Mood:
celebratoryNow Playing: Day 659-The Final Road To Survival
Finally! Its been two in a row of better head days and boy! does it feel GREAT! Sure, its not been a completely head-free day but I am slowly learning to work through the flair-ups that come with my unique medical condition. Today has also been one of a few last days left working on final touches putting together new entertainment systems. Time to down size! I had a few garage sales over the past year so the nick knacks aren't as bad but I have some furniture that is just too large for the rooms. The two new entertainment systems take up a lot less room and now there is also less furniture to clean. BONUS!
A friend of mine helped me put together the entertainment centers however we hit a few snags trying to hook back up the DVD player. No need to rush, there is always tomorrow. I am also in the process of moving a new large recliner from the back bedroom to the living room since I now have plenty of extra space. Since the living room is where I sleep and where my couchbed is located I plan on making it the most comfortable place in the house! Amen. The new recliners are nice because the top part comes off however the latch got stuck so looks like that will have to also wait till tomorrow.
I got a letter from my insurance company stating I must now buy Medicare Part A by March 31st seeing they will no longer be my primary carrier. This is a huge change seeing I have never heard of an insurance company dictating that you must buy into your SSD Medicare part A benefits. I always had Medical Mutual as my main insurance carrier so why do I 'have' to buy Medicare Part A if I don't want to?..
WELCOME TO THE NEW YEAR 2012!
Looks like also welcome to a new world and new year of crappy medical insurance! I even contacted my insurance provider on why I must buy into Medicare since I am on a fixed income but you know insurance companies! They could care less if you can or can't afford it. All I know and was told by them is I won't be the first nor the last complaining and I have no other choice but to buy Medicare Part A which will now cost me an additional $99.99 a month. OUCH! If you think this is a joke I must sadly warn you that there are other insurance companies who are also making the same changes this year. Seems there are going to be a lot of unhappy people who are disabled who will be forced to leave their main insurance provider due to not being able to afford both. I am fortunate to have someone who offered to pay for my monthly premium. This will be just until I get a few other things situated with my life and some court forms filed.
Isn't it stressful enough just being sick? Now you have to be discriminated once again by of all people...Your medical insurance provider! Thank you Oreo! I couldn't had said it better myself! Hahahaha! If you ever wondered what life would be like if you were disabled or ended up with a Gastroparesis diagnosis then wonder no more! I am here to say if you don't do well with change then hold on tight because its going to be a very l o n g and bumpy GP ride. WHEW!
Like I mentioned before there are many changes ahead for this gal but in the end they will make my life far more happier. Cheers to working hard and achieving all my personal goals!
bright
You know what I love most about life? That when you are given another day to live you are also given another day to start on a clean slate. Life is great because when you wake up you are given another chance. 
My Gastroenterologist has a file on me now the size of a encyclopedia. We all laugh and make light of it because sometimes no matter how bad life can gets it still requires laughter. She explained they are going to electronic filing via a computer system by the end of the year. I feel sorry for whoever has to put my files onto computer format. YIKES! My GI doctor only ran a bit behind today but otherwise hes always on time. I only waited around ten minutes before he came back in the room which was good because it was too nice of a day to sit in the doctors office. He hasn't seen my cane yet so its been quite awhile since my last visit. I had to cancel the past four appointments due to being sick. He was aware of my past emergency room visits however he wasn't regarding my concussion. We did go over MS and my other Gastroparesis complications. He told me to make sure I was aware there is no turning back with my unique medical situation. He also asked how I was mentally. I replied by saying, "I always do better knowing. No matter how bad the news its still important for me to know what I am facing that way I can accept things at face value. I don't do well when things are hidden from me." My doctor shook his head in agreeing. 
