Right Foot "diagnoses" and causing much of my stability issues on the right side, answers & hoping I continue to improve... Foot issues, Want the Neck Surgery done) and wanting to get some new RA medication

I went out for a 3rd time myself yesterday, and went to run a couple of errands, then went by Legend Oaks to visit the lady who was in the room with me a part of the time. Bless her heart, she had been in the hospital a couple of times before Christmas with pneumonia, and she has had Diabetes 1 since she was a teenager. 

They were not really keeping it under control, and she was on several different types of insulin shots... and she was in there for a broken pelvis which COULD not be repaired by surgery. So, it takes much longer to heal on its own, when you have nothing there to try and help hold it in place and heal it. So, when I left I knew she would be in a couple more weeks at least. But, she has pneumonia NOW again, and it was bad yesterday when I went to see her. What makes it worse, is the woman they have in there now, I guess had a fractured hip etc... but she was a "chatter box"... had company running in and out, kept interrupting me as I tried to talk with Mary, and Mary looks really bad, she needs IV antibiotics with all she has going on.... I felt so badly for her, so I am going to see if there is anything I could take her with her having Diabetes 1 (and THEY DO NOT have a "diabetic" diet there, I thought that was stupid, with many patients having Diabetes) Anyway, everyone there could not believe how well I was doing... they were so pleased to see that I was back in my jeans, and clothing for town, and without a walker, and in fact, I carry the cane, especially in the stores, but I don't use it much here in the house.

 The main thing making me UNSTABLE is my FOOT AND ANKLE. I was correct, I kept feeling like my hip was very stable but that right foot felt terribly unstable and I was having to watch it almost more than the hip. So, sure enough, I went to a foot and ankle specialist that is in the same office of my orthopedic surgeon that fixed my hip, and I was correct. Due to the severity of the sprain in June on that right ankle, and then I did catch and twist it the morning I fell. That is what made me fall. I've been thinking over that morning, and now I recall that foot "hanging" and when it twisted, that is when I fell so hard to the floor. So, that means torn ligaments/tendons and I am extremely flat-footed. 

I had known that since I was very young. So, between the two, I have that type of "injury" (Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction) or even a "Lisfranc) issue, but without a break so far they do not see any break, but of course my RA/Arthritis I know has a great deal to do with it, because the very 1st Rheumatologist I saw, X-rayed my feet and toes, and my toes "roll under" and are kind of crooked due to the RA. So, he put an "orthotic" in my shoes, to help with the flat feet, then put a steroid injection (WHICH HURT LIKE HELL) into that ankle and foot, and I am going to PT outpatient for a couple of weeks, 2 times a week, to let them teach me some exercises to try and strengthen those tendons and ligaments. I know that ankle has endured two very severe sprains, one when I was 40, then again last year, and before and in between it has always been very "unstable"... and that is exactly what he said, because I told him my hip feels stable, but the foot is what wants to "roll" or not be stable when I walk, which can be another cause for a fall. 

Thus it has to be dealt with... so I am hoping between all of this I see some improvement. I know from others that foot surgery takes weeks and weeks to get over, especially the tendons and ligaments, and you wind up in a "boot" sometimes for months.. last thing I need. I need to see my Rheumy and have my neck surgery first... and pray the foot gets better with this other stuff. 

More Post-Op Hip Pinning results, seeing a Foot & Ankle Specialist today & TELLING YOU, MY READER ABOUT MY BLOG!! By the way talk about one expensive accident!

If you have followed my blog, Facebook pages, or my Newspaper, you are probably aware of my fall on December 13th, that led to a fractured hip in two places, and the surgery, then PT Rehab that followed.

It seems it is never ending, and I had severely sprained that right ankle in June, in fact the weekend of my Mom's funeral. I accidentally slipped off the porch on wet grass, and sprained both, but the right one was very bad. It was black, blue, and extremely swollen for weeks and weeks. And still, if I am up on it for a long period of time, it tends to swell again.

