our faith, he makes what I felt was an interesting point.
He wrote: "Great faith has a short shelf life."
I think too often we gain a testimony and then just let it sit. Just like a muscle that goes unused atrophies and becomes weak, so can our testimony if we don't constantly nourish it.
Then, when we need to rely on that strong testimony...it isn't there, and our faith crumbles.
I've thought about that a lot this week.
It's been interesting how many people have told me to "have faith and everything will be all right."
What does that mean to you?
I do have faith, and I do have trust, but rather than put a stipulation on it, I put that faith and trust in the Lord. Sometimes, things aren't "all right" sometimes, we have to go through sorrow, pain, illness, loss, etc... because there is something that we need to learn, that won't come any other way. Sometimes, that is the very experience that strengthens our faith and intensifies our determination to follow the Lord.
Instead of thinking, "please let everything be all right" I find myself thinking "please help me to be strong and willing to go through what I need to. Please help me to be calm and at peace with the things that I need to deal with...and help me learn what I need to from this experience."
I'm not perfect at doing this...but, when I find myself feeling a little anxious or scared, I think, "I have faith in the Lord's plan for me." The fear leaves, and I feel comforted.
Anyway, one of the books is "Choose Higher Ground" by Henry B Eyring.
At one spot in the book, where he is talking about increasing our faith, he makes what I felt was an interesting point.
He wrote: "Great faith has a short shelf life."
I think too often we gain a testimony and then just let it sit. Just like a muscle that goes unused atrophies and becomes weak, so can our testimony if we don't constantly nourish it.
Then, when we need to rely on that strong testimony...it isn't there, and our faith crumbles.
I've thought about that a lot this week.
It's been interesting how many people have told me to "have faith and everything will be all right."
What does that mean to you?
I do have faith, and I do have trust, but rather than put a stipulation on it, I put that faith and trust in the Lord. Sometimes, things aren't "all right" sometimes, we have to go through sorrow, pain, illness, loss, etc... because there is something that we need to learn, that won't come any other way. Sometimes, that is the very experience that strengthens our faith and intensifies our determination to follow the Lord.
Instead of thinking, "please let everything be all right" I find myself thinking "please help me to be strong and willing to go through what I need to. Please help me to be calm and at peace with the things that I need to deal with...and help me learn what I need to from this experience."
I'm not perfect at doing this...but, when I find myself feeling a little anxious or scared, I think, "I have faith in the Lord's plan for me." The fear leaves, and I feel comforted.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Still In The Woods...For The Moment
Yesterday I got a phone call from my gyn's office. They left a message that went something like this: "Hi, we were just wondering how your appointment with the surgeon went, and what he thought." Not, "Hi, please call us so we can give you the results of your ultrasound..." or some other message.
So, I called them back. I asked them what the radiologist thought from the ultrasound.
Nothing.
Everything looked normal on the ultrasound.
I should have felt enormous relief, like a huge weight had been lifted...but I didn't. I felt ill at ease, like something was wrong. Like something was missed.
So, me being the curious person I am, I did a little more research. (In addition to what I have already done.) What I found wasn't overly comforting. Mainly because, there is something going on. Is is something to be worried about? I don't know. I don't know why the ultrasound didn't detect anything.
What I found out? It could still be something. It could still be something big and bad, or it could be just nothing to worry about.
For a little while I was wondering if I should cancel my appointment with the surgeon, but then decided that it would be good to get a second opinion from someone who deals with these issues all the time. Once I firmly decided that, I felt peace. I felt a huge relief, and I felt that weight lift. So, to me, that means that that is the next step and what needs to happen.
My appointment with them is on Monday. I'll keep you posted.
So, I called them back. I asked them what the radiologist thought from the ultrasound.
Nothing.
Everything looked normal on the ultrasound.
I should have felt enormous relief, like a huge weight had been lifted...but I didn't. I felt ill at ease, like something was wrong. Like something was missed.
