Summer Update

Well...it's been several months since I posted anything and then it was only a tiny part of our trip to Washington DC. I couldn't / wouldn't find the time to finish up our trip online. I let other things get in my way.

A lot has happened this summer. I've traveled to two weddings and made the rounds to see our grown married children, grand kids, parents and other family members. Something I'll never get too much of.

I've been working several hours at the hospital and have needed to cover several different areas, due to lack of employees and because of sickness. Oncology, Lab, Emergency, Main Registration, and even the Breast Center are some of the places I've been seen. I'm not sure if Arvil knew all the places that I could be picked up from. Every time he had to come get me, he had to have new instructions on how to find me and where to park. Hopefully things will get back to normal after Christmas, I say Christmas, because we have a gal going on Maternity leave really really soon. So coverage for her will begin too.

As for being sick...Knock on wood, I haven't come down with anything yet. I've been coughed on and around several positive cases of the H1N1 and even around a family member that has/had Strep. But hopefully due to getting seasonal flu shot, H1N1 shot, taking Vitamin C, Echinacea and gargling with Listerine. I'm doing good. Even though I've worked several long hours and have had my schedule changed to get up even earlier then before making less sleep for me. (I still think 4:45 am is to early to get up, yet I love getting off work by 3 PM.)

Besides work, this summer has turned into my journey to find out what can be causing my health to go downhill or up and down...

I've had a Kidney stone lodged in my ureter that was over 7mm, so that was extracted. But then a second Out Patient Procedure of Lithotripsy (shock wave therapy) was done on two more stones, 2mm to 8mm. Which turned up problems with my Blood Pressure and a racing pulse.... SO, for 2 months I was put on different blood pressure pills to bring down my pressure and try to slow my pulse. Things seem to be working there, so now I'm on daily medication. What also came from this whole episode was that I don't have gall bladder problems, but a hiatal hernia, so I'm on a new medication to help my symptoms of heartburn and such.

Next came my problems sleeping. Something that I wanted to get to the bottom of for quite some time. After going in for a polysomnogram and being wired up like a Christmas Tree. I had wires on all of my body parts, ie: Head, forehead, chin, nose, neck, heart/core, legs, ankles, fingers, since they measure, brain waves, eye movement, heart rate and rhythm, blood oxygen saturation levels, chin muscle tension and leg movements, to sleep was an extreme thought, but it did seem to happen. My findings weren't that good. I found out that I had severe sleep apnea, where my brain and breathing are compromised over 50 times an hour. So I'm now on a C-Pap machine at night to help supply oxygen to my brain and keep my air passageways open. I guess breathing isn't too overrated! Arvil says it's done wonders for my snoring, since my mouth has to be closed at all times to keep the air from just coming out my mouth that's forced up my nose. The C-pap does nothing for my looks, but does help make me sleep better and feel great.

Next I went in and had my eyes tested and new glasses were prescribed, hoping that this was the cause for some of my headaches. So far, the headaches haven't totally went away. I guess it's good that my eyes didn't change too much over the past 2 years since I got new glasses, I almost had to add Heart Attack to my medical list, since the price was over $500.00...So what could be next.

Well, Allergies. I'm going in next week to be tested for allergies that I know I have, but not sure what they are. I've had my tongue swell, causing my teeth to rub and make sores on the sides of my tongue, eyes that constantly water and itch, sneezing, shortness of breath and a tickle in my throat are just some of my symptoms. Plus I've been taking allergy medicine everyday for over a year helping to get by, instead of just being seasonal, so I want to know if there's something else I can do to relieve my symptoms. Maybe something I eat? Maybe animals? Maybe Plants, Bushes, Trees? Who knows, hopefully by Christmas I'll have everything worked out, hopefully by then I can focus on exercising to help get my weight down...something that's been climbing for the past 10 months.

I guess It's good to know that there's reasons WHY I'm feeling the way I'm feeling...It just makes me tired thinking about it all my issues...I just want to be turned into a new model of me...without all these growing old issues...At least it's worth wishing about...

Maybe 2010 will be my year for feeling great and wonderful! Here's to good health for you all! Take Care of yourselves...believe me, it's great that I have two medical health insurance policies. I couldn't have done all of this without them.