Do you know what nitrates are?

A couple of weeks ago I received a call from my pharmacist who informed me that the Urelle medication, that I use has been found to cause an adverse reaction when used in combination with Trazadone and/or Savella. Of course I take both Trazadone and Savella so I had to stop taking the Urelle immediately. The Urelle has some sort of blue...ingredient that is also in Pyridium. Both the Urelle and Pyridium are used to kinda numb your bladder when you have a Urinary Tract Infection or Interstitial Cystitis (IC) (I have both right now). Not long after I stopped the Urelle I could feel a UTI coming on. My urine got cloudy and smelled awful, but it would be horrible one day and then not so cloudy the next day. I thought that the Urelle was a bladder antiseptic too, and since I wasn't taking it, I didn't have that antiseptic cleaning my bladder, and I was getting a bladder infection. Everyday my bladder hurt more and more. I finally called my urologist and was told that the Urelle was not preventing my bladder infections and the nurse thought that it was just my IC that was causing my bladder pain. Except my urine was cloudy and smelly which were signs of an infection. My urologist couldn't see me until the weekend was over. Once I get into a doctor and they try to culture what is causing the infection, it is another 3 day wait and I couldn't wait anymore! I called my family doctor and got in the next morning (last Thursday). My urine wasn't as cloudy or smelly that morning and I was afraid that it would show I didn't have an infection. My urine had lots and lots of NITRATES in it. The doctor explained that the NITRATES were the excretions of waste from the bacteria living in my bladder. I definately had a bacterial infection since I had the nitrates. By tomorrow they should know whether or not the antibiotic that they put me on is killing the bacteria or not. My bladder still hurts a lot, but that could just be from the infection irritating my bladder lining. I guess I will know more tomorrow. Check back later and see what I found out. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! Please leave me a comment so that I know you were here! I love to hear from my followers!

Ariel's Undersea Adventure

My favorite Disney princess is Ariel. I think it's because she is a merbabe and lives under the sea with all her friends. I absolutely love the ocean and try to take a trip there every year with my family. We love going to Cannon Beach, Oregon. I love rainy days too, because they remind me of Cannon Beach where it is often overcast and rainy during certain times of the year. This ride, Ariel's Undersea Adventure is new to California Adventureland and it was amazing, like all Disney rides! It was the first ride I went on and the last ride I went on during our trip this summer. I hope my meager video does it justice! Imagine the songs Under the Sea and Kiss the Girl, playing while you watch my video. Those songs were played during the ride and I only wish I had the aptitude to add personal music clips to my video creations. It will happen...eventually. Thanks for taking a minute to share in my Disney adventure today. Please leave me a comment and let me know what your favorite ride is at Disneyland.

 

Our Disney Adventure 2011

We recently got back from a trip to Disneyland that was both business and pleasure. The pleasure was taking the trip with my family (except Nick, he had to stay home for summer school). The business was going to my first CTMH convention! It was amazing. I made new friends, and got lots of new ideas! Thanks for taking the time to share in my adventure by watching my video. Please leave me a comment and let me know you stopped by and what you think of my video and/or share your Disney adventure with me!

 

Make a Medical Binder!

Hi! Thanks for stopping by today! You are a very important person who deserves the best medical care as possible. When you go to see a doctor, you are in charge, you have hired that doctor to consult you about your medical condition(s). Be an active participant with your medical team. A great way to make sure you are kept in the loop, is to create a medical binder. I suggest a 2-3" binder (you may not fill this up today, but as time goes on, you will need the extra room found in a larger binder).

To make a medical binder you will need:
A 2-3" binder (any color)
A clear trading card holder sheet (or 2)
A permanant marker
Divider sheets
A calendar
A hole punch
A paperclip
Lined Paper
A pen

Once you have all of the materials for your binder, then you can put it together! The first page of your binder should be the trading card sheet. Place a business card for every doctor you go to, in the pockets of this sheet. You may want to use another sheet to put appointment cards in, but that is up to you. The next thing in your binder will be the calendar. Punch holes in the calendar so that it will fit into your binder. Put your calendar behind the trading card sheet(s); use the paperclip to clip on the current month. This will make it easier to find your appointment schedule, or to update it as needed. Write down all of your upcoming appointments on this calendar. Put your dividers behind the calendar and add several sheets of paper behind each divider sheet. You will need to write the following labels on each divider sheet (one label per divider)...
Medicine and Drug Allergies
Surgeries
Doctors
Medical Test Results
Questions

Now the fun begins! Sit down when you have some time and start filling out the information behind each divider. Depending on you medical history this could take from a few minutes to several hours or even days! Be as thorough as possible. You can always go back and revise your information as you need to.

