My omicron variant symptoms were different than anyone around me. I was diagnosed with covid in early December 2021. This was before the omicron symptoms were widely recognized. Confusing the issue were my three negative covid tests. My husband's omicron symptoms were more expected. He lost taste and smell, had fatigue and the weird eyes that I talk about in my video. Unlike him I didn't lose taste or smell. Based on syptoms I thought that a cold that triggered my asthma. (That always happens when I catch a cold).
But no, a week after my husband was diagnosed and exposed to covid, I tested positive as well.
The coronavirus was sneaky though. When the doctor diagnosed me on a Thursday my sypmtoms were just a cough, scratchy throat, sneezing and some slight wheezing - all consistent with asthma. My condition deteriorated despite receiving monoclonal antibodies. That Sunday evening, I had to be put on oxygen and was under the care of the virtual hospital.
This video about my omicron symptoms was done by request. It's just my experience and we are all different. But, maybe it will help someone recognize thier covid symptoms. My bottom line suggestion is that if you're sick and there's the slightest possibility that you may be positive, get tested. It really is the only way to know for sure.
Good news! Those pesky breast lumps turned out to be benign cysts! I expected/hoped/prayed this would be the case but it's still a relief to have the pathology report. Further good news is that the surgeon was able to remove all of the invaders. (Take that you little monsters!) They won't be bothering me again.
We thought that they would be cysts, but nothing is ever for sure until the biopsy results are back. The real problem is that my family history isn't so benign. My mom had breast cancer and so did a series of aunts and cousins. Many of my relatives have had various types of cancer. So, it didn't really come as a surprise that I would eventually find lumps. However, just because it wasn't a surprise doesn't mean that I wasn't delighted to have the results in hand! I am happy indeed.
So what does this mean? Ladies, it means getting the ta-ta's checked on a regular basis. I will make sure to get the mammograms done on a regular schedule and follow the doctor's advice. It also means celebrating the diagnosis.
So what am I going to do to celebrate?
How about by buying some stuffed animals to help abused or neglected kids? The MLK club at college is collecting them. I think picking up a could of animals for them is a great way to acerbate. How about you?
Here's another one to add to the list. On Tuesday, I had a couple of lumps removed. They are probably cysts. The doctor sent me to day surgery instead of just removing them in the office. The whole thing with pre-anesthesia testing, an EKG and lab work seemed like overkill to me. It looks like a little numbing medicine, a scalpel and 20 minutes in the office and my problems would have been solved.
Nope.
One lump was more difficult than anticipated. Had either lump deigned to show up on the mammogram or ultrasound well, then it would have been easier to gauge the size. Your body may cooperate that way. Mine doesn't. So it should be no surprise that I am pretty sore and fussing about it. We should get the pathology report on Tuesday. My doctor and both I expect that the report to show a couple of benign cysts tried to take up temporary residence. Nothing complicated.
However, the diagnosis is particularly disconcerting given my family history.
My mother went to be with the Lord in October 1995. Mom's breast cancer was officially found in 1990. (I know this because she went in for surgery as my daughter was coming home from the hospital after meningitis.) However, she found the lump and was afraid that it might be a little monster. Instead of having it checked out immediately she ran from it. The insidious beast grew.
Several weeks later she decided to go to the doctor. He checked it, sent her for a mammogram and declared it to be a cyst. No big deal. Run of the mill. Nothing to worry about. Satisfied, she left. It kept growing and she and the doctor went back and forth a few more weeks about removing it. The doctor finally relented and sent her to a surgeon. That doctor told her it was just a cyst, not to worry.
That was before the pathology report came back. Adenocarcinoma. Treatment began soon after. Technically, she survived the breast cancer but not the treatment. I remember her saying that a medicine she took for breast cancer could cause uterine cancer in very rare cases. That would have been her. It metastasized from there and that's the end of the story.
Why do I type this?
It's not to whine, moan or fuss. It's not a play for sympathy or empathy. It's to remind everyone that our time here is short. Life is fleeting. It's also to remind you to take advantage of what life offers and run with it. Sometimes I close my videos with the reminder to "live bodaciously". We only get one shot at life. It's not a dress rehearsal. Go and live it!
Look at it this way. Bad things are going to happen. Good things are going to happen. Change is going to happen. Why not embrace it?
