A Statagy for Fixing Me - My Visit to a RLS/Apnea Guru

[Polar Bear]

Take it easy, no more rich food, go gentle walkies if poss, keep ahead with your meds, and I hope you can make something good for today.

[debbluebird]

I didn't realize your surgery was right after mine. Glad yours went well. Rehab is next for you and me. Meaning exercises. I didn't feel so good yesterday, but today is better. I know it's just going to take time.

[EeFall]

I didn't realize your surgery was right after mine. Glad yours went well. Rehab is next for you and me. Meaning exercises. I didn't feel so good yesterday, but today is better. I know it's just going to take time.

We made it home today. I'm feeling okay now. Miserable night though. I shouldn't have eaten all the rich food, it must have contributed to the RLS. Wednesday I find out about having my second surgery, this time the hernia. The more I think about it though the more I think they have it wrong or only partially correct. It has to be more than just a hernia. I am probably eating 5 times more than is leaving my body. My wife said I didn't explain it well to the doctor. I had her there when I talked to specialist.

When they did the CT Scan they asked where the pain was and I told them by my belly button area where one of the incisions were, they only looked there but the doctor who had the 4 x-rays taken last month had said it was a couple of different areas, that was only one of them. I shouldn't have to explain all this to them anyways, they should be able to look at the records themselves. I can't hardly go an hour before having to urinate either, like there is no room left as though I am plugged up and my bladder has no room. I had to stop and get out on the highway to go coming back today. That's crazy! Off to bed.

[debbluebird]

From working in the medical field since 1994, I've learned to not assume anything. Always be proactive regarding your case. If you aren't up to it, have your wife do it. I always take my husband with me and we go over what we want them to know before the appt. I know that when you don't feel good you don't feel like saying anything. But this has been my experience through the years. The other thing is that guts aren't like other parts of your body. I learned to be very observant regarding the gut. It can seem like one think, then something else happens. CT scans don't show that much. I hope you start to feel better soon. It sounds like your bladder is getting pushed. It all seems to take time. Sorry if I'm sounding too pushy. Just want to give you information so you will know what is best.

[EeFall]

Yeah, just the time I need to talk I don't feel like it (when in a doctors office). That is why I bring my wife along, that and she is my memory in there. She didn't speak up though so it didn't help. I am just going to have to elaborate better. This situation never was funny, but still it seems like it. I have so many things wrong now that I can't keep track of them. It just feels like a losing battle. I'm just tired I guess but I'm sick of it.

My right shoulder went out this morning while I was toweling off this morning after showering. It even hurts now this evening. A few weeks, maybe months ago now, I had the cortisone shot in that shoulder in a different location but the doctor thought it might be there too - guess what - it is.

[debbluebird]

Yeah, stuff always seems to happen. I think I've got arthritis in my left shoulder. I'm in no hurry to even have it checked out. This surgery is too fresh.

[EeFall]

Yeah, stuff always seems to happen. I think I've got arthritis in my left shoulder. I'm in no hurry to even have it checked out. This surgery is too fresh.

I go in tomorrow for a surgery consultation for my hernia/small intestine problem. I heard today a person died yesterday from a similar surgery who worked in the manufacturing area. It was suppose to be fairly simple but they died anyways. I wish I hadn't heard that. Some good news is that I clipped my fingernails and my left hand was just as strong as the right hand now! Last time I did that before surgery I had to use all my strength and then it was hardly enough. My two left smaller fingers are still numb but it feels a little different like more of a pins and needles feeling, maybe they are coming back too. I suppose all the cutting makes everything swelled up in the arm so maybe it is calming down now and allowing the nerves a little room.

[ViewsAskew]

Yeah, stuff always seems to happen. I think I've got arthritis in my left shoulder. I'm in no hurry to even have it checked out. This surgery is too fresh.

I go in tomorrow for a surgery consultation for my hernia/small intestine problem. I heard today a person died yesterday from a similar surgery who worked in the manufacturing area. It was suppose to be fairly simple but they died anyways. I wish I hadn't heard that. Some good news is that I clipped my fingernails and my left hand was just as strong as the right hand now! Last time I did that before surgery I had to use all my strength and then it was hardly enough. My two left smaller fingers are still numb but it feels a little different like more of a pins and needles feeling, maybe they are coming back too. I suppose all the cutting makes everything swelled up in the arm so maybe it is calming down now and allowing the nerves a little room.

Surgery is always a risk, isn't it? Fortunately, for many types of surgery, it's a small risk. I don't think most of us really think of it that way. My stepson died of surgery - he was 24 and relatively healthy. I think of surgery very differently than I did before he died. Not that I wouldn't do it....just that it's not a given that all will be OK.

Great news about the hand!

[debbluebird]

Swelling is very much apart of the healing process. Plus the nerve endings are irritated. Everything will calm down and you will feel even better. Glad you are already starting to see results with your hand.

[EeFall]

Unbelievable but true. I am having surgery sometime Friday. They showed a cross section of my body from the CT Scan, much more powerful machine than I have ever seen, almost like an MRI. It shows that my small intestine is actually sticking out of a hole (hernia). A big loop that they were able to push back down with finger pressure. The doctor said that it wouldn't last long and that I am getting inflamed there where it is coming out. They want to do surgery practically immediately because they said it can cause infection and that the intestine may not be able to go back in at all by itself.

So I work tomorrow and have surgery Friday. They don't want me to try to go back to work until November 25th, which they said would be good also because it would be a 3 day work week because of Thanksgiving and they want me to go slow. It can take a month for it to heal and they said no lifting or strenuous activity but that it would actually help to walk a lot afterwards. I hardly have time to think about it but I am very apprehensive about it. Oh well, I have no choice, my GI tract is broken and it will become increasingly more dangerous with each passing day. Yikes.

[debbluebird]

I've always heard that you shouldn't even lift a gal of milk. That's about 8 pounds. Will have you in my prayers.

[EeFall]

I've always heard that you shouldn't even lift a gal of milk. That's about 8 pounds. Will have you in my prayers.

Thanks, that means a lot to me.

[ViewsAskew]

Glad they found it and you're getting it done - soon sounds VERY important. Having had my an appendix burst and the resulting infection, you do NOT want that to happen! I almost died - thanks to a very persistent doctor, I did not.

[EeFall]

Glad they found it and you're getting it done - soon sounds VERY important. Having had my an appendix burst and the resulting infection, you do NOT want that to happen! I almost died - thanks to a very persistent doctor, I did not.

The surgery is on for noon tomorrow. What an incredible year I have had, and certainly not in a good way At least my WED is under control with meds which a few months ago, as many of you know, the doctors had all but given up on finding a solution for me here. It was like I was a statistic, too far out on the bell curve to matter. Thankfully I was sent to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. I can't even imagine how this surgery might now be if I had not been sleeping all this time too. There is always a silver lining, you just have to look for it.

[debbluebird]

Yeah, when they say there's nothing else to do, that's pretty much end stage of a disease. We all know what that means. That is way different from saying you have legs that wiggle. Unbelievable