Depending on your medical condition(s) you may want to go and get current test results. Current, means within the past month or so. You can always go and request a copy of the medical report from doctors, or test results from x-rays, MRI's, blood work, ultrasounds, or any other medical procedure. You will need your driver's license or current ID to obtain your medical records and they usually do not charge you if you explain that you need the results to take them to the doctor for your next appointment. Call ahead and ask for medical records. Sometimes you can get the results immediately, and other times you may need to wait a couple of days. A quick phone call can save you time and gas!

Take your binder with you to every doctor appointment! They will appreciate all of the information you have at your fingertips! Be sure to update your binder after appointments and tests.

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read this post. Please leave me a comment, so that I know you were here! If you have any questions, post those too! I love to hear from my readers!

Have a great day and come back soon!

Total Knee Replacement

This is a photo taken right after my total knee replacement.

This photo was taken one week after surgery! Dr. Clabeaux didn't even use stitches! My scar is healing great!

Hi, thanks for stopping by today! I wanted to share with you, a little bit about my total knee replacement. I had my right knee totally replaced on March 17, 2011 at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle, WA by Dr. Clabeaux. I adore Dr. Clabeaux and all the other specialists at Virginia Mason. I really feel like they see me as a person, not a patient, and they are working together to make my quality of life better. Check them out...
https://www.virginiamason.org/

Before I had my total knee replacement, Dr. Clabeaux had me take a class on total joint replacements and set me up with a website to research total knee replacements. He wanted to ensure that I had knowledge of the procedure and how it would affect me before I had the surgery.
https://www.virginiamason.org/service.cfn?id=4716

My surgery went well, but after surgery I began to have some problems. The past few surgeries I have had my blood pressure dropped. This surgery was not performed with general anesthetic, so I thought it might not drop, or at least not that much. I was wrong. First of all, let me explain what they did in leau of a general anesthetic. They first put in a pain catheter to help with the pain after surgery. They entered my leg from my groin and placed the catheter in the nerve above my knee. They put me under twilight sedation for that procedure and for the epidural spinal block they put in to help numb my lower extremeties for the surgery. I don't remember anything until I woke up, so the sedation in combination with the nerve blocks worked well! During recovery my blood pressure dropped and they admitted me to ICU instead of the orthopedic ward to recover.

I don't remember much of my first night. Somehow the next morning the nurse ended up pulling out my pain catheter. She was only supposed to turn it off! It was to be turned off so that I could regain some feeling back in my leg so that I could practice sitting up and standing and taking a few steps. My blood pressure was still extremely low, and so they would not give me additional pain medication because it would make it drop even further! That is when the trouble, or rather the PAIN, began! I remember extreme pain, and I had a difficult time rolling over on my own because it hurt so bad. I vaguely remember much after that except extreme pain, and not getting much relief because my bp was so low. The second day, I recieved a blood transfusion which helped my blood pressure a lot! They finally got my pain semi under control and I was moved to the orthopedic ward for my last night at the hospital. I was released Sunday, March 20, 2011. Since my surgery was done in Seattle, we had a 2 1/2 hour drive home. We had to make frequent stops so that I could stretch my leg, to prevent getting a blood clot.

I got home and settled onto the couch with my walker next to me. I had to use a wallker for about 3 weeks after surgery. I started phsical therapy my second day home from surgery. It was so nice to have someone come to my house! I had a rough time walking to the bathroom, and taking a shower exhausted me (I had a chair in the shower so I could sit down and shower, thanks Grandma for the loan). I remember elevating my leg for several weeks, actually I still elevate my leg if I overdo it. I also used ice pack after ice pack. If you are thinking about a total knee replacement, some things you will need post surgery are..

a walker
a cane
several ice packs
a chair for the shower
good friends/family to support you
extra pillows
you will also need antibiotics before any future dental procedures
you will need a note saying you have a total knee replacement before going
through metal detectors for the rest of your life

I worked hard and graduated from physical therapy 3 weeks after surgery! Then I earned the priveledge to use a cane! By my first post-op appointment I was walking without a cane and without any knee PAIN! Oh JOY! It was so wonderful to walk (slowly, but walking still)without my bones cracking and without pain! I was so happy I had the surgery, I can hardly wait until I can get my left knee done.