So, me being the curious person I am, I did a little more research. (In addition to what I have already done.) What I found wasn't overly comforting. Mainly because, there is something going on. Is is something to be worried about? I don't know. I don't know why the ultrasound didn't detect anything.
What I found out? It could still be something. It could still be something big and bad, or it could be just nothing to worry about.
For a little while I was wondering if I should cancel my appointment with the surgeon, but then decided that it would be good to get a second opinion from someone who deals with these issues all the time. Once I firmly decided that, I felt peace. I felt a huge relief, and I felt that weight lift. So, to me, that means that that is the next step and what needs to happen.
My appointment with them is on Monday. I'll keep you posted.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Ultrasound
I've decided ultrasounds are only great when you are pregnant and you know that everything is going well with your baby.
I'm not pregnant.
Today I had my ultrasound. I think it took about 10-15 minutes tops for them to do. It's a fairly small area to cover though, so that's not really surprising.
They won't send the results until tomorrow, so who knows when I'll know what the results say... maybe Wednesday? I'll definitely find out at my appointment next Monday!
It's been interesting today though. Since my appointment on Wednesday, I really haven't felt any anxiety or fear or anything...mostly calm and mostly peace.
Now, it's all becoming more real. I don't really feel fear, just a desire to know what the radiologist thinks. Since I've never had an ultrasound of this area before it's kind of hard to say what I saw. I honestly only have a vague idea. There was "something" but as to whether it's anything to be overly worried about, I have no idea.
So, we'll see I suppose.
I'm not pregnant.
Today I had my ultrasound. I think it took about 10-15 minutes tops for them to do. It's a fairly small area to cover though, so that's not really surprising.
They won't send the results until tomorrow, so who knows when I'll know what the results say... maybe Wednesday? I'll definitely find out at my appointment next Monday!
It's been interesting today though. Since my appointment on Wednesday, I really haven't felt any anxiety or fear or anything...mostly calm and mostly peace.
Now, it's all becoming more real. I don't really feel fear, just a desire to know what the radiologist thinks. Since I've never had an ultrasound of this area before it's kind of hard to say what I saw. I honestly only have a vague idea. There was "something" but as to whether it's anything to be overly worried about, I have no idea.
So, we'll see I suppose.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
A Partial History
Back in January I got a recorded message from my GYN's office saying that I needed to schedule an appointment for my annual exam. I remember thinking it was weird because it hadn't been a year. Still, a few weeks later I called, and made an appointment with the PA since they could see me a lot sooner than my doctor since I wasn't pregnant, or have some life concern.
Well, when I went to my appointment and they did the breast exam they found a spot of dense tissue. They weren't too concerned because I had only recently stopped breastfeeding a month before, but they did tell me that if it didn't go away, or it changed, that I needed to be be seen again.
I kind of put it out of my mind then until Sunday. Sunday I did an exam and still felt the odd dense area and felt like it had changed a little, so on Monday I made an appointment with my GYN. For something like this they got me an appointment for today. (My doctor only has clinic days on Monday and Wednesday.)
Well, today I had my appointment. My doctor confirmed that yes, there is something unusual there, and for lack of a better word, it is described as a mass.
Monday I get to have an ultrasound to see if they can see more specifically what is going on. It might just be a spot of unusual tissue but nothing to worry about...of course, it might not.
Then, the following Monday I have an appointment with one of the doctors I used to work with. He's done surgery on me before, and this is definitely his scope of practice, so anyway...the appointment is a consult, that could possibly turn into a surgical consult, depending on what is or isn't seen on the ultrasound.
Shane gave me a blessing on Sunday. I was told to be calm and at peace. I was told that the Lord was aware of me and my situation, and that we are given experiences in this life to help us learn. Initially in my mind I thought, that doesn't give me peace! I want this problem to be gone now! :)
Still...I have trust in the Lord. I know that if I am supposed to experience this on all levels, then that is what will happen, if that is what needs to happen in order for me to learn what I need to. So, right now it is kind of weird. I feel calm, but it is like a calm that has a roiling undertow underneath it. As long as I have faith and trust in the Lord, I feel peace, but at the same time I feel an undercurrent of fear that could take over as soon as I stop trusting, as soon as I begin to doubt.
