Almost out of the woods....

Well Friday I slept most of the day and was pretty much groggy all day long (probably from the sedation drugs during the surgery). When I awoke my pee hole hurt like hell and so did my back; so I had to take those dreaded Percocets (ick!). It did the purpose of alleviating the pain but I don't like the side effects of feeling like a kook (somewhat in shock from the pain), watching worthless TV and doing pretty much nothing at all. Yes, prescribed Pharmaceuticals can make you feel more lazy than smoking pot. However, they still have a purpose and we can all live peacefully together!)

I also hardly ate a thing that day; I did not have an appetite at all (tried to eat some pretzels and crackers and couldn't even stomach those). I just knew I would be dropping some more weight. I had just got my weight up to 118.5 before this surgery and was so proud of myself for that achievement. Clothes were finally starting to fit me and I could see a few curves, but still a few bones here and there (OK all over).

I just want to live my life, have fun, and do all the things I was meant to do but lately it seems all of these surgeries have really frustrated me but I know in my heart that I must keep fighting to get stronger. At times it seems I'm not getting any stronger at all and then there are days when I look at the scale and am so happy that I'm finally gaining some weight. It's been a while since I've been frustrated at the scale because I had been maintaining.

I sure was thankful to have hung out with my family last week, I will still have those hard days and then those great days. I deal with my pains in the best way that I can and just try my very best to keep on living. I have everything in the world to live for and its so worth fighting for. Oh, you already knew that about me, huh?

On Saturday (Friday sleeping all day, waking up, watching bad reality shows on painkillers) morning I awoke in a puddle of sweat, my sheets and pajamas was soaking wet. We had a few little home improvements completed that morning; now my beautiful floor is complete. My neighbor's daughter came over to see Blue Belle and we walked out back for a little game of ball. Then I had to go in to pee (been doing that a lot lately and it's not that painful = just burns a little!) I had also made my honey some breakfast, cleaned up the kitchen, swept my beautiful floor, then mopped it, completed several loads of laundry and then it hit me; I was freezing to death. I shivered and chattered my teeth and I could barely get a full breath of air with out coughing. I had to sit down and cover myself up.

I had told my husband earlier to go have some fun with his buddies at his local pub because he has go back to work on Monday. I also failed to eat much too on this day. I didn't know what to eat; I had no idea what I could stomach or even wanted to eat. I tried to eat some soup (chicken & rice), that totally nauseated me, but the little bit of crackers and pretzels were all that I could stomach and I couldn't stomach much. I drank about a quarter of a Muscle Milk and couldn't eat any more after that. The diarrhea had started but thank god it didn't last long (don't think I had much in my system to get rid of!)

I then went upstairs to lie down and my head started hurting as if I were running a high fever. I went to look for the thermometer and checked my temperature. 102.3, I checked it over and over again and it just kept getting higher. I grabbed some small towels and soaked them in cold water; 1 was wrapped around my neck and the other on my forehead. I also ran downstairs for an iced cold glass of water and 2 Extra Strength Tylenols.

My husband returned early and found me upstairs with cold compresses and not looking so good. He did everything he could to wait on me hand and foot; he even walked across the street to get me some Thera-flu Night Time Relief? so that I could konk myself out and sleep through it. He also kept changing my compresses often and bringing me more ice cold glasses of water.

Yes, Saturday night was all about getting that fever down to normal and my honey and I finally did it. We were so relieved when the reading came up at 99.3 (It was 103. 4) and that we were not spending the night in the emergency room. I was so darned stubborn; just not ready to go there just yet (my face is finally clearing up from all those antibiotics).

Well most of the night I would wake up freezing from being soaking wet in my clothes then I had a small case of severe diarrhea (painful asshole!(, the whole 9 yards. I did sleep some and the coughing had subsided but the shortness of breath remained. I utilized my Vaporizer for the butthole pain (it worked!) and then I ran downstairs and drank 3 large glasses of iced water and then konked out. I awoke again in another puddle of sweat but the fever was gone. It was 98.4!) We were both stoked! The fever is gone finally!

Well, as the morning progressed; my honey and I slept in and at around 11:15 the severe chills started up again. My teeth were chattering and I couldn't get them to stop. I didn't have the strength to move so I just laid there while my honey went downstairs to get me some more Extra Strength Tylenol to hopefully keep the fever from going up. I felt like I was freezing to death only I wasn't. He had to keep going up and down the stairs and bringing more water. I took my temperature and it was up to 100.1 and I knew it was going to keep rising and rising it did. I remember my friend Nikki calling me to check to see how I was doing and at the time I had the thermometer in my mouth and it finally beeped. The reading nearly made me fall out of the bed - It was 104, and I kept checking it over and over and over again and same thing.