For the past couple of years I have tried to do just that. I have...
Been on a climbing wall
Driven the Alaska Highway
Sand-surfed down the dunes in White Sands National Monument
Gone to movies with the husband
Watch the sun set over Mount Redoubt
Heated tea in a solar cooker
Made new friends
Made a 4.0 in a college semester for the first time in my life
Crafted a heater out of some terra cotta pots and tea light candles
Cussed at my leg brace
Watched salmon spawn on Homer Spit
Held my husband's hand
Gotten kisses from the dog
Heard cicadas chirp in the Smokies
Helped fire victims
Flown a drone
Was late to a church meeting (or two)
Sat with my daughter when she was in the hospital
Watched a chick hatch at my other daughter's farm
Seen the stars come out in the Smoky Mountains
In short, I've lived bodaciously and plan to continue. Some of my escapades are on my YouTube channel, some aren't. Chronicled or not, pathology results or not, I plan to continue to live bodaciously. No matter your life or where you are in it, I encourage you to live bodaciously also. Do whatever it is that you've always wanted to do but haven't yet. Don't wait. Life is too short not to live it as best you can, in all ways that you can.
Real people. Real inspiration for others who have mobility issues. This video has stories from
Vloggin Therapy - a woman living with an ankle fusion
Wheels Gone Wild - a man with MS who loves camping (and has developed techniques to make that happen).
Sue - This lady sent an email telling about her struggle with neuropathy
Me - My story about living with foot drop
These four people inspire me. I think you will be inspired also. They are proof positive that life can be enjoyed in spite of mobility issues.
We'll start with the good news about the adrenalectomy first. The mass on my adrenal gland was not cancer nor was it a pheochromocytoma of any sort. Instead, it was a benign mass that was taking up space and generally creating havoc. Like an unruly neighbor, the mass had to go.
My medial team consisted of an expert surgeon, fabulous endocrinologist and equally terrific GP (general practitioner). I think they said it took around three hours from the time goodbye was said to my husband and daughter. All went well with the surgery and the overnight hospital stay. My temperature skyrocketed to 102 F at home and my blood pressure went along for the ride. The doctor gave me some pretty strict instructions when I called to let him know.
All returned to semi-normal several days after the adrenal gland was removed. I say semi-normal because some things started happening after the adrenalectomy that has made us all very happy. Let me give you some back story before we get too far into that.
I was on four blood pressure medications before the laproscopic procedure. One of those blood pressure medications was taken for heat sensitivity and not for blood pressure. However, in addition to controlling the heat issues it is expected to have had a least some impact. Another one of those pills was a 2-in-one medication. So, I guess that's really five medications which is really not cool. Even with all of those I was hitting some afternoon blood pressures of 160 over ____. (Which was really, really not cool.) Never mind the other ways that the little bugger was causing chaos!
Since the outrageousness was potentially related to the adrenal mass the decision was made to get the thing out of there. You won't believe what happened next.
My blood pressure dropped, a lot. Enough so that I said goodbye to the medicine for heat sensitivity and the two-in-one medication. The others are at half dosage. Guess what my numbers are running now? How about 110 or 130 over around 70-80. And, it appears that the other madness is calming down too.
Whew.
Now to clarify. as my body adjusts I continue to be extremely tired. My numbers are swinging some and that makes me feel funny. (Especially when it's sugar related.) We're at a conference and even with the help of Hubby and Tomlin, my tail is dragging! But overall I think the decision to remove the adrenal gland was a good call. Who can argue with the results? Everything will hopefully be back to normal soon - or maybe even better than normal?
Many thanks to everyone for your concern and help. The emails, Facebook messages, tweets, cards and phone calls about the adrenal gland removal are very appreciated. Each of you who have contacted me are not just readers, but close friends and that is very, very much appreciated. Those of you who are already friends and family are very appreciated. May you stay healthy and may the sun shine upon you.
I've been there and it's terrifying. Owners of epinephrine injectors need to check your pens at this website now. Thank goodness a friend sent me a Facebook message about Sanofi epinephrine Injector recall. This pen is used to safe the life of someone who is having an acute emergency reaction. You may have heard of someone having a special shot in case of bee stings? The epinephrine injector is that medication.
