Much, Much Better!!!

Well, finally I am feeling like I will live! This has been a long 6 months or so. I ended up in the hospital for 6 days. Seemed like I was having a heart attack but when the cardiologist checked me he asked if I had ever been told I had gallstones. He told me I was going to be alright. After lots of tests and worry I had my gallbladder removed. After coming home I still didn't feel well. My doctor put me on a pill that takes care of depression, anxiety, and chronic pain. then a few nights later I decided to take a sleeping pill that I used to take all the time. I hadn't had one in 7 months. For the first time in 6 months I slept through the night. I have been taking one for 5 nights now and feel fine - the headaches have gone away even. I think I was having migraines due to lack of sleep. I even went to work yesterday at a high school and felt fine all day. this is a far cry from feeling like I was dying! I will take the sleeping pills to the scariest most miserable days of my life! Saw the surgeon today and he said I am good to go. It makes me happy to feel good since I never thought I would again. Beware of the GALLBLADDER!!

Treadmill Terror

Okay, I have a lot of metal in me and my kids call me bionic... that is a joke because my bionicness is due to artificial knees that don't like to be straight or bent and my plate and screws in my wrist from last year. Wish I was the real bionic woman!

I like to walk for exercise and Wayne always worries about me while I am gone - afraid I will fall and not be able to get up. So, in the Sunday paper, 9 days ago, Sears had an ad for treadmills. I thought that I could do a treadmill and pick a low speed and be safe at home. I asked Wayne what he thought and he told me he would be much more comfortable with me on the back patio. I asked my physical therapist about it and wanted to go over and make sure I could safely use a treadmill before investing in one. I did it and liked it, at least, as much as one can like pure exercise! We discussed it and made a deal that I would not use it unless he was home just in case anything bad might happen. We purchased a nice treadmill with all the bells and whistles.

I began using it last week on Thursday. I didn't use it on Sat. or Sunday. Wayne has been using it too. Yesterday, Monday, he used it and came in to shower and then I went out to use it. I was doing a programmed workout and changing the speed lower if I needed to when it would adjust faster. I was going to warm down on my own at 5 minutes left of the 30 minute workout. With 7 minutes to go the walk pace sped up so I hit the arrow to slow it back down. I must have hit something wrong or at the wrong time and the machine sped up to 9 miles an hour! I kept trying to slow it down and it wouldn't! I forgot to pull the key off so it would stop automatically and all of the sudden I was going down. You know I am NOT supposed to fall because of osteoporosis. My shirt was caught in the machine but I was able to pull it out. I needed my husband's help... where was he? What about our deal for safety? I banged on the slider door where I was on the cement by our bedroom. I did it several times and he didn't come. I yelled several times as loud as I could for him, thinking he might be in the yard. All the neighbor dogs were barking because I yelled so loud. I even managed to get the slider opened which is difficult even when standing! He didn't come. I sat a while and finally tried to get up and was successful to my surprise. I was somewhat upset with my sweetheart to say the least!
Found out he had gone on a walk. That won't happen again.

My left knee and right elbow are badly bruised and I have a bruise on my right shin bone. I am okay but don't want that experience again. I am afraid to get on an escalator so this was a big deal to be on a moving machine! I will have to remind Wayne of our deal when I get on it from now on! SCARY!!!

One more appointment done!

I know, this is getting old! I guess I am getting old too! Today we went to Riverside to see Brett Cherry - the new Dr. Cherry - who is an allergist. He agrees with the CT scan of my sinuses that I don't have sinusitis... so what do I have? Still don't know for sure. While sitting on the exam table Wayne says what is that on your face? Those red spots? I said I noticed them Sunday morning while putting my makeup on for church - look kind of like or a lot like the Lupus butterfly! The DR. says have you been diagnosed with Lupus before? Yeah, but a long time ago in the early 90's and I was treated for it. Make a long story short he asked me to follow up with my Dr. on that since it can cause all kinds of BAD things. I just thought about Lupus last week... but I don't want people to think I am crazy! So I sent an e-mail off to my rheumatologist to see if he can get his office to let me see him since you have to wait 6 months before he is available. I had an appointment with him a week or so ago but I had to cancel it since I was not feeling very well.

Dr. Cherry did all the allergy tests on me and I didn't have any grass, mold or weed problems! He said my eyes were red and swollen - that started 2 weeks ago. Okay, Kristina, this part is for you... I am to use this huge bottle of sinus rinse twice a day and not before I go to bed or my pillow will be wet! You can use a Neti Pot (you told me about that) but he doesn't recommend it as the other bottle thing is much easier to use. I just did it and that is a huge amount of salt water up the nostrils! I really do think it is part sinus problem because the right side didn't respond the same as the left - it seemed not to be as clear. He told me it can still be a sinus problem although it is not chronic -good news! He wants me to see a neurologist. I will wait until after the Lupus thing! Wayne has an MRI of his brain next week from his neurosurgeon so I will ask him to recommend a Dr.I am hoping the sinus rinse will do the trick in the meantime! That's it - still don't have any real answers but still hoping the headaches and inability to sleep will go away.

