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what a day. i think i did an entire 8 hours of errands & appointments today (with a paid lunch hour! social workers never get those, so i take it when i get it).
first, let me say that wes is *impressed* with dr im. i think his words are 'this guy's sharp' which is a compliment coming from wes. the gist of this appointment: I DON'T HAVE ADDISON'S DISEASE! i swear, i felt like i was suddenly lifted to a cloud when he said that. *PHEW* i just have adrenal insufficiency & fatigue. i tried to find a good website to share, but the gist is that my cortisol level is flipped: i have ultra low levels during the day (making me exhausted, weak, & my muscles hurt like someone is pulling my arms apart with each arm tied to a different semi going in opposite directions. it hurts, trust me). then between 9 & 10, my cortisol turns 'on' & starts pumping, not allowing me to get a solid, steady sleep. there's much more to this whole diagnosis & although some doctor's don't acknowledge it as an actual disease (it appears mostly older docs), well, it seems to fit my problems. so dr im doubled my cortisol meds. which, by the way, since it's cortisol--yes, a steroid, but not in the traditional steroid medication sense, i don't get the typical 'roid side effects. i'm not going to get all pimply & bulge with muscles & have severe anger outbursts. i will just be able to get up in the morning & feel rested. WOAH! what an idea.
so i'm also taking melatonin to help me sleep at the right time. & folks, this was the best part & if wes wasn't there i'm not sure he would believe me: i am "prescribed" to get at least 7 uninterrupted hours of sleep at night. yes, that means heidi doesn't get up with kiddos 1 or 2. sorry wes! i guess the time i spent nursing adeline in the middle of the night & then crawled back into bed where you were sleeping (after you changed her diaper for me; i remember that part, too!)...i mean, adeline could *nurse* at night, for nearly an hour each round. ugh. anyway, i am to sleep like my life depends on it b/c it...does. (if adrenal stuff gets out of hand, that's when an adrenal crisis hits & addison's would come into play...hard to think this is the easy version of it all).
so that was doc #1 visit. it went good. i was given 30 minutes of face to face time with a doctor who asked & answered all questions & then even prodded us to ask more. he even gave us another round of medication samples & then handing the bag to us smiled & said "merry christmas" (seriously, the meds he gave probably total about $100, egads).
doc visit #2. i waited in the patient room for *AN HOUR*...then one of dr welling's 'fellows' came in to chat & check my vitals & read my hearing test. he was very interested in the adrenal insufficiency stuff & knew what i was talking about & even said that the surgery probably put me in this adrenal position (even with a previous adrenal insufficiency). he also said as far as the surgery goes, i am doing amazingly well. the surgery site is in stellar condition, my hearing is actually at a normal level (but since only 1 hear has hearing loss kinda makes it hard to hear in group settings)...i'm still hearing at an 88% clarity level in my left ear! that's awesome & not expected at all.
then another 10 minutes later dr welling, surgeon-extraordinaire came in. now, he is a very nice man, an excellent & well known surgeon & has very good bed-side manner for a world class surgeon. BUT he treated the adrenal problem like it was silly, just take an ibuprofen would ya? i was a wuss, folks, i didn't respond curtly or correct him. b/c really, he is only a surgeon at this point & although he *should* have a doctor who follows patients post-op, he did his job. but i can still say i am dissatisfied with his care post-op. gosh, i don't have to see them all for another 5 years, though! & he was so very impressed with my walking & balance skills & said my hearing levels are way above what they would expect. this dude is so far into optimism that i couldn't remind him that the numbness is sometimes painful & always persistent & i didn't really have migraines like this prior to surgery. GAH.
anyway. on to good things that don't involve a phd.
this is the tea kettle that wes & i bought at an antique store last saturday. you could say it's our 6th anniversary gift to each other (& before you say "pathetic" i guess i could count the scanner/copier/fax/printer as wes' gift?). i do collect tea pots & kettles (this has been decided this past year only, but i have 7 of them!)
first, let me say that wes is *impressed* with dr im. i think his words are 'this guy's sharp' which is a compliment coming from wes. the gist of this appointment: I DON'T HAVE ADDISON'S DISEASE! i swear, i felt like i was suddenly lifted to a cloud when he said that. *PHEW* i just have adrenal insufficiency & fatigue. i tried to find a good website to share, but the gist is that my cortisol level is flipped: i have ultra low levels during the day (making me exhausted, weak, & my muscles hurt like someone is pulling my arms apart with each arm tied to a different semi going in opposite directions. it hurts, trust me). then between 9 & 10, my cortisol turns 'on' & starts pumping, not allowing me to get a solid, steady sleep. there's much more to this whole diagnosis & although some doctor's don't acknowledge it as an actual disease (it appears mostly older docs), well, it seems to fit my problems. so dr im doubled my cortisol meds. which, by the way, since it's cortisol--yes, a steroid, but not in the traditional steroid medication sense, i don't get the typical 'roid side effects. i'm not going to get all pimply & bulge with muscles & have severe anger outbursts. i will just be able to get up in the morning & feel rested. WOAH! what an idea.
