July 14, 2013

This is my third attempt at writing this Journal post. [SIGH]

I just remembered that today is Bastille Day.

liberté, égalité, fraternité

In discussing my health in recent days, I have centered on the pain in my jaw/head. As such, I have neglected mentioning my left leg, which is always we can painful. If you have been a reader of Nick’s Bytes, then you are well aware of my leg. No matter what my total pain level is, the minimum is three out of 10 based exclusively on my leg.

In recent days my leg is been unusually swollen, week, and painful. I postponed going to the Veterans Administration emergency room because of my leg. My recent trips to the VA hospital and Newburg clinic have been made more difficult because of my leg. It is not only the weakness of the leg but also extreme pain that I have whether I am walking, standing, or even sitting. I am sitting at the moment, and my leg is throbbing: it is much more painful at the moment then my jaw.

Due to my leg, I have been unable to do the apartment cleaning that needs to be done, especially since I no longer have a caregiver. Just as troublesome, is that I have not been able to pick up my mail for over a week. I drive from my apartment to the mailboxes; however, my boxes in the back of the building and I find it too painful to walk the distance from the parking lot to my mailbox.

Tomorrow morning I have scheduled a visit here at my apartment by my MD2U physician. My jaw is number one on my list; my leg is number two.

If you are interested in the tank accident that began my leg problems, you find the comedy at Nick's Bytes: The Rogue's Tale.

I can’t end this journal post without adding the photographs I have taken of the Kitty Kids and Little Girls kittens. The little ones are beginning to move around and explore a few feet beyond the back of the closet. I would love to pick one up; however to do so would require putting down my cane and I am concerned, with my leg in his present condition, of falling on a kitten and badly injuring it. So I must wait until my legs are stronger.

Donate a penny 

to help support SSN, 

his 3 Kitty Kids, 

& LG's kittens?

July 13, 2013

I had difficulty sleeping last night. My CPAP mask is putting pressure below my nose on the side of my abscessed tooth, which caused extreme pain. Of course, I can't sleep without the CPAP so I was awake most of the night.

Around 4:00 a.m. I finally fell asleep after I was too exhausted not to sleep. When I awoke I noticed and removed the CPAP masked, I noticed the pain was much less. After rinsing my mouth with various concoctions and applying Anbesol as well as taking a 1600 mg dose of Ibuprofen, I was feeling fairly good! When the pain returned in the afternoon, I repeated the process with similar results. I hope I have perfected a pain-relief procedure to use until I can find a way to see a dentist and obtain a permanent solution to the damnable pain.

Later, while Little Girl was checking out the world beyond the window,

Sugar was, uh, meditating on my desk,

and Alex was napping beneath my desk,

I carefully limped (don't want to fall on top of a baby) into the the bedroom walk-in closet and photographed LG's kittens:

The Kitty Kid's kittens a beginning to be quite active!

In case you missed it, here is the link to yesterday's Sometimes Saintly Nick's Friday Funnies.

May you have a blessed Sunday, filled with justice, peace, and love!

Donate a penny 

to help support SSN, 

his 3 Kitty Kids, 

& LG's kittens?

July 12, 2013

I made another medical related journey’s morning. This time it was to the Veterans Administration Newburg clinic to which I am assigned for primary care. The purpose, as I explained in yesterday’s journal entry, was to see my shrink.

I snapped this photograph this morning as I arrived at the clinic

I must admit that since my days as a practicing social worker I have not had much confidence in psychiatrists. Actually, I truly began to lose confidence in the psychiatric profession after I visited one at the University of Kentucky when I was a student. But that’s another humorous story I must remind myself to relate someday.

Today’s visit, as with all of my recent excursions for health, did not go smoothly. To begin with, the appointment time I was given was 9:00 AM. To meet the check-in procedures established by the Veterans Administration I arrived at 8:40. That’s when I was told that the appointment had been unilaterally changed by the clinic to 9:30. Considering my left leg was throbbing, the idea of an extra half an hour wait did not please.

However, when the Doc come to call me for the appointment and noticed how difficult it was for me to walk, he obtained a wheelchair and pushed me the relatively long distance to his office. So far OK. However, as he pushed me down the second long hallway a push me directly into a ladder on which a workman was standing while changing a light bulb! When I noticed that the doctor was not going to stop, I yelled (loudly) Man on ladder!!!!!!! 

Unfortunately, my psychiatrist did not stop pushing until the wheelchair hit the ladder. Luckily the man on the letter saw the wheelchair coming, jumped off of it, and held at steady so that it did not topple over on top of me. The doctor explained that he had been looking at the floor and not where he was going.

