How's your health? (physical/emotional) > Likes and Comments
I lost 3 lbs in the past 2 days, by not eating anything but pineapple jello and only drinking clear fluids. Sound like a familiar 'diet'? Yeah, I had my first colonoscopy today. They found a small polyp and sent it to be tested, but told me it most likely was nothing to worry about. I have had the non-invasive Cologuard test before but I wanted to have a colonoscopy to be sure there was nothing going on that Cologuard can't detect.After the procedure, my nose started running. Today is supposed to be the worst day for pollen, etc, all of which I am allergic to. Even though I took a decongestant and some allergy medicine, I have been blowing my nose for 6 hours.
Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "I lost 3 lbs in the past 2 days, by not eating anything but pineapple jello and only drinking clear fluids. Sound like a familiar 'diet'? Yeah, I had my first colostomy today. They found a small po..."I think you mean colonoscopy. Colostomy is a very different thing.
I didn’t know there was such a thing as pineapple jello. I have never seen it before.
I never realized until just now how similar colostomy and colonoscopy sound kind of similar.That is smart AnnE to get on top of that stuff!
AnnE kudos ! I am trying to avoid mine !! ha ha ha
Nancy wrote: "Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "I lost 3 lbs in the past 2 days, by not eating anything but pineapple jello and only drinking clear fluids. Sound like a familiar 'diet'? Yeah, I had my first colostomy today..."You're right, Nancy. I know the difference between the two. I don't know why I wrote colostomy.
As for the runny nose, it turned out to be my first head cold in years.
I think the pineapple jello is actually Walmart brand. It was the only pineapple jello anywhere, and that is the flavor I wanted.
"Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "As for the runny nose, it turned out to be my first head cold in years."Funny thing, I have my first head cold in several years too. People appear to be finally relaxing enough about Covid to infect each other with other viruses as well. Lovely.
Fishface wrote: ""Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "As for the runny nose, it turned out to be my first head cold in years."Funny thing, I have my first head cold in several years too. People appear to be finally relaxing e..."
Not my husband, he is the hand washing and hand sanitizer police.
Nancy wrote: "Fishface wrote: ""Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "As for the runny nose, it turned out to be my first head cold in years."Funny thing, I have my first head cold in several years too. People appear to be f..."
I have hand sanitizer all over the house and keep some in my handbag, and I still use it ALMOST like in Covid days.
I too just had my first cold in years, pre-covid. Lungs being damaged from autoimmune disease I wear an N99 mask around people to be safe. Running errands I was sweating under my mask and stupidly reached under my mask to swipe away the sweat without disinfecting my hands first (Hand sanitizer had come up missing from my bag) after checking out using a debit card machine in a store. So I infected myself Grrrrrr. Started out a sore throat and was in my lungs by that night, 13 days of coughing up my lungs my body says it is done. My muscles don’t want to work when I cough and attempting to sleep sitting upright doesn’t help getting any rest. All viral and bacterial tests came back negative and my lungs actually looked pretty good, basically I now have reactive coughing from viral bronchitis from the lung damage. Need to break the cycle of coughing using steroids. Still can’t believe I caused this myself…It doesn’t matter how good a mask is if you bypass it with contaminated fingers. 🙄
There has been some kind of sickness going round. My mom was layed out for 2 weeks, She refused to go to the doctor. My sister and I suspect she had Covid, but it could have very well been the flu or that RSV. Thankfully we did not get it.
That’s one blessing we have had here too. My friend and caregiver has not gotten this thing. Figure it started out as a cold and even though I still have symptoms coughing I’m not contagious now.
Yeah it only takes one moment, frustrating!
How is everyone doing ? I have been fighting some kind of sinus stuff hoping it goes away soon. Got my health stuff figured out. Mostly. Now I just take my osteoporosis medication once a month and need to live with my left hip as long as I can before I decide surgery. Thats where I am at now. I just don't want to have surgery and the thought of this foreign stuff inside me make me uncomfortable. So, I need to work on that as I do know I am going to have to have it done probably sooner rather than later. Also that kind of surgery feels like a summer recovery rather than a winter recovery.
