Friday, January 27, 2017

After Surviving Two More SURGERIES, fractured hip 2 places, a Hematoma Softball Sized, and my 1ST TRIP out by myself in over 6 weeks!! And Mourning The Loss of By Precious Fur-Baby!

I came in from my 1st TRIP out ALONE earlier this afternoon..made it to the market, to my pharmacy, & to pick up the Angel that ever's had given out in a celebration of our loved ones who passed away last year. I missed it due to the fall resulting in the fractured hip, then another surgery to remove that softball sized hematoma. One of the women at the market, knew what happened, because she was buying groceries also, and came to me, hugged my neck and told me just how much pain I've been thru, that she said she could not be as strong as I have been. I hugged her back, and told her, that inside, you "find" the strength, and from "above" to help you to try and heal, to try and regain your own life, even though the loss has been tremendous. So, I got home, & Peanut was waiting for me, I let him out of his "carrier" (he love the thing and gets in it all the time himself... as I carefully brought one sack at a time in up my front porch that has only two smaller steps, and began putting them up, 

I went to put up some dog treats, and all of what happened that night with Bubba Gump came rushing over me and through me, and I had to come to my desk, as Peanut knew I was upset so he is sitting beside my deck, on the sofa.... so I opened up Bub's beautiful cedar box, and broke down and sobbed.... it is so hard to believe those few ashes, were once my sweet Bubby's..... 

I will NEVER be able to forgive myself, because I feel Bub's would be here, had I not been gone so long... he mourned himself, sick, and stopped eating and drinking, even though my son and my dog sitter were coming by each day to play with them and make sure they had fresh water, fresh food and clean paper...

 but I will never forget the night I held him so close to me, and talked to him, and kissed him, and he licked my face, laid his head on my chest and took a last breath..... all of these losses, are just about more than I can handle... Anyone that has "fur babies" or any pet they become attached to, and that pet attached to them, it is a loss of a family member if not worse. I just heard on the news last night, that a child will say at times, they love their fur-baby more than their parents at times... a pet loves unconditionally... and I know he is with Tazzy... and someday I will be with them, but right now it plain hurts....

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

WHEN INSURANCE companies try to cram MANAGED CARE BULL DOWN PEOPLE THROATS!!! HUMANA!

FINALLY ALL of the STAPLES are out of my hip!!!!! And I am "released" to do my activities, as I feel that I can, as far as driving, cleaning, and so forth. I see them again in about 8 weeks, and I hope to be able to then start arrangements for my neck surgery. If it is done in March/April it hopefully will be still cool enough to stand the collar being on for a couple of weeks, and then I will be good to go for the Summer and outside stuff. I am PISSED at one thing, and I am just about ready to go OFF on Humana.... we all know this bull about "managed healthcare" that MANY of us are NOT happy about... 

while I was in the hospital, I got home and noticed Humana had called my home phone at least 10 time maybe more. Which is stupid.. So, last week I get this call from some kind of "person" who calls to tell YOU, there will be a "nurse" call and make an appointment to COME to YOUR HOUSE! Well, I had told them last year. and the year before, I do NOT need anyone coming here to "help me" with medications, or "safety" in my home (I did not "trip) over a rug etc... 

 I caught my foot doing something silly, and that is why I fell, not due to some "hazard" in my home. So, I got in the door barely yesterday from having the staples out, and in fact my son was still here and we were talking, and the phone rings, and again it is HUMANA... this time this "nurse" who almost INSISTED she come by TODAY, because she would be in this area. I told her in the 1st place, I just walked in the door, I was having the staples removed and was at my doctor's office, and he released me fully, and including I did NOT NEED any further PT Therapy at home. I was doing it well myself. So, she gets almost pissy, and I told her you CALL me tomorrow, and let me LOOK at my schedule, and then we can talk about a date you can drop by.. 

but I will be damned if some stranger, who is coming to "snoop" around and tell me what I can, cannot. should, should not, and so own do in my own home.... as my son said, they are doing this, trying to find some people who THEY DEEM should be in a "managed living center"... well I am 56 YEARS OLD, and I sure as HELL CAN MANAGE my own living!!!! I AM SO PISSED, because these jackasses think they can tell us, when to eat, sleep, and take a pee, and I will NOT have someone coming in and trying to OVERRIDE, what my own physicians tell me, that I can and cannot do - 

I know there are elderly people who maybe on their own, who cannot manage their medications, or be able to do many things in their homes, and those are the people they should be listening to and speaking to or their families!!! NOT someone who has their daily life under control.......