Right now, of course there is the unknown. I will know a lot more in two weeks. It may be a lot more than I want to know, and at the same time, it may be welcome news and a relief.
My advice for the day? Make sure you stay current on your yearly physicals. Who knows how long this would have been undetected if I hadn't made that appointment. With something like this, you never know if it's nothing, until it's been evaluated. The hard thing to know, is that it could always be something. It's one of those times where they tell you to ALWAYS get it checked out. It might just be a cyst, but it might not. It might just be some weird growth, or it might not. You just don't know.
Well, when I went to my appointment and they did the breast exam they found a spot of dense tissue. They weren't too concerned because I had only recently stopped breastfeeding a month before, but they did tell me that if it didn't go away, or it changed, that I needed to be be seen again.
I kind of put it out of my mind then until Sunday. Sunday I did an exam and still felt the odd dense area and felt like it had changed a little, so on Monday I made an appointment with my GYN. For something like this they got me an appointment for today. (My doctor only has clinic days on Monday and Wednesday.)
Well, today I had my appointment. My doctor confirmed that yes, there is something unusual there, and for lack of a better word, it is described as a mass.
Monday I get to have an ultrasound to see if they can see more specifically what is going on. It might just be a spot of unusual tissue but nothing to worry about...of course, it might not.
Then, the following Monday I have an appointment with one of the doctors I used to work with. He's done surgery on me before, and this is definitely his scope of practice, so anyway...the appointment is a consult, that could possibly turn into a surgical consult, depending on what is or isn't seen on the ultrasound.
Shane gave me a blessing on Sunday. I was told to be calm and at peace. I was told that the Lord was aware of me and my situation, and that we are given experiences in this life to help us learn. Initially in my mind I thought, that doesn't give me peace! I want this problem to be gone now! :)
Still...I have trust in the Lord. I know that if I am supposed to experience this on all levels, then that is what will happen, if that is what needs to happen in order for me to learn what I need to. So, right now it is kind of weird. I feel calm, but it is like a calm that has a roiling undertow underneath it. As long as I have faith and trust in the Lord, I feel peace, but at the same time I feel an undercurrent of fear that could take over as soon as I stop trusting, as soon as I begin to doubt.
Right now, of course there is the unknown. I will know a lot more in two weeks. It may be a lot more than I want to know, and at the same time, it may be welcome news and a relief.
My advice for the day? Make sure you stay current on your yearly physicals. Who knows how long this would have been undetected if I hadn't made that appointment. With something like this, you never know if it's nothing, until it's been evaluated. The hard thing to know, is that it could always be something. It's one of those times where they tell you to ALWAYS get it checked out. It might just be a cyst, but it might not. It might just be some weird growth, or it might not. You just don't know.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Tired
Well, we took Jeffrey to the doctor again today. After observing Jeffrey, talking to us, and checking his oxygen level, he told us that he really felt like what Jeffrey has is viral, or in other words, RSV. He showed us the x-rays that were taken on Sunday, showed us the areas of concern, and then told us that it looked like viral pneumonia, not bacterial, but that the antibiotics Jeffrey had been on, had probably helped his ears, which had been starting to bug him, so it was good he got on antibiotics anyway.
His oxygen level was lower, but still good, and because his energy level is still okay, we should be glad that he is doing as well as he is. They gave him a breathing treatment at the office to see if it would help his retraction when breathing... I guess it helped a little, but boy did Jeffrey HATE it! Which is interesting, because usually once he figures out that it doesn't hurt, he doesn't care. This he fought the entire time it was on!
So, hopefully, this is as bad as it gets and he will start to improve.
My ear is still plugged but not as bad, so hopefully it will continue to get better and I will be able to hear without feeling like I am in a bubble.