Her Facebook message to me is the first that I have heard about the recall. You can read the information about the Sanofi epinepherine injector recall online. This is terrifying news for anyone who may need this shot. I speak from experience.
I got caught up in an epinephrine pen recall in 1998. As with this recall, there potentially isn't/wasn't enough medication. Thank goodness that word spreads online now. I didn't hear about the problem until it was too late.
Nothing much happened when I got into onions once and had to use a recalled pen. Hubby had to call EMS. They came, took one glance, and injected me with epinephrine from their stock. I improved quickly, but still required a hospital stay. We checked the pen after EMS told us about the recall. Sure enough, that epi pen had been recalled.
Read the Sanofi website to learn what to do with your epinephrine injector. Take it from someone who has been there. Don't gamble with your life or that of a loved one. Check out the website now.
Life with a leg brace has been interesting. Orthotic Services put me in an Otto Bock WalkOn Flex AFO back in April. We did this to combat problems that I was having with my foot drop issue on my right side. The brace supports my ankle and gives my lower leg added stability. It's made of carbon fiber and wearing it feels weird, but I've not fallen since the AFO was fitted.
Otto Bock AFO
The brace wraps around my ankle and goes up the inside and back of my leg. A 4" high half-cuff of cabon fiber goes around the back of my calf next to my knee. A thin pad and an extra long velcro strap holds it in place fairly well. I have to make minor adjustments throughout the day.
Getting used to wearing the brace has been an experience. The foot brace meant saying good-bye to my beloved pair of Zigs and hello to New Balance. An extra-wide width was required and it took some serious pushing to get the brace down into the shoe where it goes. Taking up extra space in the left shoe is done by wearing mismatched socks. A think sock on the left and a thin one on the right helps make life more comfortable. Dresses are out and getting dressed in general is more challenging.
Driving is a challenge. The Otto Bock Walk On, like any other AFO, is designed to keep my toes up off of the floor, and most of the time it helps. The story changes when it comes to pressing an accelerator.. That I have to push by using my leg instead of lifting and pressing the pedal. If I really work it, I can sometimes rest my leg against the front edge of the seat and brace against that when pushing. You can imagine how comfortable that isn't.
My husband and I drove across the country this past summer. Thanks to the situation with my brace and leg, he had to do much more of the driving than he ever has before. I haven't done any real distance driving since having the brace and it makes me nervous to think about doing so.
Despite its shortcomings, the Otto Bock AFO seems to be helping. I have to be extra careful when I'm not wearing the brace, because my leg seems weaker now than before getting the AFO. Also, stepping out of the shower can be especially challenging. I guess it will take more time to fully adjust. But, I've not fallen again, so that's something to be grateful for.
I had a mammogram today. Nothing is wrong. It's same test that I get every year to confirm that the girls are okay. Walk in, plop them out one at a time and put them between the plates of a sturdy cold vise. No prep (except removing deodorant) and no late night studying required. Easy peasy. Except, it's not.
My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was forty-nine. She found the lump several months before going to the doctor. When she finally summoned the courage to see a doctor he assured her that it was nothing but a cyst. She went home. The evil little time bomb was still there a few months later. She had a mammogram, the report read "Normal". It lied.
At forty-eight she stood, breathing in the sterile hospital odors of bleach and alcohol, to stare at a machine that would reveal her fate. Or so they said.
I try not to remember this as the fortune teller's assistant gives me instructions. My bends and twists rival those of any contortionist. The test is over quickly. I return to the waiting area and am soon called again. The radiologist wants "a couple more pictures". The nonchalant technologist informs me "it happens" and again I contort.
I am returned to the waiting room to await the results among other women in the human assembly line. Coffee and cookies are there to make the wait easier. More pleasantries are exchanged as women come and go.
The assistant fortune teller appears in the door. A smile lights her face as she says "You're free to go." I stammer and ask about the results. As the door slowly swings open to the lobby where my husband and daughter I am told that the test is all clear. "It looks normal", she says.
Most of you know that I've returned to school after a 25 year absence. My struggles have led me to get some educational testing done. The results have revealed no one, but two learning disabilities. One was made worse by the head injury sustained in 1995. The other was probably caused by it. That this should be discovered after so many years is a very, very bitter pill to swallow.