Friday, January 13, 2017

Update on My Going Home, I CAN DRIVE, and drain is out - Lupus & RA Plays a huge role in my getting Well

I got the drain out this morning, and am going home TOMORROW!!!!! Yet, as ready as I am to go, it will be so difficult to leave having to go home, and not have my "family" here in Rehab around me...

you don't realize how "attached" you become to some people so quickly when you are in a situation such as this. But, I have Peanut waiting on me, and once I am settled I will have my new puppy coming home :) So, I am hoping it's not going to bother me as badly going home and Bub's not there...... 

 Plus I have permission to DRIVE!!!!! I have more staples from the hematoma removal, and they come out a week from next Monday. Then if all goes well, I can have my neck surgery in March... so good news, and some hesitation just knowing I am going from several people I've gotten close to... will be difficult for the 1st few days.... 


they have Home Health coming Monday to the house, and come out for therapy but my thought is I know enough to do on my own, and I will be "ready" to just try and get back to my own "normal" rather than someone coming in and out several days a week...

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Saturday is "D" Day for me (Discharge Day) from Rehab - Excited,Thrilled, Terrified, how to "move back" into real life yet knowing the Osteoporosis could cause further issues

Finally I knew that day was coming soon - the "D-Day" of my own life, discharging and going home from Rehab...

I've been asking "how much longer" now for months it seems; although it has been "weeks" and not months... Yet, after being told yesterday, I would be leaving Saturday, I felt a "good panic" and a "bad panic" in my head and gut.

I am thrilled to GET HOME! To my life, my eating, sleeping, and living habits, BUT I am still going to be limited as far as "what I can and can't do" - and that scares me. I am so used to doing my own thing, going to the market when I want, cleaning my house the way I want, messing around in the yard, caring for my plants, doing laundry, and all of the usual stuff, from vacuuming, cooking and cleaning, yet just now I figured out with this walker and going home, that even carrying a cup of coffee is not going to be the easiest thing in the world... trying to push that walker with one hand, and carrying the coffee was kind of "difficult". But, I've got to learn to "make my own ways" around, and hopefully I will be on a cane soon, where one hand will be free to carry some things...

BUT, on the other hand I am totally terrified to go home... since I left lots has changed just within a month tomorrow actually. I fell on the 13th of December and had surgery that night. I got to rehab about the 18th or so, and in the chaos of it all, I lost my precious pup Bub's who I feel grieved himself to death missing me. He was so upset for me to leave for a day, or a few hours, I think he just quit eating, drinking and laid on his favorite spot, and wasted away, waiting for me to come home. He passed away, and he had lost so much weight, I just could not believe it, when he died in my arms a couple of weeks ago. Peanut, is so much younger, so he has gotten used to Jason being there, and he so far seems to be doing okay.

I am going to be getting another puppy soon. But, first I've got to get me at the house and settled in. I need rails built on my front steps, and I need I feel a new set of steps built on the back. The concrete ones back there are so steep, even with rails, I feel they maybe too steep for me to try and bring groceries in, and so forth.