We gave my kids a snow day today, because the roads were bad, it was snowing, and then I was worried about Jeffrey, and Hazel "didn't feel well" (even though I think she was really fine, she was just being a turkey).
And I'm tired. Shane's tired. I just want there to be health again in our home. I just want to feel better, and have Jeffrey return to his normal happy go lucky self.
Still, as with all things, I guess you have to experience the bad to appreciate the good, and boy does this make me appreciate feeling good! I keep telling myself, "Remember what that felt like? Feeling good? Let's get healthy and feel that way again!!"
Another interesting thing to read about is all my friends that are having or have had babies like in the past week or so. It just blows me away! Then it hits me that I only have 6-8 weeks myself! Where did the time go? Oh right, I spent the last month feeling sicko and mostly in bed. :)
I so hope that everyone in my family is healthy when Emmett is born. Please please please...
His oxygen level was lower, but still good, and because his energy level is still okay, we should be glad that he is doing as well as he is. They gave him a breathing treatment at the office to see if it would help his retraction when breathing... I guess it helped a little, but boy did Jeffrey HATE it! Which is interesting, because usually once he figures out that it doesn't hurt, he doesn't care. This he fought the entire time it was on!
So, hopefully, this is as bad as it gets and he will start to improve.
My ear is still plugged but not as bad, so hopefully it will continue to get better and I will be able to hear without feeling like I am in a bubble.
We gave my kids a snow day today, because the roads were bad, it was snowing, and then I was worried about Jeffrey, and Hazel "didn't feel well" (even though I think she was really fine, she was just being a turkey).
And I'm tired. Shane's tired. I just want there to be health again in our home. I just want to feel better, and have Jeffrey return to his normal happy go lucky self.
Still, as with all things, I guess you have to experience the bad to appreciate the good, and boy does this make me appreciate feeling good! I keep telling myself, "Remember what that felt like? Feeling good? Let's get healthy and feel that way again!!"
Another interesting thing to read about is all my friends that are having or have had babies like in the past week or so. It just blows me away! Then it hits me that I only have 6-8 weeks myself! Where did the time go? Oh right, I spent the last month feeling sicko and mostly in bed. :)
I so hope that everyone in my family is healthy when Emmett is born. Please please please...
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Not So Good
So, today has been interesting... I tend to be a little overprotective of my kids health. So, this time I decided to just chill and not instantly worry. Jeffrey has had a cough, we'd been to the doctor a couple times, and he still had a cough. And, yeah, my "mommy radar" was starting to go up a little.
Then today happened... He was fussy, irritable, breathing wasn't horrible but not great, coughing, didn't want to eat or drink anything, and I began to be a little more worried, but wondered if he would be okay until tomorrow, when we could take him to his pediatrician.
Finally, I called our doctor and talked to him on the phone. I told him what Jeffrey had been experiencing and how he was behaving, and he told me to take him to the hospital and have him checked for pneumonia. So we did. He has pneumonia. *sigh*
Still, on the plus side, his oxygen level wasn't bad enough to need extra oxygen, or to be admitted. He was given a shot, some zithromax, and a prescription for another antibiotic that we start him on tomorrow. If his breathing gets worse we're supposed to take him back in.
I'm am hoping that it doesn't get worse.
Then today happened... He was fussy, irritable, breathing wasn't horrible but not great, coughing, didn't want to eat or drink anything, and I began to be a little more worried, but wondered if he would be okay until tomorrow, when we could take him to his pediatrician.
Finally, I called our doctor and talked to him on the phone. I told him what Jeffrey had been experiencing and how he was behaving, and he told me to take him to the hospital and have him checked for pneumonia. So we did. He has pneumonia. *sigh*
Still, on the plus side, his oxygen level wasn't bad enough to need extra oxygen, or to be admitted. He was given a shot, some zithromax, and a prescription for another antibiotic that we start him on tomorrow. If his breathing gets worse we're supposed to take him back in.