My GI doctor altered a few medications which leaves me minus two now off my list of eight. I can still use peppermint oil at night on a piece of paper towel near my couchbed since I am not digesting it only inhaling it. He said, "I think you learned that after your last surgery when they used it to help your nausea." I told him I am on my second bottle and so far I feel it helps a bit at night when I am sleeping. The MS symptoms were there for quite awhile but agreed it takes time to put all the pieces together and although things haven't changed nor will change at least there is a name to put on the symptoms. Gastroparesis can sure cause all sorts of complications and other connected problems. I now fully believe once again anything is possible with GP. Expect the unexpected but as he said, "Don't expect it to get better. There is no turning back from here." I must take that information and now keep it to heart. If I want to go out on a good day and do something I will because I can't predict tomorrow. 
This evening I finished putting up the new curtain rod and relaxed with the fur kids. They are the best and I don't know what I would do without all my buddies. 
We waited around ten minutes before my doctor came in the room. He is always nice in apologizing for the wait. I have been seeing him a bit over eight years now and he knows my unique medical case inside and out. Its a huge relief knowing I have complete trust and faith in my amazing team of specialists. He went over all of my current medications then we discussed all of the tests I had done at the hospital. I am still dealing with the post concussion syndrome which can linger for months. Since I already have other existing medical problems it will take me longer to fully recover than someone who doesn't have the same issues. Since I am now having at least 3-4 days of nausea and vomiting a week its quite obvious I am still dealing with the post concussion on top of my Gastroparesis. We also added a new word to the equation called: MS. I have been through various testing for MS through out the past year by my specialists. MS doesn't have a specific test but a range of tests that are done over a period of months to a year based on symptoms. I have been watched by my specialists for over a year now and I have displayed every symptom minus one. Vagus nerve lesions can also be a sign of MS. I guess we all learn something new everyday. All these head issues finally all make sense as well my immune system doing some quite odd things over the past three years. I started having seizure problems almost four years ago and I always thought there was a possibility over the years I might end up with Parkinson's as a complication due to my Idiopathic Gastroparesis. Strange enough I really didn't think of MS as a complication from my Gastroparesis but I wasn't that educated as well on it. Like I said, we all learn something new every day. For now my doctors goal is to get the head issues and flair ups under control. This means taking lots of medication that this gal isn't used to. I went from two to eight. I have a list now to follow while doing my best keeping up with everything. They still need to run blood work time to time seeing where my immune system is and how close I am of putting the flair ups to sleep.
After a very informative appointment I was once again reminded by my doctor that he can't fix me. He can't cure me. No one can. What they can do is their best to help ease symptoms this way the flair-ups can subside hopefully a bit quicker! I told him as long as he can put a temporary bandaid on and allow me a few days of freedom a week I am happy! The post concussion syndrome from the concussion will have to ride itself out. I know my limits as well when its safe to or not to drive. If I run into problems I must pick up the phone and call someone to come get me and my car. So its another part of life I need to work on by altering things a bit but its not like I haven't done it before. Its all in your attitude. Attitude can make or break you.
d'oh
I woke up around 10am after going to bed around 4am. I had the worst headache with nausea as soon as I laid down on my couchbed. Once 10am hit the darn sun started coming through the towels hanging over the curtains which fired my head pressure right back up again. By 10:30am I started having tremors in my legs then a seizure came on. Seizures are scary no matter when they strike or how bad the intensity. I do my best not to panic which can only prolong the seizure and make it far worse. Forget trying to pick up a phone and call someone. Hahahaha! NICE TRY but NOT happening! During a seizure that is the last thing you are thinking about and your only concern is holding on for dear life and praying the son of a gun gets over with soon! I also worry if I will wake up and not know where the heck I am at. That has only happened once when my ex lived at the house. It was scary waking up not knowing where you are or who is sitting next to you. Never ask a person questions during a seizure because we can't talk. 
The worst part of today was having two seizures within an hour apart from each other. The second one is always the real kicker because it makes your entire body sore and its hard to move your arms and legs.Your face also goes numb. This time at least someone was over the house when it came on and noticed my body shaking under the couchbed covers. I am very fortunate I came out of that one with no ramifications. Afterwards I was exhausted but too scared to go back to sleep. Thank you Mr. Valium for doing the trick within 15 minutes. WHEW!