The 30 minute interview with the psychiatrist went fine, even though, as with most of the VA physicians, the time was spent with him looking at his computer screen and asking me questions came from it and typing my answers on to it. [SIGH]

The result of the appointment is that my primary antidepressant has been reverted to the one I was taking back in December. He also told me, after I responded yes to his question as to whether I had ever thought about suicide, that a new study read reports that over 90% of Americans over the age of 50 have, at one time or another, considered taking their own life. That does not surprise me.

On the way home again my portable oxygen compressor’s battery ran out of power. When I first got the device the battery generally lasted close to three hours; now it’s barely lasts for two hours. I have made myself a note to contact supplier and asked that it be checked out.

My portable oxygen compressor

After I returned to the apartment, changed from the portable oxygen compressor to the large oxygen compressor and regained my breath, again all three Kitty Kids surrounded me, begging for treats. At the rate they are eating treats, we’re going to run out well before my August pension check arrives.

My jaw and leg have been extremely painful today. Even the prescription medication containing codeine has had little effect. I did try something do with my jaw: when I left the emergency room the other day I was given a box of samples that included a small tube and bottle of Crest Pro-Health toothpaste and mouth wash. I gave them a try this afternoon followed by (after the 30 minute wait according to the mouth wash instructions) rinsing my mouth with warm salt water. The combination reduced my jaw pain by about 70%.

I have no new pictures of the kittens. My leg is been too unstable to risk going into the closet and possibly falling on top of the little ones. I do have this photograph of Alex doing what he does best (aside from eating): napping.

Donate a penny 

to help support SSN, 

his 3 Kitty Kids, 

& LG's kittens?

July 11, 2013

I was back at the VA hospital in this morning, this time to keep an appointment I made more than a month ago. This time it was to pick up my replacement hearing aids. Before Christmas I had lost one of the hearing aids that I received about three years ago. Hoping that I would find it, I waited until June before requesting a replacement from the Veterans Administration. I was told that it was past time for me to be evaluated for new hearing aids. Great! So I had the appointment, and my ears filled with some goopy stuff that made an impression of my inner ear, and set up today’s appointment to return and pick up my new hearing aids.

As with so much of my life, things have not gone. I arrived at the VA hospital about 7:30 my 8:00 AM appointment. My left leg was weak and hurting intensely, both when walking and sitting. It took me about 20 minutes to make it the office; however, I had a 50 minute wait because the audiologist was having problems with their computer. It seems that the computer was necessary because these new hearing aids are adjusted the via a microchip in them. WOW!

Another thing about the new hearing aids is that they are clear so that one can visually determine if there is any earwax buildup in them.

It's grand to be able to hear again -- except for guy with the gasoline-powered leaf blower outside the hospital, the kid in the car next to me at a red light with hip hop blaring from his car radio, and the warning buzzer of my portable oxygen concentrator telling me the battery needed charging. 

The whole trip took longer than I expected, so that I ran out of lithium battery power in my portable oxygen condenser about 15 minutes before I got home. I was wheezing, panting, and nauseous by the time myself up to the large oxygen machine. I was met by all 3 kitty kids, who I suspect were still traumatized by the 13+ hours away from home when I was in the VA emergency room yesterday. 

When I noticed that all three kitty kids—Alex, Sugar, and Little Girl—were on my desk begging for treats, I wondered about the kittens being alone. So, I grabbed the camera and limped to the walk-in closet to check on them. Of course, Momma Little Girl and Aunty Sugar followed me. And, I took what I think are the best photos of the three kittens to date. Here is one of them:

I published the above kitten photograph plus six more earlier today in  a Nick's Bytes post entitled, Lots of Kitten Pics.

Later, after much needed nap, I decided to shoot a video showing off my new hearing aids. I had just taken the right hearing aid into my hand when LG jumped on the desk and this video was made:

The video demonstrating the new hearing aids was never produced. I did take the photograph that begins this post. Then I decided to take the hearing aids out of my ears and put them away. It was then that I discovered that the hearing aid for my right ear was not in my right ear! I have searched desk, floor around the desk, the kitchen, bathroom, and the cats feeding area. I found no hearing aid.

I shall continue searching for the missing hearing aid and hopefully will find it. Meanwhile, I am blessed because the one remaining old hearing aid is far my right ear.

I have yet three more Veterans Administration medical appointments coming up. While I was on my trip to the hospital this morning, the Newburg VA clinic telephone and request that I set up appointments with my primary care physician and my psychiatrist. It was good timing. The appointment with the primary care physician, including a visit preceding it for lab work, is set for mid-August; the appointment with my psychiatrist is set for 9 AM tomorrow. I sure hope I have no more appointments because the round-trip to Newburg tomorrow will just about empty my gas tank! 