The Latest

Well, after all the health stuff I still don't have any answers! My Ct scan of my sinuses showed a slight deviated septum - nothing to cause all these problems. I have an appointment with Dr. Cherry - that would be Bill Cherry's son Brett next week in Riverside. He is an allergist and did his internship at the Mayo clinic. Bill is sure his son can help me. I am hoping we can figure out what is causing these sinus problems... if it's allergies then we need to find out what to eliminate in my environment! Here's hoping we can figure it out! I am feeling better, but still not normal! Who said I was ever normal - I know that is what you are all thinking! Besides, what is NORMAL? Not this I hope!

OH! WHAT A DAY!!!

Today I went to see the Dr. for a follow-up from my asthma and sinus infections in December. I was looking forward to this visit since my head is firing all the time, so much so that I cannot even sleep soundly., I actually hoped the problem was with my sinus for fear it could be something far worse and I soon would die! My appointment was at 10:30 and I waited until 11:30 just to get in a room. When I finally saw the Dr. he told me I had fluid in my right ear and that my sinuses are quite bad. That, actually, was a relief other than I told him I can't live this way it hurts too much. I explained my headache this way ... you know the ad for the batteries that says it just keeps going and going and going etc. - that's my headache, feels like a neon sign flashing all the time! He put me on a pak of steroids, headache pills with codeine and a couple of other medicines. My deductible for these meds was 98.00$! At least I have some empathy for my kids who have dealt with allergies. I don't understand why I am having allergy problems so late in life though! Then I decided, even though I had sample medications to go to Medicine Shoppe then so I would have the dosing information. I arrived there at 12:30 feeling quite badly! Went to leave to go home with my expensive meds and my car wouldn't start.

The car is a whole different story. I called Wayne and asked him to call AAA and come over. (I didn't take my cell with me - first time I've really needed it.) He got my message but couldn't hear me at the end of the call so I had to hang up on him. I got a glass of water from the pharmacy so I could start my meds right then. Wayne showed up and AAA came soon after. He couldn't jump start it so he had to tow it to Phil's Auto Clinic. I have another Dr. appointment in Anaheim tomorrow at 1:10 for my wrist. On the way over with the tow I mentioned that I was glad it didn't happen in Anaheim. Wayne was very optimistic - he said "The Lord is watching out for us!" I am sure He was because this was much simpler than being stuck in Anaheim. Hopefully they will get it fixed tomorrow morning - if not Lisa will get a call to see if we can borrow a car. At least I don't have a brain tumor and we aren't stuck in Anaheim! Can't survive without a sense of humor!!

A New President

Today was the day! It is amazing to watch our nation work so well when so many others do not! It doesn't matter who you voted for, in the end, we all should, we all must, be unified in supporting the people's choice and feel content that we live in this free nation.We have so many blessings because our ancestors struggled to make this country what it is today... we must do the same! I feel hope, just as I do every time we elect a new president. My prayers are with President Obama and all the leaders of this great nation. Let each of them pray always and allow the spirit of the Holy Ghost to guide and direct them - for I know he will if they but ask. I love you, United States of America!!

Grandma Romeril goes on to the next phase

On Sunday afternoon, January 4, 2009 Wayne's sweet mother passed on to the next life. She was 95 years old and wasn't doing much but sleeping for quite some time. She lived a full and busy life for most of her years on this earth. Nobody has ever cooked more, cleaned more, gardened more, or anything else more than this strong woman who raised 9 children in much harder times than we have raised our children in - at least in the physical aspects of life! We took a trip up to visit last September knowing that it would probably be the last time we would see her in this life... and we were right and so happy that we went! She must be rejoicing as she is reunited with her parents and brothers and sisters who had all passed on before her. We tried very hard to find a flight to be in attendance at her memorial but we were not successful. We hope the family understands that it doesn't mean we don't care ... our love for her runs deep. I have never met a man who held more honor for his parents than Wayne. He always told me he had to live his life in a way that would please his parents. We may have lived miles away, but the love is always there. His father and my father live on .. we know not for how long, but we appreciate every day we have with them. Our prayers are with Wayne's father and his brothers and sisters at his time. Tomorrow, January 8, 2009 at 11 a.m. a wonderful mother, wife, daughter and child of God will be honored and remembered for her wonderful earthly life. We love you Mother.