It was south carolina.

Do you guys play the power ball?
It is up there now too.


bizi

We have Powerball here. Nobody won last night, so the jackpot is $750 Million now!!!

I don't know what the delay is with scheduling the surgery. When I talked to my surgeon she said her admin would call me after she spoke to my gastro...
So I called my gastro's office yesterday to ask his medical assistant to check my chart to see if he ever DID talk to my surgeon (I'm going to be wicked PO'ed if he didn't), but she was busy and I had to leave a message. Of course she never called me back. I wanted to know if he did so I could have that info when I called my surgeon's admin.

I guess I'm waiting for 2 phone calls now?

I don't know why I'm not being more aggressive about this like I normally would be. I'm just going to call my surgeon's admin directly this morning... at like 9am... and ask WTF the hold up is. That will give them 2 full days before the weekend to get back to me.

After I had my Tysabri yesterday, I got my haircut. I had her leave a little extra, so she only took a little over 2" off. I had her blow-dry my hair, so Corey got to see it down. He couldn't believe how long it still was, but he also gave me lots of compliments. I planned on coloring my hair this morning, but I don't think that's a good idea since I'll be waiting for phone calls. But whenever I do it, it will be the last time. It's so hard to do, it's worth paying Joanie to do it for me.

Today is lottery day, so I have to go up the street to play my numbers (and buy some extra Powerball tickets). Otherwise I have no other plans for the next two days, but I need to get some cleaning done.

On second thought, I will take a shower before I make any phone calls so I don't have to worry about getting a call back when I'm soaped up or have shampoo in my hair.

Good idea Kay.

Maybe go get your powerball and other lottery tickets too.

That way you don't have to worry about them calling while
gone.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

After some phone calls yesterday, I found out that my surgeon hadn't given her admin the slip to book my surgery yet, she DID talk to my gastro on Monday, but she called the office back to ask for the phone number of my nephrologist (who is a very busy man). So, I guess she's just been being thorough because of my multiple medical problems- without updating me.

But, I JUST got a phone call from my surgeon's admin. My surgery is scheduled for November 21st (the day before Thanksgiving) at 7am, and I have to go for pre-op on November 12th. I was offered a date the week of the 5th, but felt that was too soon. I'll be getting details/directions in the mail.
I'm very relieved to have the surgery scheduled. It's one step towards feeling better. I'm also relieved not to have to make or wait for phone calls anymore.

But now I have to call and let my family know :eek:
It's too early to call my dad. He won't be up for another 2 hours or so.


In other news, when I increased the Rexulti to 1mg Wednesday night, I woke up yesterday with some pretty bad shaking in my arms, which can be a side effect. So, my pdoc lowered the dose back down to o.5mg, and the shaking is better today. I'm having an increase in sensory symptoms in my arms and hands, but I don't know if those are from the Rexulti or from MS. I sent a love note to my neuro yesterday asking him his opinion. Those symptoms are unchanged this morning.
I'm down to 1.5mg of Vraylar, and even tho I'm back on 0.5mg of Rexult, I feel overmedicated (but not sedated) this morning, and feel like I could benefit from lowering my dose of gabapentin by another 100mg, but am weary of doing that since I'm not going to be on the 1mg of Rexulti as planned. So, I will wait and see how I feel tomorrow morning.

Waiting until the 21st to have surgery will give my pdoc time to make sure I'm stable for surgery. And I know she wants me off of the Rexulti quickly. I'm stable now. I see her the 5th, when I've been on it for about 3 weeks or so. We'll see what she wants to do.

I have to go out to buy a new pill cutter today, so hopefully I can cut those 1mg Rexulti pills better and without crushing half of them. They are tiny! I can't evenly split the new blue Klonopin pills either. The blades of all of mine are really dull from cutting huge 400mg Seroquel pills.

Kay

I'm glad you have a way to help with the problems on the meds.

I'm guessing there is no way to go down just 50mg on the
gabapentin. I think I remember them to be capsules.

Wish you could. But hoping things are better tomorrow.

I'm glad your surgery is scheduled. I'm also going to
guess that the day before Thanksgiving is much better
for Corey.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

Thank you for the update.
surgery scheduled, good. not having to wait on phone calls- priceless.
bizi

I'm happy to hear you have good news from the surgeon, Kay.