I never thought I would be one to be worried about being alone, but that is not because I fear someone getting in etc...I fear having an accident, and hurting myself again. This hip fracture was a total accident, but I am going to have to try and learn to slow down, not try and take on so many projects at once, and know that "tomorrow" on many thing is another day. After all, I face neck surgery soon, and possibly lower back surgery this year. I have that new car sitting there, and I am so used to doing so much on my own, waiting to have "help" putting on the plates, putting in the sticker and so forth, I am not one to put off something waiting on someone else to do it for me... So, my fear is my own restlessness. I also need to rearrange my kitchen where I can reach things that now are in the top shelves, and I must stand on my little 3 step ladder to reach. But, my kitchen cabinets are not all that great, and trying to arrange them will be difficult. Now I wonder if I should have picked Mom's house, maybe it would be easier to get around in... yet it is what it is and I've got to cope - I also know I am going to owe $$ on this damned fall and hip fracture, plus I'll have to cough up funds on the neck surgery, and lower back surgery also... so those in themselves are enough to worry me. My credit issues I spent 10 years or more getting straightened out from my 2nd marriage and all of the high bills he ran up maxing out credit cards, the last thing I need is to screw it all back up with doctor and hospital bills.

So, YES I am thrilled, and YES I am TERRIFIED to go home at the same time.....

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Chronic Pain Patients and the "absurd" information on abuse and New Medication for pain with Abuse Deterrent in it

https://www.madinamerica.com/…/stop-the-war-on-chronic-pai…/



 I found this article interesting and more to the point when "chronic pain patients" are attacked for something they are NOT causing. I great example (I was not attacked but) since I had to have surgery yesterday, of course I had to be "NPO" thus I could have have ANYTHING to eat, drink and even my meds were taken away after midnight... all of which is necessary, BUT my surgery was NOT until 1PM the next day!
So, like MOST told me and I know myself, I could have been given my critical meds, such as my muscle relaxer, pain med, & my anxiety med...but I was made to wait UNTIL AFTER 3:30PM or longer, rather than just stopping it at 8 hours...


IF the surgery would have been early morning such as 6 or 7 AM etc then it would make sense.. anyway, same with this... "true and legitimate patients are being "punished" or horrified, because with all of the "crap" out there in the news we fear being without our meds.... yesterday, I was in horrid pain by the time I got to the hospital after waiting so long, then checking in, getting prepped for surgery, & then going under (which I was thrilled to go under anesthesia, knowing then I would be free of pain, plus I would FINALLY get some pain meds for relief.... 
  

It is a nightmare if you live in terrible pain daily, or almost daily, and then are terrified all of a sudden your meds could be jerked away... so those that don't understand, should be "educated" on just how chronic pain invades and takes over your life... and quality of life goes null and void, for the patient, family and way of life...

And from the Pain News Network....

https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2017/1/9/fda-approves-new-long-acting-painkiller


FDA Approves New Long Acting Painkiller  

 

Just came out a couple of days ago!





Saturday, January 7, 2017

As Usual NOTHING is simple when it comes to MYSELF and MANY others with COMPLICATED AUTOIMMUNE ILLNESSES!


                            DO COMPLICATIONS EVER END????

Once again, my autoimmune illnesses play a difficult part when it comes to my health, my life, and after something like a major surgery.

Many of you know I had taken a hard fall on my hardwood floor on December 13th - which led to 2 fractures n my right hip. I had staples in it, due to two incisions, but I had a rod and screws put in and did not have a complete hip replacement, which we hoped meant I would be home sooner. SO MUCH for that thought! I should know better by now to :"assume" anything I have done will be "simple".

The surgery, the rod and screws, which I got to see on an X-ray yesterday January 6th, are healing well. I had a complication with my foot, thinking it was fractured, but I found out I have a torn ligament, which probably began when I twisted my ankle back in June so severely, then the fall, in which also involved my foot being "hung up" and caused the fall, then probably tore that ligament the rest of the way, thus now my right foot is in terrible pain, when I am standing or trying to rehab the hip. I've had to learn to work past the pain in my foot, thus the rehab portion on my hip is going very well.

