I knew from almost the start of my pregnancy with Alex that he was going to be early. We lost his twin early on, and they told us that we had a 30% chance of him not making it, 30% chance of being a preemie, and 30% chance of everything being okay. Alex came early.
I saw Dr. Dan on the Monday before he was born for a routine check up. He told me that, at that point, if I went into labor, he wouldn't try to stop it. At this point I was also to start seeing him every week. I tehn went to work. The next day I started to lose my mucus plug and on Thursday I knew I was in labor. I went to get my lunch and I felt contractions start. I called Pat on the phone to have him start timing them. I was bummed out as I thought I'd miss my baby shower the next day at work.
I went home from work, stopping at the Ace Hardware on Ygnacio Valley Road to get some screws to repair the mirror we were putting in Alex's bedroom. I got Rick, then we picked up a pizza. Meanwhile, Pat and Chris had taken Pupper, my dog, to the vet to find out what was wrong with him. They decided to run tests on him. Around midnight I knew I had to go to the hospital. When they put the monitors on me, they told me I was in labor. I got to walk around the ward for an hour, and when we had no progression, they gave me a pill and sent me home to sleep.
The following morning went just about the same, so I decided to go to my office shower, and to collect my final pay check. I said good bye to Rick, my boss of 5 years and we went to my mother's house. Pat took a limb off her maple tree while I lay on the couch in the living room. They took pupper down to get his test results and decided to have him put down. Then we went to Sears to buy a preemie outfit for Alex.
When we went to the hospital for the third time, I was ready to cry when they sent me home. Contractions were 5 minutes apart with still no progression. Around 12:30 that night I woke with a start. I felt my water start to balloon out and I barely made it into the bathroom. I screamed for Pat. We got into bed together and the first big contractions hit. I didn't know how big they could be. We headed for the hospital where they could no longer turn me away.
I tried to labor in the shower but Alex was sunny side up and I had bad back labor. After several bouts of nausea I finally agreed to the epidural around3 in the morning, only after demanding a c-section NOW. The nurse laughed at my demands. I managed to rest until about 5
+ when it was time to push. I was given an oxygen mask because my O2 levels were really low. It took about an hour to get him out. He was given oxygen and then passed to me. He barely weighed 5 pounds.
Showing posts with label Medical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Medical. Show all posts
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Pat's shoulder surgery
When Pat had shoulder surgery, we had HealthNet HMO insurance and we did it differently. We had to go to Dr. Enrique and get x-rays. Then he gave us the referral to Dr. Jaffin. When we were there the 2nd time to get the referral, Alex took his first steps between Dr. Enrique's waiting room table and chairs.
Dr. JAffin requested an MRI, but told Pat that he had a torn rotator cuff. The day Pat had the MRI scheduled, I dropped him off at Antioch Medical Imaging. He told me to go home, but I was really glad I stayed. The doctor who injected him with the dye couldn't find the right space to inject it into and it took several tries. Then, he had to lay flat on his back in the tube causing him to have breathing problems so I was really glad he didn't have to wait to be picked up.
Pat's surgery was scheduled for May 5th, 2005, in the afternoon. Pat was really grumpy by the time surgery time came because he was ravenous. We had sex shortly before we left, then he showered and we took off. I got to see him in the pre op ward, then they took him back. Before surgery, Dr. Jaffin came to see me in the waiting room and told me that Pat could have 2 percocet every 4 hours instead of one. I walked with Alex around the waiting room for a while, then the nurse came and told me Pat was in surgery. I went to half price books and got the Chamber of Secrets book that I had loaned Rick, then went to Starbucks. I took Alex to my Mom's house and went back to the surgicenter where Pat had finally finished.
When I got there he had a nurse and anesthetist around him. Apparently his heart rate was very slow due to some muscle relaxants he had been given right before his surgery was finished. The doctor gave him something to counter this, then they sent him home. Oddly enough, he was wheeled out by an old high school classmate of mine.
I got him home and managed to get him into his blue chair. He was more alert than I was and wanted a strawberry milkshake so I got him one at Baskin's on my way to pick up Alex.
