Coloring Eggs 17

Katherine bought this fancy-shmancy egg color kit with glitter and sequins, etc. We had a lot of fun with it last night.

Here is a closeup of Katherine's pretty  hand-drawn egg.

More health stuff

I have my CT-scan and Endoscopy reports. I admit I don't understand 99% of what they say, but I do understand "no immediate complications," which makes me wonder why I need a consult with another doctor, let alone one all the way in NYC.

We are going to see a doctor right here on Long Island this Friday. We'll see what she says.

Meantime, it is GORGEOUS outside. Spring has finally sprung--it's in the 60s.

At least all this stomach stuff didn't happen in the dead of winter.

Helicopter Badge

Got this badge from FitBit, which means I have climbed 500 stairs, equivalent of how high a helicopter goes, I think:

They consider 10 feet a flight of stairs, so that would be 5,000 feet.

Also, I had to wear a belt yesterday when I was walking Julie. Not quite ready to go down a size in shopping, but getting there!

Losing weight and having more energy because of the FitBit helps counteract all the damned health/stomach issues I have had lately.

Endiscopy

Writing this five days after the fact...

So, besides the hiatal hernia, I have an ulcer. No more aspirin (not even the coated kind) or Nsaids. Good luck making my back feel better on Tylenol, but it is currently my only choice.

Dr. G wants me to see a specialist in NYC, but we said we will find someone more local. He did not see a twist in my stomach but I guess it is a concern. Either that, or he's the doom-and-gloom type. All I know is there is not f-ing way I'm going to the city, a two hour trip that is a big hassle and includes many subway changes or a lot of walking. You can't tell me there isn't a good doctor here on LI I can see if necessary. We aren't a backwater area.

Mike has a friend who had stomach cancer who asked his doctor, and I was given another name. Now I am waiting for them to send me the endoscopy report so I can schedule a consult with this guy.

I have doubled up on my omeprazole and it is really helping me. I feel much, much better. I have taken Julie for a walk several times and put in over 6,000 steps a day. (Yesterday I hit nearly 9,000!) I try not to think of the stomach twist thing, which can be fatal. Mostly because a)I feel better and b)it is very, very, very rare. Honestly, if I did think about it too much it would give me another f-ing ulcer.

(Next time, I'm putting the 'uck' in 'f-ing.')

I have to be very careful what and how much I eat, which means a lot of tiny meals. One egg, for example. I read that yogurt and honey are good for ulcers so I eat that.

On the good note, I finally had my eyes checked and should get my glasses this week. At least I will have them before we go to Ohio later in the month.

Back to the doctor

I went back to the doctor today and was sent down to Dr. G's office. Fortunately, I was seen pretty quickly.

Unfortunately, I not only have a hiatal hernia, but my stomach is twisting. If it gets really bad I will have to have surgery. I hope that doesn't happen. It's very scary and I don't want to think about it.

I am having an endoscopy tomorrow morning. Again, if I have to do this I'm happy it is quick. It's the same Dr. who took care of me when I was very sick years ago. 

I have to have only clear liquids today and nothing after midnight. I'm okay with that. I don't feel much like eating anyway. The nurse told me it is okay to take Ambien, so I might just do that to sleep through until I have to get up in the morning. 

The good news is I've lost about 16 pounds since I got my FitBit. Some of that is from not eating much this past week, but I think most is legitimate. I don't smoke, rarely drink, and try to eat right. And stuff like this still fucking happens. I hate life.

Doctor visit

I woke up with such stomach pain this morning I decided to drive myself to the walk-in clinic where I see my doctor. She was not in but another really nice doctor was. He sent me to have a CT scan of my abdomen.

I actually had to go home and wait for approval, then drink a quart of this semi-weird tasting stuff. I was back by 10:30 a.m. They did a  quick blood test to make sure I could take the 'contrast,' which is given by injection.

The contrast makes you feel really weird. You feel hot, get a strange metallic taste in your mouth and feel like you peed when you didn't. They warn you, lol.

The whole process was pretty quick and definitely painless. The weird metallic taste kept making me think of grammar school. The tech said it reminds him of water fountains that used to be in the city. That was it--I was probably remembering the odd metallic taste of water from a school fountain. Funny what triggers your memories.

So, the diagnosis? I have a 'large hiatal hernia,' which means part of my esophagus is pushing up through the hiatal membrane. It explains a lot, like how I feel worst in the morning and progressively better through the day.

It was suggested I double up on the omeprazole I take every morning. I hope to God that helps. I will probably sleep sitting up in a chair for a few days, as lying down makes this worse. I just have to hope it doesn't kill my back.

I am TOO YOUNG to feel so crappy!

Damn

I feel everything is hitting me at once. Turns out I don't have a UTI, but what do I have? I still hurt. My stomach is still off, although I've managed to keep another headache at bay, thank God.

I get the second root canal taken care of Saturday, and pray that will be that. (It might be in two parts like the other one, but that's okay.)

The  not-UTI might be something more 'feminine' and I am way overdue to see a Gyn, but I don't have a car at the moment. I also want to get my eyes checked. I need new glasses before we head out to Ohio later in April.

RE: the car has been making funny noises and the engine light keeps coming on. We thought it was the gas at first but the tank has been emptied and refilled. So now it is at Erick's garage. I'm not sure when I'm getting it back. I hate driving but it is always nice to have the car available if I want/need to go someplace.

I'm hoping Mike will drop me off and pick me up Saturday morning, but if I get the car back with a clean bill of health, I guess I can drive myself. My appointment is at 9:15 a.m.!

Today, I'm trying to keep busy so I don't think how much my stomach hurts, but I can hardly eat. I get hungry, eat a cracker, then I'm 'full.' I hate this.