| Wednesday, September 17, 2008 |
| And the week rolls on. |
Today was the endocrinologist's appointment and a spot of not as bad news. My A1C is 5.6, we are not changing my meds, my left kidney seems to be functioning well.
A small spot of good is really nice amongst all the bad.
Tomorrow is my urologist appointment and Friday is back to primary care for a cellulitis check. My word I am exhausted, all this back and forth, driving an hour each way is just wearing on me. Plus, the whole insane cost of gas is just wrecking our bank account.
Ok, that's about it for tonight. Thank you so much for all the emails and good thoughts.Labels: health, kidney, kidney chronicles, oh shit. |
posted by Suzy Smith @ 7:34 PM   |
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| Tuesday, September 16, 2008 |
| My Mascot |
 Hello Kidney is my new mascot. If I have to deal with all of this, I will do it with humor, damnit. I have a bag packed, Tony has a bag packed, and they are in the car. I didn't get the sewing done I wanted to but, I'm hoping they'll let me come home prior to anything else.
Well see. I am having a lot of pain in my right kidney so I talked to it and told it to shut the hell up. It isn't listening, yet.
Tony will have instructions on updating y'all just in case I am unable to. Thank you for all your support.
<3
Suzy SmithLabels: health, kidney, kidney chronicles, oh shit. |
| posted by Suzy Smith @ 12:14 AM |
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| Friday, September 12, 2008 |
| And the drugged ramble rolls on... |
It has been a rough week would be a huge understatement. From having to go to the ER in the first place, then being transferred to another hospital by ambulance (For locals from Mary Washington to MCV, yes, down 95, my back is still in shambles from the bumps.)
Then, get to the hospital find out you have to be on steroids and benadryl for 12 hours prior to the CT scan because you are allergic to the contrast they use. And, I was not allowed to eat or drink. Now, I had only had 2 chicken wings for dinner on Sunday, and that had been early, I wasn't hungry. My the time I got to MCV I was starving and so thirsty I could have drank from the toilet.
Once they settled me in, they gave me the news that I was still allowed no food or water. I can't lie, at this point, I was tired as hell, in pain, still bleeding from my belly button, the infection had continued to spread and now not even a cup of water?
I cried. It was a quick one, the kind where you release some of your frustration and fear out in a few tears, then squeeze it in and move on.
Back to the rest of the story....
I do have to say MCV started me on antibiotics where MW never did and I was there overnight, first. I was on some of the big guys in the hospital and more here at home. The cellulitis is getting much better, although it is not gone.
Now, being in this holding pattern until Tuesday I am going crazy. The fact that I know there is a 6x6x8 cm mass in my one kidney is hard to deal with. Especially as we do have a history of kidney issues in the family (Papa was on dialysis for several years prior to his death.)
Unfortunately, I have enough knowledge of medical terms to know enough to be scared but, not enough to understand all of the things in the CT report, or all the things that can be wrong with your kidneys.
I am about to give into the complete exhaustion and finish this drugged ramble (pain meds and elavil make me go zzzzzz.) I will be updating as much as possible.
thanks for reading...Labels: health, kidney, oh shit. |
| posted by Suzy Smith @ 2:57 AM |
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| Wednesday, September 10, 2008 |
| Holding pattern... |
Ok, we wait. I go to the nephrologist on the 16th, for now we wait and I take the massive antibiotics to clear the cellulitis so they can do the biopsy and probable surgery.
Yes, probable as the chance of keeping my right kidney is tiny. Hopefully it will be nothing major in there but, no way to know for now. Needless to say I am a wreck and not happy about the wait but, what can you do?
Thank you all for your support. <3Labels: health, kidney, oh shit. |
| posted by Suzy Smith @ 8:39 PM |
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| Well shit... |
I'm posting this really quickly as I've typed it out a few times now but, this is the best way I know to get a hold of a lot of y'all.
I was in the hospital the past couple days with a cellulitis infection of the stomach, and bleeding from my belly button. The cellulitis is being treated, they never figured out why I was bleeding from my belly button.
They did a CT scan yesterday and found a large mass 6x6x8 CMs in my right kidney. According to the report and the doctors it does not look like infection but, does look like something solid. Which yeah, could be a very bad thing.
I go to my primary care doctor at 11AM and we'll see where we go from there. Tony has my account information to keep y'all posted, in case I can't.