Flowers on Lewis and Clark Trail
All classes are going well except for math. Algebra has never been my strong point. Many years were spent beating my head against the wall trying to learn the meaning behind PEMDAS. FOIL wasn't so much an acronym as it is something that leftovers are stored in.
My problem with math is much worse than in years past. Letters are getting jumbled up like never before. Columns blend together and the difference between positive and negative are blurring. It took me about an hour and a half to work 15 problems on my math exam last time and I still failed it. Where I struggled before, I now find it nearly impossible. College accommodations may be my only hope of passing.
Everything takes much more time now and things get mixed up easier. We've laughed for years at my ability to get lost in a building or going to work. I've told the kids to put the clothes in the dishwasher on several occassions. That's okay though. They can always put the dishes in the washing machine later.
The most bitter pill to swallow is the reason for the head injury. If you've read my blog, then you know that I was beaten and sexually assaulted in 1995. The educational testing indicates that the head injury is the reason for several of my difficulties today.
I'm putting this in the context of one more thing to add to the list. Foot drop, my back and other health challenges are just as important as dealing with the learning disabilities caused by the head injury. Don't get me wrong. I'm mad as hell over the injury. However, unlike rabidly high blood pressure or a severe asthma attack, the head injury probably won't kill me.
I have a life to live and plan to live it. If college can happen in spite of foot drop, or after my financial aid appeal was denied, then it can happen despite a learning disability or two. Math and a few other things may be more of a challenge now. The diagnosis only clarify what we already suspected. They don't change who I am and I'm trying not to let it hurt my outlook for the short term.
I feel that if my foot could relearn how to walk last year, then one year, I may learn to fly. You never know what the future holds. Learning disabilities, health challenges or not, faith is for believing and life is for living. Why do anything else?
We arrived safe and sound and checked in at the N.I.H. Everything is all set for tomorrow. I'll update about Day Two etc. a little farther down the post. Another article may be created if this one gets long.
View from my lodge window.
Check in at the lodge was crazy. We didn't know that we had to give two weeks advance notification about a service dog. Our daughter bailed us out but I was in tears before it was resolved.
So for now, everything is quiet. Wake up time is 5:30 am. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Day Two (yesterday) was crazy busy.
I was NPO midnight, then had labs at 6:30 am.
Day hospital had to send me to VED because my veins wouldn't cooperate with the IV.
I returned to the day hospital unit for a resting blood draw. This is where you lay down for 30 minutes and then they draw the labs. It was kind of strange.
The CT had to be canceled because contrast dye doesn't get along with me.
Next up was a PET Scan.
Breakfast was a little before 2:00 pm. after the scan.
We then had to pick up our Extended Visitor badges from security. It takes awhile because they have to do a background check on everyone before issuing them.
Our next stop was the outpatient pharmacy.
Back to the lodge room at about 2:45.
Then, we headed back to the NIH for an MRI at 4:00 pm.
This is a quick update on my pheochromocytoma saga (pheo for short). I was scheduled to have a MIBG test today and tomorrow but it was put on hold.
The MIBG is a highly specialized medical test. A radioisotope tracer is injected into the bloodstream. Scans are taken a few hours later and again the next day. It was explained to me that the tracer is made in only one place in the U.S. and shipped across the country. And, I was told that many hospitals can't administer the test.
The tracer is created in Chicago, put on a plane and shipped to Knoxville. It's then transported to the hospital and given to the patient for the test that day. When planes can't fly, the tracer can't get delivered and the MIBG can't be done.
So, we wait.
I'll let you know how the test goes next week. I'll also post what the doctor says about the pheo. That appointment is scheduled for the first week in February. Hopefully, everything will go as planned and we'll all be safe and warm.
Life has been crazy so I'll cut to the chase. Many of you know that the doctor accidentally found a tumor on my adrenal glad recently. The CT that found it was ordered because of another problem. The accidental finding led to the original name of incidental adenoma.
Blood work and a 48 hour urinalysis was done to fine tune the diagnosis. My general practictioner took one look at the new name and sent me to a surgeon. The diagnosis is that there is pheochromocytoma on my adrenal gland.
As many as eight people in a million will get this diagnosis. It's as though I won the lottery in a bad way. Treatment begins before surgery and can last for life. Or surgery can be the cure. There's no way to know which way things will go. The docs use the standard line "everyone is different". I think that's a catch all phrase for "we don't know".
The pheochromocytoma is one more thing to deal with. I want to yell and scream. This seems so unfair. I'm still dealing with foot drop. Of the million things that I had planned for my life, dealing with an adrenal mass isn't one of them.
Yelling and fussing won't do anything about the problem. It will be one foot in front of the other until we get all the data in and a solid treatment plan.
I see my GP later this week. A nuclear test is scheduled for next week. My surgeon sees me again the week after next. That's a humdinger of a schedule.
It's easier for me to keep everyone updated by blogging about the process. I'll post follow-ups here and possibly on Facebook.
Thanks for embarking on the journey with me.
Update 3/31/14 Thanks for all the prayers! The doctors have now decided that the mass is probably not a pheo. Even better is that there isn't anything that I have to do immediately. They may do more tests in the next few months but for right now, there's nothing worry some. :-)
From health to scheduling, this is such a relief in so many ways. As you know, my daughter graduates in May, another will be coming home near the end of May... Easter and lots of church things coming up... Such a relief. I praise God that it's all okay.
I was finally able to enjoy a hot cup of tea and listen to Pandora yesterday and it was really great. Finding time to relax has been extremely challenging lately. The time out was just what I needed. Tea has traditionally been used for many different reasons. Chamomile is what I use to relax with, oolong is said to help you lose weight and green tea is supposed to be packed with antioxidants.
The uses of tea and the properties of different varieties fascinates me. Who would think that a few dry leaves could do so much for you? There are tons of different types in the grocery store but internet options are rapidly expanding what is available.
It's important to check with your doctor before drinking some teas on a
regular basis. Like anything else, some varieties may interact with medications or have adverse benefits. Several types of tea may actually have health benefits. It's always worth a check with the doc to get the right information.
Here are a couple of teas that I enjoy and how I use them. What are your favorites?
Chamomile
I always drink this when it's warm. The light flavor gets lost when consumed as iced tea. It's great for relaxation. You can either drink it as a beverage or warm the bags and place them on your eyes. Boil water and let the bags steep for one minute. When they are very cool to the touch, lay back in your favorite chair and place one on each eye. It's a nice stress break (although one that I don't get to use often enough.)
Oolong
This is a staple in Chinese restaurants but you can also get it from OolongSlimmingTea.com online. I have not ordered from them and am sharing the link as a potential resource. It can be hard to find in the grocery store but, if the oolong tea diet catches on, then it may be more widely available.
Fruit teas
Some restaurants are adding syrups to flavor teas and the flavors seem to be popular. However; there are lots of fruit flavored teas that don't need a boost to be flavorful. I enjoy relaxing with berry tea, orange and spice and lemon are among my favorites.
Making tea is a snap. Place a teabag in your favorite mug. Put a small pot of water on to boil. Pour water over the teabag when the water comes to a boil. (Be very careful not to spill the boiling water.) Let the teabag sit for five minutes and remove with tongs.
I add a teaspoon full of local honey as a sweetener. It's light flavor goes with almost any tea and is perfect for relaxing. Come to think of it, I think that I'll head into the kitchen and brew some now.
I am still healing from surgery and am behind in almost everything. This has been a lot tougher than anyone in my family dreamed. John has a church that has been taking care of us. Frankly, I do not know where I would be without them. Restrictions make healing from back surgery awfully hard.
My car calls to me while sitting in the driveway. Driving it is off of the table until the drop foot issue gets better. It needs to be able to function better and regain feeling before that happens. Standing up and lying down don't work well either. However; physical therapy is bringing improvement.
The physical therapy session today was a bit rough but walking is easier overall. I can also stand easier and move my foot a tiny bit more. Everyone that I've talked with tells me that healing from back surgery takes time. It's been a month. Hopefully by next month the foot drop will resolve, my blogs will be caught up and life will resume as normal - or even a little better. That's what I'm planning on anyway.