I'm am hoping that it doesn't get worse.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Today
So, a little update on me, I guess... My illness is finally starting to get a little better. I haven't had to have nebulizer treatments for a few days now, which has been nice. I'm still congested a little, and there's some stuffiness in my ears, but my cough is starting to lessen a little too... so, it has been nice to not be AS sick as I have been.
I've been trying to tell myself that it's okay to be healthy, and we can be healthy and not sick! It seems to be helping. The brain is a powerful thing.
I still have our humidifier going, and I put essential oils in it, usually peppermint, which helps with the congestion, and also hopefully getting rid of the nasty bugs in the air!
Jeffrey is still fighting the same yuckiness, and got a mild fever and increased cough, but he still seems to be doing okay.
The rest of my family is healthy! Which I am so grateful and glad about!!
I'm sure some of you are wondering why I haven't been using my essential oils more... well, essential oils are great, and they are very helpful, but sometimes you have to have extra help. Plus, when you are pregnant you have to be very careful with the essential oils you use, just like any type of medication.
Even then, they're not a cure-all. I tend to use them more with things that doctors wouldn't be able to help me with anyway. Like if I get a cold, or to prevent a cold, a cough, a fever, muscle aches and spasms, migraines (which I still use other stuff for too) and other illnesses. Sometimes using the essential oils prevents a secondary infection, like sinusitis, or strep, but sometimes it doesn't. I don't mess around with strep, or pneumonia, or other things like that. I go to the doctor!
So, this past little while, when I would wake up and feel like I was drowning because I couldn't breathe, I knew it was time to go to the doctor! I even went back two days later when what I was doing wasn't helping enough.
I tend to use homeopathic things when I'm told there's nothing else I can do. I don't like it when I'm told that, and I try to find things that help, even a little. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. I don't see the harm in trying it. I could write numerous examples of all the things we've tried and how they've helped. Of course, I'm sure I've already written a lot of them on here in the past, so I won't bore you with that again. :)
I am so glad to even be feeling a little bit better though! I hope it continues!!
I've been trying to tell myself that it's okay to be healthy, and we can be healthy and not sick! It seems to be helping. The brain is a powerful thing.
I still have our humidifier going, and I put essential oils in it, usually peppermint, which helps with the congestion, and also hopefully getting rid of the nasty bugs in the air!
Jeffrey is still fighting the same yuckiness, and got a mild fever and increased cough, but he still seems to be doing okay.
The rest of my family is healthy! Which I am so grateful and glad about!!
I'm sure some of you are wondering why I haven't been using my essential oils more... well, essential oils are great, and they are very helpful, but sometimes you have to have extra help. Plus, when you are pregnant you have to be very careful with the essential oils you use, just like any type of medication.
Even then, they're not a cure-all. I tend to use them more with things that doctors wouldn't be able to help me with anyway. Like if I get a cold, or to prevent a cold, a cough, a fever, muscle aches and spasms, migraines (which I still use other stuff for too) and other illnesses. Sometimes using the essential oils prevents a secondary infection, like sinusitis, or strep, but sometimes it doesn't. I don't mess around with strep, or pneumonia, or other things like that. I go to the doctor!
So, this past little while, when I would wake up and feel like I was drowning because I couldn't breathe, I knew it was time to go to the doctor! I even went back two days later when what I was doing wasn't helping enough.
I tend to use homeopathic things when I'm told there's nothing else I can do. I don't like it when I'm told that, and I try to find things that help, even a little. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. I don't see the harm in trying it. I could write numerous examples of all the things we've tried and how they've helped. Of course, I'm sure I've already written a lot of them on here in the past, so I won't bore you with that again. :)
I am so glad to even be feeling a little bit better though! I hope it continues!!
Monday, January 21, 2013
Breathe III
So, today I called my OB's office just to give them an update, and to see if they felt it was necessary for me to be seen, since my blood pressure seemed to be creeping up today.
They told me they felt like I needed to be seen by my regular doctor first, because the inhaler/steroid combo wasn't completely doing the trick, or my blood pressure wouldn't be going up so high. That and they could tell I sounded wheezy just by talking to me on the phone.
