Category: Strength

Drugs and Other Enemies

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Hey, I actually slept all night and didn’t have to do it sitting up. Although i think I DID sleep in the same position all night. Neck is very sore. I have the bean bag heated up and wrapped snugly around it.

My job today is to see how the of ALL of my new meds act together. I am now taking 5 pills a day. 3 of which are relatively new (Plavix, Aspirin & Cymbalta). I have discovered this morning that if I’m going to take that many at the same time, I need to eat a lot more at breakfast. I’m shaky and a tad disoriented…..but then I guess I’ve been that way the last six days anyway. Just still not sure how all of this is going to effect me and for how long. I felt pretty good last evening, but had a bad headache right before I went to bed.

I’m not in horrible pain this morning either, so that’s a good sign. My head feels woozy, but not pounding or throbbing and I’m just wicked tired…what else is new. Let’s hope these meds kick in quick, I can get everything regulated and get on with my life as it will be for now. I’m trying to get up and walk through the house as much as I can to keep things moving, but when I’m dizzy…probably not the wisest thing to do. LOL

It feels good to know that a lot of “stuff” I’ve been going through truly WAS withdrawel from taking the Provac cold turkey. Not the wisest thing to do I know, but none of the so-called medical professionals could give me a straight answer…or they could, but they chose not to respond to any of my calls. Better late than never, so I now have a script for Cymbalta and my system will now have to get used to that now. I only take those pills for PMS and for work stress, but without it, all hell could break loose!

At least my appetite has come back and I’m able to KEEP things down now. That was horrible and so exhausting. It’s been seven days, and I don’t think I’m doing too bad considering, but I’m not quite there yet.

Things To Do This Week

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Yes, this week has finally come.

Wednesday (16th) I will have more coils added to my brain aneurysm after it was discovered in January that the 16 platinum coils that were inserted back in 2006
when it ruptured were either compacting or the aneurysm was growing and blood was flowing back into it. Since it’s an aneurysm that has already ruptured
once, everyone felt it was important to get this taken care of sooner rather than later.

The 2nd smaller aneurysm will be monitored. Right now there doesn’t appear to be a risk of rupture with that one, so it’s a wait-and-see-what-it-does kind of a mode. It may never grow or need any treatment…or it may grow or rupture. Who knows! Ah, the lovely, complicated, wonderful brain!

The hope is that they’ll do the coiling, I’ll be in ICU possibly just overnight, and I’ll be released to go home the following day (St. Patrick’s Day!). And if all goes well, that should be the case.

I have a small collection of things to take with me to the hospital on Wednesday. My “Get-Better-Bear” Care Bear my sister sent me in 2006, my comfy clothes for the ride back home, and I’m taking my iPad with me to keep me occupied. I have synced up an entire season of The Dick Van Dyke show on NetFlix as well as some podcasts. I know I won’t get any sleep in the hospital…they truly aren’t restful, but they treat you VERY well at Maine Medical Center. I had 20 days in the hospital in 2006 to witness that.

I’m told I may be very tired for some time (possibly weeks) after the procedure and may have a headache after the coiling. I know my groin will be sore. If you’re not familiar with endovascular coiling, here is good explanation. It’s ironic to have brain surgery and your groin to be the incision, but that’s one of the beauties of having coiling verses the far more invasive and dangerous
clipping, where they open the skull and perform open brain surgery.

It’s still a procedure on your brain, however and one that is not without complications. I’m confident with my Dr. that he’ll do what needs to be done and do it well. I only plan to take four days off work.

I know I’m lucky and I’m blessed with each day I wake up Dave and our kitties. May the luck of the Irish be with me this week!

First Day of The Weekend

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I spent the first day of this weekend keeping my mind and body busy. Groceries was first on the list, and what a list it was! Thankfully, the weather was better today. Two hours later I was home and ready to cook!

I thought I’d try some freeze-ahead meals for Dave and I so neither one of us will have to worry about getting groceries or meal planning and cooking at the end of the week when I get home from the hospital.

So, I started with a treat for St.Patrick’s day, assuming I’ll be home like I’m supposed to be. I whipped up the Irish Beef Hand Pies from Martha Stewart. VERY easy to make and freeze. I hope they taste good. LOL

Next on the list was a comfort food dish recipe from Martha Stewart for Macaroni &
Cheese. I think this will hit the spot. After that I made some low-fat blueberry muffins (not from scratch, but from a mix).

THEN I made Dave and I dinner, which was Mustard-Braised Sausage & Potato Skillet. A very easy, one-dish meal I’ve made before.

Needless to say, I was pooped at the end of the day and we lose an hour of sleep tonight with the time change, so I’m sure I’ll be a useless lump on the couch tomorrow. But I sure feel good about what I accomplished today and I know we’ll both appreciate the pre-made meals later in the week when we need a good dinner.