Donate a penny 

to help support SSN, 

his 3 Kitty Kids, 

& LG's kittens?

July 9, 1023

PAIN! That word sums up my life since last Friday. Pain! Lots of pain.

Jaw ache! Headache! Ear ache! Leg ache! 

I have done everything I can find (and afford) to stop the pain. Some of the treatments work. None of the treatments work well. Some cause other problems: for example, the pain prescribed medications I have been taking have caused stomach aches and nausea.

At 10 PM last night, after the temperature was down to the mid-80s, I drove myself to the Veterans Administration emergency room. The drive was difficult because my left leg is weaker and more painful than it has been a very long time. As I expected, I had a three-hour wait before I was allowed into the emergency room. I was finally seen by a physician around 1:30 AM; her English was poor and I had difficulty expressing the problem.

New-style ID now used by VA Hospital with color photo of patient

About 45 minutes after the decision talk to me, I and my bed were wheeled to the radiology department where I underwent my first- ever CAT Scan. This was of my head and did not take very long. Then I returned to my room in the ER where I was injected with a pain shot that was very effective. A couple of hours later, my dad and I were again wheeled from the emergency room and my chest was x-rayed. I was rather concerned about this x-ray because, having been a 50 year plus smoker, I feared that the blood work that was done on me may have indicated something like cancer. I need not have been worried; as it turned out, the chest x-ray was to determine if some of the excess mucus with which I am plagued each day was entering my lungs. It isn’t.

Nothing else took place until after 8 AM when the shifts changed and a new doctor was assigned my case. It was a real go-getter and much easier for me to understand. After reviewing the status of my case this new position had me go to the eye department to have my eyes checked because he was concerned that I might have infection in them that could cause blindness. I was less than impressed with the services I received at the eye clinic. The physician in charge did not understand why the consultation was made to have my eyes checked. He was the same physician who had supervised my cataract removal when the intern surgeon allowed the cataract to break up in my left eye. Although the physician did examine my eyes, he spent most of the time complaining that it was unnecessary.

When I returned to the emergency room, the ER physician explained that he determined my problem is an abscessed tooth or perhaps even more than one. Since the Veterans Administration now provides dental care only two vats who are 100% disabled due to combat. There will be no dental treatment for Nick by the Veterans Administration! I was prescribed three medications:  an antibiotic, an antihistamine nasal spray, and an analgesic gum. Unfortunately, the analgesic gum was not in stock at the VA hospital; I was told that it will be mailed to me and should arrive next Monday or Tuesday. 

My drive home was difficult. With the heat index over 90°F and not having air-conditioning in my car, I was nauseous and having difficulty breathing. My eyes were also unable to focus because they had been dilated at that I clinic. The sunlight was painful and I had difficulty seeing. However, I did make it home safely.

When I came inside the apartment, I was met by three very excited Kitty Kids. Food, water, and treats pleased to cats immensely. The rest of the day I spent trying to stop the pain and attempting to sleep. In other words, this afternoon has been much like every day since the pain began last Friday.

This evening I did manage to obtain some new photographs of LG’s kittens:

At the moment I am feeling a lot of pain and nausea. The best means of pain relief that I have is the rice filled bag that is heated in the microwave, a gift from one of the parishioners at the last church I pastored. 

Now that this post is written and soon to be published, I plan to spend the rest of this Tuesday trying to control the pain and attempting to sleep.

My sincere thanks to everyone who has expressed their concern, made suggestions for my healing, sent virtual hugs, and offered prayers on my behalf. My love and blessings to all.

PLEASE...

July 7, 2013

Pain, from just above the temple down to my jaw including my ear—all on the left side of my head—has been so intense today that I did not know if I could make it through. I’ve also felt nauseated much of the day, possibly due to the medication I have been taking in attempts to stem the pain.

I’ve gotten very little sleep, primarily in one or two hour increments even though I’ve tried to sleep. The pain keeps awakening me.

Likewise, the nausea I am feeling and the pain in my jaw have prevented me from eating.

My left leg has been extremely weak, so I’ve not gotten around much today. Most of today I have either been at my desk sitting before the computer or in  my lift chair attempting to sleep. My leg is so weak that I have been afraid to attempt to drive to the emergency room because I fear being unable to engage the clutch.

My final symptom is that I’ve been having moments of being unable to breathe. This, too, has affected my ability to sleep.

Now that I have explained how I’ve spent most of today in pain, I shall add the good parts. I have attempted several times today to take photographs of the kittens. I finally succeeded in getting a few plus some of the adult kitty kids:

I’ve not been able to complete Monday’s Nick’s Bytes blog post. I’m working on it a bit at a time, but spending most of my time trying to deal with his horrendous pain on the left side of my head.