A wake-up call for me
I’ve gotten a little behind in my blogging lately. No it isn’t because I’m in love. It’s because a few nights ago I woke up out of a sound sleep with intense, and I mean INTENSE!!!!! pain in my lower chest. Wow. I went down stairs and sat down, figuring it was probably gas, but I was shaking so bad that my body made noise. The pressure made a heart attack a possibility.
So I woke up David at 2 a.m. and we went in to the emergency room at the Cook Hospital. Now the last time that I, myself, was in the hospital, David was born. (Of course I’ve been in for different things, as an out patient.)
On the ride in, I kept hoping that it would pass and I wouldn’t have to go into the emergency room. Yish! But it didn’t and I did. After two gazillion tests and fifty people trying to get an I.V. into my veins, they decided that I wasn’t having a heart attack (which was good), but maybe it was my gall bladder (not so hot). I stayed over night….then another night. The ultrasound they ran showed gall stones. Cool. Not! My liver enzymes were not so hot either.
But because the pain had pretty much gone away, they let me go home. I get to go back in tomorrow to get another battery of tests. Hopefully my liver is better and I won’t have to have a CT scan (painful because they can’t get a needle into my veins) or surgery. I’ve got all my body parts I came with and really would like to keep it that way!
I’ve been eating very low fat meals, babying my gall bladder as much as I can, hoping to stay away from surgeons….even though they are real nice people. Wish me luck tomorrow!
February 4th, 2008 at 6:41 am
Hi Jackie! God bless!!! Fingers and toes crossed that you remain surgery-free. Please keep us posted!!!
And I love your water tanks–wish I had one for the garden!
February 4th, 2008 at 9:55 am
best wishes to and for you. I had the same thing happen in Aug. we were planning a motorhome trip to Montana with our daughter. got sick and had emergency surgery on my 68th birthday. would have been able to go home in 1 day, but I’m on oxygen and the docs wanted me to stay. We went on our trip a day late, but had a wonderful time, those docs really know how to get things done fast! good luck.
February 4th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Best of luck, Jackie. I’m pulling for you.
February 4th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Jackie,
Hope everything goes well tomorrow and you get to keep all your “bits ‘n’ pieces”! You’ll be in our prayers!
February 4th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Hi Jackie,
I had an unrelated ultrasound many years ago & the Dr told me I had gallstones. I fortunately have had only one very mild attack since then. I researched and read & have modified my diet. Mostly cut out the fats. Unfortunately pork really effected me (I love pork) so I don’t have chocolate, sweets or fat after noontime. It seems to have worked for me so far. I want to keep all my parts too! I figure they are there for good reason. I will be praying for you & maybe you can get by many years without problems!
February 4th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Thanks so much for the encouragement! I had my labs today and my wonderful liver is functioning tip top. No surgery needed and my sore tummy/chest is much, much less tender. Sigh. I’m SO glad!!! Now I’m all ready to start planting flower seeds for my hanging baskets! YES!!!
February 5th, 2008 at 12:28 am
I am so glad I read the coments and saw that you are so much better and won’t need surgery..yay!!!
You take care!!
February 5th, 2008 at 7:19 am
Hooray!!!!!!!!!! And thank God. What a scare! I’m expecting my vat of seeds from baker Creek to arrive any day now and am SO excited (and yes, of course I ordered Hopi Gray squash)!!! When it comes I’ll sit on the floor and play with the seed packets like a kid with a new set of Lincoln Logs!
February 5th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Hi Jackie! I am so glad you are doing so much better! Yes It’s time to get out the seeds and make a map and plan for the garden. Enjoyed your blog and the chicken article in b.w.h magazine. Would like to get a small chicken tractor for 3 hens, My problem? 4 dogs, my wife, and in town.
I’m working on it?? Thanks, Have a great day
February 5th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Jackie,
Great to hear you are going to be ok. I have been wondering for a long while how you have been able to deal with all the medical emergencies you and your family have experienced in the past few years. Do you have medical insurance? Affordable medical insurance seems to be the achilles heal for us homesteaders. I sure would appreciate you sharing how you deal with the medical expense question.
Best Regards,
Dave
February 8th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
David,
I wish I had a magic answer; we’ve fought the no medical insurance thing for years. Luckily, a month before my late husband, Bob, died, the VA finally rated his disability at 100%. (Gee, do you think?> It killed him!)
With his 100% rating, that gave (gives) David and I medical insurance through the VA. It is not 100% and I’m still struggling with past medical expenses from my lengthy cancer treatments and follow-ups and David’s bout with flesh eating bacteria. Most have been willing to work with me, as long as I was making some sort of payments. However two were really mean about it, so you never know. The worst were from David’s hospitalization & surgery. But I’m making payments every month as they demand, even though it’s cutting into us pretty bad. Hopefully I’ll be much paid down before I start redoing the payments for my own hospitalization two weeks ago! Whew, just when you think you’re getting ahead…..
We sure need some sort of medical help for the not-so-poor, not-so-rich folks!
Jackie