Tomorrow I start the Plavix and Aspirin routine. I’m hoping my system handles the new MEDS okay.

Angiogram and Results

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I had my four-year aneurysm check-up angiogram yesterday. Had to be at Maine Medical Center at 9:15, so we left the house around 7:45. I couldn’t eat or drink anything so, of course, today I woke up with a horribly dry and sore throat. Figures. Despite an earlier weather report of snow showers, it was just cold and sunny, so we had good traveling weather.

Dave and I arrived at Maine Med right on time and were quickly whisked into the radiology patient recovery area where I was promptly told to strip out of everything and put on the lovely johnny gown. Oh, they’re so attractive. The wonderfully funny nurse, John, arranged to get me a water swab so I could at least wet my dry throat.

I was hooked up to an IV and blood pressure and oxygen monitor then taken into the operating room. As I was wheeled in, I heard some amazing music being played. They had on the Rat Pack station from Pandora Radio. LOVED it! It was around 10:00 when I started to be prepped for the procedure to sounds of Tony Bennet and Frank Sinatra belting out standards.

I was moved onto the narrow table surrounded on one side by large monitors. Arm guards were positioned to keep my arms on the table and out of the way and I was hooked up to multiple sensors as well as a strap place over my forehead to keep me from moving my head. My groin was shaved and I was introduced to at least four or five different radiologist, including Bernie, who was my “bartender” with the meds. I didn’t go with any med prior to being wheeled in and I REALLY regretted that when the Dr. began inserting the catheter. The worst pain I’ve had at the beginning of an angio. Next time, I ask for meds, and more meds….and some meds too. OUCH!

I’m not sure how long the actual procedure took. I DID get some meds when I was experiencing the pain, so I was a tad groggy. Had to take deep breaths and hold them on many occasions for pictures to be taken. So I was awake for the whole thing. One injection of dye was almost painful in my head and part of my tongue felt a little numb, but it didn’t last long.

Once the procedure was done, I was unhooked from all of the sensors and one of the radiologist had to hold strong pressure on my incision area on my groin. We chatted about Buffalo weather and the Bills. It helped pass the time of having a stranger hold your groin! LOL

At around 11:00, I was wheeled back into the recovery area. Dave wasn’t there, but one of the nurses said that Dr. Ecker  had spoken to Dave “at length”. Uh, oh…that didn’t sound promising! And I thought when Dave came around the corner, he looked pale.

Dr. Ecker came in shortly after Dave and informed me there did appear to be problems with the coiling in the aneurysm so something would have to be done, but that he’d discuss that with us at the follow-up appointment on Monday. Then he divulged a 2nd, smaller aneurysm was discovered above the initial aneurysm. This one was about 3 mm (1/8″). My original one was 11 mm (1/2″). This was shocking. If I had one in 2006 for my last angiogram, wouldn’t they have said something about it? If it wasn’t there, then it’s not a good sign that one has developed in such a relatively short span of 2 years. The Dr. had told Dave that this smaller annie had a wide neck too and it might not be a good candidate for coiling.

So, not only do I not know what’s going to happen to the original annie (Or Big Annie), but I don’t know what’s going to happen, if anything, with this new little discovery (I’ll call her Little Annie)

I know Dr. Ecker had mentioned possibly adding more coils to Big Annie, which isn’t that highly unusual, and it’s far less dangerous because it’s not a rupture, but he had also mentioned clipping, which means a craniotomy and that’s a far more invasion process that involves removing part of the skull and having open brain surgery. But that’s with the original annie. Now this 2nd one comes into play. Goody.

I have been introduced and read storiesabout many people who have multiple aneurysms and my own cousin is living with two un-ruptured aneurysms that they’re simply monitoring, which might be the case for me with Little Annie. So, it’s not that highly unusual for people to have multiple aneurysms and the positive take on this is that I KNOW it’s there and we can do something (hopefully) before it ruptures unlike last time.

My fear is not the surgery at this point…it’s the outcome and having complications during the procedure that would require a longer recovery period or prevent me from doing my job or driving. I was VERY lucky with my previous rupture that I was not dealt with life-altering deficits – which could have easily happened and could still happen. I have a lot of faith and trust in Dr. Ecker and excellent staff at Maine Med. They were fantastic to me in 2006 and I know they’ll take good care of me
this time…for whatever I’m going to be dealt with. I’m still very, VERY thankful that Dr. Ecker is here in Maine and we don’t have to travel to Boston.

I wish Dave didn’t have to go through more crap with aneurysms. He has been such an angel and powerhouse during all of this. I’m sorry he has to “suffer” as well.