Thursday, March 13, 2008: I guess this is what I meant by “more later” from my last entry.
February and March f this year (so far) have been medical roller coasters which in their high points leave me feeling astonished at how close to “normal” I feel. At their low points find me in an ER, on a gurney with an IV in one arm, my wife holding my other and me wondering how they’ll stop the pain this time and will they listen to my wife?!
Yesterday was a low point, having been at a Kaiser facility in Lincoln for a couple Ultra Sounds to be done to further rule out concerns when another episode took over and being that this Lincoln facility is a very new facility, I imagine my situation was the most action they’ve seen in some time. My aunt was with me at the time while CC was at work until she got the call from my Aunt or the nurses and then she left for the ER in Roseville. Prior to my being loaded into the ambulance, my Aunt wrote with a sharpie on both of my arms “NO SALINE”. Indeed, this episode from start to finish involved no saline, praise God.
During the ambulance ride I had a hard time breathing with the oxygen mask on; I wanted more air than it would provide giving me a profound sense of suffocation, a sense that I would not like to experience again.
A few days before that we were at my doctor’s office for a follow up and catch up on my status when I became profoundly sweaty and tired. At an earlier appointment, I had asked him to remove a couple “skin tags” (kind of wart-like growths) and he said to remove them was a little painful in that liquid nitrogen is used and prayed on the tags which can cause a burning sensation. Well, I got through that process and I wanted him to see them while at this next appointment and he noted that they needed spraying again but this time the pain of the burning experience was too much and it triggered an episode then and there. 4 hours, and 4 shots (pain meds and anti nausea and muscle relaxant) later CC was able to take us home and I once again didn’t get the license of the truck that ran me over…everything hurts from feet to hands to mouth to eyes. As for feeling like writing, that desire was fleeting and not very convincing. My apologies.
CC wrote the following to my doctor after I suffered another attack/episode on Thursday 2/28:
“Thursday Wade woke up with numbness in his right hand. I gave him his morning meds and told him to call me at work if it didn't get any better. He phoned me at 11am, speaking really slowly stating " I don't know what to do". When I got home I found him on the floor in the hallway. BP 120/80, BS 184, muscle spasms and chest tightness and pain. I gave him the Ativan, Liquid Potassium, Percocet and put on the CPAP. It took 4 hours before we could get him moved to the bed. Then on Friday he had another overwhelming weakness episode when he tried to walk to the bathroom. The chief complaint is complete weakness all over his body and the chest tightness and difficulty breathing. We are doing the inhalers and Motrin for the breathing. If it continues to happen I will have to go to the ER, but we never seem to get good care at the ER and it is so frustrating.”
It was very strange to read that well after the fact; almost surreal in a way.
Church was very good this past Sunday, and I once again, felt as if he was speaking directly to me, conviction of both a positive and uncomfortable nature. At any rate, it was good to be there and in attendance.
I guess, if you are willing to read into the above 3 larger paragraphs, you might read reasons why I have not kept up on the blog and please know that I feel badly not having kept up with it. I’m hopeful to do better as I go along.
Your prayers are still coveted.
-w
