Hello all

[Guest guest]

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