But, after the fall and it being on that right side, I think it was my foot that actually got caught in what little device I had across the doorway to keep my pups out of the bedroom. So, I was in so much pain with my hip, it was not until after the hip was pinned and a couple of days after I noticed my foot hurt worse than my hip, and I could barely stand to touch it to the floor. They X-Rayed it twice, and there seemed to be nothing broken, but more probably torn tendons or ligaments, that the X-ray would not show. It got a bit better, but even after 8 weeks or so post-hip surgery, the foot swells and turns purple if I walk or stand on it for any period of time.

SO, I go to a foot and ankle specialist today, who is located in the same place my orthopedic surgeon that did my hip surgery is in. Which makes things easier, since they already have all of my information.

I have no clue what he will find, or not find. I just know I would like to have it looked at, so I will know whether it is going to just take time to heal itself, or what. It sometimes hurts so it causes me to want to limp on that side, which is not good for my pinned hip. I don't want to start limping, and make it a permanent thing. Also, last night for the 1st time, I had pain in my calves during the night. It woke me up in fact, and I thought it odd that the back of my calves were aching, so I got up took some medication, but I have not been sleeping very well anyway, thus I did not get much sleep last night, nor several nights before.

I tend to be "full of energy" one moment, and the next, just feel drained, and really just want to prop up my foot, and sit to watch a movie. Of course, I still face surgery, on my neck, which is giving me mortal hell, and the Rheumatoid Arthritis is bothering my thumbs and hands so much, but I need to get well enough to go to my Rheumatologist to get on some new medication.

The pain from both thumbs, and wrists now run up my arms, to my elbows, especially when typing or doing something tedious with my hands and fingers. So, it makes it difficult to sit here and type, when both arms hurt from the RA in my thumbs and fingers.

I know we have had this conversation now on several occasions, about life and how some of us wind up with all types of suffering, medical, financial, emotional, and it every realm, it seems to never end. I certainly feel that way, and I am so frustrated with it all. I have many mornings that I wake up with my stomach upset and nauseated so badly I have to take medication for it. I know I have GERD, and take meds for that, but this does not act like GERD. I am just plain nauseated, and not sure why. I have a great deal of head and neck aches, probably from where I need neck surgery, so that in itself will make me feel sick to my stomach. I also am trying to do the same eating routine that I did at the hospital, rather than eating breakfast late morning, I now try to eat around 8 to 8:30AM, then have some of that "muscle milk" or protein drink in between during the day. Maybe snack on a few crackers, or something in between, then eat dinner as usual about 5 to 5:30PM. I thought that may help.

Also, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW ABOUT MY BLOG, WELL HERE IS THE URL TO IT: 

http://www.autoimmunearthriticsystemiclife.com/

I feel that I may have many out there who don't know about my blog, so they never see it.. So, for awhile, I am going to try and get the information out there about my blog, because it has lots of information, not just on myself, but RA, Lupus, Clinical Trials, different Organizations, such as the Arthritis Foundation, WEGO Health, the Lupus Foundation, the Alzheimer's Foundation, The Foundation for Autoimmune Arthritis, and much more.. medications, my experiences, events happening and my newspaper also keeps up with the latest stories and so forth at:

http://news.autoimmunearthriticsystemiclife.com/#

Life Chronic Pain, Autoimmune Illnesses, Arthritis and Dementia

PLEASE read when you can and I would love to hear from you!n IF there is a subject I should do more on, or something you may want to contribute, then please let me know and I will put more up, or consider some of your thoughts and your life stories....

and to top it all off, the EXPENSE OF WHAT THIS ACCIDENT IS COSTING ME, WILL HAVE ME PAYING FOR YEARS! It is totally ridiculous the COST of that surgery, stay for 5 days in the hospital and another 28 days in the REHAB!

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....

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.......

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...

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.....

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!

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....

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

#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!