Another new doctor....or two:
As I mentioned in my last post I'm looking for a new endocrinologist (http://www.hormone.org/Public/endocrinologist.cfm) and I'm now under the care of a pain management doctor.
Why a pain management doctor you ask? Great question and I will tell you.
When I first started my blog I had made mention that I was rear ended in 2006 and that I had a right neck dissection in 2008 (second cancer surgery). I believe I also mentioned that since I have the right neck dissection that I have been in pretty consistent pain and have been having problems with my right side. Well, the issues aren't going away and it's getting to the point that the medication I have been on isn't working.
Well, part of my family has been trying to tell me that they feel the issues is from the car wreck. I don't discount that isn't a part of the problem, however I feel it's caused from the 2nd surgery. My doctor who did the second surgery told me he would have to move a nerve that goes from my neck through my shoulder in order to get all the lymph nodes that needed to be removed.
Now my wonderful husband keeps telling me...remember the doctor that did the nerve burn did say that it's possible those nerves could grow back. That was after the wreck. I do remember the doctor saying that but I don't remember hurting then like I do now. That's not to say the issues I'm having now aren't being caused by both.
However, I have been a member of a wonderful Thyroid Cancer Support Group on Facebook and have asked if any other Thyroid Cancer survivors/patients have had the same issue...I quickly found that I'm not alone. I'm not sure how common or what all the side effects are. All I know is I'm in pain...a lot and I'm not sleep and can't get comfortable at night. I haven't been able to sleep on my right side for two years now, I'm getting headaches, I feel that I have lost strength in my right arm and I have tingling and numbness. When there are weather changes and it's cold is when the problems are worse (arm burns, feels twice it's size and when the wind blows and hits the back of my neck it hurts).
My my, I sound like a baby. I'm not, I'm just tired of hurting.
I remember after the second surgery (might have already mentioned), I couldn't lift my right arm and it was hard to open my mouth to eat or talk. Well, two plus years later I'm still having problems. I honestly don't remember my doctor saying the problems/issues would be life long. I thought it would be a temporary issue and would heal on it's own. It hasn't.
I'm still numb from my jaw down my neck....has yet to return. And the pain...well, lets just say there is pain.
Time for honesty. My husband for the longest time didn't believe me when I said there were still certain areas the feeling hadn't returned. I finally had to let him pinch me in the areas that are numb for him to believe me. It was rather funny. I also need to admit, at my previous job I freaked out a couple of student by doing the same thing to them. Hey, they wouldn't believe me. Okay, time to move on.
With all this, at my last doctors appointment I finally told my doctor that I have had enough. Now that my meds aren't touching the pain it's time to do something. So an MRI was ordered on done, they got the results, they referred me and sent my paperwork to the pain management doctor and I have an appointment on the 29th. The 29th can't get here fast enough! I'm hopeing and praying I get some answers and this doctor will be able to help me.
Grand...another doctor and I still have yet to find an endocrinologist.
Not sure what else to say. I keep thinking that cancer is the gift that keeps giving. I hate cancer.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
Stress....what stress?
I know it's been a while since I have last posted...so let me try to get you caught up.
July 16th, 2012 my mom had a heart cath done. We (my dad and I) have been discussing for sometime that we knew something was right with mom. We just wasn't all that sure what. In March 2012 (actually March 11th), my dad and I took mom to the doctor. At that time she was told she had bronchitis. She was put on meds and was on her way to feeling better. She did improve some but not alot. Then the coughing started back up. No other symptoms, just coughing. She finally made an appointment with her primary care doctor and he immediately started a battery of tests. He thought she was going into congestive heart failure.
More test were ordered, she was sent to a cardiologist and he said....your having a heart cath done Monday. And that was that. She went in and come to find out she had three arteries clogged. Two of them they were able to balloon and the third they had to put a stint in. The difference was night and day. When mom came out she looked happier, her skin was brighter...she was just better. She had to stay in the hospital over night and was able to go home the next day.
Got her home, ran some errands for her and dad...then I finally went home. Around 7:30/8:00 that evening my hubby comes home for lunch. He didn't look right. I was trying to have a conversation with him but I felt like he was holding three at the same time. I finally asked him to stop and when he looked at me I felt like I was looking into space. There was no emotion and his eyes were vacant. I told him we were going to the ER. He said why and I told him I thought he had heat exhaustion. After making some calls and after his shower (yep, he wanted to shower before we went) we were out the door.
Side note: Did I mention I was also in the process of throwing my parents a surprise anniversary party? Yep, started planning around March however now the party is less than a month away and now mom has had a heart cath and I have hubby in the ER. Ugh...
As expected...Paul had heat exhaustion AND dehydration (not expected). They hooked him up to an IV, ran some tested and then we were able to go. The rest of that week for hubby was crazy. Between trying to get better and the drama that unfolded for his job...you would have thought the end of the world was near.
So now I'm dealing with trying to get hubby better, his work drama, making sure mom is doing okay and finishing up with the party. But wait, it gets better (keep following, I promise it will tie together)...I'm not sure where you all are however in Oklahoma we haven't been getting a lot of rain. Lack of rain causes droughts...droughts cause fires. So, on top of everything else, fires break out here in Oklahoma and one of the fires isnt' all that far from my sisters house. A week before our parents 40th Surprise Anniversary Party....oh joy.
Finally the weekend of mom and dad's party. It was awesome. I was so happy and proud of my parents. With everthing that has happened over the past few years they deserved to be celebrated.
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I couldn't have been more proud or happie with the way my parents party turned out. With all the work that myself, my sister and Sister Laureene (friend of the family) put in it...including up to the last minute it was wonderful.
Now for the truth...I couldn't have been more happy that everything was finally over. By the end of my parents party, mom haveing the heart cath, my hubby ending up in the er and his work drama...I was wore out. I use to be able to deal with this type of stress and not be bothered by it. Now, I get wiped out...sick...hurt, you name it and more than likely I deal with it. Ugh, it's so frustrateing. After mom and dads party I went home and slept for a couple of hours. Went to church the next day, came home and slept a couple of more.
Oh...did I mention the day before mom and dad's party I got a letter from my endocrinologist informing his patients that he got a job at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota? Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for him but at the same time I'm so sad. Loved my doctor...for the first time since all this started I felt like I finally had someone who understood me and what I was saying. Now I get to find someone new. Oh Joy (as my dad would say).
I know it's been a while since I have last posted...so let me try to get you caught up.
July 16th, 2012 my mom had a heart cath done. We (my dad and I) have been discussing for sometime that we knew something was right with mom. We just wasn't all that sure what. In March 2012 (actually March 11th), my dad and I took mom to the doctor. At that time she was told she had bronchitis. She was put on meds and was on her way to feeling better. She did improve some but not alot. Then the coughing started back up. No other symptoms, just coughing. She finally made an appointment with her primary care doctor and he immediately started a battery of tests. He thought she was going into congestive heart failure.
More test were ordered, she was sent to a cardiologist and he said....your having a heart cath done Monday. And that was that. She went in and come to find out she had three arteries clogged. Two of them they were able to balloon and the third they had to put a stint in. The difference was night and day. When mom came out she looked happier, her skin was brighter...she was just better. She had to stay in the hospital over night and was able to go home the next day.
Got her home, ran some errands for her and dad...then I finally went home. Around 7:30/8:00 that evening my hubby comes home for lunch. He didn't look right. I was trying to have a conversation with him but I felt like he was holding three at the same time. I finally asked him to stop and when he looked at me I felt like I was looking into space. There was no emotion and his eyes were vacant. I told him we were going to the ER. He said why and I told him I thought he had heat exhaustion. After making some calls and after his shower (yep, he wanted to shower before we went) we were out the door.
Side note: Did I mention I was also in the process of throwing my parents a surprise anniversary party? Yep, started planning around March however now the party is less than a month away and now mom has had a heart cath and I have hubby in the ER. Ugh...
As expected...Paul had heat exhaustion AND dehydration (not expected). They hooked him up to an IV, ran some tested and then we were able to go. The rest of that week for hubby was crazy. Between trying to get better and the drama that unfolded for his job...you would have thought the end of the world was near.
So now I'm dealing with trying to get hubby better, his work drama, making sure mom is doing okay and finishing up with the party. But wait, it gets better (keep following, I promise it will tie together)...I'm not sure where you all are however in Oklahoma we haven't been getting a lot of rain. Lack of rain causes droughts...droughts cause fires. So, on top of everything else, fires break out here in Oklahoma and one of the fires isnt' all that far from my sisters house. A week before our parents 40th Surprise Anniversary Party....oh joy.
Finally the weekend of mom and dad's party. It was awesome. I was so happy and proud of my parents. With everthing that has happened over the past few years they deserved to be celebrated.
.jpg)
Happy 40th Mom and Dad!!!!
I couldn't have been more proud or happie with the way my parents party turned out. With all the work that myself, my sister and Sister Laureene (friend of the family) put in it...including up to the last minute it was wonderful.
Now for the truth...I couldn't have been more happy that everything was finally over. By the end of my parents party, mom haveing the heart cath, my hubby ending up in the er and his work drama...I was wore out. I use to be able to deal with this type of stress and not be bothered by it. Now, I get wiped out...sick...hurt, you name it and more than likely I deal with it. Ugh, it's so frustrateing. After mom and dads party I went home and slept for a couple of hours. Went to church the next day, came home and slept a couple of more.
Oh...did I mention the day before mom and dad's party I got a letter from my endocrinologist informing his patients that he got a job at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota? Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for him but at the same time I'm so sad. Loved my doctor...for the first time since all this started I felt like I finally had someone who understood me and what I was saying. Now I get to find someone new. Oh Joy (as my dad would say).
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