:)

LOL...
You got that right! :):):)

Donna, I think you can only get gabapentin in capsules until you get up to 600mg. I have 100's, 300's, and 400's in capsules to make up my various and ever-changing doses. I'm on 700mg right now.

I feel overmedicated again this morning... dizzy, lightheaded, shitty... so I think I will reduce my dose of gabapentin by 100mg and see if that helps like it did last time. If I have problems, I'll just raise it again. Saturday is my last night on Vraylar, so we'll see what happens.

Yesterday I tested my sister and told her I needed to talk to her about something important and asked her to please call me. She never did. It's no big surprise because she's an a/h. If she doesn't call me by this evening, I am going to just text her, "having my colon out on the 21st."
My dad will probably be in Florida when I have surgery. That's okay tho. I don't expect him to hang around for it.

Corey and I are going to have Thanksgiving dinner together the weekend before I have surgery. Otherwise, neither one of us would get our turkey ;)

I finally got Corey to agree to go get his haircut. I guess I have to go with him, but that means he's stuck going food shopping with me hee hee hee :)

clever i enjoyed that

what a message!

I wonder if you will have to stay in the hospital at all?
My guess is yes but am unsure. Do you know?
bizi

OMG yes! 3days to a week.

We never went grocery shopping yesterday because it was really windy and raining cats and dogs. We have to do laundry today, so there's no way I'm going after that. I'll pick up some milk on my way home, and do the rest of the shopping after I get my nails done tomorrow.

Corey looks so handsome with his new haircut! ;)

So, now everyone knows about the surgery, and after explaining things, they were all very good about it. They all seemed to be very comforted by the fact that I'm having it done in Boston. The phone calls were all long, but I'm relieved things went so smoothly.

I am glad for you that your family sounds like they are being supportive!
bizi

Glad all phone calls are made. And received.


Donna :grouphug::hug:

My family is being as supportive as they can be.

Yesterday was a total s- show...
I decided that I would color my hair in the morning, so I headed to CVS to buy hair color. I ended up with a box, where the contents had spilled out, so I had to head right back out to the store, but they didn't have my color left, and I ended up going a shade darker, which ended up coming out VERY DARK... not happy.
The it took me almost 2 hours to color my hair and clean out the HUGE shower/tub, so I was exhausted and not up to going to the supermarket. I figured no big deal, I would defrost some hamburger and make meatloaf for dinner, but I forgot that I used the last of the eggs for Corey's breakfast, and had already gone out for milk and paper towels. So, I had to go back out to pick up take-out...
4 trips out of the house.

My legs were really in pain and spasming, so I decided to try taking 20mg of Baclofen and try taking to take a nap (around 3pm), and I did nap for the first time in a long time. Unfortunately, it was still in my system when I took my night pills when I went to bed at 8:30 because I was falling asleep on the couch. I wound up sleep walking, falling asleep on the toilet twice that I remember, hitting my head repeatedly on the glass shower door next to it, then finally falling off the toilet (without injuring myself).

I am exhausted today and in a lot of pain. I went to get my nails done, and bought cigarettes. I've decided I'm only buying a few things at the grocery store when I go, and will buy the rest at Pea Pod and pick it up on Wednesday, so they will just do the shopping for me and load up my car. I STILL have to go to the supermarket tho because I had to come home and wait for the postman to come because I'm expecting packages. I wish Corey would come home and wait for those for me so I can get the shopping over with.

I still have to clean the sink and the toilet, but that will have to wait until tomorrow... if I'm up to it, since I have to take mag. citrate tonight.

Oh, and Rocky kicked s- balls out of the box 3 times in the last 2 days. I'm just thrilled about that. I wish my cats could understand what I'm saying and learn how to behave themselves!

I need rest. I am soooooo tired. It doesn't take much.

I am sorry you had a rotten day.
((((HUGS))))
I hope your spasms let you sleep.
bizi

Have no idea how I made it through the supermarket, but I did.

