The surgeon is doing what pretty much I wanted... what I feared she would refuse to do without creating a stoma/colostomy. So, I'm very happy with the plan. Of course if something goes wrong, she may have to make a temporary one, which I would HATE, but would have to learn to accept.

While I'm gone, and when I come back home, Corey is really going to have to step up. I'm wondering how that is going to work out...

I know I didn't clear that impaction/partial obstruction after taking the mag. citrate Saturday night, so I'm going to have to ask someone in my gastro's office for help. I will send a love note to my gastro's medical assistant about the surgical consultation through the patient portal, but I will call to ask the NP what to do about my current BR problem because she is easier to get ahold of...
I have to take care of this now before it gets worse, or I will end up in the hospital. I'm not kidding.

I'm getting my nails done this morning. They take the old polish off by putting cotton balls soaked in acetone on your nails and wrapping them in tin foil, but I have a burn on my right thumb that is just healing and the acetone will leak onto it. I don't know if I'm going to just leave it alone and paint the rest of my nails the same color again, or try to wrap it in a hydrocolloid dressing to protect it from the acetone. That thumb nail has really grown out and should be redone. If I don't have it painted, by the time I go back in two more weeks, it will look horrible. I'll see what Judy thinks I should do when I get there.

Kay

Hope you can get some answers. So as to not end up back at hospital.

I really wish I had an idea for you. But of course I don't.

Donna

I couldn't get ahold of the NP yesterday, but my gastro's medical assistant wasn't very concerned about the impaction because she thought that I was handling the problem well on my own, and I'm keeping food and drink down without vomiting, and my stomach isn't distended or hard, but told me to call the office if things get worse.

I can't take mag. citrate any earlier than 9:30pm so I'm not fighting with Corey for the BR in the morning, but I fell asleep on the couch before then because I was so tired, and when I woke up, I just couldn't make myself drink it...
But I can feel that the impaction has moved, and I had diarrhea on my own last night, so I'm less worried now, but will have to take the mag. citrate by tomorrow night at the latest (I have an appointment tomorrow morning at 11:30).

I see my pdoc tomorrow. I'm doing sooooooo much better than I was the last time I saw her, but I think I'm still a little too high. I don't know if she will increase the gabapentin by another 100mg or leave me where I am at. She will be happy that the surgery is in the works because she knows how much and how long I've been struggling.

I ended up just leaving that thumb nail alone, and just painting the rest of my nails the same color. I don't know if I can have polish on my nails when I have the surgery or not. I know that the rules have changed at some hospitals. I will need to see her prior to the surgery either take the polish off or do my nails again.

I'm waiting to hear back from the surgeon about my lab work. I hope that everything came back okay, but I haven't been eating well, so IDK. And IDK what she will do if it doesn't come back good.
I hope to find out more about what appointments I will need to go to, what testing I will have to have, and hopefully set a date for the surgery.
I don't like leaving things up in the air, and I hope that the appointments will be soon, before my brother goes back to work, so he can drive me.

Sending good thoughts, Kay, for what you are dealing with.


And good luck at the pdoc's.


M

Thanks Mari

I know this is gross, but yesterday I took a mineral oil enema for the second day in a row, and I think this one helped with that impaction/partial obstruction. But I'm not off the hook, and absolutely have to take the mag. citrate tonight. If I'm feeling really sleepy, I'm just going to have to drink it earlier so I don't fall asleep before I do this time.

Naps have been hard to come by lately because I can't sit still. I have tried taking Klonopin to settle down, but it's only helped once. So, I've been getting very sleepy very early at night. I went to bed at 8:30 last night, and didn't wake up until 7 this morning
I will definitely have to stay up later than THAT to drink the mag. citrate.

I have to renew my medical MJ card by the 25th. I've noticed that the fees have gone way up, and there are a lot of scams out there. Last year, all I needed was a note from my neurologist saying that I have MS, and he's treating me for it, but a lot of places want all your medical record now! The place I went to last year has gone out of business, so I had to find another place to go. I finally found a legit place that will accept my letter, and I have an appointment on Friday, but it will cost me $200!!!
That doesn't include the cost of actually renewing my license through the Department of Public Health. I think that's another $50. It adds up to a lot of money.

We didn't do laundry Sunday because of my BR problems. I thought about doing, and I'm sure Corey expected me to do, some laundry this week because of that. But he's been coming with me on the weekend to do it because it's too much for me, so I'm not going to risk doing it myself.

I have to go to the grocery store to pick up a few things today. I still have a case of water in the backseat of my car that Corey hasn't brought in from the last time I went shopping, so I'm not buying anymore this time. He can buy some himself or come with me somewhere if we need more before I do the regular shopping.

I am so glad you are doing so much better! You are showing so much control. I wonder how you really are feeling.
love
bobby to one tough lady!

Thank you, Bobby

My pdoc agreed that I was still slightly too high, so she raised my dose of gabapentin from 600 to 700mg. Previous increases during this episode haven't been sedating. But this morning, after taking the 700mg, I am sedated. That's a good thing tho. It should have some effect on me if it is going to bring me down. I will adjust to the increase in a couple of days, and I think I will finally be back to my baseline soon.

Today is lottery day, and I have to pick up 2 prescriptions to fill my pill case. I hope I wake up more as the day goes on, because right now, I'm absolutely in no shape to drive. Worse case scenario: I will make Corey drive me to the stores when he gets home. He'd be thrilled

It was easier to take the mag. citrate last night because I knew if I smoked MJ first, I wouldn't get as nauseous. So, it ended up really being no big deal. I hope that means I won't dread taking it as much as I have been, and won't put it off too long like I've been in the habit of doing.
I don't know if I've totally cleared the impaction yet, but I don't think it's a big issue anymore. I think if I keep doing what I'm doing, it will work itself out. I'm very relieved...
I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to not having to deal with problems like this anymore. The surgery can't happen soon enough.

I won $100 on a scratch ticket last night!
Now the $200 appointment to renew my medical MJ license won't hurt as much.

My appointment is at 10am.
At the last minute (5:30pm last night), I got word that my PCP finally wrote me the letter saying I have MS and am under his care, and I can pick it up today before my appointment. I also have the letter from my neuro. I hope that's enough. It should be.
I printed off a copy of my "personal health record" from the last year from my PCP's office just in case, but I hope I don't need it, because there are things in there that I'd rather keep private.

Thank God the gabapentin isn't as sedating this morning. I don't know how I would be able to get to the appointment if it was.

Kay

Hoping you have an great day.

Donna

Kay, a lot to catch up.
You are so strong....
Am so glad that your brother was able to bring you to the surgeons office visit.
Glad that things are progressing.
I know that you would want everything done so you can get on with your life.
(((((HUGS)))) to you dear lady.
love you
bizi