Did I just make a funny? "Head Start" on things? Hahahaha!
not sure
It's been one strange day! Is this Friday the 13th or did the UFO's final visit planet earth and invade human life-more like human minds?... I have been beyond stressed out and it sure didn't help my head or GP issues. I also learned today that its not safe nor too smart playing your own doctor and deciding when its OK to drive when you are still recovering from a concussion and having a bad day to start with. DUH! Live and learn. By the time it was 11pm I wasn't sure what happened to the day but I did learn a very valuable lesson about being cautious when putting trust in others. Another live and learn lesson but isn't that what life is all about anyways? Lessons learned?..
Once me and my friend got up around 2:30pm we thought maybe Pumpkin kitty got ahold of some Drano of his own! WOW! What a MESS! It has to be the medication and for now I will be holding off on it for a few days. Mostly for his sake but also my friend said for his too! Hahahaha! Talking about POO-POO Kitty! He left a mess from one end of the house to another. We were both shocked! This new shampooer machine already paid for itself ten fold!
After cleaning up the last of the mess it took us over two hours. Nothing like waking up to that kind of nightmare. It wasn't too smart of an idea for me to keep bending and stooping because once this evening hit the head pressure started getting the best of me then quickly followed by waves of nausea and vomiting. One step ahead and now two steps back. At least I see my specialist Tuesday and after getting an email regarding my three hospital visits I have a few questions about my tests and cat scan. I realize that sometimes our doctors feel things are best left unsaid in fear that maybe the patient has enough on their plate already to deal with however...I do better 'knowing.' Guess I will find out more come next week at the appointment.
Wow! February is less than a week away! Valentine's Day is not too far behind either so that means only one thing: CHOCOLATE! YUMMY! For now I will settle on the beautiful flowers I got this week that make the living room smell like spring. I would rather smell it in flowers than having it early like today's temperatures. Just nuts! One good thing about being stuck at home recovering is I don't have to worry about being out in public catching all the viruses going around. Amen. Littleblue and Oreo are sporting their new Valentine heart bandannas. They are too cute!
chillin'
Today is another house project day and since the monsoon rain has let up for a bit the basement wall needs re-caulked and temporarily patched. It won't be until mid spring the way things are going before the ground is dry enough to repair the walls correctly. For now its like placing another band-aid over and over again. I "tried" to put up a new curtain rod in the spare bedroom today but dang it! I gave up once I realized the rod needs to be moved. This was after I already put up the hooks. GEES! Looks like that project will have to wait until tomorrow.
The furniture re-staining is now officially completed! The last piece was finished today then everything was placed back in order. Its like brand new! The furniture is over 40 years old and made of solid, sturdy wood. Not like they make things now which is super cheap! I think this furniture could last another 40+ years and hopefully can go another five years before having to be re-stained again. I enjoy being productive and it helps keep my mind busy. 
Today in the mail I got some wonderful cards and a very nice Angel ornament gift. I also got some beautiful flowers delivered yesterday. Thank you everyone for all your support and kind words during my recovery process. It truly means a lot and goes to show there are still kindred hearts and amazing people in this world and I am so glad to have all of you as part of my life.
As a dear friend of mine always tells me, "It ain't over till the fat lady sings!" At this point she will be singing for a very, very long time because this gal has a lot of fight and spunk still left in her. That's with or without hair too! Hahahaha! 
amorous
At least I have found a way on my own to finish the rest of the furniture re-staining project. This way I have the entire upstairs bedroom to lock myself in from the rest of the world. It was also nice to escape the confinements of the ole couchbed and television. There was still three pieces of furniture left to stain and polish. I took my time and spent all day completing everything. It felt great to be productive again regardless if I had to take numerous bathroom breaks to get sick. The furniture looks almost brand new again! The wood was pretty dry so the dark stain took quickly. Between the new comforter set and the beautiful newly polished furniture it looks good enough to sleep in the bedroom again!
Sounds like a great idea but the last time I was able to sleep in a bed without getting sick was over four years ago. I must now sleep elevated on a firm surface thus having my ole couchbed.