Asthma, I'm home

I know Daniel Gibson posted on his FB page on Sunday night asking folks to pray for me since I was on my way to hospital because I couldn't breathe.

Well, I'm home now, got here about 7is tonight. I was hospitalized for 48 hours because of an asthma exacerbation brought on by this virus that is going around. The same bug that I was being treated for!

Please if you have or know someone with asthma take it seriously. By the time I got to hospital, I had hyperventilated so much, trying to breathe, that my hands had cramped into claws, like a birds foot, and my feet were numb. It took at least an hour for my hands to calm down enough to be useful.

The funny thing is, I was doing everything right. When I first got sick on Tuesday I started more frequent checking of my lung function. I was using my meds properly. I even went to the doctor on Friday who put me on steroids to open my lungs as well as antibiotics and a powerful cough med combo to help me have a productive cough and to get my lungs clear.

In fact, on Sunday, even tho we didn't go to church because I was still running a fever and therefore probably still contagious, I felt a lot better. I even went for 2 walks to try to counteract all the havoc the steroids were raising with my blood sugar levels. (It's a fine balancing act).

But for some reason about 7 p.m. On Sunday night my breathing suddenly deteriorated. I did 2 rounds of my nebulizer treatment back to back, called my pulmonologist and headed to the ER.

Let me tell you something. When you pull into the ER and can't breathe you go straight to the head of the line and through the door. I didn't stop to register, the nurse just dug out my license, with my okay, and wheeled me through the door. I didn't stop to get triaged, I was taken straight to a room and within seconds was surrounded by at least 4 people putting my on oxygen, inserting I.V.'s etc. The doctor arrived very quickly and ordered labs, meds etc.

After 2 more round of nebulizer treatments, oxygen, chest x-rays, it was decided that I was still to sick to go home and David left. It was past midnight, the kids were home and worried, and he had to get some sleep so he could go to work. So as soon as my admittance was verified, he took off.

I will tell you this. University Hospital is an excellent facility. The staff are caring and kind. The food is wonderful. I highly recommend choosing them over Northeast Medical Center. (I've had experience with the ER Dept in both in the past 2 months).

Anyway, I'm home and better tho still sick with this bug. I plan on taking it easy the rest of this week and hopefully you will never have to deal with something like this. It is truly frightening.

Love,

Susan

Diabetes

I thought I knew a lot about diabetes.  After all, I had gestational diabetes with both kids and was on insulin both times.  I worked with a pharmacist during my first pregnancy who was diabetic and she gave me lots of advice. 


But 16+ years later I realize that I don't know as much as I should.

I'm on insulin now.  It's my fault.  I didn't take it seriously and loose weight or exercise enough or watch my diet close enough...

Now I am reading 2 books and educating myself.  I can't depend on my doctor to do this.

I. Have. To. Do. It.

So today I have already take 2 15-minute walks.  One was in the rain.  I used an umbrella.  I only got damp.

I'm counting my carbohydrate intake.

I'm checking my blood sugar level frequently.

I need to really up my intake of fresh veggies.  Will make a run to Aldi tomorrow.

I created a spreadsheet modeled after one in a book.

On it I log what I eat, my blood pressure, my weight, my exercise, my insulin dose(s), and my blood sugar in both number form and on a chart so I have a visual.

It also has a comments section, for reasons, causes, excuses.

I use one page per day so that I can get a better picture of what is going on with my health.

Here is today's log so far:

400

300

X

X

250

X

200

x

150

100

70

50

30

BS

213

313

321

289

Time

4a.m.

5a.m.

6a.m.

7a.m.

8a.m.

9a.m.

10a.m.

11a.m.

noon

1p.m.

2p.m.

3p.m.

4p.m.

5p.m.

6p.m.

7p.m.

8p.m.

9p.m.

10p.m.

11p.m.

Insulin

Levemir

60u

Exercise

15m, w

15m, w

Food

BLT-14 carb

nuts, 17C

Tea- 4 carb

Comments: On steroids for lungs/ viral infection, asthma

Weight

BP

120/70

Date

12/16/12

I am determined to get better.

October was a bad month and I really slipped.   I had been walking with David in the evenings almost every night for the previous 7 weeks or so.  Then I had all those issues and felt so bad for so long that I just quite.  And the weight has started to creep back on.  So now I am back to exercise and being strict not as punishment but because it is good for me and I want to be healthy and I want to see my children get married and have families.  I want to be able to be active now for my kids and later to enjoy my grandkids.

Merry Christmas and Good Health to you all,
Love,
 Susan

Christmas is almost here...

but I'm not really in the "Christmas Spirit".  It's not that I'm depressed or anything, tho I am sick with this upper respiratory bug that's going around.  I'm just not feeling it.

It's not cold, tho I did have a bit of frost on the windshield at 8 this morning.  Currently I have some Christmas music playing on YouTube...

Maybe it's because I've had a rough fall.  October was really bad, then Thanksgiving week David got sick and he is still fighting it.  Last weekend Sarah came down with her version of the crud and is still not feeling well.  I started on Tuesday and my breathing was very quickly compromised and even after using my rescue inhaler 2x I was still in the yellow zone.  Got in to see my pulmonologist this morning and came home with antibiotics, steroids, new rescue inhaler, nebulizer solution and a $50 bottle of cough syrup. 

Daniel has NOT gotten sick yet, tho he did cough so much while I was at the doctor that he lost his breakfast.  He's due any time. LOL

So, even tho I'm not feelin' "it", I am still and always so grateful for the awesome gift that we celebrate this season and hopefully remember all the year.

What Child is This?

 

Were You There?

 

 

Easter Song

The Pain is gone...

As I sit here and immerse myself in the music that speaks to my soul, I find the pain is gone.  No the Doc hasn't called back, and probably only 1 person I emailed about this earlier has even possibly seen and prayed 'cause she's on the other side of the world.  And yes the ibuprofen and tylenol that I took have probably helped a bit, but didn't HE give us pharmaceuticals to help us?

So I leave you with a couple more songs that constantly speak to me...  answering 2
questions....


Who Am I?

Who is HE?

Here is the original artist Eddie James & Colourblind

Music, it calms my soul, restores my spirit, lifts my faith...

When things are going wrong in my eyes, I can truly say "It IS Well With My Soul".

And I am so thankful for venues like YouTube where I can search for a song that soothes my souls and listen to it by many, many artists.

Another favorite from them is "Carry Me",  I really need to be carried right now.

And then when my tear have dried and my heart has calmed I want to praise HIM

And I really like to listen to "different" versions of traditional hymns.  Sorry Mom & Dad!

More Pics

Oscar got tired while reading.

Running the clay through the pasta maker

Making a sugar cube igloo

Caught in the act

Sibling Love

Speed stack meeting

Blacksmithing demo

Would you trust that grin to fly you?

Love of guns

I'm the short one!

Putting together the new PC

Toss that dough

Please release me let me go, I won't chase chipmunks anymore!

Kidney Stones and other Pains in the you know where

    To keep it straight in my mind I'm posting the events of Saturday, October 13  through Saturday, October 20, 2012.

Around 5 a.m. on 10/13 I woke to use the ladies room.  Suddenly I was hit with a vomitting spell and immediately my head felt like it was going to explode.  If my worst migraine ever was a 10, then this was easily a 20.  I was screaming in pain.  I managed to get back to the bed, David brought me an icepack which made the pain worse.  We waited a few minutes,  all the while I am trying to control my cries so I don't wake the kids.

After no relief, I asked David to bring the kids to me so that I could tell them good-bye.  At this point I fully expected to die.  I had no clue what was causing this pain, but knew it could not be good.

Of course the kids were frightened to see me in this state, and I was trying to comfort them, to tell them it would be alright even if I died.  I pulled off my rings and gave my spoon ring they gave me for mothers day in 2010 to Sarah and my wedding rings to Daniel.

We headed to the ER as soon as we were dressed and arrived around 6 a.m.  Good, they're not busy, I should be well cared for...

The pain level had decreased by this point but was still so intense I couldn't think to answer question, couldn't tell them what was going on etc.

My blood pressure was 200+ over 110+.

I was put in a room and given a CT scan of my head and an EKG.

Someone came in to start my IV, but couldn't get it because my BP was so high.  Slowly, as I lay on the gurney, my BP started to come down.  The CT and EKG came back normal.  No stroke, no heart attack.

More waiting, blood pressure continuing to slowly come down.

Headache getting worse.  Shot of toradol and 2 zofran for nausea.

10 a.m., we don't know why this happened but you can go home now.  No instructions, no prescriptions, nothing...

We went home, stopping by Chick-Fil-A for breakfast on the way.

My head is still hurting tho not as bad.  I fell dizzy whenever I move at all, and the pain worsens.

We get through Saturday and go to bed hoping that tomorrow I'll be fine.



    Sunday, we get up, get breakfast, each his own, I still feel lousy, the headache, dizziness...  Around noon I call the on-call line of my primary doctor.  The RN on-call advises me to go back to the ER.

When we arrive at the ER, a different one from yesterday, I am quickly triage back, my BP is still high, orders written, sent to the lab waiting area where I waited no longer then 10 minutes.

Put in a room, IV started, blood taken, urine sample, my room labeled a priority...  Doc comes in and does a thorough physical exam.  Tells me what they are looking for in all the blood they've drawn.  Explains that he might have to do a spinal tap if all my labs look good.

Within an hour, I'm being prepped for and have given consent to have a spinal tap done.

Spinal tap...not a thing I would like to repeat, but a necessary evil.   BUT the results of the spinal are good!  No meningitis!

So where do we go from here?  Doc explains that he doesn't know what caused the BP spike and the headache.  But we do know what didn't cause it.  You're more stable now, I'm giving you a very strong pain med and something for nausea, get them filled, go home and rest.  See your primary care doc tomorrow.

   

    Monday, get in to see primary doc.  Weigh in and find I've lost 20 pounds in the past 3 months!  So that's why my skirts like to fall down!  GO over all my meds,  This one BP med interacts with everything.  Why are you on it?  Let's change it to a safer med,  all these meds in the past 4 weeks to try to improve your migraine control have been too much changing for your body.  You need to get them out of your system.

So now all I'm on are the diabetes meds and the BP meds.

    Tuesday, I take the kids to the park for their cross-country practice.  I feel good!  I visit with my mom over the phone for about 30 minutes then visit with another mom the rest of the time.  I feel better today than I've felt in weeks!!

Back home.  Get supper finished, eaten.   PAIN!
                                                                  Not migraine or BP headache pain.
                                                                               Kidney Stone pain.


Wednesday.  Mom drives me to see my urologist.  X-ray taken.  5mm stone that was in the left kidney no longer visible.   Start antibiotics, pain meds, anti-spasm meds,  call me in the a.m. and let me know how you did through the night, but you're probably going to have to have surgery to remove this one.
Didn't need any pain meds from 10.20 p.m. Wednesday until about noon on Thursday.  Called Dr in a.m. to say had a pretty good night.
2 hours later called back, tell him it's moving again, pain is bad.  Can you control it or do you need to go to the ER.  I'll control it.
Come in Friday morning for CT scan so we can locate the stone.

Friday, get CT scan done, See Harrison, Stone has barely moved since it left kidney, it's too big to pass, Dr G has a slot let me check and see if we can get you in today.

Be back at hospital by noon, surgery at 2.

Surgery goes well.  Sent home with typical instructions.  Didn't get to sleep it off because David needed to keep my moving to prevent clots.

Friday night go to sleep.  4 a.m. wake freezing, temp of 104.   Call the on call urologist.  Take a Tylenol, see if it comes down.  4 hours later 101. by 11 a.m. fever  up to 103.  Call urologist back, go to ER for evaluation and possible admittance.

In Er, they fear pneumonia, doc from last weekend is working.  Put me in his rooms.  Chest x-ray, urine sample.  Everything clear!  Possible sinus infection, you're very congested.  Go home, do you need more pain meds?  lots of fluids, rest...

    Sunday morning, still have slight fever, still very tired, but slowly getting better.

Pain from surgery comes and goes.  Right now it's fairly bad which is why I'm blogging at 3.30 a.m.

I go back to the urologist on Wednesday to have the stent removed.  David will be with me, removing a stent can be painful and can cause spasms that are not pleasant.  But over all maybe I'm on the upswing.  I hope I am.

I want to get back to walking, we were doing so well and I was really enjoying it.  (They put sidewalks down OUR side of Morehead Rd.  Makes it much better for me for walking!)

(This was the 2nd kidney stone I had to have removed in about 10 weeks.  Prior to this I had not had a bad attack in 9 years.

A Day in the Life of the Gibson Family in Pictures

Cooking

Stacking

building a PC

Interesting Critters

Creating a business

Training the "Monsterdog"

Textbooks

Messy Table

If You're Considering Homeschooling...

I had a wonderful conversation with one of the pharmacy techs at my local pharmacy today. Her daughter turned 1 today and she was asking me about homeschooling. So many young, and not so young, moms want to do this but are afraid that they'll:
1. not have enough patience
2. not know enough to teach the child
3. ruin their kid for life.

I was able to share with her that she's been "homeschooling" her daughter from day

one. When she reads her a book, when they play together, when they do crafts, etc...

As a homeschooling mom, especially if you never send them away to school, you learn and grow with them.

You don't have to know calculus to teach a young child their colors. Besides, by the time they're ready for calculus, they are independent learners anyway!

So don't look at families like the Duggars and think, "I could never do that" (And I highly admire and respect the Duggars).  Remember they didn't start out with 19 kids. They started with 1 or 2 and as the other kids came along, the older ones helped the younger ones and they all are learning together as a family.

If you have the slightest interest in homeschooling, ask questions, talk to moms that you know who are already there. Most of us would love to share with you.

And while I'm sharing with you, I'll tell you there are days that we clash. There are days that I lose my patience... There are days that I want to send them to the bus stop.  This young mom was surprised that I told her that we have bad days, that the kids both have areas they struggle with, that  we're not perfect, LOL.

But those days are far fewer than the good days. And since we really believe that God has called us, the Gibson family, to homeschool then He will provide everything we need to bring it to fruition.

Word of Advice...

IF you have a freezer that needs to be defrosted on occasion.  It is best to do so before the interior of said freezer looks like the abominable snowman exploded in there.

I'm just sayin...

Newest Crochet Projects...

...that are finished.



Front of crocheted and felted bag

Back

Side View

Inside of bag

I have since changed the straps a little by sewing the edges together so they are narrower.

Granny Square Bag, this is the bag I will be teaching some of my  Crochet Club folks.  I have not yet decided on the straps for this bag.

Back of bag

 

Inside of bag

Zip closing.


So far everything on this bag is recycled.  It's a bit small for me, I definitely will have to pare down but overall I like it and I could take the squares apart and make them larger...