I'm glad you have a plan!What is the recovery like? Why summer versus winter? Are you supposed to stay off of it or rest it?
Gertie wrote: "I'm glad you have a plan!What is the recovery like? Why summer versus winter? Are you supposed to stay off of it or rest it?"
Because I want to avoid the ice and snow and any risk of falling.
Jennifer wrote: "Gertie wrote: "I'm glad you have a plan!What is the recovery like? Why summer versus winter? Are you supposed to stay off of it or rest it?"
Because I want to avoid the ice and snow and any risk..."
I didn't think of that, good plan!
Gertie wrote: "What is the recovery like? Why summer versus winter?"I'd suggest it's also just better to be in a hospital in the summer, rather than winter when the respiratory diseases are running rampant. Our local hospitals reinstituted mandatory masking in November, and dropped it again in April or May.
Jennifer wrote: "Gertie wrote: "I'm glad you have a plan!What is the recovery like? Why summer versus winter? Are you supposed to stay off of it or rest it?"
Because I want to avoid the ice and snow and any risk..."
That makes sense!
Jennifer's summers are about 3 weeks long. :-P
The rest looks exactly like True Detective: Night Country :)
Derek wrote: "The rest looks exactly like True Detective: Night Country :)"It was well done !
My migraine specialist decided to put me on Aimovig because I have been having migraines so often [about 5 per week, sometimes more. So I stabbed myself in the thigh today, on purpose. Luckily it was a very small needle but I could feel the medicine pumping out. At least I only have to do that once every 28 days.
Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "My migraine specialist decided to put me on Amovig because I have been having migraines so often [about 4 per week, sometimes more. So I stabbed myself in the thigh today, on purpose. Luckily it wa..."Never heard of this stuff. Keep us posted! I, personally, would love to have fewer migraines.
I have had an awful pain in my right thumb for at least the past 2 weeks. It starts at the outer knuckle and goes to the wrist. Sometimes it hurts more than others, sometimes it surprises me when I move it and makes me yelp. I don't remember doing anything to it, but I also have trouble remembering one minute to the next, sometimes.
Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "I have had an awful pain in my right thumb for at least the past 2 weeks. It starts at the outer knuckle and goes to the wrist. Sometimes it hurts more than others, sometimes it surprises me when I..."Sorry to hear that, have you seen a doctor for it?
Erin wrote: "Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "I have had an awful pain in my right thumb for at least the past 2 weeks. It starts at the outer knuckle and goes to the wrist. Sometimes it hurts more than others, sometimes..."No, I haven't. It seems better today, until I move it a certain way. Maybe it's arthritis. That runs in my family. It's probably just that I'm getting older.[Sept 10th was my 55th!] I've been having pains everywhere lately.
Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "Erin wrote: "Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "I have had an awful pain in my right thumb for at least the past 2 weeks. It starts at the outer knuckle and goes to the wrist. Sometimes it hurts more than othe..."Happy belated birthday!
Erin wrote: "Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "Erin wrote: "Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "I have had an awful pain in my right thumb for at least the past 2 weeks. It starts at the outer knuckle and goes to the wrist. Sometimes ..."Thanks Erin!
Hey Anne Happy Birthday! Hope you had a good day.:)
Charlton wrote: "Hey Anne Happy Birthday! Hope you had a good day.:)"
Thanks Charlton!
I’ve been going through breast cancer treatment for almost 2 years now and I still need a third and hopefully final revision surgery since my mastectomy a year and a half ago. Never thought I would have to go through this at such a young age. And the worst part hasn’t been the cancer itself (or even that it seriously impacts my profession), but that the doctors treat me like a number, forgetting about me completely, and worse botching my reconstruction due to either being a poor doctor in general or just plain lazy… pick your poison, lol. And I just had another MRI last week because of debilitating back pain, and hoping that the cancer hasn’t metastasized, or that I may need a surgery for that as well.