Dr. Jaffin called in the evening to see how Pat was doing, and to remind him to start lifting his arm over his head to keep scar tissue from building up. He did it one time and about collapsed. He went into shock. I had to get my mother over to PAt's house to watch Alex while I got Pat to the emergency room.
At the ER I went in and the people there brought him in on a gurney. He was taken right back, and was indeed in shock. They started him on an IV and discovered that his heart was only beating at 60 beats per minute. I gave them the details of what had transpired, they couldn't believe that the doctor requested him to move his arm so soon after surgery. When he was stabilized, they sent him home again, much to my surprise. I slept on the Papa San chair cushion on the floor for quite a few nights til I was certain he wouldn't need me at night.
Dr. JAffin requested an MRI, but told Pat that he had a torn rotator cuff. The day Pat had the MRI scheduled, I dropped him off at Antioch Medical Imaging. He told me to go home, but I was really glad I stayed. The doctor who injected him with the dye couldn't find the right space to inject it into and it took several tries. Then, he had to lay flat on his back in the tube causing him to have breathing problems so I was really glad he didn't have to wait to be picked up.
Pat's surgery was scheduled for May 5th, 2005, in the afternoon. Pat was really grumpy by the time surgery time came because he was ravenous. We had sex shortly before we left, then he showered and we took off. I got to see him in the pre op ward, then they took him back. Before surgery, Dr. Jaffin came to see me in the waiting room and told me that Pat could have 2 percocet every 4 hours instead of one. I walked with Alex around the waiting room for a while, then the nurse came and told me Pat was in surgery. I went to half price books and got the Chamber of Secrets book that I had loaned Rick, then went to Starbucks. I took Alex to my Mom's house and went back to the surgicenter where Pat had finally finished.
When I got there he had a nurse and anesthetist around him. Apparently his heart rate was very slow due to some muscle relaxants he had been given right before his surgery was finished. The doctor gave him something to counter this, then they sent him home. Oddly enough, he was wheeled out by an old high school classmate of mine.
I got him home and managed to get him into his blue chair. He was more alert than I was and wanted a strawberry milkshake so I got him one at Baskin's on my way to pick up Alex.
Dr. Jaffin called in the evening to see how Pat was doing, and to remind him to start lifting his arm over his head to keep scar tissue from building up. He did it one time and about collapsed. He went into shock. I had to get my mother over to PAt's house to watch Alex while I got Pat to the emergency room.
At the ER I went in and the people there brought him in on a gurney. He was taken right back, and was indeed in shock. They started him on an IV and discovered that his heart was only beating at 60 beats per minute. I gave them the details of what had transpired, they couldn't believe that the doctor requested him to move his arm so soon after surgery. When he was stabilized, they sent him home again, much to my surprise. I slept on the Papa San chair cushion on the floor for quite a few nights til I was certain he wouldn't need me at night.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Shoulder Surgery
Let me tell you about it. On March 16 I called Dr. Jaffin's office and gave them my insurance information. Lavonna, the insurance person, asked if I was ready to schedule and I said I was. She said she'd call back later that afternoon. I took Alex to his pediatrician that afternoon and when I got back she had called. I called back and we scheduled the surgery for the following Monday, the 22nd of March with a pre op set for the next day.
I went to the pre op and they did all the usual stuff, blood pressure, ears nose throat. I asked Dr. JAffin if I needed the surgery and he made me do that test where he'd put his hands over mine and made me push up. There was a marked weakness in my right hand where I could barely move it when he applied downward pressure. It was a matter of do it now or later, but it was going to have to be done.
I was given forms for blood work to be done but when I got to the lab, I found out that it had to be a fasting test, so I had to come back the next morning. Of course this panicked me because I wanted to be certain the surgicenter would get the results, but it all worked out.
The Saturday before, Pat, who had been sick, ended up in the urgent care clinic with bronchitis. He had to take antibiotics for 5 days and was sick for close to 2 weeks.