so i'm also taking melatonin to help me sleep at the right time. & folks, this was the best part & if wes wasn't there i'm not sure he would believe me: i am "prescribed" to get at least 7 uninterrupted hours of sleep at night. yes, that means heidi doesn't get up with kiddos 1 or 2. sorry wes! i guess the time i spent nursing adeline in the middle of the night & then crawled back into bed where you were sleeping (after you changed her diaper for me; i remember that part, too!)...i mean, adeline could *nurse* at night, for nearly an hour each round. ugh. anyway, i am to sleep like my life depends on it b/c it...does. (if adrenal stuff gets out of hand, that's when an adrenal crisis hits & addison's would come into play...hard to think this is the easy version of it all).
so that was doc #1 visit. it went good. i was given 30 minutes of face to face time with a doctor who asked & answered all questions & then even prodded us to ask more. he even gave us another round of medication samples & then handing the bag to us smiled & said "merry christmas" (seriously, the meds he gave probably total about $100, egads).
doc visit #2. i waited in the patient room for *AN HOUR*...then one of dr welling's 'fellows' came in to chat & check my vitals & read my hearing test. he was very interested in the adrenal insufficiency stuff & knew what i was talking about & even said that the surgery probably put me in this adrenal position (even with a previous adrenal insufficiency). he also said as far as the surgery goes, i am doing amazingly well. the surgery site is in stellar condition, my hearing is actually at a normal level (but since only 1 hear has hearing loss kinda makes it hard to hear in group settings)...i'm still hearing at an 88% clarity level in my left ear! that's awesome & not expected at all.
then another 10 minutes later dr welling, surgeon-extraordinaire came in. now, he is a very nice man, an excellent & well known surgeon & has very good bed-side manner for a world class surgeon. BUT he treated the adrenal problem like it was silly, just take an ibuprofen would ya? i was a wuss, folks, i didn't respond curtly or correct him. b/c really, he is only a surgeon at this point & although he *should* have a doctor who follows patients post-op, he did his job. but i can still say i am dissatisfied with his care post-op. gosh, i don't have to see them all for another 5 years, though! & he was so very impressed with my walking & balance skills & said my hearing levels are way above what they would expect. this dude is so far into optimism that i couldn't remind him that the numbness is sometimes painful & always persistent & i didn't really have migraines like this prior to surgery. GAH.
anyway. on to good things that don't involve a phd.
this is the tea kettle that wes & i bought at an antique store last saturday. you could say it's our 6th anniversary gift to each other (& before you say "pathetic" i guess i could count the scanner/copier/fax/printer as wes' gift?). i do collect tea pots & kettles (this has been decided this past year only, but i have 7 of them!)
here is my hair cut (after a long day of here & there, so it's a bit messy, but you get the idea)
& here is the apron i also found at that antique store. i don't think the apron is an actual antique, but, still it's cute!
amelia & her daddy snuggling & wrestling around in addy's pile-of-all-things-soft-on-the-top-floor.
& yes, a shout out to paige, a fellow acoustic neuroma (brain tumor) survivor--it was a year ago that she was in the ICU recovering from her surgery. i'm so glad i was able to meet you... it has helped me immensley. congrats for coming through this brain tumor stuff with your sanity intact!
3 comments:
Oh I'm so glad you have a doctor you like! Nothing is better than feeling listened to, and actually helped. Sounds like he knows what's wrong and you'll only feel better from now on (that's what I've decided!)
I had no clue you collected tea pots. I do too, but mine are all put away for that "someday" shelf in my kitchen. I keep my collection on a low down because anytime someone finds out I collect something, I get like a gazillion, then it is no longer my collection. I love picking out things that can be connected to a special time (like your anniversary Teapot) or person. Love it. I promise, I will not bombard you with teapots now that I found our you have a collection tee hee.
By the way, that is one lovely teapot. Make sure you hide it when I visit.
Cute teapot. Cute hair. I decided a couple months ago to grow mine out, but since then, I keep seeing all these adorable short cuts. My resolve is wavering ...
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