Even my orthopedic surgeon said yesterday, that in spite of my complicated health problems, I am doing extremely well, and past schedule in a good way, compared to what he thought I might be. He was telling his nurse, that due to my attitude and willingness to work with therapy, I am doing very well. Yet, between the anemia, the liver enzymes being high, and now this "hematoma" that developed on top of the main incision after the hip was repaired, I face another surgery this coming Tuesday.

He has to go in and drain the "grape jelly" as he called it, the blood that has accumulated like a huge blood blister under the skin, and put a drain in it, so we can get rid of the huge "mass" right on my thigh, that makes me look "deformed". He said in his report, it is big as a softball. WOW! I knew it was large but "softball size"? So, rather than GOING HOME EARLY NEXT WEEK, I face yet another SURGERY! So, that delays me getting on home and back to my life, as I wanted to.

It certainly takes the idea of my neck surgery that I need so badly, completely out of the picture, and makes me want to "run" if I could somewhere that not a soul could touch me, and just be totally alone, perhaps with my puppy, Peanut, and the new puppy that awaits me once I get home.

Here are a couple of pics of my new little boy


who awaits me: He is apart of what keeps me on focus to hurry up get well and GO HOME!!!! along of course with Peanut also a Fox terrier....

Friday, January 6, 2017

Fearing...Home...Falling Again...Loss..Bad Blood work...Grieving, and more.... So Many Questions - Looking for Answers

I can't "fuss" too much about the care I've received in both the hospital and now the Rehab Hospital. Thank Goodness, it is NOT anything like a nursing home!

Although they have "long term" patients, there are 4 "Halls" of which each serves a different type of patient. So, those that like myself, are trying to "rehab" so they can go home and be able to care for themselves, we are all in one hall.

The others are for Dementia/Alzheimer's patients, and those that are probably here for the rest of their days.

I really have not encountered much that I would say was "wrong".... I usually get my meds when I ask within a reasonable amount of time, even though there are times, they have patients coming to to be admitted, or things get crazy, and I may have to wait a bit, or remind them. Most of the time, the nurses are apologizing to me, because they were not "prompt" in getting me my pain, muscle relaxers and my diazepam in a timely manner.

I've been able to shower by myself the past two times, and I am getting around MUCH better this past 4 or 5 days. Enough so, I am READY TO GO THE HELL HOME, I am SO BORED WITH IT ALL NOW!

But, complications, like a huge hematoma, at the repair site on my hip, has caused a delay in getting the staples out, my liver functions are all high, and my anemia really was a very huge concern. So far, it appears after the 3 units of blood at the hospital were given to me, my red blood cell counts have gotten better, but I look for them to bottom out again, once I am not here and on the supplements, besides I still feel that I have pernicious anemia, which is an autoimmune illness, plus even the liver issues, probably have to do with Lupus and the RA, causing the issues with my red blood cells being so low.... etc....

I realize I face yet another surgery my neck surgery,if I can recover from the hip fractures (or actually WHEN I recover enough to go and have it done...plus my lower back has to be fixed also....my lower back and neck both were already needing surgery, then between trying to take care of Mom, and now the "jolt" from the fall, both are worse than ever.

ALL OF YOU, PLEASE stay with me!!!! I am certainly NOT giving up on my blog, my advocacy, writing and my other things I participate in so I can HELP OTHERS understand they are NOT alone.....

I am trying to find ways to increase my readers here on my blog, but I know I really need to make sure I have interesting and valuable information here for everyone, or all of you will get bored with it.

IF YOU have any ideas of what you may like to read, hear about, or have me talk about, PLEASE let me know. You can always email me at: ravishingrhia@gmail.com

Thursday, January 5, 2017

#WHATTHEHEALTHCARE - Your "pet peeves" or worse with Doctors and the Medical System

#whatthehealthcare

HOW MANY OF us have dealt with wrong diagnosis, doctors with NO bedside manner,having tests we did not need, dealing with labs done but you don't get results until weeks and weeks later, doctors who make you wait 4 or 5 hours or more when you had a scheduled appt, not getting things billed properly to insurance...

