Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Pooky tummy, the saga continues.

Still not feeling well. Thankfully, I'm able to keep more down. Unfortunately, it's in the form of carbs, most of which contain gluten. So... Either the gluten is getting me, or something else is, because I hurt all over. I'm using my cane for the first time in quite a while, which is saying something. Normally, I'm too stubborn to admit (even to myself) that I need a cane. So... I'm pondering an Epsom salt bath to see if I can draw off any possible toxins. Not really feeling up to exercise, even though I'm sure it would probably help. Should probably get back to counting my points, though I expect that would be depressing in its own right.

Mostly status quo. I keep telling J. to shoot me and put me out of his misery. He keeps saying that he'd be more miserable without me, or some such. :-) What're you going to do?

So, I'm keeping on keeping on. I'm trusting the 'Verse to help see me through to the other side of this with the lesson intact.

Friday, August 07, 2009

Pooky Tummy, part... Wait, what part am I on?

I'm still dealing with digestive issues. I'm eating a little more, but not much, and the nausea isn't quite so bad. I've not actually had to vomit thru all of this, which is good, but I've had a couple of extremely close calls while riding home on the bus. Not the best time to feel like you are going to throw up, let me tell you.

I finally broke down and went to see my Internist on Monday. He doesn't think that the pain I'm having in the upper part of my abdominal area has anything to do with my digestive system. He was doing the poking and prodding thing and said that one of my ribs didn't feel like it was where it was supposed to be and that all the coughing I've done over the last year may have caused the attachment point to "twist". If that's the case, a PT can get it back where it needs to be.

With regards to my tummy, he ordered a bunch of tests. Right now, he had had blood drawn so he can re-test me for Celiac. Thankfully I'd given in and had been eating things with gluten in them because otherwise the test would show negative even if its not. He's also testing liver enzymes and everything that can be tested with a CBC and a CMP. I also had to give a stool sample (ewww) so he can test for Giardiasis and any other parasitic or bacterial infection. If all the tests he's ordered come back normal, he's going to refer me to a Gastroenterologist and we'll go from there.

On top of all -that-, I've got an infection in my right index finger from a torn cuticle. I get hangnails and torn cuticles often, but I usually wash them with soap and water, douse 'em with peroxide and slap a bandage on 'em and that treats them so I don't get any sort of infection. Not this time. I guess whatever I'm dealing with has made it more difficult for me to fight infection. Since I had to turn in my stool sample yesterday anyway, I went to the clinic. The doc said that I was good to come in when I did because it didn't look like I needed to have it opened up. I'm on an antibiotic for 10 days and am supposed to soak my hand in epsom salts a couple of times a day. If I'm not seeing marked improvement by tonight, I'm supposed to go back to the clinic in the AM and he'll see about opening it up.

Still pretty fatigued, but I'm going to shoot for easy exercise next week. I can't keep sitting around doing nothing.