Hubby has been tended to and is still sleeping soundly this morning.  Poor dear is so sick.  He caught what I had last weekend.  Although I suspect he will be fine this afternoon.  I do hope!!! 

Where was I?  Oh the Morphine and the ER Doc, Yes.  I ended up getting Dilaudid my entire hospital stay.  Which took care of the costochondritis pain for sure but left me pretty stoned out.  I didn't like it really.  Couldn't think for myself.  Doing pretty bizarre things.  Like feeling no pain and getting chairs for my roomates guests, stuff like that.  During one of my bizarre episodes my primary care doc happened to walk in and decided I was fine and stopped the med.  Then boom I was in excrutiating pain once again.  Crying out in agony.  It was a horror.  My INR levels were supposed to be being monitored but the hospital staff had no idea what my therapeutic levels were because my hematologist was never consulted.  My coumadin was stopped all together from the moment I was admitted.  Gary brought in my self test maching (Pro Time Machine) and checked me.  My levels were too low. He got the nurse and expressed his concern.  No no avail.  So there I was at square one again.  In horrific pain, except now with an INR level that is too low which put me at risk of stroke again.  How lovely.  The next thing I know I am being discharged.  Which Gary and I think is the best thing.  I wait until 9:15 PM for my doctor to come to discharge me.  Remember I am on no pain medication.  I haven't had my PM meds either.  No seizure meds, etc.  In excrutiating pain still.  He discharges me on 60mgs of prednisione, 15mgs morphine sulfate and 7.5 coumadin.  Tells me my INR levels are fine.  To contact my rheumi to get my pain management under control.  OH, they give me my PM meds, the coumadin and the morphine because by this time its almost 10:30 PM.  I find out in the morning after calling my nurse practitioner at the coumadin center that my INR was 1.4 which was way too low.  I should not have been discharged.  I should have been put on heparin or at least given a shot of lovenox and a script for the same.  Remind me to stay away from the ER next time.

Fast forward to now...... I'm wearing an Event Monitor to yup, monitor my heart because my cardiologist isn't happy with the shortness of breath I had when he saw me at the hospital.  I see my rheumi today to go over my pulmonary function test and get the referral to a pulmonologist.  What else?  I have a SPECT Scan scheduled for Monday.  Finally, after all the insurance back and forth.  Tonight I go for the 4th neuro psych test.  I'm holding up.  Tired, in pain, can't manage to do one chore without losing my breath and getting short of breath and chest pain.  But, hey it could be worse.  Even showering is an undertaking.  So it's either a clean LuAnne or a clean house.  And, I vote for a clean LuAnne.  What do you think?

LuAnne's Life with Lupus goes on!

Things are changing so quickly that I haven't been up to posting and I really don't know where to begin.  Let's see did I write that on February 14th I had my gall bladder out due to lupus and had to remain in the hospital for the same reason for 10 days.  Plus my INR ranges (comadin levels) would not stabilize (they were too low) so I could not go home.  Then on March 12 I had a horrid bout of Costochondritis and once again had to be admitted to the hospital because my INR and PT/PTT levels were too high.  Then all of a sudden my nose started hemorrhaging. They didn't admit me for the costochondritis only for the high INR levels. So, okay here I am in the hospital living on dilaudid for the pain because the ER doc wouldn't give me anything else.  Which was a sensible call on his part.  (Oh, Geez, this is turning into a horrible journal entry.)  My "Sheet" indicates under "allergies" Sulfa.  Ha...... Morphine is Morphine Sulfate..... The ER Doc made a call...... was a sensible call. 

(to be continued....hubby is sick with a stomach bug and needs tending to......) will be back soon

I borrowed this from BECKIE because I really liked it. It seemed like a fun thing to answer.  I would like to read your answers.  If you want to, answer in your journal and leave me the link in the comments sections below.  Or just send me an email. Thanks! God bless You!

Act your age – 47

Breast size – 44 DD

Chore you hate – LAUNDRY

Dad's name – JOSEPH

Essential make up item – MASCARA & LIP GLOSS

Favorite singer – JERRY VALE

Gold or silver - SILVER

Instruments you play – NONE

Job title – WIFE, MOTHER, LOVER, DAUGHTER, SISTER, FRIEND, PATIENT

Kisses, what kind do you prefer? I LOVE ALL KISSES, ESPECIALLY FROM MY HUSBAND, CHILDREN AND FRIEND.

Living Arrangements – HOME WITH HUBBY, MY CHILDREN AND DOG

Favorite meats? NOT A FAN OF MEAT

Number of people you've slept with- ???

Overnight hospital stays – TOO MANY TO COUNT

Packing habits (for moving/vacation) – JUST THROW STUFF IN A BOX/SUITCASE AND GO.

Living Arrangements – HOME WITH HUBBY, MY CHILDREN AND DOG

Quote you like - Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts.

According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.  haggai 2:4-5

Religious affiliation – CHRISTIAN

Siblings – 1 SISTER, 1 BROTHER

Time you wake up – DEPENDS ON WHAT KIND OF NIGHT I HAVE HAD.

Underwear of choice -I AM AN UNDERWEAR FANANTIC.

Vegetable you refuse to eat– I MOSTLY EAT THEM ALL!

Worst habit - SMOKING

X-rays you have had – GEEZ, I’VE HAD X-RAYS ON MOST BODY PARTS.

Yummy food you make – IT COULD BE MY SUNDAY GRAVY, MY RICE PUDDING, OR OATMEAL COOKIES.  LET’S FACE IT I AM AN EXCELLENT COOK

Zodiac Sign – I WAS BORN UNDER TAURUS, BUT I DON’T HOLD ANY TRUTH TO THAT AT ALL.

There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

Joshua 1:5-6

A TRIBUTE TO HER SISTER

Mary Louise's Journal ~~ WATCHING MY SISTER DISAPPEAR is one of the most heart felt and heart wrenching tributes to a sister's life I have ever read.  Please take the time to visit Mary Louise's journal.  Mary Louise writes about Peggy and her struggle and eventual subsuming to with Alzheimer's Disease.  Mary Louise writes about her sister past and present.  Never before have I witnessed such dedication.  Love and admiration.  Please take the time to visit this journal.  You will be a better person for it.  Thank you Mary Louise for sharing this wonderful confirmation of Peggy's life.

WATCHING MY SISTER....DISAPPEAR

About Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Dementia is a collective name for progressive degenerative brain syndromes which affect memory, thinking, behaviour and emotion. Symptoms may include:

• loss of memory
• difficulty in finding the right words or understanding what people are saying
• difficulty in performing previously routine tasks
• personality and mood changes

Dementia is not a normal part of ageing. It knows no social, economic, ethnic or geographical boundaries. Although each person will experience dementia in their own way, eventually those affected are unable to care for themselves and need help with all aspects of daily life. There is currently no cure.

 

There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease or for most other causes of dementia. Nor can a cure be expected in the foreseable future. Researchers are still at the stage of developing drugs that will slow down the progression of the disease, at least in some cases. They still do not know how to prevent the disease from occurring, how to stop its progression, or how to reverse its effects. It is hoped that more research into the causes of Alzheimer's disease will eventually make a cure possible.

 

http://www.alz.co.uk/alzheimers/

http://www.neurologychannel.com/alzheimers/

http://www.alzheimers.org/

TATTOO CHALLENGE

Judithheartsong's journal  tattoo challenge today had a tattoo challenge.  Here is a picture of my tattoo.

DOING LAUNDRY

I have to thank everyone who wrote me when I had thoughts of making my journal private.  I received so many emails I could not believe it.  I had no idea that my modest writing inspired so many people.  Your emails in turn inspired me.  Your emails brought me back to myself.  For that I am grateful.  For that I am writing again.  Writing for me........ writing for you.........

I'm happy today.  That's not to say that my body is not feeling the usual pain and suffering it always does.  But for some reason I am happy.  Oh let me tell you I am not complaining one bit. 

Today I managed to get the majority of the laundry done.  Yes, it took me all day long.  Yes, I had to lay down and rest in between loads.  I had to sit on the steps and rest because I broke out in a sweat and got short of breath and began to shake.  So I stopped and rested.  But I did it.  Instead of focusing on my limitations I concentrated on the little I accomplished today.  Maybe tomorrow I will clean the bathroom.

Spoke to my attorney about my Social Security appeal today.  She is preparing the paperwork for me to sign.  I was denied on my first application last month.  It took Social Security six months to decide to deny me.    Okay so now I am appealing.  My attorney is doing all the work this time.  I don't have the energy to do it.  But, more importantly I don't have the skills anymore to do it.  They know what to do.

The River (Garth Brooks)

You know a dream is like a river
Ever changin' as it flows
And a dreamer's just a vessel
That must follow where it goes
Trying to learn from what's behind you
And never knowing what's in store
Makes each day a constant battle
Just to stay between the shores

I will sail my vessel
Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try

So I will sail my vessel
Til the river runs dryToo many times we stand aside
And let the waters slip away
Til what we put off 'til tomorrow
Has now become today
So don't you sit upon the shoreline
And say you're satisfied
Choose to chance the rapids
And dare to dance the tide...yes

And there's bound to be rough waters
And I know I'll tke soome falls
But wit the good Lord as my captain
I can make it through them all...yes
Yes, I will sail my vessel 

Til the river runs dry
Til the river runs dry