Saturday, February 19, 2011
Again...Almost
I was in the ER again. I woke up, feeling horrible. Just about ready to lose it all over again. Vomit, passing out, you know, the regular thing. Miranda took me right to the hospital. The doctors have no definite answer, but they ruled out heart problems, which is nice. They think that it could be because I am such a "lightweight" when it comes to medicine (good thing I have never had alcohol before!), and tapering off the prednisone, my body is really getting thrown through the ringer.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Not A Good Day
So, I have been on prednisone since about September. I have been coming down off of it because it's one of those drugs that you can't "cold turkey" your way off of it. But I have been having a real hard time coming off. My adrenal glands just aren't kicking in the way they should. I have been on high dosage for so long, they have all but shut down. Now they won't wake up!
So I get up this morning, go to the bathroom, and just start vomiting. Miranda is freaked out, and so she takes me to Patient First, the clinic close to our home. I get in to see someone, and no sooner, throw up everywhere, and then pass out. The next thing I remember is Miranda, catching me again (just like she caught me in ABG chamber), pushing me out of the trash can they gave me to throw up in. The nurses help me regain myself, and then stick a swab down my throat so they can run tests. Not a good idea!!! More vomit, more passing out.
After a little bit, they want to do some test with me. I lay down, and they take my pulse and blood pressure. They they sit me up, and do the same tests. And then they have me stand up and do the same tests. Well, I didn't eve get through the sit up portion of the test. And I bet you can guess what happened! Yep, I started throwing up, and passed out again.
So all of this is going on, and I really remember none of it. I was passed out enough, and trying to come to enough, that I don't remember a thing. I can't imagine what Miranda is thinking. She called our parents to let them know what was going on. My mother came to Patient First. Eventually they took me to the hospital.
So I get to the hospital, and have tons of tests run to find out what is going on. I have needles sticking out of me and everything else. I am sure that I was quite the sight! The hospital tried to run the whole lay down, sit up, stand up test. Luckily this time, when I sat up, I was able to detect that I was able to pass out again, and was able to lie down quick enough to ward off that episode again.
Throughout this whole process, I had a slue of visitors. All of our parents had come and gone at some point. The administrator of the hospital and a doctor that Chi Chi is friends with come down and say hello. Mom actually stayed with Miranda and me throughout most of the ordeal. She did take off once to get her own procedure done (had an MRI on her knee). Miranda's sister, Shelby, came to stay with us when she had that done.
So after all of these tests and theories, the doctors concluded that I am suffering "adrenal crisis." The adrenal glands in the body produce steroids that influence hormones, electrolytes, blood sugars, and other stuff like that. Prednisone does the same thing. And so when I take prednisone, my body is telling itself to shut down because an outside source is doing its job. So the adrenal gland stops working. Well, what this means for me is that as I was tapering down off the medications, I wasn't receiving sufficient steroid to produce all the stuff that I need. And how does my body react to it? Vomit, passing out, and all that fun stuff!
So the doctors put some prednisone in my IV, and in minutes, I felt totally fine again. Eventually I got to go home.
This has been quite a traumatic day. I hurt. My body is tired and sore. I don't ever want to do this again!
So I get up this morning, go to the bathroom, and just start vomiting. Miranda is freaked out, and so she takes me to Patient First, the clinic close to our home. I get in to see someone, and no sooner, throw up everywhere, and then pass out. The next thing I remember is Miranda, catching me again (just like she caught me in ABG chamber), pushing me out of the trash can they gave me to throw up in. The nurses help me regain myself, and then stick a swab down my throat so they can run tests. Not a good idea!!! More vomit, more passing out.
After a little bit, they want to do some test with me. I lay down, and they take my pulse and blood pressure. They they sit me up, and do the same tests. And then they have me stand up and do the same tests. Well, I didn't eve get through the sit up portion of the test. And I bet you can guess what happened! Yep, I started throwing up, and passed out again.
So all of this is going on, and I really remember none of it. I was passed out enough, and trying to come to enough, that I don't remember a thing. I can't imagine what Miranda is thinking. She called our parents to let them know what was going on. My mother came to Patient First. Eventually they took me to the hospital.
So I get to the hospital, and have tons of tests run to find out what is going on. I have needles sticking out of me and everything else. I am sure that I was quite the sight! The hospital tried to run the whole lay down, sit up, stand up test. Luckily this time, when I sat up, I was able to detect that I was able to pass out again, and was able to lie down quick enough to ward off that episode again.
Throughout this whole process, I had a slue of visitors. All of our parents had come and gone at some point. The administrator of the hospital and a doctor that Chi Chi is friends with come down and say hello. Mom actually stayed with Miranda and me throughout most of the ordeal. She did take off once to get her own procedure done (had an MRI on her knee). Miranda's sister, Shelby, came to stay with us when she had that done.
So after all of these tests and theories, the doctors concluded that I am suffering "adrenal crisis." The adrenal glands in the body produce steroids that influence hormones, electrolytes, blood sugars, and other stuff like that. Prednisone does the same thing. And so when I take prednisone, my body is telling itself to shut down because an outside source is doing its job. So the adrenal gland stops working. Well, what this means for me is that as I was tapering down off the medications, I wasn't receiving sufficient steroid to produce all the stuff that I need. And how does my body react to it? Vomit, passing out, and all that fun stuff!
So the doctors put some prednisone in my IV, and in minutes, I felt totally fine again. Eventually I got to go home.
This has been quite a traumatic day. I hurt. My body is tired and sore. I don't ever want to do this again!
Monday, February 7, 2011
You had a what?!?!...
Well, today was a first for me. I had a biopsy on a lump on my chest. Before that I had a mammogram. Yes, that's right...a mammogram. I never thought I would have to do that. And I tell you what, it hurt! Part of the reason it hurt is because I still have the mediport in my chest, and so that was being scrunched. Yeah, that didn't feel good.
Interesting experience. One that I don't want again!
Interesting experience. One that I don't want again!
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