Once again - very kind readers have been asking for updates on this ongoing biopsy saga. Thank you so much for thinking of me, and taking the time to email me.
I had the biopsy done last Wednesday. Not one of the most fun experiences of my life that's for sure!
The calcification they were after was very far in, right at my chest wall. And, it was very tiny. For these reasons - it wasn't so easy for them to get, and it took three attempts before they were successful.
Add to this that the local anesthetic didn't work and I wasn't numb when they started everything - ugh!
Anyway - a few more shots of lidocaine I was comfortable enough for them to continue. They got what they needed and I expect the results sometime during the week. I have a follow up appointment with the surgeon on Thursday - all I can do in the meantime is pray that the results are benign.
I do look like someone who had a boob job though - but could only afford half a boob job. The swelling is taking a little longer than I expected to go down.
I haven't had much time to blog, or read blogs for that matter in the last couple of weeks and this is part of the reason I haven't been posting updates.
My two year old, has been keeping me on my toes again. Two weeks ago he woke at 6:30am with that tell tale barking cough. Croup. Again.
He was given steroids at the doctor's office that morning -and the barking went away in a couple of days - but he did have a persistent cough for the rest of that week.
By the following Saturday (last weekend) we were back at the doc's office with a very high fever, coughing and a very unwell baby. We had to go to the ER for a chest xray, and lo and behold, pneumonia had settled in. IV fluids and antibiotic at the ER kick started his recovery and he was thankfully a different child by the next day. He's still taking antibiotic for the pneumonia - but his follow up appointment on Monday was good, and the doctor was very pleased with his progress.
Fast forward to this weekend, after a week of almost running at 100% - my boy gets another fever on Friday evening, and wakes up yesterday with the croupy cough again. He is also very heavily congested - so it looks like we're dealing with another viral respiratory infection.
I haven't decided yet if I'll be taking him in tomorrow to the doctor. He's eating and drinking fine, and his breathing is good - he just sounds like a seal when he coughs! So he'll be getting adhoc steamy bathroom visits for the rest of the day - and his humidifier is doing overtime in his room, too. After that we'll play it by ear.
Just that time of year I guess when these kids get slammed with abrupt changes in the weather, and germs. Lots of germs!
We're doing our best to get ready for Christmas. We have a rather anorexic looking Christmas tree - a pre-lit job I bought at Target in the sales after Christmas last year. I hate it. Plus, a whole section of lights at the bottom keeps flicking on and off. How come these things look great in the store, and look crap in your house? I haven't altogether abandoned the idea of dumping it and going back to a real tree - but we'll see.
We were supposed to have my Parents in Law for Christmas, but sadly they can't come now since my Father In Law suffered a heart attack last weekend, and is still in hospital. His Consultant (Cardiologist) has said 'NO WAY' to the prospect of him flying to Florida anytime soon. In light of his troubles, a Charlie Brown-esque Christmas Tree doesn't seem that much of an issue really.
So medical drama simmers on - I don't mind telling you though - I'm ready for it to be over!
I'll post when I get the result of the biopsy - and would love you all to say a prayer like me that it's the result I want.
Showing posts with label sick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sick. Show all posts
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Back, and busy.
Well, we're baaacccckkk! And, have been back in Florida for almost three weeks now which is very hard to believe.
Ireland was great - wet, and cold, but great!
Just like last year, it was so nice to be in my other 'home'. The kids had a blast - why wouldn't they, spoiled with attention and surprises every day? I also enjoyed the constant company, a lot of it with adults, too.
Coming down from this 'high' of familial attention and companionship hasn't been easy on the kids, or myself to be honest. I've pretty much had to detox Miss E from getting her way (anything for a quiet life, you know how that goes), and have employed many more of Supernanny's techniques than I've needed to in quite a while - but it's working, and slowly we're getting back into our groove.
I recently found myself slipping back into that 'funk' I described a while back. I could feel it happening, but didn't have the energy to fight it. This wasn't helped by the fact that I got sick last week with a horrible stomach flu - great for losing a few pounds though, which is never a bad thing. I'm focusing on my treadmill again and although the muscles are objecting, I'm feeling better.
