Friday, May 6, 2011

My life the last month...

This is not giong to be a fun post. I was looking and I can't believe it has been almost a year since my last post.

A lot has happened to me personally over the last month that it is kinda hard to tell.

4/4: woke up freezing at around 1 am, by 6 am (when I am getting up to get ready for work), I had a fever of 103.2. Took some Tylenol, stayed home from work, went to Dr., could not do anything for me but tell me to take Advil to opposite the Tylenol since only symptom was the fever.

4/5: Still had fever so stayed home from work. fever broke late this evening

4/6: went to work (felt I had to since we were going on vacation the following week - leaving Thursday 4/14). By end of day was achy all over - felt as though I was about 80 years old. Fever came back later in the evening.

4/7: now that I had fever & aches, Dr called in script for a z-pac, thinking that I had the flu.

4/8: same

4/9: not feeling any better - still feverish and achy. Went to Urgent care. When Jeff say me in the sun - he said I was yellow (like a banana). They could not help me so sent me to ER (went to Dublin since they have the fastest ER around). Winthin 2-3 hours I was admitted as they thought I had Pnemonia. Found that my liver was impaired or inflamed most likely due to a gall stone (which I have more of and will have my gall bladder removed later this year). Next they found a "growth" in my heart. Turned out to be a Staph infection (not the really bad kind).

4/10: did some tests today but not many.

4/11: Put me NPO and I did not do well with that. Woke me up around 7a for an ultrasound of my liver, around 11a, took me for the TEE test that I was put NPO for, then they started wheeling me around to various other areas for tests - MRIs, X-rays, CT scans - still no food or water. My mouth was really dry and I could not handle it anymore. Finally someone took pitty on me and gave those stupid cotton swabs to wet your mouth - I ended up actually sucking them dry most of the time. After all these tests, I got transferred to Riverside Methodist since Dublin is not rated yet for cardiac care. At some point in the ambulance ride - I passed out and I do not remember anything really concrete for the next week.

4/12-4/18: I remember nothing of this week. I do remember that my Mom came up from Florida to be with me. I remember Dad & Deb, Ellen, Uncle Kenny and Val stopping by to see me but nothing else. According to Jeff, I almost had open heart surgery that week to get rid of the staph infection that was in my heart but Jeff and Dr G (the infection specialist) convinced them not to do it.
Spent the next week in ICU and in step down = got to come home on Friday 4/23 (Good Friday).

We (meaning myself, Jeff and the Dr's) have no idea where this infection came from. We will never know. It grew on the outside wall of my heart opposite the hole that I have always had. Right now, it is mostly dead but I am on a 6 week antibiotic treatment that is being given to my through a pump that I must carry with me everywhere. This treatment is expected to end 5/20. After that I will be meeting with the cardiologist to determine how we are going to fix the hole in my heart. Ideally, he will go up through the groin and just stitch it closed. I will know more later.

I am glad to be alive. Although we missed our first family vacation in ever, I would much rather be here and be able to see my kids grow up than the alternative.