... having a doctor make you wait, then the nurse comes in and says there was "an emergency" and you have to reschedule. go to:

http://whatthehealthcare.info/?spMailingID=16126899&spUserID=MTQwOTExNTk2OAS2&spJobID=921335017&spReportId=OTIxMzM1MDE3S0


WE KNOW HEALTH CARE CAN BE FUNNY AND EVEN FRUSTRATING AT TIMES…

LET’S HASH THROUGH IT!

 

 

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Talking about "enduring" ALL of the "complications" & Nightmares of being in the hospital after breaking my hip, surgery, Rehab and "conflicts" of other illnesses #WhatTheHealthcare


 #WhatTheHealthcare

To understand this, I fell and broke my right hip n 2 place the Tuesday before Christmas. I am STILL in the Rehab Hospital and everyday there is some kind of "kink" or some complication, and guess who suffers for it???? ME, the PATIENT!!! Here is the latest example.... besides being Anemic and having 3 UNITS of blood before, during and after surgery.... I've had a ROUGH 24 HOURS AGAIN!

They decided to do that liver sonogram and I didn't know I could not eat, drink or even have meds (which I was told they would come somewhere around 3AM or so do to the scan. Well, 3 passed by, then 5AM passed by, then 6AM and nothing to eat, drink, no medications, and by 6:30AM I was about a basket case... well over time for pain meds, my Valium, my muscle relaxers and so on. So, everyone was checking to find out why the scan was not done sometimes in the early morning.

He FINALLY SHOWS UP about 11:00AM.... now this is like 20 HOURS SINCE I've had anything.... the sonogram did not take long, and I was "buzzing" for ALL OF MY MEDS, and some orange juice as soon as he got through. So, thank goodness I got lunch, and of course my stomach is so "small" that I can't hold a great deal of food or drink at a time.

But, I got my meds, and drank the juice, then ate some of my lunch, and now I am just worn out from lack of sleep, and lack of meds on time.... so it's been a heck of a day and night before.... I gather he did the sonogram of my spleen, liver, kidney's etc...so if anything is causing the blood work to be "off" hopefully they will find out.

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Trying to Move Past the "bad" of 2016 & look ahead to a Hopeful 2017... (Resolutions?, Revelations, Lessons from life's past, reaching within the depths of my soul to make sense, out of a "senseless" world and all that we must endure)

"Trying to Move Past the "bad" of 2016 & look ahead to a Hopeful 2017... (Resolutions?, Revelations, Lessons from life's past, reaching within the depths of my soul to make sense, out of a "senseless" world and all that we must endure) "

Alas the "title of this post" is a great deal longer than usual. I felt in order to bring the message to all of you I needed to try and title this so everyone will know how crucial this post is, and just how I've had to pull every ounce of whatever bit of faith I have to bring you the truest feelings of this past couple of years.

Life deems to bring us many things that we cannot possibly "see" the good out of it, whether it is loss of a loved one, a fur baby, chronic illnesses and pain, watching others suffer, when so often whatever is happening seems useless and a waste of what little time we have here on this Earth. I never said or pretended to understand why so many horrible events happen to those that are good, gracious, loving, nurturing, and are decent people. Yet, others that are horrible, frightening, terrible to their own kind, are not decent, not caring, and often tear others down, rather than build them up.

Most people find themselves trying to put a list of "New Years Resolutions" together at the beginning of each year. Other similar words, "revelations, settle, make a pledge to do something a different way, such a quit smoking, work out more, eat healthier, we pledge to ourselves to do some things in a manner more positive, than hold onto our old ways, that may not have been the best way to do things...

thus rather than resolutions, I try and use a different term, such as "throwing out the old, torn and tattered ways, and beginning a new way with new "material" and a hopeful heart. I also know many of us "keep" some of those "resolutions", and some find themselves settling back into their old ways, which brings a guilt to our heart, thus too many "difficult" changes within a short amount of time, leaves us to NOT be able to keep them all. We get upset, feel so useless, see others making their goals, while maybe we cannot keep our own.