The kids were sick a lot when we were in Ireland - Jay practically wasted away before my eyes. Miss E and Jay were bombarded with heavy colds, vomiting and diarrhea, Jay had the added discomfort of a simultaneous ear and throat infection - good times eh? My little guy is just that, little. He can't afford to lose any weight - at 20 months, he's not much over 20lbs - so when he gets sick and starts dropping the weight, I get very anxious. All my family reassured me that he'd bounce back, especially hubs Grandmother who's raised sixteen (yes, 16!)children of her own - 'he'll bounce back, they all do' and she was right.
We are fighting fit now though, physically and mentally, and ready to enjoy the rest of the summer, before preschool starts and we get back to that routine. We've all had to acclimatize once more to the Florida summer though. At 9am each day Miss E has a swim class - and Jay and I sweat our butts off watching her - at 9am! How awful is it that I'm willing on the weeks so we can cool down a bit? There's nothing like wishing your life away.
My sister's wedding was amazing. She looked absolutely fabulous. Her ceremony was wonderful and the reception was a blast.
Miss E was flower girl, and she did a great job, even if she couldn't quite be coaxed into all the photographs!
The weather was horrendous, but it didn't dampen anyone's enjoyment, at all. My sister and her husband, lucky things, just got back from honeymoon in Rome and Sorrento.
I'm still catching up with all things stateside. I've been keeping a close eye on the presidential candidate coverage, and am frustrated to say the least at the less than objective reviews each candidate gets depending on which source I watch. This is where I miss Tim Russert - I'm so sad that he died. I credit this man with helping me understand the whole electoral process here, the primaries, caucuses, delegates etc. I feel bad that he isn't here to see this election pan out. He had such enthusiasm for his job, and for the whole political scene in general. My heart goes out to his wife and son.
People are still complaining about the price of gas I see - and I can understand to a point, but after seeing that Northern Irish drivers pay the equivalent of $11 a gallon, I don't feel like I have a right to complain about $4 here. I also drive a very thirsty car, and while I wish it cost less to run, it was our choice to buy this vehicle, and now we live with it. Besides, nobody, not even dealers, want to buy SUVs around here, so we're stuck with it, what's the point in complaining?
With that, I've got to run, load my kids up into my gas guzzler and head right down for this swim class - I have the oddest feeling that we're going to be late, again!
Looking forward to catching up some more, soon.
Ireland was great - wet, and cold, but great!
Just like last year, it was so nice to be in my other 'home'. The kids had a blast - why wouldn't they, spoiled with attention and surprises every day? I also enjoyed the constant company, a lot of it with adults, too.
Coming down from this 'high' of familial attention and companionship hasn't been easy on the kids, or myself to be honest. I've pretty much had to detox Miss E from getting her way (anything for a quiet life, you know how that goes), and have employed many more of Supernanny's techniques than I've needed to in quite a while - but it's working, and slowly we're getting back into our groove.
I recently found myself slipping back into that 'funk' I described a while back. I could feel it happening, but didn't have the energy to fight it. This wasn't helped by the fact that I got sick last week with a horrible stomach flu - great for losing a few pounds though, which is never a bad thing. I'm focusing on my treadmill again and although the muscles are objecting, I'm feeling better.
The kids were sick a lot when we were in Ireland - Jay practically wasted away before my eyes. Miss E and Jay were bombarded with heavy colds, vomiting and diarrhea, Jay had the added discomfort of a simultaneous ear and throat infection - good times eh? My little guy is just that, little. He can't afford to lose any weight - at 20 months, he's not much over 20lbs - so when he gets sick and starts dropping the weight, I get very anxious. All my family reassured me that he'd bounce back, especially hubs Grandmother who's raised sixteen (yes, 16!)children of her own - 'he'll bounce back, they all do' and she was right.
We are fighting fit now though, physically and mentally, and ready to enjoy the rest of the summer, before preschool starts and we get back to that routine. We've all had to acclimatize once more to the Florida summer though. At 9am each day Miss E has a swim class - and Jay and I sweat our butts off watching her - at 9am! How awful is it that I'm willing on the weeks so we can cool down a bit? There's nothing like wishing your life away.