Any good thoughts, prayers, etc that y'all have to spare would make me fairly grateful.
Thanks for reading.Labels: health, kidney, oh shit. |
| posted by Suzy Smith @ 7:15 AM |
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| Thursday, January 24, 2008 |
| Damn numbers |
First, before I get into things, I have been writing daily but, I got tired of fighting blogger every night so, I will be back posting my daily stuff over the next few days.
My life is full of numbers. From the numbers of carbs in my meals, the number on my meter, the numbers on the scale, the number on the other meter. You see, for those of y'all that don't know, I'm diabetic, diagnosed in December of 2006. I am fierce about keeping my numbers down, normally (but, that's another bit for later.) In fact, I am stricter on my numbers than my doctors are.
My last A1C number was 5.2 which is fantastic, in fact it is right at non diabetic numbers. My doctor wants to see it around 7.0, so yes, I'm doing better. Now, for a quick explanation, A1C is a blood test that shows the average of your blood sugar level over the last 4 weeks to 3 months depending on the person. The higher the number, the worse your blood glucose control and the more likely you are to have complications from your diabetes.
So, that is one number, the next big one are my blood glucose readings throughout the day. I stick my finger and take my blood readings. I try to keep them at 140 or below but, I am not always successful with that, especially here lately, as my numbers have been getting worse. Most doctors want you to keep your numbers at 180 or below but, at that level you are risking organ damage. And, since I happen to like my organs undamaged, well, that is too high.
My last blood sugar reading I took was 159, which is really high for me, in fact, it made me start thinking about numbers and how I hate them so. Now, I am drinking water, I took 1.25 of Glyburide to help bring it down and I am planning out tomorrow's menus in my head. There is no doubt of why my numbers were so bad tonight, I ate crappy, high carb, low fiber food for dinner. I had planned on making potato soup for dinner tomorrow but, that is obviously high carb so I need to make alternate plans.
Another number that is a pain is my weight, I am slowly working on losing weight, although I am stuck at a 50 lb lose right now. Which is a good lose but, I want to lose more prior to my gastric bypass. And, yes, even with losing 50 lbs, I still need the surgery.
The next numbers are my blood pressure numbers. Not only did I become diabetic but, my blood pressure went up at the same time, it was as if my body just went "Ha ha, time to fall apart." Those numbers have been doing much better, as we seem to have the medications down for me on that. HCTZ and lisinopril for anyone interested. Small doses of each but, they are what works for me.
Other health related numbers are my cholesterol which is damn good, although my good cholesterol could be a couple points higher. Every doctor I've had has done a cholesterol work up, then been shocked that the fat girl doesn't have high cholesterol. I still worry though as it is very hard to brign up good cholesterol.
And, there is one more health related number but, this is a fantastic one to have to think about:
One year, four months, three days, 23 hours, 57 minutes and 48 seconds. 19639 cigarettes not smoked, saving $2,454.99. Life saved: 9 weeks, 5 days, 4 hours, 35 minutes.
My SilkQuit meter numbers. I smoked for 17 years and quit in September of 2006. I put the cigarette down, after being disgusted by me being sick, having a horrible cough and sore throat, yet I still picked up a cigarette and lit it. When, I realized that it had that much of a hold on me that was it. I had gone one Wellbutrin a few days prior, and you are are supposed to wait a full 2 weeks before you try to quit but, I couldn't wait, I was done with it, disgusted with myself. I was just ready.
Now don't get me wrong, I do still think about cigarettes somedays but, then I think about the cough, the hack, the expense, and how utterly horrendous smoke smells and any urge I have passes. And, yes, if you smoke you do stink. I never thought it was as bad as people said when I smoked. Ha, it is the grossest damn smell coming off of a person. If you smoke in your house, it smells even worse as the stale smell gets into everything. And, no candle or air freshener covers it up.
Ok, enough of the numbers and stuff. Have a good one.Labels: diabetes, health, numbers, smoking |
| posted by Suzy Smith @ 2:09 AM |
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| About Me |
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Name: Suzy Smith
Home: Colonial Beach, Virginia, United States
About Me: I'm short, round, tattooed, pierced, cancer surviving, writing all the time, crazy lady, living in the middle of nowhere.
See my complete profile
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