This could very well have been emergency room time but I still did not want to go. Screw that! My honey went to the bathroom and brought me some cold compresses and some ice and we started to bring it down some more. I took a Motrin (600mg) in hopes that this might help too. I I did go into the bathroom and weighed myself at 111. All that hard work; gone. Well I will just have to start all over again.

My friend Nikki came over later on with her boys and helped me make a fabulous Father's Day - Brats and Cheeseburgers on the grill (I still can't eat much, but I did eat corn on the cob, potato salad that sucked, and some more pretzels and some High Calorie Tiger's Milk? Well she also helped me get my fever back down to normal by making me shaved ice, plenty of cold compresses, making sure that I was comfortable on the couch, and bringing me refills of water when needed. I just needed to eat something and I just didn't know what to eat. Everything seemed so icky and nauseating that was in my refrigerator and the cupboard. I did drink lots of water and Emergencee Vitamin C packets to keep me from getting more sick.

I don't have a whole lot of energy yet to stand up and cook for too long (sometimes my peehole hurts and sometimes its my butthole!( and would rather just have my food ready as lazy as that sounds. Sometimes I have these laziness spells and will just have to work on trying to get stronger. My honey goes back to work tomorrow and I'm on my own healing. I can do this and I also will need to start chemo soon. I had tumors on top of my right rib cage before I started the chemo last time and they kinda sorta went away and now they just resurfaced. It's my duty to talk with my oncologist tomorrow and a nutritionist who can finally help me gain weight the right way!) So much to do in this lifetime!)

It's the wrong medication...

Sunday night I managed to not get a temperature; however I tossed and turned and sweated like a pig for most of the night. I was soaking wet and my bed and sheets were wet which may have kept my temperature down since I was freezing when I awoke. Each time I woke up in the middle of the night I checked my temperature and each time it was normal which is very good. This encouraged me that perhaps I'm getting better! Finally!)

Yesterday morning I took my Cipro and then about an hour later my mouth started watering like crazy and I instantly knew what that meant. Its was that hot nasty tasting water we all so familiar with. I held my torn right side tight as I puked and puked. It even came out of my nose and I instantly felt weakened but since what had been making me sick was finally out of my system; I started to slowly improve through out the day. I ate some chicken and rice but really couldn't stomach it all that well. I had forced myself to eat and to drink.

I emailed my doctor to let him know that I puked and quite possibly puked up the Cipro. He called me back to let me know that my urine analysis results were in and the Cipro had only a 50% chance that it would cure my infections. According to the the test that drug was not at all effective on my bladder infection. It might cure my kidney but not my bladder. Cipro is a pretty heavy duty drug and this was the drug that the government was going to be stockpiling during the Anthrax scare.

My doctor explained to me that the torn muscle on my right side is actually my sore liver had cancer scraped from it. This makes some sense and that's where my liver is located. The new drug is supposed to be 100% effective and I hope to be on the road to recovery soon. The new drug is a mouthful but I call it Septra or Sulfamethoxazl/tmp .

So far I still feel nauseated but am still forcing myself to eat and to drink more; I'm up to 115lbs which is a few pounds more. Just a few more pounds here and there and I will eventually make it past 120.

I was also delighted to turn on the news and to watch the new photos of White House puppy which certainly brightened my day along with my husband and pets. Just being home with them healing makes me feel better despite everything else. I took it easy yesterday and didn't do much more than get up go to the bathroom and tried walking up and down the stairs to get myself stronger.

On Easter Sunday that nice caption was freed and those evil pirates were killed which is what they deserved for being greedy and evil. I am so proud of my country for handling this situation so well. Taking people and trading them for money is wrong and there is no need for that. Pull your own weight and do good for the world; don't take and steal from others.

Also for the first time in a few years this year we will getting a tax refund instead of paying more heavily since we are middle class! Yippee!) Even from State!

I did run a fever twice last night several hours apart and it only got up to 102. We got through them with the Extra Strength Tylenol and cold compresses. I am hoping that this new antibiotic will help stop these fevers once these infections are gone.

Today is a new day for healing. I went to see the internist today to find out what I can do about gaining some weight. He is putting in a referral for a nutritionist who can finally help me with my problem. He suggested several medications for my diarrhea and the whole deal of food going in and out so quickly and of course heartburn. After I have settled down with this new antibiotic there is another medication that I can take that can help keep me from getting more infections because of bile build up. Part of my small intestine which attaches to the colon was removed and therefore nutrition absorption is next to impossible in my situation and this medication may change that and this gives me hope. Each day is hopeful even though I get discouragement on many days; I'm still blessed to be alive!

A Severe Kidney Infection...

I awoke on Friday morning with a horrible back ache and severe nausea. I had no energy and just stayed in bed until noon. My best friend called me to check on me and didn't like the way I sounded so she called my husband to let him know I was in severe pain. I called my husband right after he had spoken with her and he came home immediately to take care of me.

We called the doctor and were able to go in a 1pm for an x-ray and then shortly after a blood test and urine sample. My husband had to push me in a wheel chair the entire time since my back was so incredibly painful; I couldn't walk. The pain level in my back was about an 8 on the scale of 1-10. It was absolutely miserable and not to mention burning like crazy when I peed.

We went up to see the doctor after the x-ray and lab work and he guessed from the lower back pain that I must have a kidney infection which can be very common in patients who are in the hospital for a prolonged amount of time. It's just one of the many bugs that are in hospitals and it could have even originated from the foley catheter being in me for nearly 2 weeks.

As I was sitting on the examination table the doctor helped me up so that he could feel my kidneys. Right when he pushed on the right side; I peed on the table just a little bit and I could feel the severe pain from the pressure. Both sides of my back hurt but mostly my right side. The doctor then sent us down to the lab for more blood cultures and a prescription for antibiotics (Cipro). He told me that we may be getting a call tomorrow to discuss results and if the best option would be to treat me inpatient or outpatient.

Well the very evening my temperature shot up to 103 and we dealt with it with cold compresses and Motrin. My honey was there by my side getting anything and everything I could possibly need. He filled up several of glasses of water and cranberry juice, medications, cold compresses, and more. I was thankful for being so thirsty as I downed 3 glasses of water and a glass of cranberry juice; then the nausea set in and I couldn't get drink another drop. This was essential in fighting my battle against this infection. I needed to drink more fluids to get this infection out of me.

It's been hard to try to be on top of the medications for pain, fever, and of course the infection and my honey has been helping me quite a bit with that. Friday and Saturday I sat motionless on the couch unable to move from the pain and being so drugged up; I just didn't want to move. My honey waited on my hand and foot and even helped me with this yeast infection medication. Now that's love!)

We received that call and indeed it was a severe kidney infection. We saw a doctor on Saturday who suggested we try to treat this at home since I had made such a miraculous comeback and even asked if we thought we could and of course any high fevers I would need to go to ER.

Well I got another 103 temperature twice last night and me being so stubborn pleaded with my husband to please not take me to the ER. I was pretty pathetic, lying on the couch freezing to death and burning up at the same time. My honey started to threaten me with taking me to the emergency room since I looked so sickly and nearly deadly as far as he was concerned. With that Blue Belle jumped up onto the couch and sat half way on my lap as if to say; "Please don't take my mommy away". My husband tried to get her off the couch, but she kept getting back on the couch; she was very, very serious. Even when he raised his voice at her and pulled her off the couch. She would jump right back up. She stayed next to me for most of the evening until Tonto got jealous.

I haven't eaten anything for 3 days and am surviving on juices; I will try my best to eat something today but not sure if I can even do it. Gotta try!) The Cipro has been coming up in my mouth and making a nauseating taste in my mouth which in turn makes all food taste sickly. I also have to take a combination of Extra Strength Tylenol for my extreme fevers and Vicodin for the severe pain in my tummy. (Pelvic, right side feels torn) - These are just the pains that I go through in a day!)

We are planning Easter Dinner with our neighbors today who love us dearly and are worried about me and my honey. This neighbor is the most amazing gourmet cook in our whole complex and we went over a few things last night to see if anything might work for me. I really do need to stuff my face (weighed in this morning at 112).

UPDATE: I had been running just a low grade fever for most of the day (100.5 - 99.8) that I should stay inside and my neighbor made the most wonderful meal in which she and her family brought over along with my husband. It felt so good to finally eat. a real meal. (blackened salmon, asparagus with hollandaise sauce, potatoes au gratin and then a strawberry pie for dessert!) It was so much better than an Ensure, soup, or smoothies!