Of course I was panicking for the next few days and weekend and of course I kept dwelling on it. The night before we bought a new camera. I wanted this so that we could take pictures of what was going on with me. I quit eating that night at about 7:30 though I didn't have to until midnight.
Dr. David Shapiro called the night before to go over the procedure and see if I had any questions. I wanted to cry when he told me about the nerve block where they would insert needles into my neck to numb my arm for the next 18 hours.
I didn't sleep well that night, and kept waking up. Finally, at 3:30, I was up for good. Pat woke up at 5:30 so we could leave at 6 as I had to be there at 6:30. We left and got there in plenty of time. As I was signing in, in walked Dr. Shapiro and it finally seemed so real, that I was going to have surgery.
In the preop ward, I had to undress to my underwear and put on a gown. Then they gave me heated blankets and put the IV in. I made Pat hold my hand for this, but he didn't want to. They had something call a bear care device that could pump warm air under the blankets, but I didn't use it. Then the surgery nurse, Pat, came over and introduced herself. She put a bracelet on my right arm with my penicillin allergy on it and marked my right arm for surgery. I asked how they'd keep me on the operating table and she said they had belts and things for that. Then Dr. Shapiro came over and gave me something to relax.
Dr. Jaffin showed up in green surgical scrubs, and a red hat. He asked what arm was I having surgery on. Then He asked me what was on my right arm. I said my allergy bracelet. He asked me why was it there, and I told him what Pat had said, there wasn't room on my other arm. He said it had to come off to prep my arm. He went to one nurse, who said I wasn't his patient, then he addressed someone else who happened to be a doctor. I don't know what happened, but it was off when I woke up and my arm was covered to orange sticky stuff. Pat. my husband, said the nurses did it because Dr. JAffin was raising such a fuss over a bracelet that was nowhere near my shoulder
He then said they'd be waiting for me in the back, and I was given a wheelchair ride back to the operating room after I'd told Pat that it looks like here's our parting of the ways. Everything was very yellow, and I remarked that it looked like a closet. They said it was better to have everything where they needed it instead of having to go looking for it. I got onto the operating table and they told me I had to scoot up about a foot. I was given a mask to put over my face, then I barely remember my arm jumping around as they did the nerve block. At some point I was totally knocked out with the tube down my throat, etc.
When I woke up, they were wheeling me into the post op. I was covered in blankets and they were trying to fit oxyden tubes in my nose. I remember asking for Pat, but I couldn't get the "T" sound out, so they wanted to know if I was saying pain. Fortunately, a nurse realized that I was asking for my husband, and one nurse told the other that my husband was just pulling into the parking garage. The first thing Pat said to me was it looked like the 80's were back in style at I had a giant shoulder pad. I wish Pat could have gotten a picture, the bandage was at least 3 inches thick. In post op, Pat said I kept asking the same 4 questions, what happened, where am I, was my rotator cuff torn, and how long was I out. Then I'd sort of pass out, he'd say boink, and a few minutes later it'd start all over again. I kept feeling like I was going to throw up and they gave me medicine both by IV and by an old fashioned shot to help that. The shot did the truck. At some point they needed my gurney and got me dressed and transferred to chair to wake up. Pat said he needed to go get Daniel and I needed to wake up so he could bring me home, but the nurse said that wasn't necessary. They put me in a wheel chair and took me down to the garage. Pat had to move the Rav so I could get in it. He had brought a pillow for my arm and an ice pack.
When we got back to his house I still wasn't awake and he had to carry me into the house. I remember being carried and telling myself where I was, but I couldn't articulate it, but I thought, OK, were gong by the junipers, now we're going by the door, but I couldn't say anything. He put me in the green chair where I slept for the rest of the day, and for the most of Tuesday.
I went to the pre op and they did all the usual stuff, blood pressure, ears nose throat. I asked Dr. JAffin if I needed the surgery and he made me do that test where he'd put his hands over mine and made me push up. There was a marked weakness in my right hand where I could barely move it when he applied downward pressure. It was a matter of do it now or later, but it was going to have to be done.
