WARNING: this post carries a PTMI (possibly too much information) warning. This especially applies to male readers, and those who are squeemish about blood. Feel free to read on, but don't say I didn't warn you.
Firstly, here's an update on everyone else:
My Mam's leg was healing well, but then it got infected again. She'd gotten to the stage where she could be without bandages, but now she's back to bandages and strong antibiotics again. At least she gets to stay home though. They've told her this could keep happening, and that even when it calms down, she'll probably always need a walking aid of some kind (such as a frame, crutches, etc). Even if she gets to the point where she can hobble around the house without using any kind of walking aid, she'll need one when she goes out. This isn't the best news, but it's better than the potentially losing her leg they were talking about not long ago. Now we're crossing our fingers that the new antibiotics clear up the infection again quickly, and she doesn't get another infection any time soon.
Kelly's lump is going to be drained, which is what he was hoping for. He's waiting for an appointment, which should come in the next few weeks. The procedure itself should only take about half an hour, so he'll just be spending a few hours with the doctors while they cut it open, drain it, make sure it's not going to bleed too much, and then stitch his head back up. He'll be allowed back home after that, to return about a week later for his stitches to come out. All being well, that will be the end of it for him for doctor visits for a while.
Also, my Grandma's doing OK, but had a "funny turn" that meant a doctor visiting her at home to give her a lecture about doing too much, since that was what likely caused it. When she remembers she's almost 80 (she'll be 80 in June) and doesn't try and do too much, she's doing OK though.
As for me...
So far, there's hope for my new asthma nurse, who I saw on April 25th.
First of all, she was annoyed to learn that my inhalers ever got taken away, especially when she learned the reason the doctor had given for doing so. She's assured me she wouldn't ever advise that - especially given my medical history - though she would like to have me needing to have them less often. Like maybe once or twice a day, instead of the four times a day I've been needing them. Obviously, those numbers aren't including asthma attacks, but refer to the preventative doses, if that makes sense. Cutting down I don't mind, since I'd still have them on hand in case of asthma attacks, and be having regular doses of the steroid medication they contain. So I'm fine with that plan.
She also realised that - due to the dizziness from the anemia and bleeding - I'm not taking deep enough breaths to get the full dose in, which is part of why I need the inhalers so frequently, get out of breath so easily, and am struggling to get asthma attacks under control as easily as I used to be able to. When she asked me about it, I explained about the anemia, and how I can't get it under control because of the bleeding, and told her how it makes the dizziness worse to take really deep breaths, so she's given me a spacer thing to help with that.
For those who don't know: a spacer is a plastic thing that goes between the inhaler and your mouth. As long as you keep it in your mouth, the steroids squirted from the inhaler stay inside it, so you can take it in over a few shallower breaths, rather than not getting it all because you didn't take a big enough breath. I even have one of the newer ones, which makes a noise if your breaths are coming too quick to give you a good chance of getting all the medication.
I have to go back to see her on June 6th to see how I'm getting on with that. Personally, I think it might be helping. I've had no asthma attacks since I started using the new inhaler and the spacer thing anyhow, which I know is a good thing.
Anyway, I was weighed while I was at the medical centre, and was delighted to learn that I'm lighter than I thought I was. Still heavier than I should really be, but that's still a good thing, since I was basing my weight on the last time I was weighed. I was also pleased that she didn't lecture me on my weight, and thought the idea of blaming my weight for my asthma was ridiculous, especially considering I've had asthma since childhood.
Like I said: so far, there's hope for my new asthma nurse. Now I just have to hope I get to keep her.
Unfortunately, things aren't going quite so smoothly with sorting out the issues that are aggrivating my anemia. Although, there is some potential progress in that area, even if the road I'm travelling is rather more bumpy, if you know what I mean.
I ended up making another trip in to A and E in the early hours of April 28th. I went because of what happened with the bleeding.
For those who don't know: my bleeding has been bad since I first started my periods, but I used to have breaks in between. Even then it was an issue, so I've been seeing doctors about it since I was still in primary school, and having to take time off school during my heavier days. But these days it's worse, because I'm always bleeding. As in, have a non-stop period. Sometimes it's heavy, sometimes it's light. The point is, there's always blood.
Lately, my bleeding's been really bad. Even worse than it used to be, I mean. Bad enough that I'm getting circulation issues that are causing me to lose feeling in my feet. At first it only happened when I sat in certain positions for too long, but now it happens at random times. It happened as I was getting out of the bath a couple of times, for example. I also keep getting so dizzy that some days I can't even sit up for long because of it. After I nearly fell because of the, "Can't feel my feet," issue a few times, I decided I should make a trip back to A and E, which is what I did in the early hours of the morning of April 28th.