My sister's wedding was amazing. She looked absolutely fabulous. Her ceremony was wonderful and the reception was a blast.
Miss E was flower girl, and she did a great job, even if she couldn't quite be coaxed into all the photographs!
The weather was horrendous, but it didn't dampen anyone's enjoyment, at all. My sister and her husband, lucky things, just got back from honeymoon in Rome and Sorrento.
I'm still catching up with all things stateside. I've been keeping a close eye on the presidential candidate coverage, and am frustrated to say the least at the less than objective reviews each candidate gets depending on which source I watch. This is where I miss Tim Russert - I'm so sad that he died. I credit this man with helping me understand the whole electoral process here, the primaries, caucuses, delegates etc. I feel bad that he isn't here to see this election pan out. He had such enthusiasm for his job, and for the whole political scene in general. My heart goes out to his wife and son.
People are still complaining about the price of gas I see - and I can understand to a point, but after seeing that Northern Irish drivers pay the equivalent of $11 a gallon, I don't feel like I have a right to complain about $4 here. I also drive a very thirsty car, and while I wish it cost less to run, it was our choice to buy this vehicle, and now we live with it. Besides, nobody, not even dealers, want to buy SUVs around here, so we're stuck with it, what's the point in complaining?
With that, I've got to run, load my kids up into my gas guzzler and head right down for this swim class - I have the oddest feeling that we're going to be late, again!
Looking forward to catching up some more, soon.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Toddler Health Commandments
1. Thou shalt behave completely normally throughout the day - playing, eating and drinking just fine, then wait until your parents think you are safely asleep for the night to throw up your dinner all over your crib, your teddy and yourself.
2. Thou shalt not appear relieved at having emptied the offensive contents of your stomach, and wait until Mommy puts you down in your fresh crib before repeating the throwing up procedure.
3. Thou shalt continue to retch and heave unproductively for two hours (since you have eliminated that which would have sustained a small country, from your tiny body).
4. Thou shalt fool your parents into thinking that all is settling down by starting to fall asleep on your mother's lap - and giving her that double edged sword of feeling so sorry for you because you are unwell, but secretly relishing in the freedom she has to stroke your face and your hair, to hold your tiny feet in her palm, and trace the outline of your fingers in hers, without protesting.
5. Thou shalt disturb this calm in an instant by heaving again and necessitating a quick sprint to the bathroom sink - where bile is all that comes up.
6. Thou shalt proceed to go limp, and refuse to engage with Mommy or Daddy when we try to coax even the tiniest reaction from you, let your head and limbs flop and show absolutely no interest in your most favourite comfort object, teddy (the spare, non puked upon teddy - for Mommy is very clever and has prepared for instances such as these).
7. Thou shalt unceremoniously freak both your parents out so they start asking 'should we call the doctor?', prompting Mommy to phone Auntie Suzy for a second opinion - and she concurs that we need to phone the doctor.
8. Thou shalt [of course] do all of this out of office hours so that when the doctor calls back her advice is 'he needs to be seen, you must take him to the Emergency Room'.
9. Thou shalt perform your 'rag doll' routine for the Triage Nurse and get her just as worried as Mommy, so she asks for a second opinion. In the 15 seconds that it takes the second Triage Nurse to appear - you miraculously recover the use of your limbs, your head and your eyes and you're trying to sit up as if to say 'sick?, me?, nahhh'. Triage nurse is relieved, but still doesn't like your colour and sends us to wait in the huge waiting room crammed with people too poor to see a regular doctor, a situation that Mommy could write about for a long time! and backing up the doctors so that we wait for ages without anyone seeing us. Just as Mommy starts to question whether you should be in the ER or not, thou shalt throw up once more for good measure, just in case going home might have been an option at this point.
10. Finally, at almost 2am, when you decide you would much prefer to lie down in your bed and sleep, thou shalt begin to protest your snuggly place on Mommy's tummy, throw the wet washcloth from your brow and thrash teddy around in case the strength of your distaste for your surroundings wasn't getting through clearly enough.