I was given forms for blood work to be done but when I got to the lab, I found out that it had to be a fasting test, so I had to come back the next morning. Of course this panicked me because I wanted to be certain the surgicenter would get the results, but it all worked out.
The Saturday before, Pat, who had been sick, ended up in the urgent care clinic with bronchitis. He had to take antibiotics for 5 days and was sick for close to 2 weeks.
Of course I was panicking for the next few days and weekend and of course I kept dwelling on it. The night before we bought a new camera. I wanted this so that we could take pictures of what was going on with me. I quit eating that night at about 7:30 though I didn't have to until midnight.
Dr. David Shapiro called the night before to go over the procedure and see if I had any questions. I wanted to cry when he told me about the nerve block where they would insert needles into my neck to numb my arm for the next 18 hours.
I didn't sleep well that night, and kept waking up. Finally, at 3:30, I was up for good. Pat woke up at 5:30 so we could leave at 6 as I had to be there at 6:30. We left and got there in plenty of time. As I was signing in, in walked Dr. Shapiro and it finally seemed so real, that I was going to have surgery.
In the preop ward, I had to undress to my underwear and put on a gown. Then they gave me heated blankets and put the IV in. I made Pat hold my hand for this, but he didn't want to. They had something call a bear care device that could pump warm air under the blankets, but I didn't use it. Then the surgery nurse, Pat, came over and introduced herself. She put a bracelet on my right arm with my penicillin allergy on it and marked my right arm for surgery. I asked how they'd keep me on the operating table and she said they had belts and things for that. Then Dr. Shapiro came over and gave me something to relax.
Dr. Jaffin showed up in green surgical scrubs, and a red hat. He asked what arm was I having surgery on. Then He asked me what was on my right arm. I said my allergy bracelet. He asked me why was it there, and I told him what Pat had said, there wasn't room on my other arm. He said it had to come off to prep my arm. He went to one nurse, who said I wasn't his patient, then he addressed someone else who happened to be a doctor. I don't know what happened, but it was off when I woke up and my arm was covered to orange sticky stuff. Pat. my husband, said the nurses did it because Dr. JAffin was raising such a fuss over a bracelet that was nowhere near my shoulder
He then said they'd be waiting for me in the back, and I was given a wheelchair ride back to the operating room after I'd told Pat that it looks like here's our parting of the ways. Everything was very yellow, and I remarked that it looked like a closet. They said it was better to have everything where they needed it instead of having to go looking for it. I got onto the operating table and they told me I had to scoot up about a foot. I was given a mask to put over my face, then I barely remember my arm jumping around as they did the nerve block. At some point I was totally knocked out with the tube down my throat, etc.
When I woke up, they were wheeling me into the post op. I was covered in blankets and they were trying to fit oxyden tubes in my nose. I remember asking for Pat, but I couldn't get the "T" sound out, so they wanted to know if I was saying pain. Fortunately, a nurse realized that I was asking for my husband, and one nurse told the other that my husband was just pulling into the parking garage. The first thing Pat said to me was it looked like the 80's were back in style at I had a giant shoulder pad. I wish Pat could have gotten a picture, the bandage was at least 3 inches thick. In post op, Pat said I kept asking the same 4 questions, what happened, where am I, was my rotator cuff torn, and how long was I out. Then I'd sort of pass out, he'd say boink, and a few minutes later it'd start all over again. I kept feeling like I was going to throw up and they gave me medicine both by IV and by an old fashioned shot to help that. The shot did the truck. At some point they needed my gurney and got me dressed and transferred to chair to wake up. Pat said he needed to go get Daniel and I needed to wake up so he could bring me home, but the nurse said that wasn't necessary. They put me in a wheel chair and took me down to the garage. Pat had to move the Rav so I could get in it. He had brought a pillow for my arm and an ice pack.