Of course, the moment I got there, the bleeding slackened off. That keeps happening, so they keep missing out on seeing the bleeding at its worse. It's really frustrating. Still, it was heavy enough that when they went to try and send me home with pills again without doing anything more (since my iron level was high enough that I didn't need a blood transfusion during that visit, even if it was only just) showing them what light bleeding for me is like was enough to get them to accept it might be an idea to do more. They still weren't as helpful as I'd have liked, but it was progress.
Despite the fact they agreed to do more in the long-term, they still sent me home with some of the pills I've had a hundred times before, and the pills still did nothing, as I'd expected would be the case. But they also gave me an appointment for an emergency scan, which I had on May 2nd, and while I was there for that they got a better demonstration of my bleeding. It still wasn't my heaviest bleeding, but it was enough to have the nurses needing to mop up a lot of blood, and show them I wasn't kidding when I said what I call light bleeding and what they do are two different things.
Anyway, I didn't expect the scan to show anything, because I've had several scans over the years, and my scans are usually clear. So I was expecting to have to fight to get them to do anything. But this time it looks like I'm having issues with polyps and possible fibroids, so they want me seen by a new gynecologist as soon as possible.
Fair play to them, they tried to actually make me an appointment while I was there, but the clinic refused to let them without my doctor referring me. So I had to call my doctor and ask for an emergency referral. They wrote to him too, because they wanted to make sure he knew it was an emergency case. I was pleased about that, since it helps my case.
Kelly's seen our new doctor, and says he's a nice guy who listens to you. I ended up talking to one of the other doctors from the surgery instead of my own new doctor though, because I couldn't get to talk to my own. They'd told me the first day I called that I could if I called first thing in the morning, but when I did they said he was already booked up. Bearing in mind, I called as soon as they opened. I was a bit annoyed about that... Why tell me I can get to talk to him if I can't? But at least I could get to speak to a doctor, I suppose. Plus, the doctor actually listened to me when I explained the situation, which makes a nice change. Looks like my surgery got some better doctors.
If you're wondering: the reason I didn't make an appointment for a future day instead is that our doctor is booked up for the next couple of weeks apart from potential call slots if you call early enough in the morning. Plus, I wanted to just do a phonecall, since the bleeding makes going out a lot of hastle and stress for me. Made worse by the fact I'm blind, and have to rely on others to take me places, make sure I'm not covered in blood, etc. So, I decided to just accept a call from one of the other doctors, since it would get things done more quickly, and there wasn't really a valid reason why I couldn't talk to one of them instead. So, since I'd be dealing with another doctor anyhow, it was easier for me to just accept a call from one, which is what I did on May 4th.
I've told them I've had enough and want a hysterectomy.
I said it to the doctors and nurses when I was at the hospital (both on April 28th, and on May 2nd) and I said it again to the doctor on the phone too.
I've told them this before, but I'm now five years older, and have the issues with polyps and fibroids to add to the hormonal issues I was already dealing with. Their arguments before were about the risks of surgery (especially on someone overweight and asthmatic) and me still being young enough to have children. But those arguments no longer carry as much weight now that I'm almost in to my mid 30s, my scan is no longer clear, and my quality of life is starting to suffer enough that I'm at risk if left as I am. I also pointed out that I'm essentially needing constant babysitting because I can't see to be sure I've cleaned up all the blood. Not to mention, I'm in constant pain from stomach cramps, and the dehydration caused by the amount of blood loss can't be good for my kidneys (which are already not as good as they should be). So I'm hoping I'll have better luck this time around. I feel like I was having better luck with the doctor this time, so I'm crossing my fingers the same holds true when I see the gynecologist.
Considering I once longed for children, it probably seems strange for me to be pushing for something like this. But we tried for children, and failed to get any. The hormonal issues made the chances I'd have any so slim I'd resigned myself to not having any a little over five years ago, and the presence of polyps and fibroids decreases the already low chances even more. So, as far as I'm concerned, the ship has sailed on that particular potential future. Now the main thing is to make the bleeding go away, try and get my anemia under control before something really bad happens - which will be easier without the bleeding - and give myself a chance at improving my quality of life while I'm still young enough to appreciate and enjoy it.
Anyway, the doctor said he would organize my referral letter. In fact, it should have been sorted last week. I'm just waiting for my appointment, which should be happening some time between now and the end of the month, but I don't know when it will be at the time I'm writing this post. I should hear when it is any day now though. Once I know for sure what's going to happen, I'll let you know. As I said, I'm crossing my fingers for a result that will finally let me see an end to this issue, even if it means a guaranteed end to the chances of me being a Mother.