Satisfied that you'd be just as well off sleeping this off at home, and happier that you were a bit better than you were when you arrived, Mommy decided to call it quits. Leaving the coughing kids, and those kids happily running around causing havoc, with whom there didn't seem to be much wrong at all, to tie up the ER staff some more - we both craved our beds and some rest and TLC is probably all you really need anyway - we went home.
But, please, Son, next time - try and fit this in between 8am and 4:30am, okay? So much easier on all of us.
2. Thou shalt not appear relieved at having emptied the offensive contents of your stomach, and wait until Mommy puts you down in your fresh crib before repeating the throwing up procedure.
3. Thou shalt continue to retch and heave unproductively for two hours (since you have eliminated that which would have sustained a small country, from your tiny body).
4. Thou shalt fool your parents into thinking that all is settling down by starting to fall asleep on your mother's lap - and giving her that double edged sword of feeling so sorry for you because you are unwell, but secretly relishing in the freedom she has to stroke your face and your hair, to hold your tiny feet in her palm, and trace the outline of your fingers in hers, without protesting.
5. Thou shalt disturb this calm in an instant by heaving again and necessitating a quick sprint to the bathroom sink - where bile is all that comes up.
6. Thou shalt proceed to go limp, and refuse to engage with Mommy or Daddy when we try to coax even the tiniest reaction from you, let your head and limbs flop and show absolutely no interest in your most favourite comfort object, teddy (the spare, non puked upon teddy - for Mommy is very clever and has prepared for instances such as these).
7. Thou shalt unceremoniously freak both your parents out so they start asking 'should we call the doctor?', prompting Mommy to phone Auntie Suzy for a second opinion - and she concurs that we need to phone the doctor.
8. Thou shalt [of course] do all of this out of office hours so that when the doctor calls back her advice is 'he needs to be seen, you must take him to the Emergency Room'.
9. Thou shalt perform your 'rag doll' routine for the Triage Nurse and get her just as worried as Mommy, so she asks for a second opinion. In the 15 seconds that it takes the second Triage Nurse to appear - you miraculously recover the use of your limbs, your head and your eyes and you're trying to sit up as if to say 'sick?, me?, nahhh'. Triage nurse is relieved, but still doesn't like your colour and sends us to wait in the huge waiting room crammed with people too poor to see a regular doctor, a situation that Mommy could write about for a long time! and backing up the doctors so that we wait for ages without anyone seeing us. Just as Mommy starts to question whether you should be in the ER or not, thou shalt throw up once more for good measure, just in case going home might have been an option at this point.
10. Finally, at almost 2am, when you decide you would much prefer to lie down in your bed and sleep, thou shalt begin to protest your snuggly place on Mommy's tummy, throw the wet washcloth from your brow and thrash teddy around in case the strength of your distaste for your surroundings wasn't getting through clearly enough.
Satisfied that you'd be just as well off sleeping this off at home, and happier that you were a bit better than you were when you arrived, Mommy decided to call it quits. Leaving the coughing kids, and those kids happily running around causing havoc, with whom there didn't seem to be much wrong at all, to tie up the ER staff some more - we both craved our beds and some rest and TLC is probably all you really need anyway - we went home.
But, please, Son, next time - try and fit this in between 8am and 4:30am, okay? So much easier on all of us.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
When is a cold, not a cold?
Or, things that go through your mind en route to the ER at 5:30am.
* There's an unbelievable amount of traffic on the roads at that hour.
* Even school buses - school buses?
* I hope they get us seen before the 7am shift change that causes all medical staff to disappear for upwards of an hour!
* Did I over-react when I called 911? No I didn't - Jay was struggling to breathe - the doctor told me to call 911. He needed medical attention, quickly - this was the fastest way.
* I'm really not that great at handling stress or a crisis. How could I not remember the number of our house?
* Why was that EMS lady so obnoxious to me? Has she ever woken from a silent slumber to hear her child fighting for a breath? Has she heard that hacking, barking cough from her baby? Does she know how fast this can happen? Has she seen her child's eyes pleading at her from a pallid face for help?