When we got back to his house I still wasn't awake and he had to carry me into the house. I remember being carried and telling myself where I was, but I couldn't articulate it, but I thought, OK, were gong by the junipers, now we're going by the door, but I couldn't say anything. He put me in the green chair where I slept for the rest of the day, and for the most of Tuesday.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Shoulder Surgery
So, I was told by my orthopedic doctor that I need rotator cuff surgery. Ugh. I have a negative MRI, but all my tests indicate that I need this surgery. He claims that about 40% of MRI's are wrong. So, should this erode my confidence in what some feel to be an uber medical diagnostic tool, or should this increase my confidence in my doctor that, through exerience, he feels he can do a better job of diagnosing than a machine. I know that the same situation happened with Pat, and the same doctor was right. I don't want to have surgery without a reason for it. Therefore, I certainly hope he's right.
Unfortunately, we don't know when the surgery will be scheduled. The doctor said that he is having surgery in the end of July which may delay mine until November, I hope not. I want my insurance to cough up and authorize this.
Unfortunately, we don't know when the surgery will be scheduled. The doctor said that he is having surgery in the end of July which may delay mine until November, I hope not. I want my insurance to cough up and authorize this.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Arthrograms
Arthrograms hurt like hell. They really do. They strap you to a flouroscope table and start imaging your arm. First they injected several shots of lidocaine. I can't imagine how it would have felt had they not provided that initial numbing. Then they thread a thin tube into your shoulder. I had a tablespoon of "contrast" injected into my shoulder and my shoulder felt, and still feels like, it was about to exlode.
I was then stuck in an MRI machine, without my glasses which, as anyone who know me realizes, is tantamount to torture. The MRI wasn't bad. You just lie as still as possible, with headphones on listening to the music they've provided. You have to wear headphones because the machine is very loud inside. They had some Frank Sinatra which was okay. I would have preferred to listen to my I-Pod with its audio books, but they couldn't hook it up to their stereo system.
It was just the injection of the contrast that made it so horrible. It felt like someone was sticking a sharpened soda stray deep into my shoulder and trying to remove a plug. I am crying now just thinking about it. I hope that I actually needed it. I would hate to have endured that pain to be told that my rotator cuff was fine.
It's all over now. I didn't need my husband to be there. Once again I stood on my own and I am a stronger and more independent person for it.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Speech Therapy
Since Mini-Me was 2 years, 7 months old we have been making a weekly pilgrimage to Children's Hospital Oakland in Pleasanton for Speech Therapy. Alex has many speech issues, mostly related to the fact that he was nearly deaf his first year due to ear infections, and also because he was tongue tied. He had ear tubes at 15 months of age, but the damage had been done.
Mini-Me's first speech therapist, Monica, had a hard time working with him. Her idea of therapy was to have him run through picture cards, having him repeat a sound over and over with different pictures illustrating the sound. His reward was, at the end of the session, to play with her toys but it was hard for him waiting for a big payoff at the end of the session. During this time, he also had a frenulectomy, freeing up his tongue to enable more normal sounds.
Ten months later Monica left and we switched to Joyce. Joyce was a Godsend. She knew how to work with Alex by giving him little play times between short bouts of work. His speech started to take off. Now in September Alex will be stopping speech with Joyce, I will be glad to see him graduate, but I will truly miss Joyce.
Mini-Me's first speech therapist, Monica, had a hard time working with him. Her idea of therapy was to have him run through picture cards, having him repeat a sound over and over with different pictures illustrating the sound. His reward was, at the end of the session, to play with her toys but it was hard for him waiting for a big payoff at the end of the session. During this time, he also had a frenulectomy, freeing up his tongue to enable more normal sounds.
Ten months later Monica left and we switched to Joyce. Joyce was a Godsend. She knew how to work with Alex by giving him little play times between short bouts of work. His speech started to take off. Now in September Alex will be stopping speech with Joyce, I will be glad to see him graduate, but I will truly miss Joyce.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The Bun
Bun is my youngest son. He has Lawrence Moon Bardet Biedl syndrome. That is hard for me to discuss. He was born with 12 fingers and 11 toes. His toe was amputated at 5 months. His toes 2 weeks before his first birthday. His arm was in a cast on his first birthday. His foot has a weak joint where the inner baby toe was removed. He has a horrible scar on his hand. He has a slow metabolism and so he is over weight and very tall for his age. He could go blind when he gets older, he could have kidney problems, he could need hormone therapy to go into puberty, he could be sterile. He may be mentally retarded. He may not feel pain the way "normal" people do. He is speech delayed. He has autistic tendencies.