Anyway, reading helps to give me a bit of an escape as you can imagine. And I love books of many different genres. But right now, I’m particularly enjoying books that keep me on the edge of my seat.
I don’t want to go on too much about it, but I really do appreciate that you’re providing a space for people to vent and share. Thank you.
Kind Regards,
Van
VanBrianne wrote: "I’ve been going through breast cancer treatment for almost 2 years now and I still need a third and hopefully final revision surgery since my mastectomy a year and a half ago. Never thought I wou..."
If it makes you feel better to write it down,go for it.
You will always have people who empathize (with/for?) you. :)
VanBrianne wrote: "I’ve been going through breast cancer treatment for almost 2 years now and I still need a third and hopefully final revision surgery since my mastectomy a year and a half ago. Never thought I wou..."
Yes,
we are all here to listen. We all have shared our health issues here. I suspect maybe more freely than with some people close to us.
I wish you well and hope you find some relief.
I'm sorry Van... truly the medical machine in the United States is suffering from a lot of issues, which means our population suffers as well.I hope the 3rd revision is final and recovery goes great! It's really just shitty how doctors treat patients sometimes. I understand that compassion fatigue happens but c'mon. They need to do better. The dip in personnel has probably really impacted doctors morale as well and sometimes that ends up affecting the patients too. I hope we can get things in better shape as people start rejoining the medical field.
Do you have a good support network of friends/family near you?
VanBrianne wrote: "I’ve been going through breast cancer treatment for almost 2 years now and I still need a third and hopefully final revision surgery since my mastectomy a year and a half ago. Never thought I wou..."
I hear you, Van.
We were devastated when my wife was diagnosed with Breast cancer, maybe about 9 years ago, now.
We were also very lucky, Wonderful Surgeon, A life saver. As well as the entire staff at the Cancer Center in town.
It never comes at a good time,
Never comes when you are prepared.
It is a Blessing when you find those who make the way easier.
Her way was still fraught with tremendous fear and setbacks.
I remember coming home from work, and, seeing what she had, playing on the computer, knowing what had happened, someone close to her had convinced her not to go through with Chemo, playing on her fears. We had watched a good friend die, and suffer, greatly, from choosing not to get a, relatively simple surgery, for a very treatable cancer, because of something similar.
I fought with her, and did not relent, and she cried and cried, in my arms, when she finally broke down and confessed her fears.
She went through it, but it was so difficult.
I had a situation like your own, sort of, with a doctor yelling at me about a mole I wanted to get a referral for, to my wife's oncologist, in the very same system as this primary doctor, who couldn't get me in to see a dermatologist for upwards of 7 months (just post covid), the oncologist was willing to see me the next day, but needed that referral.
The doctor yelled and screamed at me, saying he wouldn't hear talk of cancer.
A friend who was a P.A. got me in to see her husbands Dermatologist a couple days later, and, within a bit over two weeks, I was on the operating table, getting knocked out, for my second surgery, where they took a section of skin from a very fast melanoma about the size of a large Bread plate.
My dermatologist was great, and did a wonderful job on the first surgery, but, when the results came back saying they needed to take more (The first left a 4" vertical scar between my shoulder blades),
she canceled the surgery saying my skin was to tight, and the needed surgery was to much for her skills.
My wife's surgeon did the job, performed something called, flaps, and now I have a huge, thing my brother calls the Eye of Sauron on my back.
Just had surgery 13 two weeks ago!
It is such a tough path, and I've seen such young people beset by all these cancers. And heard heart breaking tales.
But, I've also seen miracles.
Please, be Blessed
Thanks so much for your kind words, Charlton, Jennifer, Gertie and Tim! They are much appreciated. Yes, The healthcare system in the United States leaves something to be desired to put it very mildly and politely, and that’s obviously one of the major problems. I’ve been treated borderline illegally by some of my doctors. And by that I mean that when I get firm in asking them to simply do their job, they resort to retaliatory behavior. It’s been quite shocking. And I also unfortunately don’t have a ton of support from friends and family. I can absolutely say that going through an experience like this certainly does show you who your real friends are.