* Why would she think I would 'drive like a crazy lady all the way to the hospital'? just because I said I'd drive him to the ER myself - I wanted to have my vehicle with me - I'm a careful driver, (aside from having this conversation with myself).
* Why was the EMS lady so rude to the Fire Service Paramedics who got to our house before her? Doesn't she know that stressed out parents really could do without 'attitude' in an emergency? At five in the morning?
* There really are a lot of cars out here. I'm glad I get to stay at home - it would kill me to start a commute this early.
J has croup. Having scared the life out of me, stressed himself out, and received two breathing treatments and three types of oral medicine - he's doing MUCH better. I don't mind telling you though, I was terrified. I've never heard anything like his breathing this morning and I hope I never do again.
I just felt so helpless.
Thank goodness for prompt EMS teams (even if their customer service leaves a lot to be desired), and great ER doctors.
I'll be nervous for a while to come each time either of my kids gets 'just a cold'.
I'm also having a hard time letting go of some of the things the female paramedic said to me today, and more importantly the way in which she said them. Two people I've talked to about it suggest reporting her - but I'm worried if I ever had to call 911 again (God forbid) where that would leave me if she happened to be the one to respond?
I guess I'll just focus on my little man and getting him better and let the other stuff take its less important backseat until I get over it.
* There's an unbelievable amount of traffic on the roads at that hour.
* Even school buses - school buses?
* I hope they get us seen before the 7am shift change that causes all medical staff to disappear for upwards of an hour!
* Did I over-react when I called 911? No I didn't - Jay was struggling to breathe - the doctor told me to call 911. He needed medical attention, quickly - this was the fastest way.
* I'm really not that great at handling stress or a crisis. How could I not remember the number of our house?
* Why was that EMS lady so obnoxious to me? Has she ever woken from a silent slumber to hear her child fighting for a breath? Has she heard that hacking, barking cough from her baby? Does she know how fast this can happen? Has she seen her child's eyes pleading at her from a pallid face for help?
* Why would she think I would 'drive like a crazy lady all the way to the hospital'? just because I said I'd drive him to the ER myself - I wanted to have my vehicle with me - I'm a careful driver, (aside from having this conversation with myself).
* Why was the EMS lady so rude to the Fire Service Paramedics who got to our house before her? Doesn't she know that stressed out parents really could do without 'attitude' in an emergency? At five in the morning?
* There really are a lot of cars out here. I'm glad I get to stay at home - it would kill me to start a commute this early.
J has croup. Having scared the life out of me, stressed himself out, and received two breathing treatments and three types of oral medicine - he's doing MUCH better. I don't mind telling you though, I was terrified. I've never heard anything like his breathing this morning and I hope I never do again.
I just felt so helpless.
Thank goodness for prompt EMS teams (even if their customer service leaves a lot to be desired), and great ER doctors.
I'll be nervous for a while to come each time either of my kids gets 'just a cold'.
I'm also having a hard time letting go of some of the things the female paramedic said to me today, and more importantly the way in which she said them. Two people I've talked to about it suggest reporting her - but I'm worried if I ever had to call 911 again (God forbid) where that would leave me if she happened to be the one to respond?
I guess I'll just focus on my little man and getting him better and let the other stuff take its less important backseat until I get over it.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Jumpin' on the bandwagon.
Everyone, in blogland is sick! Everyone in my house is sick.
Baby J has Bronchiolitis - and since it's viral - not a damn thing we can do about it, he just has to fight it himself. He's a trooper and smiling through it all.
Miss E has a heavy cold, broke out in scary batches of hives that had me scouring 'askdrsears.com' for answers. Benedryl saved the day, and she's on the mend.
DH is complaining of a sore throat. He had this in Ireland, too, seemed to get better, but is now back to square one.
I barely left the sofa yesterday, and was awake most of the night with flu symptoms and the.worst. sore.throat.I.have.ever.had.