So, I get to go back to my regular doctor this afternoon, and I am guessing they will put me on nebulizer treatments. Hopefully that will do the trick! Hopefully that is all I need. Emmett seems to be doing okay, and moving around, so I am hoping it will stay that way.
This all makes me think about when I was pregnant with Harrison. I don't have pneumonia, like I ended up having with him, but still... When I was pregnant with him I got pneumonia, got put on oxygen, and breathing treatments and was hospitalized for about a week until they felt like I was stable enough to go home. I keep hoping that doesn't happen this time!
Thankfully, if they do put me on a nebulizer, we'll just need the medication and some of the disposable supplies, since we have a nebulizer that we ended up getting when Harrison and Hazel were little and would get super bad croup all the time.
*sigh*
I am just so ready to feel better! Still, in all of this I am very grateful that we have access to the medical care we do.
They told me they felt like I needed to be seen by my regular doctor first, because the inhaler/steroid combo wasn't completely doing the trick, or my blood pressure wouldn't be going up so high. That and they could tell I sounded wheezy just by talking to me on the phone.
So, I get to go back to my regular doctor this afternoon, and I am guessing they will put me on nebulizer treatments. Hopefully that will do the trick! Hopefully that is all I need. Emmett seems to be doing okay, and moving around, so I am hoping it will stay that way.
This all makes me think about when I was pregnant with Harrison. I don't have pneumonia, like I ended up having with him, but still... When I was pregnant with him I got pneumonia, got put on oxygen, and breathing treatments and was hospitalized for about a week until they felt like I was stable enough to go home. I keep hoping that doesn't happen this time!
Thankfully, if they do put me on a nebulizer, we'll just need the medication and some of the disposable supplies, since we have a nebulizer that we ended up getting when Harrison and Hazel were little and would get super bad croup all the time.
*sigh*
I am just so ready to feel better! Still, in all of this I am very grateful that we have access to the medical care we do.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Breathe II
After a horrible night last night, where I felt like I was suffocating and couldn't get enough air... (I think I slept two complete hours in a row), today I went to the doctor. I had to see a doctor I don't normally go to, but it was either that or the ER and I really didn't want to pay an ER bill.
Anyway, he told me to absolutely start my second z-pac today, and also prescribed an albuterol inhaler and some prednisone for me to take by mouth. When he listened to my lungs he concurred that there was a lot of wheezing going on, and that he had seen a lot of people with this particular illness where the breathing had bronchospasms. Which basically means that your body is acting like it has asthma even though it doesn't.
The albuterol and prednisone have definitely helped. I don't feel like I am trying to breathe through a straw anymore.
I am glad that even with all the wheezing, my oxygen level was still really good, and my heartrate was really good too. My blood pressure was pretty high, but I think that's because I was really anxious as to what they would find out.
So, hopefully I am on the mend will continue to feel better here on out.
Anyway, he told me to absolutely start my second z-pac today, and also prescribed an albuterol inhaler and some prednisone for me to take by mouth. When he listened to my lungs he concurred that there was a lot of wheezing going on, and that he had seen a lot of people with this particular illness where the breathing had bronchospasms. Which basically means that your body is acting like it has asthma even though it doesn't.
The albuterol and prednisone have definitely helped. I don't feel like I am trying to breathe through a straw anymore.
I am glad that even with all the wheezing, my oxygen level was still really good, and my heartrate was really good too. My blood pressure was pretty high, but I think that's because I was really anxious as to what they would find out.
So, hopefully I am on the mend will continue to feel better here on out.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Breathe
Today I am grateful for good health... I am grateful for that, because it is something I'm not really experiencing right now!
A few weeks ago...hmm...I think it was right after Christmas time, Jeffrey and I got a nasty cold. His automatically had a cough attached... mine just had a lot of kleenex usage involved... I helped temper it by using essential oils, but I still got sinusitis.