About 3 weeks after my first post-op appointment my right knee started to swell up and get warm. I was swollen from my knee, all the way down to my ankle, and it hurt to walk. I went to my GP and he did blood work and an ultrasound, which ruled out both infection and a blood clot. The pain appears to be more muscular rather than bone related. I have seen my surgeon twice about it. He has aspirated my knee twice and each culture did not grow any infection. So my leg appear to be fine. It hurts a lot when I first stand up, and then the pain subsides as I move around. I am just taking it easy, elevating it and using ice to help with the pain and swelling. My surgeon thinks it may be scar tissue. He will se me again in 3 more months and if I am still having the warmth and swelling he will send me for a second opinion. Team Medicine, that's what Virginia Mason is all about!

If you have had a total knee replacement, or are considering a total knee replacement, please leave me a comment. I would love to hear from you! Thanks for stopping by and come back soon, you never know what you might find!

Dealing with Chronic Pain

OMG! I can't believe how long it has been since I have written on this blog! I am so, so sorry! Believe me, it is not because nothing has been going on! So much has happened since my last post which was around my last foot surgery, about a year ago!

I have had a total knee replacement (I will post about that soon), another hydrodystension of my bladder, a blood transfusion, 4 Remikade infusions and I have been diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis and I may have Chron's disease (I have an endoscopy and colonoscopy planned in July).

Most recently I have started taking chronic pain management classes. I was taking two classes and one has already ended. The second class is an ten week course and I just finished up week seven! We have been working through a book called, Cognitive Therapy for Chronic Pain" by Beverly E. Thorn.

We have been learning about the connections between pain and stress and how to change our thought patterns to help us alleviate stress and pain. The class is taught by two incredible women who also deal with chronic pain, so they completely understand what we are going through. We have kind of developed a familial relationship amongst the group which makes it easy to relate to one another. One of the first things we discussed was how other people perceive us as "normal" because we may look "normal" while inside we may be suffering terribly physically and/or emotionally. It is so nice to know that you are not alone! If you are reading this and you are also suffering, please leave me a comment. YOU ARE NOT ALONE EITHER!

Every class we fill out a chart, to show what our current pain and stress levels are. We use a 0-10 scale for each feeling. The pain scale is...

0 No pain, no limitations (None)
.5 Barely noticeable pain
1-2 Pain is there but is low in intensity and is manageable; no observable
limitation (Mild)
3 Functionally disabling resulting in more breaks being required; slowed
work rates, slow/altered movements, lean on nearby surfaces, increased
limp (Moderate)
4 Between 3 and 5
5 Needing to stop the activity you are currently performing; unable to
maintain current body position; very restricted movements (Strong)
6 More painful than 5 but not yet a 7
7 Tearful, needing to lie down, needing to take extra medications,
difficulty engaging in conversation (Severe)
8 Between 7 and 10
9 Between 7 and 10 with more intensity than 8
10+ Immediate emergency hospitilization, unable to speak, icapacitated,
worst imaginable pain (Maximal)

The stress scale is called the SUDS scale (subjective units of distress)
It is also a 0-10 scale with 0 Completely Relaxed and 10 Panic Attack

I created magnets with each pain scale 0-10 on them. I gave them to each member in our class so that they could take them home and teach the scale to their friends and family. It is a visual aid for others to "see" how we are feeling, so that they might understand our reactions to things that are happening around us. If you would like a set of these magnets, please leave me a comment and/or email me ssauve7@aol.com so that I can get your address privately to get them to you. Please come back soon, and I will share more of what I have learned about managing chronic pain. Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by! Shellie

I am becoming the BIONIC WOMAN!!

WOW! I can't believe it has been a year since my last post! Believe me, it is not because I have not had anything to say, because I do! March 17, 2011 I had a total knee replacement on my right knee. I now have a man-made knee and I still have a plate in my big left toe. I am slowly becoming the BIONIC WOMAN! OR The SIX-MILLION DOLLAR WOMAN...in debt.

I have many medical conditions which have rendered it impossible for me to work. If you can't remember my torrid history, please refer back to the beginning of my blog in the archives. It took me 3 hours to complete it, and now is time to update....

In addition to my previous conditions, I have also been diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis and Chrone's Disease. I see commercials frequently about a lawsuit for people who used Accutane and have now been diagnosed with Chrone's disease and I will call them to see if I qualify. I took Accutane in the last couple years of High School, so I just might have a case. I can certainly use some money!