These are all the uncertainties that I deal with when I deal with my son. Do you have any more questions. I think this about covers Bun's syndrome and I hope it does because I am so tired of answering people's questions.
Here's a little more about Daniel. He has a great memory. He has beautiful blue eyes and thick curly hair. He is my little helper boy and I love him. He is my Bun.
These are all the uncertainties that I deal with when I deal with my son. Do you have any more questions. I think this about covers Bun's syndrome and I hope it does because I am so tired of answering people's questions.
Here's a little more about Daniel. He has a great memory. He has beautiful blue eyes and thick curly hair. He is my little helper boy and I love him. He is my Bun.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Sunday
So, I don't want to turn this into a rotator cuff blog, but it's what pervades my thoughts right now. It's weird. I have an arm full of cortisone so it doesn't hurt. So, perversely, I wonder if my arm is now healed. I know the cortisone is supposed to stop it hurting, but still I wonder.
With my nephew having been gone for nearly 3 weeks, I find that his wife is finally grieving. I'm angry with her simply for putting Robert through the pain in their relationship. I know that Robert was no angel, however, he didn't move in with someone else like his wife did. I have yet to grieve for Robert. Instead I grieve for his daughter without a father and for his father without a son, and especially for his father having had to see what a father should never see. At least he didn't take Butch with him.
With my nephew having been gone for nearly 3 weeks, I find that his wife is finally grieving. I'm angry with her simply for putting Robert through the pain in their relationship. I know that Robert was no angel, however, he didn't move in with someone else like his wife did. I have yet to grieve for Robert. Instead I grieve for his daughter without a father and for his father without a son, and especially for his father having had to see what a father should never see. At least he didn't take Butch with him.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Rotator Cuff Surgery
Well, since no one reads this I can vent in peace. The orthopod told me I need my rotator cuff repaired. Ugh. I don't know how I feel about this. I'm scared, but I also want this because then my shoulder pain will stop and I can sleep on my right side again. I hope Dr. Jaffin is correct. As I recall, when Pat had this surgery, the doctor just got the MRI to appease the insurance company not for a diagnosis. He diagnosed Pat based on tests done in the office, The same tests I just had done. I go in for an arthrogram soon. I wish the imaging office would just call so I can schedule it.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Mini-Me
When Trouble-Maker came home from school yesterday, Mini-Me wanted to play with him. I told him no, he kept whining. I told him no again. Then he went into his room and decided to pull his chest of drawers down on himself. If I hadn't seen it come down he would be dead right now. As it was, a drawer came out and hit him on the forehead. He had to have 3 stitches and will probably have a big scar. We'll have to see a plastic surgeon is 6 months. I'm scared and I blame myself. I should have told him no and let him down easier. We have to fix that room now.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
4 Years Ago
Pat had rotator cuff surgery on May 5 2005. That was a very hard day for him. Not only did he have surgery, obviously, he almost died. He given muscle relaxants during the course of surgery. His surgery took longer than expected so naturally he was given more of the relaxants. He woke up and they sent him home within 1/2 hour. His surgery was at the end of the day at the surgicenter and the nurses and attendants were anxious to go home. His doctor called in the evening to check on Pat, and to have him start doing some exercises to prevent scar tissue from building up. We raised his hand over his head, and his heart rate plummeted. He started going into shock and I raced him to the emergency room. In the truck he fell into my lap. I had to get the emergency room people to get a gurney to get him into the room. His heart rate was 30 BPM. Yes, thats what it was. They gave him medicine to counteract the muscle relaxant, to raise his heart rate and to get him out of shock. A few hours later we brought him home.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Shoulder Issues
I've had shoulder pain for a long time. Now that I can no longer sleep on my right side, I am finally going to get it looked at. It pops and clicks sometimes and I just want it to stop.
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