Tomorrow I start my second round of zithromax. Zithromax isn't something they typically like to give to people for sinusitis, because it doesn't stay in the system long enough, but since I am allergic to almost every other family of antibiotics, they have to prescribe it to me.
This is one of the huge reasons why I try to get the infections and things to not even start by using essential oils when I first get a virus.
I did start to feel better almost immediately after starting the first round...but then, whether because I got a different cold with similar symptoms or what, the drainage slowly started returning, and now I have a lovely cough too, and I've lost my voice, and basically just feel yucko.
My OB doctor knows about it though, so I am definitely keeping tabs with him, and tonight I finally got the humidifier out...or I guess I should say, Shane got the humidifier out, and hopefully that will help too.
My last monthly OB visit was on Wednesday, and everything sounded and measured fine. Now I start having appointments every two weeks! At my next visit they will do another ultrasound.
I went and saw my chiropractor today too. Hopefully that will boost my immune system enough to get rid of this nasty cold! Apparently being adjusted can boost your immune system up to 50%. That and now my hips and ankle don't hurt. So there you go. The joys of getting older. :)
A few weeks ago...hmm...I think it was right after Christmas time, Jeffrey and I got a nasty cold. His automatically had a cough attached... mine just had a lot of kleenex usage involved... I helped temper it by using essential oils, but I still got sinusitis.
Tomorrow I start my second round of zithromax. Zithromax isn't something they typically like to give to people for sinusitis, because it doesn't stay in the system long enough, but since I am allergic to almost every other family of antibiotics, they have to prescribe it to me.
This is one of the huge reasons why I try to get the infections and things to not even start by using essential oils when I first get a virus.
I did start to feel better almost immediately after starting the first round...but then, whether because I got a different cold with similar symptoms or what, the drainage slowly started returning, and now I have a lovely cough too, and I've lost my voice, and basically just feel yucko.
My OB doctor knows about it though, so I am definitely keeping tabs with him, and tonight I finally got the humidifier out...or I guess I should say, Shane got the humidifier out, and hopefully that will help too.
My last monthly OB visit was on Wednesday, and everything sounded and measured fine. Now I start having appointments every two weeks! At my next visit they will do another ultrasound.
I went and saw my chiropractor today too. Hopefully that will boost my immune system enough to get rid of this nasty cold! Apparently being adjusted can boost your immune system up to 50%. That and now my hips and ankle don't hurt. So there you go. The joys of getting older. :)
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Whoosh!
So, apparently this cold has kicked my butt more than I realized. Today was the day that I decided it had been long enough for my body to figure out if it was going to get rid of the sinus gunk with just essential oils (which it has done before) or if it needed the added kick in the pants from an antibiotic.
It was also the day I took Jeffrey back to the doctor since it had been almost 2 weeks since he first started fighting the same cold. So, he's on an antibiotic too.
Hopefully we will begin to see an improvement!
Anyway, the doctor appointment was in the morning, and Shane asked me if I needed him to come with me. I told him we would be fine, and that he could go to bed.
Apparently I didn't take into account that my body seems to need extra help right now since I have zero energy and as Shane likes to tell me "You're GROWING A BABY." Needless to say, by the end of our doctor visit excursion, I was wiped out, and Jeffrey was rearing to go since he got a short nap in the car.
Still, I have survived, Shane is up now, and I am resting! Yay!
It was also the day I took Jeffrey back to the doctor since it had been almost 2 weeks since he first started fighting the same cold. So, he's on an antibiotic too.
Hopefully we will begin to see an improvement!
Anyway, the doctor appointment was in the morning, and Shane asked me if I needed him to come with me. I told him we would be fine, and that he could go to bed.
Apparently I didn't take into account that my body seems to need extra help right now since I have zero energy and as Shane likes to tell me "You're GROWING A BABY." Needless to say, by the end of our doctor visit excursion, I was wiped out, and Jeffrey was rearing to go since he got a short nap in the car.
Still, I have survived, Shane is up now, and I am resting! Yay!
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