My journey to better health

For Congress to do anything, it means that have to get their heads out of their collective backsides. I know it's frightening but there is nothing you can do about it.

98 for me first thing in the morning after 12 hours without food is a tad high. I'm usually right around 84-86. Remember, I'm pre-diabetic and trying not to get worse.

I was 98 pre-pizza in a bowl last night with no food all day long. I should've been bottoming out but nooooooo.......

Called the hospital to ask how fast we can get me in for the consult and surgery. By the time they got done transferring me here and there the department I needed was closed.

Then I was told that as of Sept. 3rd they will no longer take my medical coverage. Whipped out an email asking they do this asap and why. Any bets?

Congress is set to vote to take away my coverage this week...so I'm screwed either way with a ticking time bomb in my brain. It could be defused IF I had the coverage or money. What grandpa left me isn't nearly enough even if I maxed out my credit card too and filed for bankruptcy afterwards.

Anyone know how to do a crowdfunding?

More good news, bad news:

Good news: I go in for embolization for the thing in my head next Friday. Hope it works.

Bad news: If it doesn't work I might not have enough time to get my head opened up, and I might not get the hemangioma done in time either, before the hospital refuses my medical coverage. They suggested changing companies but there are none I am allowed to change to so I'm screwed.

Will have to call my insurance company and see if there are any other hospitals big enough to be equipped and have surgeons good enough to do the job....it could be my only hope. I was told by the hospital this stuff could easily be $500,000 to $1,000,000.

No big hospitals that will take my medical coverage after the end of the month. Surgery tomorrow, will know right away if it worked. If ambiguous results recheck in two weeks with second embolism immediately if needed. If that doesn't work then we'll talk about opening up my head. This doc seems gung ho to push for continued care. The managed care office person I spoke with seemed swayed by my case (I gave them a full description of what I've been through so far and what's still needed to be done) so I might have changed their minds about denying me that.

The fistula is about 2 inches behind my right ear and about 3 inches worth of blood vessel long. He's going to use a type of surgical superglue to close it completely off. I'm actually to be kept in the neurosurgery ICU afterwards!

In pre-op they told me I had to have a catheter, my first....my BP and pulse shot up at least 20 points.

When I woke up after surgery they told me they didn't get it all. Ct-angio on the 22nd to see if I'm in the 25% that it fills in the rest of its' way on it's own. Otherwise I have to go through this all over again to finish the job.

I woke up covered in wires with tubes all over and blood catheters in several places. Urine catheter turned out to be kinked so my bladder was so full it was backing up into my kidneys. I begged to have it out so I could 'go pee like a normal person'. The nurse who removed it said I was empty and I said I beg to differ and as she got rid of the bag I went into the bathroom. Over 800cc worth so I was right. They pumped me so full of saline trying to raise my blood pressure I was in that bathroom every 1 1/2 hours overflowing their measuring device. NO sleep at all....I tried but there was so much noise and they kept coming in for this and that, and blood too. BP monitor went off just as I was drifting off to sleep, 101/45, 62 pulse. They had it se t too high despite my telling them I've had a 90/50 and was conscious at the time so I know it drops a bit more when I'm asleep. Food was good but getting meds was a pain. 5 hours to get an imitrex for my migraine, wouldn't let me take my meds from home so I didn't get half of them at all. Eye drop schedule thrown off. Next time I take my own meds on time and to hell with their rules.

I am covered with bruises, my groin is sore (they had to cut into muscle this time to access the artery) so getting up and sitting down hurts.

On top of that, moms and my medicine cabinets were searched by the bugman since we were not home to keep an eye on him and nobody from the office did either. I WILL be having a talk with the manager when he gets back in the office later this week. I will be putting a chain and padlock on that cabinet of mine. I feel violated...

Ugh. Hospitals are so not fun.

Payback for the bug man... Put your meds in a lock box and leave a box of condoms in the medicine cabinet for him.

Love that idea.

My mom put marbles in hers and little pieces of paper in all the doors. The above the toilet storage tower was searched in her place. I've figured out how to put a padlock on my cabinet without any permanent changes, so not in lease violation.
Readmitted for more surgery on the 22nd so won't hear from me for a while. Poor Bij will have to be at the vets again for who knows how many days. :-( I hate leaving him there, he got depressed and didn't eat much at all. He's eating like a horse now and is practically velcrocat at times.

I know you do but it's in everyone's best interest.

Next time he'll know for sure where he's going and it will be harder to get him in the carrier. I just hope he understands that we WILL come get him as soon as we can!

Bring some of your clothing or a pillowcase you haven't washed for him. It will smell like you and maybe keep him from getting too depressed.

We did that last time, still didn't stop him from missing us.
I'm hoping and praying I'm in the 25% that I won't need more embolization surgery so he won't have to stay but one night.

I just got a letter from my crapsurance company: my entire hospital stay including the embolization surgery---denied due to be an 'elective surgery'. I am now over a million dollars in debt unless the doctors and hospital can convince them this was NOT elective surgery!

To say I am depressed is understating the case. Seems the government is determined to kill me one way or the other before I reach another birthday.

Tomorrow is a go....the hospital is fighting the insurance due to them giving them the wrong billing code.

That's great. Antonio sends you healing purrs and I send my prayers.

What a relief. It happens often. Those codes are a pain, and it only takes one typo. I'm pretty sure that kind of surgery is never elective.

Quick healing from all of us!

Thanks............I'm off at 4am again. Going to bed now.

Sleep in peace. Guardian angels will keep watch.

An update from Fiff... She's all checked in. She has some snacks she brought to get her through hospital meals, and looks good all circumstances considered. She said she would check in when she gets back up and about.

Thank you for letting us know. I was thinking about her.

Her mom called me today. She was out of surgery and still groggy from anesthesia. I should hear from one or the other tomorrow. Mom sounded tired.

I would imagine. Fif, is her sole caretaker.

Well, like a bad penny I'm back! Staples down the entire back of my head, so appropriate for today being Frankenstein 'Day. Light residual headache back there, a few extra meds to get me through the next months healing. NO problems with balance, much more back to normal. They won't let me drive......I will go stircrazy cooped up in here! Walked with mom to the library and see a few folks who missed me, saw the progress on the state ripping up our interxsection for the first stoplight in town. Very slow progress, I feel sorry for the plow guy this winter.
Should have seen me for surgery: a dozen padded sticky dots scattered all over my head and face, purple circles drawn around those in marker and an initials autograph on the back of my head. Plus all those lovely leads for the thousand and one wires they had me tethered to. Talk about an electricians' nightmare. Came out with a huge white bandage on my head plus a knit cap that wouldn't stay on. Slept all day long Thursday and half of Friday--no food....wasn't hungry. At least they didn't come at me with a needle every two hours like before, now it was more like every 4 hours. 27 holes in my arms, bruises up the yingyang. Asked them "isn't Dracula full yet?" and "are you going to leave any for me to work with?" I have to go in and have my hematocrit checked since it dropped to 31 by the time they sent me home. They wonder why: hmmm.......could it be because they drained me of at least 2 pints worth? Skeeters don't even want me I'm so anemic!
The doc was really good, he didn't cut a lot of hair at all. He promised twice not to and was really conservative about it. They got it all too. He also talked before and after the surgery to me and my family, a lot of surgeons don't have time for that but he made the time. I like him.

Sounds like you had great care even if they were thirsty. I would bet that your hemo will come back to normal once your blood level gets back up. Drink lots of water and eat up that spinach. I'm so so so glad to hear you're home safe and sound.