AWOL

[Guest guest]

Hello, all. I can't believe how many new people that are in this

group!! To all of you, I wish to welcome you. You couldn't have

found a more supportive family on the whole web!!

For those who are old friends, hello again. Sorry I've been AWOL

for a while, again. It's been difficult to keep up with all the

posts. I've been fighting this pyelonephritis, still, for six and a

half months now. We think the stones in my kidneys are finally

sterile, but they are still stuck. But, I'm still running fevers.

Don't know where it's coming from. I've been back in the hospital,

which makes a total of 7 visits since December. I was sent to OSU-

east. My Infectious Disease doc sent me there since he works out of

there more. I will never go back there again. You know, being in

the medical field, there are certain little things that are noticed

that a lay person may not see. Well, even my dad, whom I love very

much but is a bit on the dense side, was able to see the

incompetence there. Especially from the doctors. I now understand

why other hospitals in the area do not use " hospitalists " for their

primary doctors. Not a good thing!! I left feeling worse than when

I went in and even ended up in the ER 2 days later. Now, the ER at

OSU-east was great. The rest of the visit was something else

entirely!!

Well, I'm still hanging in there. Not doing as well as I would

like. I, thankfully, have LTD income, though it's only half of what

I would be making if I were working. That hurts. Especially since

I won't be able to afford my mortgage, my car payment, my utilities,

and the COBRA premium for my health insurance. My sister said she

would pay for it. I can't ask that of her, though. It's gonna be

nearly $400 a month!!

I hope to go back to work sometime, though I still swing with the

emotions of the possibility of not being able to. That is the

hardest thing for me.

I saw my rheumatologist and he wants to send me out for a second

opinion as to what is going on with me. Not just any second

opinion, either. I will either be going to the Cleveland Clinic or

the Mayo Clinic. Seeing as how he and I both originate from

Cleveland, my bet is that I will be going there. He is going to set

me up with an internal medicine specialist and let this doc decide

what course I should take. My PCP is an internist, but I think 10

years with him has made him a push over. I really like him, but I

go see him and he says " ok, come back in 6 months " . He lets the

other doctors do all the work and he doesn't direct well.

So, as of March, I've been off ALL my RA meds. No more Enbrel, MTX,

Plaquinal, and Prednisone. He keeps me stocked with pain meds so I

continue to take Vicodine ES and Percocet along with Neurotine. My

pain levels are unbelievable. My orthopedist is trying to set me up

with a pain managment doc, at my request. He is willing to give me

what ever pain med I want, but that isn't fair on him or my rheumy.

I know that, I told him that. I also thanked him for helping me out

and trying to keep me pain free. I've known him for a long time, as

well. Worked with him for over 14 years!! So, he knows me well

enough to know that when I ask for help, I mean it.

So, I'm just waiting to hear from his office. They will call me as

soon as this pain doc gets in touch with him. If things continue to

get as bad as it has been, I may end up going to the ER again.

Only, I will go to the ER at the hospital where this pain doc is and

see if I can't get it taken care of there. I usually end up being

admitted when I go to the ER because I let things get too bad. So

bad that I'm dehydrated. The pain gets so bad I get sick from it.

I'm gradually getting there now. I have Phenergan to help with it,

but even that doesn't do much when it's caused by the pain. I try

to keep fluids down. When I get this bad, I try drinking Gatoraide

to keep my electrolytes up. I stopped taking my hydrothiachlorazide

because I dehydrate so easily now as it is. It's only for

prevention of kidney stones, and heck, I've got a handfull of those

already in each kidney!!

Well, I think it's time to stop this novel before it becomes an

epic!! Thanks for listening. Hugs and Prayers to all, Marina