By the time I got home it was way too late to take a nap, and I couldn't smoke MJ for my pain and spasticity because it would make me more tired, and I had to stay up late to take mag. citrate...
At least the Pats were playing. It was a good defensive match-up, so it was a good game. I watched most of it, and the Pats were way ahead when I went to bed (they ended up winning) :)
If I was having any spasticity last night, it didn't wake me up. Before bed, I smoked a lot of pot to control my symptoms, and I was out cold as soon as my head hit the pillow :)

I had my nails painted fire engine red yesterday. I was so happy to see Judy! She showed me so many super-cute pictures and short little videos of her baby. I can't believe he's 6mo old already!!!
I will find out on the 12th if I can have nail polish, and what kind, on my nails for the surgery. So, I'm going to wait to see Judy again until the 19th, so she can either just take the dip off my nails for me, or totally redo them, right before surgery since I won't be able to drive there for a while because I'll be on narcotics. I really hope I can have my nails done before I go into the hospital.

Love,
Kay, who is happy because she has nowhere to be, and nothing to do today :)

I got my nails done yesterday too.
I have them use the gel polish.
They have to remove it by grinding them off gently and then soak for a while in acetone. I really like it. It makes my nails harder and I am hard on them, using them for work.
I have them clear. this is the 2nd time that I have used them. They lasted a month.
bizi
I am glad that you have an off day. hoping that you can take a nap today if you feel like it.
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi

I wish I could nap...

I am always thinking ahead about one thing or another... I am exhausted, but anxiety is keeping me up. I've been going to bed ridiculously early, and getting up a lot later, because I've been missing my naps.

I've started thinking about buying things I don't already have for the hospital like dry shampoo, front close no-underwire bras, a book, and a medium-sized cosmetic bag to put my phone charger, chapstick, hand lotion, etc in so I will have them within reach without losing them. I will start buying things soon, so I don't have to worry about that stuff unless more things come up. I have coupons from CVS so I can knock a couple of things off the list for free.


I have to make a schedule for my part of the pre-surgery clean-out (that will take a week+ to make sure I don't dehydrate myself), so I can stop worrying about it. And I'm waiting for the instructions from the surgeon's office regarding what they tell "normal" people to do, so I can get an idea of when I should start that cuz it will give me an idea of what my target start time should be because it will take me a lot longer than that, and I can't have to have diarrhea on the way to Boston in rush hour traffic. Once I plan that out, I can stop worrying about that, too. Maybe the directions will come in the mail today? That would be nice...

Oddly, at this point, I'm not worried about the actual surgery.

that is so great that you are not worried. you have so much to look forward to.
charlotte dolan is a great writer. I read ever book I could get my hands on. they are such feel good books!
love
bobby

Kay

The shampoo is a great idea. But if they have the things you can
put on your head that still make it clean and its wet type. Use
it at the hospital and the shampoo at home.

The other ideas are good. Maybe pick you out a couple books,
and if someone wants to know how to help they can buy it for
you.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

I bought chapstick and hand lotion today, but nothing else. I need to look up the best dry shampoo to buy. There are so many at CVS I couldn't decide, but I have plenty of time to do so. Some hospitals have those hair washing caps, but some don't. Only one of the hospitals I worked at had them, but they were stingy about using them, so I have no idea what to expect.
I have to have my blood drawn tomorrow, and will be by stores where I can look for the things I want/need. It will be a relief to get some of that stuff taken care of. I may need to buy some new hanging around clothes because I can't see Corey doing the laundry by himself once a week.
I think I'm just going to bring a book by Jane Austin because she's my favorite author, but my all my books are buried in the bottom of the closet, so I will have to buy a new one, probably a cheap-o paperback.

This morning I checked the mail, and the paperwork from the surgeon arrived. There is A LOTof info , and it is VERY detailed. The directions for the clean out process appears to make sure that people aren't pooping the morning of surgery, so I will have to start early, as expected. There are a lot of other general instructions, so it's kinda overwhelming. I will read them through more intensively later.

I'm waiting for Judy to text me back about the date of my nail appointment. I know it's at 8:30am. I thought that the date was the 19th, but the card says the 16th. That early on the 19th would be a problem because I plan on taking mag. citrate the night before. If it is on the 19th, I will need a later appointment.

Once I'm able to make a schedule for laxation, I won't have to worry about it so much. It's extremely important, and I want to make sure I'm fully cleaned out for the surgery because they can't do it otherwise...

I'm sorry that's all so gross, but it is what it is.

Thank you for sharing.
If it helps to share then it is fine.
(((((HUGS))))
bizi

Sharing is perfectly fine.