Below are a  few synonyms that could be used to mean "Resolutions":

intention, resolve, decision, intent, aim, plan;
   They have became a "tradition" like black eyed peas at midnight for good luck in the coming year, we have many traditions, we keep or try to keep during holidays and so forth, like mistletoe, the Christmas tree, sending cards for holidays, celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and so forth.

I guess I would say that I shall "pledge" or commit to a few things that I feel I need to change and have a fresh start for the new year.

As always all too often we have "unexpected" roadblocks, happenings, events, whether it be family, illnesses, accidents, jobs, and so on, that change that path of good intentions we set up for ourselves at the 1st of the year.

For me my good intentions tend to get put aside for family, or for the chronic illness and pain I suffer with, that in a moment I can go from feeling great to being in the hospital... having surgery etc. None of us can truly "predict" the exact things that will happen from one moment to the next.


So, as I, along with many of you try to "have the promises" to ourselves duly noted and ready to start anew, remember WE ARE HUMAN! We will have issues come up that causes us not to be able to keep some of the very things we so want to do, change, stop, start and so forth...

As I write this tonight December 31,2016 from my hospital bed, hoping to be out of here and home very soon, again, never did I think 3 weeks ago I would fall, fracture my hip in 2 places, have other complications arise, and spend both Christmas and New Years in a hospital.

Try to keep yours a list of things that are not too complicated, or just write down a few, lie 4 or 5, rather than 10, 20 or more, and be proud of the progress you make even if you don't complete them all. If you get "some" of them done, or just a piece of several that you are working towards a goal on, give yourself a "well done" and push forward, knowing even a baby step, is a definite positive for the New year and YOU!

A piece of me feels as if I am blocking out all that we went through with Mom, then losing her in June so suddenly. Then the ordeal of paperwork, and all that happens even after the funeral is over.

Then I've went from one issue such as both ankles severely twisted, to sinusitis, to pneumonia, to Lupus flares, then to take such a horrible fall. and break my right hip in two places... to wind up being in the Rehab on Christmas, and maybe for awhile after the 1st of the year.

I just know that things have to get better. I am so terribly tired of being ill in one way or the other. I tried so hard to NOT allow this to happen to me. I knew my chances of a fall could lead to a break of a bone or joint. That is one of the very last things I wanted r needed. But, when I hit that hardwood floor two weeks ago the coming Tuesday, I knew it was not good.

I wanted to believe that it was bruised badly, yet when I could not drag it on the floor without screaming out in pain, I knew then it was bad.

I've been in a turmoil over the state our nation is in. Now with the "person" that is to be our new President, totally terrifies the hell out of me. I cannot fathom him having enough tact with out own Congress, much less any other nation.

I am having to almost "hide" my feelings this season. Here I see many families, together, excited about kids, Christmas, and this very special time of the year, yet I feel left in a "dark fog" wondering once again why I feel "punished", why did I have to take a fall as I did, and break a hip. And what are the chances that I wind up having another surgery if this hip does not work without an entire replacement since the osteoporosis could cause issues.

Frankly, this is one of the very 1st times I've been this worried about my own health issues. I watched my Grandmother and my Mom be able especially my Grandmother take care of themselves for YEARS alone. Now, I fear everything, from just getting out of the bed to going home. I've always been so bound and determined to do my stuff myself. Now, between the Lupus, the RA, the Osteoporosis, and now a broken hip, that I will lose some of my independence, which that thought bothers me badly.

Then to have one of my fur kids pass away suddenly night before last in my arms, here in the Rehab, just seemed to put the entire last almost 3 years into a world of such hurt, for myself, and also my kids; I keep trying to "hold onto" what little faith I have to sustain me, and try to over the sinking into sand, peeking upward, and asking for another half ounce of courage, strength and ability to try to "understand" the reasons I may NOT understand, not now, but someday I shall know the why's of this life, and the grief it brings to us within a matter of moments.