The Psoriatic Arthritis has three treatments (that I know of) and I have tried two of them. The two I have tried were self-given injections. The third in an infusion given over 2-4 hours every 6-8 weeks. The first injection treatment I tried I was allergic too. The second injection treatment didn't work at all, and I still had symptoms in my neck, low back and hips. My rheumatologist said that the self-injected medication was a standard dose, made for the "average American" who is 120 pounds! I don't know about you, but I am not 120 pounds! I am only a little fluffy! The Remikade infusion that I will start tomorrow is given based on your current weight and should work better.

I had not recieved an appointment time yet, so I called the doctor. The doctor told me that they had not recieved preauthorization from my insurance yet, so they could not schedule the infusion. Then I was told that each infusion is $10,000!!! I just about fell off the couch! I spent an hour and a half on the phone with my insurance company trying to figure out some of the many claims I have and it was confirmed that each infusion is $10,000!!! I have been blessed with Medicare (from my disability) which should pay for each infusion, or most of it anyway. I am just worried because my body does not tend to like infusions very well. The last time I had to have an iron infusion, it was supposed to be 2-3 hours, but it took 8 hours! I had trouble with the IV slipping out of my vein, and allergic reactions. I pray that tomorrow will go better! If you read this, please say a prayer for me as well. Thanks! I will let you know in a couple of days, whether or not it took the projected 4 hours or not.

Now, about my knee surgery.......I am only 41 years old and have been told for the past 6 years that I am too young for a knee replacement. For six years I have gone to different orthopedists who have given me cortisone and syn-visc injections, trying to help my knee last a little longer as the arthritis continued to build up under my kneecap. Finally, there was nothing more that could be done and one doctor finally decided to give me a new knee...of course this is not as easy as it sounds. I have been hospitalized with MRSA before, and have subsequently had a few other cases of MRSA. My orthopedist warned me that if I were to get an infection in my new knee, and the infection was MRSA, I could lose my entire leg. He sent me to a infectious disease specialist, and to two other orthopedists for their opinions about replacing my knee. I was tested and came clean --- no MRSA at this time! The other orthopedists agreed that a replacement was all they had left to offer me. So we set a date for the replacement. Everyday before the operation, my poor knee felt worse and worse and ached so much I could hardly wait to get rid of the old arthritic knee. The day finally came! I was the first patient of the day!

The anesthesiologists came in and explained they were going to give me a femural nerve block and then a spinal block and a sedative. If I woke up and was disturbed by the noise, then they would give me a general anesthesia by request, but they did this all the time and thought I would be fine with the two blocks. They were right! I woke up in recovery and felt no pain! It was awesome...until the blocks wore off.

Once the surgery was over, the fun began, although I am not so sure who it was fun for, it was definately not fun for me. My blood pressured dropped, and dropped and would not rise. They finally moved me to ICU where they could watch me more closely. As my blood pressure dropped, the blockages wore off. I felt dizzy, nauseated and the pain got worse and worse. They couldn't give me pain medication, because it was making my blood pressure drop even lower so I was miserable. Late the first night, the nurse came in and pulled out my femural nerve block!! She was only supposed to turn the drip off so I could begin to feel my leg again, so I could start physical therapy the next day. Somehow she was misinformed or misread the order and pulled it out completely, and it can not be put back in!!! I was really miserable. I lay in bed and cried and cried, I don't remember much of the day after surgery,except for misery and pain. The physical therapist came in and I could not even try to wiggle my toe it hurt so bad. My blood pressure was still low and they tried and tried to make me as comfortable as they could without killing me in the process. The next day I was feeling a little better, my blood pressure was rising, and they gave me a blood transfusion to help and rebuild up my own physical resources. I do remember sitting on the edge of the bed and even taking a coupld of steps. I was even stronger the next day and walked with a walker from my bed to the door and back. Later that night, they moved me from ICU and back onto the orthopedist floor! The next morning the occupational therapist helped me go to the bathroom, practice getting in a walk-in shower and practice walking up and down stairs, then I was released! I can't believe all that happened in such a short period of time! It has been a week since my surgery and I am now home and in the comfort of my own bed. My bandages are off and all that remains from my knee replacement surgery is swelling, a nice straight scar and pain. Come back soon and follow my progress in this and other areas of my life.