And I can completely understand where you’re coming from Tim. Even the beginning of this entire journey started with me simply asking my primary care doctor for a referral to have a mammogram for the first time and he literally became irritated and refused to give me one because he said that I was too young and I needed to wait. So I had to have an argument with him about it. Finally, his female office manager was the one that gave me the referral because she was so pissed off at him for acting like an idiot. Why would you refuse to give any woman a mammogram? And then hilariously I ended up having cancer.
And that kind of ridiculous behavior has just continued on through this entire process with each doctor I’ve encountered. My insurance even tried to set me up with an intestinal surgeon to perform my mastectomy. And while I think that colon shaped breasts are incredibly attractive, I decided to pass and find a breast specialist.
And besides dealing with all of that, I’ve had to deal with the absolute stupidity of the fact that sexism still plays a major role in my treatment (or lack there of) when dealing with a lot of these male doctors. One of them loves to waive his hand in my face and tell me “you’re fine”. There are a plethora of other examples, but I digress…
thank you all again for your heartfelt responses, and thank you so much for sharing your own struggles Tim, I’m so sorry that you’ve had to deal with a lot of this too. I just sincerely wish that it wasn’t too much to ask for us to always be treated with compassion and respect by all of our doctors. But sadly, that is in fact way too much to ask.
Sending big hugs out to all of you! ❤️
Erin wrote: "Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "I have had an awful pain in my right thumb for at least the past 2 weeks. It starts at the outer knuckle and goes to the wrist. Sometimes it hurts more than others, sometimes..."I saw a doctor about my thumb/wrist and went for an x-ray today. My thumb and the bone in my arm just below my thumb is where most of the pain is, now. [Luckily I don't type with my thumb!]
Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "Erin wrote: "Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "I have had an awful pain in my right thumb for at least the past 2 weeks. It starts at the outer knuckle and goes to the wrist. Sometimes it hurts more than othe..."Did you get any results back yet?
Erin wrote: "Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "Erin wrote: "Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "I have had an awful pain in my right thumb for at least the past 2 weeks. It starts at the outer knuckle and goes to the wrist. Sometimes ..."The results didn't show anything. I have an appointment with a different doctor in a couple of weeks. I think I have a sprained thumb. You can't see that on any tests, but I might have to wear a soft cast. Serious sprains would require a hard cast. There's not much else to do for a sprain.
Yesterday I woke up, suddenly recovered from the 2+ weeks of malaise and exhaustion I had after my NovaVax shot. I thought it gave me Covid, I was so run down for so long, but apparently it's just a bug going around.
But your feeling better now? That's what's important.
Everything was going swimmingly until 9 p.m. last night when a fracas involving a full basket of clean laundry and a catto shooting between my feet led to a badly rolled ankle. It swelled up so much and hurt so badly that I went to the ER to make sure it wasn't broken. I had to dig out my old walking boot to get in the ER door. They said it was just sprained and sent me home. This morning, I got a call from the ER after someone actually looked at the X rays. It's broken, all right. I added a disused cane to the walking boot and with enough Tylenol I can get from point A to point B, very slowly.
Fishface wrote: "Everything was going swimmingly until 9 p.m. last night when a fracas involving a full basket of clean laundry and a catto shooting between my feet led to a badly rolled ankle. It swelled up so muc..."Ugh....I guess maybe this will increase reading time for the short term future.
Sending healing vibes for a speedy recovery.
Fishface wrote: "Everything was going swimmingly until 9 p.m. last night when a fracas involving a full basket of clean laundry and a catto shooting between my feet led to a badly rolled ankle. It swelled up so muc..."Sorry to hear that, hopefully you have a speedy recovery.
Ugh I'm finally (maybe) getting over having bronchitis. I hate this time of year.
Feel free to share anything you'd like in here, from venting health frustrations, to just letting each other know we send virtual wishes for good health.