Also I am wondering can you look up on the computer and
see if there is an address we can send an card to you.

Since you will be there a few days, I'd like to send a card.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

That is so sweet of you, Donna, but you don't have to do that :hug::hug::hug:
The paperwork I got says "expect to stay 5 days." But my surgeon said I would be staying anywhere between 3 days to a week. One of those days is a holiday, and one is a Sunday.

Prepping for a colonoscopy is different than prepping for major surgery. I don't want to go crazy and dehydrate myself too much, so I'm going to have to consult with the RN at the pre-op appointment before I make my schedule for the days leading up to the surgery. It's better to be safe than sorry.
Their prep instructions call for Dulcolax tabs. I may need to use them if the mag. citrate isn't enough, but I don't remember how long it takes for them to work for me, so I'll be taking some tomorrow morning to find out. I want to cover all my bases.

Judy got back to me, and my appointment to get my nails done IS on the 16th at 8:30am, but I may need to ask her for a later appointment to keep my mornings free. The paperwork I got says "no nail polish of any kind." Maybe they will turn out to be more flexible... IDK. I will contact Judy again on/after the 12th to let her know what we're doing.

I have to have my blood drawn today, then I will do a little shopping, but will try not to go crazy. I don't need everything immediately.

Kay,

I'm glad you are getting everything worked out.

Good luck with your draw today. I usually have problems
with those.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

I was right! The decline in my kidney function must have been from the Vraylar because my eGFR (measure of kidney function) went right back up to where it was before I started taking it!!! :):):)
I don't know about the rest of the results of the blood work yet. I hope, and expect, my creatinine went back down (which would be a good thing). And I hope that my random blood sugar wasn't as high (or higher) than it has been.

I reduced my dose of gabapentin by 100mg 2 nights ago (I'm on 600mg now) because I've been so tired, and I've felt overmedicated. I don't feel quite as tired, but I definitely still feel overmedicated when I wake up. I hope that my pdoc thinks I'm ready to get off the Rexulti when I see her on the 5th. I definitely don't want to be on it when I go in for surgery because I don't feel good right now, and I think that's what it is. I'm on enough med as it is.

I didn't go to any stores after I had my blood drawn, but I bought a hardcover edition of the collective works of Jane Austen, and a pair of comfy pants off of Amazon. I hope that the pants are long enough. I have a problem finding ones that are, and will still be, after they are washed and dried.

I took 2 Dulcolax tabs this morning even tho my stomach is very upset. My stomach will definitely be upset while I'm doing the prep, so I guess I'll get a better idea of the timing? IDK...

I'm in for the day.

I am glad that you kidneys are better!!!!!!
bizi:Dancing-Chilli:

I keep forgetting to mention that I've been finding cat s- on the floor at least once everyday now. I know that in at least in 2 instances Rocky did it intentionally. And it smells absolutely heinous! So bad that it permeates throughout the entire apartment!!!

I haven't had a Feliway dispenser in that room for a while. It's really intended for urine marking and scratching, but I just bought more refills, and will be putting one in there as soon as they arrive to see if it helps. It's supposed to have a calming effect.

If it doesn't, it's probably not just a behavioral problem, and I think we should take him to the vet. Corey will have to come with me tho. I can't even carry Buddy, who is half his size, in a carrier.

WE find throw up puddles every where in the house. fur balls, food saliva. It is gross. sometimes they throw up on the guest bed. It is a vera bradly bed spread and it cleans up really well...can't even tell which is great!
sorry about your pets I sympathize with you..


bizi

poor rocky

I will begin with good news:

ALL my kidney function numbers are almost exactly the same now as they were before I started taking Vraylar :):):)
My two prior random blood sugars were 108 and 116. This time my glucose was only 93 :)

Now the bad news:

While I was in the "office" last night smoking the last of the MJ in my vaporizer (because I was ready to head off to bed), Corey was out smoking a cigarette. When I came back into the living room, Corey was coming inside, and I was blinded by one of those tac-light type flash lights that are supposed to disorient intruders... I stopped walking when I saw it. I'm lucky I didn't fall down. I'm handicapped and was stoned.

Apparently, before that, Ellen came down the fire stairs saying, "lets see what our neighbors are up to." She laughed when she saw Corey, and knocked on our next-door neighbor Mary's slider, but she didn't open the door. I guess Corey exchanged a few words with her "husband," Adam before he came inside.

