Category Archives: medical issues

Daily Prompt: All About Me! (US)

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Explain why you chose your blog’s title and what it means to you.

Our Blog’s T.le: Two Rights Attempting to Make a Left

Barry and I came up with the title together. It is based on our health issues over the last few years. In 2009, I was discovered to have a brain tumor (gangliocytoma) in my left cerebellum. After a long period, we were told that the brain tumor was just a symptom of a rare genetic disease called Cowden’s Syndrome.

Needless to say we were dumbfounded. I had surgery in 2009 to reduce the tumor, but it was impossible to remove it in its entirety. So, life goes on.

Things were going along great, no magor problems, then December 11, 2012 came around. It started as a normal day, we were assisting the resident’s with morning care. I heard a resident calling for help.

To my shock, it was not for him. It was my sweet husband. He was in the process of having a stroke. I called for an ambulance and off to the hospital we went. Although Barry had a massive right territory MCA, he looked perfectly fine. It was hard to believe a week earlier, they had asked me to call all the family in because they did not believe he would make it through the night.

Months later,  a rehab counselor recommended, that we either start a journal or a blog. With the two of us being computer oriented, we chose to do a blog. Oddly enough, the title is related to both of our injuries. We were attempting to get something in the stove. Neither of us could do it with both hands, so he got one end with his right hand and I got the other. It came to us about the same time, that we were two right hands trying to use our lefts.

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So we named the blog:

Two rights attempting to make a left!

Nothing fancy, just the two us working together to keep a sense of normalcy.

Daily Prompt: Childhood Revisited

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Sure, you turned out pretty good, but is there anything you wish had been different about your childhood? If you have kids, is there anything you wish were different for them?

I am doing my best to decide how to put this in writing. I thought about this all day and have narrowed it down to two things I wish would have been different in my childhood. I’ll do my best not to ramble, please be patient.

My sisters and I had a traditional southern upbringing, dysfunctional family and all. Our parents encouraged us to study, we knew right from wrong, and we loved each other. Mom and dad worked all the time. Mom stayed home until we were old enough to be left home alone and then she started working, She was home when we needed her, or at lease close-by.

Dad left in the mornings before we ever got up and was not home until we were in bed. On the weekends, he worked his secondary business and was home only at night. We had our family nights when dad was home. We actually had breakfast and supper around the dining room table several times a week.

I grew up wanting for nothing.  If we ever wanted anything extravagant, we had to save our money up or wait for a sale. I believe that is where my frugal attitude comes from today!

During the summer months, mom and dad always made sure we stayed busy. I know my way around the Bible, a softball field, a basketball court, and a swimming pool. Mom and dad made it to the important events, but there were times we were on our own.

One of the things I wish could were different from my childhood is going to church as a family, instead of being dropped off at the door to attend services with my sisters. Don’t get me wrong, my sisters and I are close, due to the time we spent together. It would have been nice having mom and dad with us at church. I truly believe that they both believe the Jesus died to save us from our sins, but I cannot help feeling unsure of their salvation.

Mom lives with me now, and attends everything Barry and I attend at church. Dad is a different story. I do not remember the last time I saw him in church for something other than a funeral. His health is declining and he does not get out like he used to, but I know he grew-up in the church. It would have been joyous to have all five of us in church at the same time. Well, the past is the past. All we can do now is look forward.

My second thing I wish could have been different during my childhood is medical technology. From the time I entered kindergarten through high school, I was always sick.

Mom spoiled me rotten and my sisters still pick on me today, because of that.

I was part guinea pig when they thought they had figured out a treatment for allergies. They did all the testing and I suffered through the intramuscular injections for years, before they figured out it could be done with a subcutaneous needle, just under the skin. The nurse’s from the seventies, learned to give an intramuscular injection into the shoulder. There were several times I actually felt the needle hitting the bone. It was so painful. I took the injections without success for years and then refused to go.

In my teenage years I developed female troubles. We let the doctor do the known treatment for my problem at the time and it rendered me unable to have children.

If today’s medical technology had been around in the seventies, maybe I could have had a normal childhood and been able to have kids today. In my world, Claritin is the best invention of the twentieth century. When I was younger, Dristan was it. With today’s medical technology in the past, maybe brain tumor research would be further along today and I wouldn’t need a wheelchair when my legs do not work.

My life has been God‘s plan and it is not my place to question it. I read my Bible and try to stay upbeat and focused. I pray daily and ask for grace and wisdom to help me make it through the day. I exercise to stay strong and keep busy. My blog is my refuge for my feelings and such. It helps me not to hold things in. I write them down. It is very therapeutic to me. My counselor advised me to either do a journal or start a blog.

To summarize, my parents being more involved with my sisters and I at church; as well as, today’s medical technology being available in the seventies, would have made my childhood a better place to be. Honestly, I wouldn’t interfere with God’s plan for my life. I grew up loved and happy. Everything else is all good!

If, if, if, maybe, maybe, maybe…….

Daily Prompt: Right to Health

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Is access to medical care something that governments should provide, or is it better left to the private sector? Are there drawbacks to your choice?

In my opinion, the government has no place in the healthcare business, but I will admit that something needs   done.

Since 2009, Barry and I have frequented many hospitals and doctor’s offices. The trips for surgery in 2009 and 2011, were easy to deal with. Our insurance took care of almost everything and we had no trouble at all from the start.

When Barry’s stroke occurred in late o be 2012, it was as if we were in a different world. The bills were not filed correctly, nursing service was terrible, it was harder than normal to get an appointment at a doctor’s office; or if you needed an ex-ray or other test, the wait was even longer. It is getting to be crazy.

I have a rare genetic disorder that makes my body more than likely to form tumors through the body, benign or cancerous. It can show up overnight or make me feel bad for a few weeks.

Barry and I both need many check-ups and I have to stay on top of any issue that pops up.

I am truly not sure the private sector could do any better than the government. What I do know, is someone needs to figure things out, so that the healthcare system functions better and someone remembers that the patients are the important part in this picture, not the money or numbers.

Daily Prompt: Call Me, Maybe

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Describe your relationship with your phone. Is it your lifeline, a buzzing nuisance, or something in between?

When cell phones first came out, I hated the things. They were big, clunky and more expensive than they were worth.

Next, I landed a job that required I be on-call 24/7. To start they provided pagers (some of you younger people may not know what that is). They were a bigger nuisance, because of stopping at pay phones and keeping up with change. I hate change!

Cell phones were still toooooooo expensive. 

Over the years, as technology improved cell phones became less expensive and so much smaller! But, they were still expensive. One month, my stepson’s bill alone was over $1000. He’s lucky to still be with us.

Now that prices have stabilized and phones are more convenient. I  believe I only like my phone because it is a necessity. Being disabled, I feel more comfortable, being out alone. If my car breaks down, I can call for help. There’s a GPS on it, if I get lost and tons of games to keep me busy if any of the above happens.

I guess I will go with something in-between. I’d rather not have to keep up with it, but there are times when I would totally consider the thing a buzzing nuisance.

I never want to be put in the class of people who considers a cell-phone a life line. Will our future generations be able to talk to one another? Or write a letter, note or list if they need to? Consider me old-school or just plain old! I do not care, the convenience aspect of a cell-phone is marvelous. Everything else can be considered a buzzing nuisance!

My Brain Tumor is ruling my body today!

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To start the day off, I woke up a grumpy mess. Barry and my left arm told me why I was so tired this morning, when I got alert enough to listen.

Apparently, I spent the night hitting the wall, bed, myself and Barry, all night. My arm hurts so bad this morning. I also managed to bloody my nose last night and I have bruises on my forehead.

My left hand isn’t bruised yet, but it sounds and feels like it shoud be. Barry told me the dog wouldn’t get in the bed with us last night, so I was scaring my poor puppy during the night.

The morning did not get any better, my balance is terrible and my right hand is even shaking. My head feels like it will blow off at any second and the pain is radiating from the base of my skull, where the tumor is.

My eyes are somewhat focused, but a took a lot of exercising to get them there. It was mid-morning before I could focus. I took a nap, that hasn’t helped. Drugs and more sleep are next.Also a call to the neurologists office.

I probably will go crawl back in bed and hope this is gone tomorrow. I cannot stand when that dyuiiufdfv tumor takes over, I scare my husband. Since the stroke, he’s more sensitive and I hate he has to deal with me like this.

I should have known something was coming on. I spent yesterday stuck in giggle mode. Why couldn’t I get a day or two more of that. Everything was funny yesterday. I need to make sure I tell the neurologist’s office when they call.

Mom and I do not know what to call it…

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Mom came to me this morning and said she needed to talk. I requested she let me get breakfast finished and meet me in the living room. She sat down on the couch and stated,

“Jill, I’m scared and do not know what to do.”

Now she was scaring me. I did not know what to think. I asked her;

“Mom, tell me what’s wrong? Are you OK? You are scaring me, talk to me, please.”

She continued with the dreams she was experiencing and they were scaring her. She was swearing she was awake first thing in the mornings and would close her eyes and see trees. She’d open her eyes again and everything is fine.

She said every time she’d close her eyes, something weird would happen. There were times she said that when her eyes closed, it was like she was looking in a mirror. She stuck her tongue out at the image, and it did the same back at her. 

She is still seeing the child floating around the house in a rocker. She asked if Barry and I were seeing it. Of course, I told her no. Next she kept repeating, I’m going crazy, that is the only answer.

We called the doctor to discuss her medications and possible interactions. Mom takes a lot of vitamins. At this time, her doctor thinks she is having a drug interaction between one of her vitamins and drugs. We have her on the right track.

Hopefully, this will solve the problem within a week. If not, I’ll be in search of a specialist and taking her vitamins/pills away from her and giving them to her myself. She will not take that well. She thinks we think she is stupid as it is, I might start World War Three taking her medicines and vitamins from her.

Can I runaway from home? Am I too old? I guess I should take Barry and Maggie with me. 

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Daily Prompt: Sliced Bread

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Most of us have heard the saying, “That’s the best thing since sliced bread!”What do you think is actually the best thing since sliced bread?

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At first, I was going to say the Bible. It is one of two things that I can count on using daily. I realized more than likely,  the Bible has been around longer than sliced bread, so that kinda put it out of the running.

Of course, I’m not sure whether anyone sliced bread in the Bible or they just broke pieces off. I’m a constant student of the Bible, but I am afraid this is one thing I cannot quote book and verse on. 

According to Wikipedia: 

Sliced bread is a loaf of bread which has been pre-sliced with a machine and packaged for convenience. It was first sold in 1928, advertised as “the greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped”.[1] This led to the popular phrase, “the greatest thing since sliced bread“.

I refuse to say that the cell phone was my second choice and they, in my opinion,  are definitely not the “best thing since sliced bread”. Although, they are handy. We would all live without them! Yes, kids, you can live without your cell phone. Believe it are not, you can actually have a conversation with another human being. 

My personal opinion is that current medical technology qualifies as ” The best thing since sliced bread“. New innovations in every field of medicine improves the life of numerous people daily!

Barry and I are both still alive today, by the Grace of God and modern medical technology. I would have lost Barry twice  if someone hadn’t figured out how to replace the aortic valve and how to go into an artery of a patient, actively having a stroke, to manually remove the clot and stop progression of the damage that a stroke causes. 

The brain tumor I have was only diagnosed at autopsy before 1985. I thank God for giving someone the knowledge to invent the CAT Scan. I’m ready to take my place in heaven when the time is right, but for now I plan to enjoy every moment of life. Good or bad…..

Find your Voice

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Today has been a bit of an eye opener for me. I had a fairly decent day. Some so so news from the doctor and got to do my favorite thing, SHOP! I love to shop and window shop. They both relax me. If I can’t buy anything, I get the extra exercise.

Today, my shopping trip involved my mother. While out with mom for shopping and lunch, I finally realized why she can make me mad at the drop of a hat. Since the brain surgery, my voice has not been the same. Talking is a struggle at times. I had a good singing voice and I can no longer sing without scaring the neighborhood cats. It’s like my attempts at running, you do not want to see it. My singing, well, you really do not want to hear it. For years, I couldn’t sing a note, but since attending church and singing regularly. my voice is slowly returning. Still not good, but better.

Well, while mom and I were out today, she attempted to finish every sentence I started and talked over me every time I tried to start speaking. She is just attempting to be helpful and not let anything cause me further stress, but what I need to do is talk to her and the rest of my family about letting me speak. I may speak slowly, but give me a chance. Take the time to listen. The old me is still in this body and I have a voice I want to use.

Mom even took a pen out of my hand today to put the cap on for me. I couldn’t believe it. When I left rehab, they told me a few things to keep in mind; keep moving and if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. The ground rules about me will be coming out in a few days. The time has come to get everyone on the same page!

 

 

Insomnia versus Zombie-head

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I have no trouble taking a nap during the day, but I have been up doing housework, running errands, shopping, and/or exercising.Most days, all the above. I get tired easily during the day.

As the day comes to an end, I cannot turn my head off to save my life. My sweet hubby is next to me sawing logs. The dog is at our feet snoring in tune with Barry. Hear I sit, typing up a storm. The universe does not seem to be lining up for me tonight.

You’d think with some of the medication I’m on, I’d be zonked out cold with everyone else in the house.  Mom is even out for the night.

Dad has trouble sleeping, as well as both my sisters. I usually can nod right off, but not tonight.

I had an adverse reaction to one of the drugs I was on and of course, my brilliant doctors have decided to play with my medication again. I call my neurologist brilliant, because he told me he is and that I’m lucky to get to see him.

I can’t wait to see what he wants to replace it with. Baclofen was working wonderfully and my brilliant neurologist wanted to see what would happen if I came off it. I was back on the drug within a month, but now suddenly, my lower extremities resemble those of an 80-year-old woman.

I truly do not like taking the drug, but it took some of my pain away and didn’t give me ‘Zombie-head’. It had other side effects that were pretty miserable.

Now they will be looking for a substitute. I guess this is just part of the plan and I do not need to question it. I need to take one day at a time, read my Bible and pray for patience. A few sleepless nights won’t hurt my too, too bad. After all, I can stay in bed all day if I want.

A tale from my past work history…..all names have been changed to protect privacy

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alphabets-bear-2-864032I honestly do not remember any names to tell, so I’m really protecting privacy. I used to work for a local mental-health agency. I was part of the walk-in crisis team.

alphabets-bear-2-864032One bright sunny day, a woman walked in the front door, walked up to the desk an proceeded to take every stitch of her clothing off. Next she picked up a half-gallon container she had brought with her and proceeded to pour it all over herself and the front desk. She pulled a lighter from somewhere and lit it. She stated’ they are following me and if you do not get my some help, I’m gonna take you up with me.’

alphabets-bear-2-864032The receptionist ran into my office in a panic. I walked out front of the front desk. The lady proceeded to repeat what she ha told the receptionist and poured more liquid on herself. The lighter was still flaming. 

alphabets-bear-2-864032I walked over to the young woman, leaned in and blew her lighter out. I took it away from her, as well as the jug of liquid. I suggested to the woman to have a seat, I’d get yo her as quick ad I could. Needless to say, she was next.