I promptly headed to my clinic's urgent care this morning and all but begged them to let me see a doctor. You just know when you can't swallow, and feel wretched with nausea that maybe it's more than your average cold. I thought maybe I was a wimp for running to the doc so quick - and since hubs has soldiered on through this (no doubt he thinks I'm a wimp, since he had a sore throat and he scrubbed the kitchen top to bottom last night!)
The urgent care receptionist heard me speak, and immediately called several doctors in the main clinic to see if they could slot me in - YEAH for contagiousness - the didn't want me camping out in their waiting room for two hours spreading my germs.
A nice sympathetic doctor, and two prescriptions later, I now know I have a nasty throat infection - I'm not a wimp after all - I really am sick!
Of course on reporting this to my husband, he's now thinking 'maybe I should have seen a doctor after all', and his latest stroke of genius? 'I don't need to see a doctor, you've got the antibiotics now, I'll just have some of yours'
I don't think so sunshine - these are all mine, and just as soon as I can get my head around swallowing them in all their horse pill sized glory, I'm taking every last one of them to get rid of this pain. Go get your own pills!
Baby J has Bronchiolitis - and since it's viral - not a damn thing we can do about it, he just has to fight it himself. He's a trooper and smiling through it all.
Miss E has a heavy cold, broke out in scary batches of hives that had me scouring 'askdrsears.com' for answers. Benedryl saved the day, and she's on the mend.
DH is complaining of a sore throat. He had this in Ireland, too, seemed to get better, but is now back to square one.
I barely left the sofa yesterday, and was awake most of the night with flu symptoms and the.worst. sore.throat.I.have.ever.had.
I promptly headed to my clinic's urgent care this morning and all but begged them to let me see a doctor. You just know when you can't swallow, and feel wretched with nausea that maybe it's more than your average cold. I thought maybe I was a wimp for running to the doc so quick - and since hubs has soldiered on through this (no doubt he thinks I'm a wimp, since he had a sore throat and he scrubbed the kitchen top to bottom last night!)
The urgent care receptionist heard me speak, and immediately called several doctors in the main clinic to see if they could slot me in - YEAH for contagiousness - the didn't want me camping out in their waiting room for two hours spreading my germs.
A nice sympathetic doctor, and two prescriptions later, I now know I have a nasty throat infection - I'm not a wimp after all - I really am sick!
Of course on reporting this to my husband, he's now thinking 'maybe I should have seen a doctor after all', and his latest stroke of genius? 'I don't need to see a doctor, you've got the antibiotics now, I'll just have some of yours'
I don't think so sunshine - these are all mine, and just as soon as I can get my head around swallowing them in all their horse pill sized glory, I'm taking every last one of them to get rid of this pain. Go get your own pills!
Friday, April 20, 2007
The Dreaded Lurgy, and waffles!
If I'm going to cough and splutter my way through the next few days, I need my breakfast to make me smile!
I have ditched frozen waffles in favour of making my own, and these make a regular appearance in our house. If you don't make your own waffles, and use the frozen kind instead, try this recipe and make your own - they are simple and tasty and you'll never eat frozen ones again.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
2 cups milk
2 eggs, separated
1 Tbs. butter, melted
Preparation:
Pre-heat waffle-maker and oil grates lightly with spray oil.
Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Separate the two eggs, then add egg yolks, milk and the melted butter to the dry ingredients and beat together thoroughly.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.
Fold egg whites into flour mixture.
Pour 1 cup of batter onto lower grates and close the lid and cook for about 2 or 3 minutes.
Remove waffle and top with your favourite topping.
Pre-heat waffle-maker and oil grates lightly with spray oil.
Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Separate the two eggs, then add egg yolks, milk and the melted butter to the dry ingredients and beat together thoroughly.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.
Fold egg whites into flour mixture.
Pour 1 cup of batter onto lower grates and close the lid and cook for about 2 or 3 minutes.
Remove waffle and top with your favourite topping.
This recipe makes 8 Mickey Waffles (maybe more on a conventional iron), and since there is no way I'm in the mood for grocery shopping today, guess what's on today's 'sumpin to eat' menu?
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Annie