I knocked on Mary's front door and asked her to text the b- to tell her if they flashed light into "my private residence" again, I would call the cops for invasion or privacy and harassment. I shouldn't have talked to Mary...I should have just called the cops then.

Next thing you know, one of their guests (who could barely stand up) decided to leave (because I had threatened to call the cops), and Corey said, "real smart... drive home s- faced." Which after more "conversation" led to Corey threatening to report him for DD.
Ellen, Adam, and another s- faced person came out, and there was a war of words and threats of violence on both sides until other people came out and drove those cars into the parking lot. They all came inside and I'm sure the drunk people left shortly after. We heard a little banging, but nothing else from them after that.

JUST WHAT I NEEDED... AN ESCALATION.
Why couldn't Corey just stay inside and ignore them? He was f'ing s- faced. That's why.

Corey never should have threatened to call the police on that guy. It's taken our feud to a whole new level now, so my anxiety will go up for sure.
And people like that don't fight fair, and usually not alone. They have plenty of scum bags friends, so now I have to worry about Corey getting jumped in the parking lot or something. Or them keying our car or smashing our windshield.
They can call the cops on us for.... I don't know what... but I don't care. We're not hiding drugs or guns like they are.

While I'm in the hospital, they will probably be loud because it will be Thanksgiving weekend. Corey will be dealing with my absence by getting super-drunk, and I won't be here to protect him from himself. So, I'll be laying in a hospital bed worrying about what's going on at home :(:(:(

The good news is that we've been hearing them talking about what sounds like them possibly moving, but when I went to drop the rent check off at the office, I asked Janet, and she said she hadn't heard anything about it.

some how it will work out
love
bobby

I am sorry that things escalated...more to worry about.
As if you needed anything else!
great news on your kidney and glucose readings.
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi

Kay

I'm so sorry things got that bad. Hopefully Corey can keep things
together when your in the hospital. Maybe he can go visit some
family for a day or so.

I'm sorry the neighbors got that messed up, and things escalated.
Next time your right call the cops. I would think that flashing
those kind of lights in your door is not legal.

But who knows. I'm glad you had other good news.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

Yesterday I did some thinking and decided it was a good idea to go down to the police department to apprise them of the situation since it was escalating, and to ask for advice. My original intention was to go by myself, but I changed my mind, and Corey and I left to head over there...

We ran into Adam in the hallway on our way out, and he said, "hi" to Corey. So, Corey asked him what the f- their problem was, and did they hate us or what? Adam said "no, not at all." I said I didn't want there to be this degree of animosity. A calm conversation progressed from there, where we told him how their behavior effects us. I told him that they would be rip- s- PO'ed if it was happening to them. Adam out-right lied about some things, BS'ed us about others, and tried to put all the blame on his friends, but he didn't once defend Ellen. Eventually, I just told him that the last time I went to the office, they said they had done all they could do, so I should just call the cops if there's a problem (which is true). So I said, "that's where we're at now." We didn't part on unfriendly terms tho.

Corey still wanted to go to the police department, but I said no. So far, I have been the one that has been about second chances, and have been adamant about NOT calling the cops in certain situations, and they KNOW that. I think Adam hearing ME say that we will be calling the cops in the future, and the office telling me to do so, should be a wake up call. I feel like we've come to some sort of understanding, but who knows?
At any rate, I feel better after the conversation, and less worried about leaving Corey home alone now.

We ended up driving through Burger King and coming back home lol.

The Complete Jane Austen Collection I bought off of Amazon is a beautiful hardcover book, but it is HUGE. I don't think I could comfortably read from it because my hands and arms are weak, and I don't know where I could rest it after abdominal surgery. I will return it if I can for free. Otherwise, I'll just keep it because it's so heavy, it will cost a mint to ship it. I ended up buying 2 cheap Jane Austen paperbacks, which is what I should have done in the first place.
For some reason, the pants I ordered aren't coming until today. I'll probably strike out with those, too :o

Tell me again, when is your surgery?
((((HUGS))))
bizi
sorry I am too lazy to read back thru your thread.:o

Kay

The book sounds good. Maybe keeping it to read later is the
answer. Really don't know.

Bizi
I think her surgery is the day before thanksgiving.

Donna :hug::grouphug: