Thursday, December 9, 2010

Normal results = good?

So I had my super fun test on Monday. It actually wasn't that bad. There is some good news - everything looked good. Still waiting on some biopsies to come back to see what is going on.

I'm feeling a lot better (yay!) and even went to the gym yesterday. Granted, it was only 20 minutes going very slow on the elliptical, but it is technically considered exercise. I'm not really having any pain anymore, just a little discomfort. It's really nice to feel halfway decent and get some things done.

I'm still wondering what is/was going on with me. I'm unsure of what could have caused all of the pain and 4 days of hospitalization. I'm less concerned right now because I feel ok. I guess more tests could be done, but right now I'm going to have to pay out of (empty) pocket. I just don't have the money for that and if I continue to have good days (today is day 3 in a row!) I probably won't pursue it further.

Now on to the dissertation!

Friday, December 3, 2010

this seems to be turning into a health blog. Grrr.

Unfortunately, it seems like my health has a strong positive correlation with progress on my dissertation. That being said, my health as of late hasn't been so good. My head is fuzzy most of the time due to barely getting any nutrition, pain medication and not being able to sleep much. Or I'm in a great deal of pain and have a hard time writing when lying down and having my knees about an inch from my chin.

It is so very frustrating to me that I'm not posting about getting in another draft to my advisor. By this time, It would have been a 3rd or 4th draft. I haven't even completed all of the revisions from my 1st draft. This makes me more frustrated than the effect of whatever it is that I have.

Finally got an appointment with the doc yesterday. Good news: he was great, spent time with me, I got an increase in dosage of medication that is supposed to treat the inflammation and more pain medications. While i hate taking them, I need them some days. I get a horrid migraine the next day and I'm not able to work when I'm on them either.

Oh the inflammation. That's kind of the bad news. When I was in the hospital, I was told that my large intestine (my colon) was inflamed. Yesterday the doc said that my small intestine was inflamed as well. And that he really thinks it is an inflammatory bowel disease. Bummer. But - they can't know what is going on without looking inside.

Looking inside, as Robin Williams describes it, involves a piece of equipment that is essentially a video camera on the end of a roto-rooter. That will be going up 5 feet of my colon. Yay!

However this test should give the doctor a pretty good idea as to what is going on. Even if it is Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's, at least I'll know and be able to treat it properly.

Well I've got a meeting to make (about my dissertation) in about an hour and 15 minutes. Luckily, I've got an understanding advisor.

Shit...just stood up to get ready...heartbeat was 109. My normal heart rate is about 65. No meeting today. GRRRRRRRRR. Freaking side effect. Nurse said to discontinue medication. Fabulous.