We can see that everybody around us is quite busy in their daily routine. No one has the time to spend to retain their health, which is very necessary to gain good output daily. An easy means of doing all this is through yoga. It is an art, which has been providing its benefits to people from a very elongated period of time. It helps an individual grow in mentally, physically and spiritually. All these are a very important part of life and also a great necessity to lead a healthy and perfect life. One should always do yoga and also educate about the benefits of yoga to the people in surrounding and to kids. One important thing which one should inform the new learners is, about the importance of the clothes which one should wear during yoga exercises. Yoga dress that one should wear depends upon the season. In summers and pleasant weather one can wear yoga shorts. These are very comfortable while doing the exercises which involve the movement of legs.
An important fact to note about yoga is that, one should prefer to wear loose clothes. Wearing loose clothes have a lot of advantages. It helps in free movement and passing of air through the clothes, which helps in soaking the sweat, which is released from the body. In summers this is a major issue, everyone has to go through it. To prevent the problems of sweating, one should always wear cotton fabrics. In cold weather, one can wear yoga pants, which helps in protecting from the cold breeze of the morning.
There are a number of benefits of yoga; one can understand all this, once an individual has stepped into doing these exercises. A person who has started doing yoga can feel the difference, by watching the results of the daily activities and in the activeness which is experienced while doing all the routine work.
Well, I had the MRI done at UT. It pretty much confirmed what we already know and there were no surprises. The diagnosis of arthritic stenosis stands. At least it explains why my legs wouldn't work. There's a lot of information about it on the internet. I'll find out more from the docs in a couple of weeks. The number of people who have reached out has been helpful. Here are some of the more helpful websites that I've found so far.
National Institute of Health
This site has good information and a diagram to follow. It covers who gets it and what some of the causes are. Injuries are one of the causes and other causes are also listed.
Spinal Stenosis.org
This blog has been helpful to understand more about the disease. Reading the blog opened me eyes to the fact that stenosis can occur in children. There seems to be some good background included on the blog.
Generally, information from the doctors and a little research lead to empowerment. I don't know where this is all going to lead but we'll see. It'll be one day at a time but I'm going to do my best to not let it slow me down. :-)
The nurse from my neurologist called two days before Christmas to give me the news. I was diagnosed with arthritic spinal stenosis. What this means is that the lumbar portion of my back has developed arthritis. What that isn't necessarily a huge problem in and of itself the biggie problem is the spinal stenosis part of the diagnosis.
I do not have a tumor (thank you God!) but this is not something that will go away. Worse, the diagnosis of arthritic spinal stenois means that I will have to work very hard to maintain functionality. A flare up can happen again at any time. Later on, life will mean a walker or other assistance will be necessary.
The diagnosis on why my legs wouldn't work is not the Christmas present that I was hoping for. It's a lot for me to process. Even more worse is that this may be exacerbated by an injury sustained several years ago during the attack. That pill may be the most bitter to swallow.
However; I feel fortunate to have survived the attack from 17 years ago. Major injuries happened to my head, liver and kidney. Although I want very badly to become angry about the diagnosis of spinal stenosis I cannot do so yet and maybe never will.
Right now, even though my legs sometimes don't work, even though having arthritic spinal stenosis sucks, I'm still glad to be alive. That's what my focus is going to stay on. I'm not saying that bad days aren't on the horizon or that life is always grand. It's just that my illnesses have never defined who I am. So, there is no reason to for the heath challenges to start defining me now.
Some of my friends will recall that back in May I had one of my most severe health challenges yet. This problem came out of the blue and blindsided everyone. It was severe enough to make me use a walker, then a cane before being able to walk properly again.
Roan Mountain is one of the most splendid places on earth. We had gone camping there and did some light walking on a tiny portion of the Appalachian Trail after visiting Sycamore Shoals State Park. My legs began to feel weak and shaky on the trail. Over the night and the next day they became worse.
Two days after standing on the trail I was in the Emergency Department of a trauma center. My legs just wouldn't work right. I went home on a walker and would remain on it for two weeks. After another 3 weeks I could walk with a cane. A few weeks after that I could walk on uneven ground without assistance.
The problem is that no one could give me an answer on what happened or why. Plenty of theories abounded. One doctor suggested MS and a specialist said it could be my medications. Nothing worked. Another specialist was consulted. Then, my neurologist (I already have a seizure disorder) was able to give me a diagnosis. (Read more...)
