Re: Hello all ((((((Marina))))))

[Guest guest]

Wow, Marina, my friend, you have been through so much

in such a short time. What an ordeal. The story of

your last few months was unbelievable, but I am glad

you have made it through with your sense of humor

intact. I surely hope that you have seen the last of

the hospital for a while, and the infections all clear

up soon. I give prayers nightly to all of those in

this group, and my fibro group, but will be saying an

extra special prayer for you - sending you white

healing light to you - hang in there -

Kathe in CA

--- marina_troi <marina_troi@...> wrote:

> Hello, everyone!! I know I've been absent for a

> little over 2

> months, now. First off, I want to send out warm

> welcomes to all the

> newbies. I would also like to send out a great big

> hug to those who

> kept me in their prayers.

>

> The last few months have proven challenging to me.

> I was in the

> hospital for 8 days back in early December. I was

> admitted with a

> temp of 104, and with a lot of pain. Turns out I

> had

> pyleonephritis. Sever kidney infection, on both

> sides. After I was

> dischared, I went on antibiotic pills. The first

> round didn't help,

> so my rheumy changed it to a different one. That

> one didn't work,

> either. We knew that they were effective against

> the bacteria,

> based on the sensitivity results. But for some

> reason, it didn't

> work for me. To top it off, all the antibiotics

> that would work

> against this bacteria were ones that I am allergic

> to!! So, I took

> big doses of benadryl with it. The week after being

> discharged, I

> had a knee scope done. That helped my knee pain out

> sooooo much.

> It was so bad that I couldn't put weight on my right

> leg because of

> the pain and it would give out! Fortunately the

> articular surface

> looked great! Just a few small tears that were

> easily cleaned up.

> My patella was a mess. He cleaned it up and heat

> treated it. I

> still have some pain with it and I can't kneel on my

> right knee yet,

> but I know it will take a while for it to heal. I

> am also so behind

> on my physical therapy because of the kidney

> infection.

>

> Well, January 2 I ended up back in the ER. I was

> admitted again.

> This time for 8 days. They did surgery to remove my

> kidney stones.

> It was thought that the stones could be harboring

> the infection and

> that's why I can't shake it. Well, the one big

> stone was lasered

> and then the pieces sent to lab. The other stones

> are inbedded into

> the kidney. So, they are not going anywhere right

> now. They think

> that the infection is what caused a lot of swelling

> in both kidneys

> and in doing so, the stones became inbedded. They

> have a thin layer

> of tissue over them, so they think that they should

> be sterile.

>

> Well, I was discharged after 8 days and a day and a

> half later I

> went to see my family doc because my symptoms got

> real bad. I

> couldn't even walk into the office. They brought a

> wheel chair out

> for me. He took one look at me and said that he was

> going to get me

> a bed at the hospital. So, I was admitted directly

> from his

> office. Now, these last two admissions, they put me

> on the

> telemetry floor (heart monitor), My heart rate was

> running about

> 15o or more. Well, this time they decided to put in

> a groshong so I

> could start on home antibiotic treatment. They

> tried to put in a

> PIC line into my upper arm, but my veins are so bad

> from the

> dehydration and multiple phlebitis sites from

> previous IV's. I have

> 3 veins in my right arm alone that have shut down.

> Can't even get

> blood out of them. I was going through IV's every

> couple of hours.

> Well, one of the surgeons I know put in the groshong

> for me.

>

> So, I was sent home the next day and a day and a

> half later, I was

> back in the ER. My temp was up, my pain leverl was

> up, my stomach

> content was up (dry heaving sucks!!), and my

> potassium was down. So,

> after giving me lots of fluid and potassium

> replacement, I was

> starting to feel a little better. They kept asking

> me if I wanted

> to stay or go home. I wanted to go home. I don't

> know why they

> bothered asking me, because they called my doc and

> he wanted me

> admittied. Well, this time I got lots of fluid with

> potassium added

> to it, they gave me IV doses of steroids which

> helped the RA

> tremendously, and pain meds.

>

> I have lost about 60 pounds over the last 3 months.

> I don't

> recommend this diet, though!! I am still very weak.

> I have been

> walkin up and down my stairs frequently and go to

> the store with my

> family so I can walk as much as I can. I've been

> trying to build up

> my strength. Sometimes I go too far and pay the

> piper. But, I can

> know get half way up my stair case before I have to

> pause. Before,

> I could only go up one or two steps before I had to

> pause. I

> started my Enbrel and Methotrexate again. I think

> part of the

> weakness and fatigue could be the RA. I haven't

> been able to take

> any of my pills since Thanksgiving and I was off the

> Enbrel because

> of the vasculitis.

>

> So, with all these admitions, I had become so weak

> that I couldn't

> get myself out of bed or off the toilet. That is

> awfull. I hate

> having to depend on someone else. I'm just not used

> to being the

> patient,

>

> So, at this point and time, I am eating a little,

> very little. But

> I am getting in as much fluids as I can. That

> helps. My tempature

> has been going back up. I had some lab work done

> today and just

> waiting for those results. If they come back clean,

> then I can go

> to the surgeon to get my groshong removed.

>

> So, that's it, in a nutshell. It's been an awfull

> couple of

> months. I have been trying to keep up with the

> posts, but that has

> proven to be difficult. My eyes are so blurry from

> the drugs.

>

> I pray that everyone is well. Take care, Hugs and

> Prayers, Marina

>

>

>

>

Kathe

" To ride a horse is to borrow freedom. "

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