Walk MS:2011

I have been suffering with MS symptoms for about 5 years and was officially diagnosed on May 25, 2011. Everyday is a surprise, I never know what each day will bring. Some days I feel ok and others I struggle to function. I have now started doing injections three times a week that is supposed to slow down the progression of this disease. With taking these injections come the flu like symptoms afterwards, that's why I "Walk". For the days I can't remember what I did or said the day before, I "Walk". For the times that my legs fails me, I "Walk". For my family and my quality of life, I "Walk". Because there is no cure, I "Walk". Please help me and others like me to continue to "Walk".
My goal is to raise $1,000.00 before the Walk on September 18. Being diagnosed with MS has changed my life and my family's lives forever. There is NO cure for MS, that's why your donations are so important. The more money raised for the National MS Society, the more research they can continue to do to find a cure for this debilitating disease.
 
So please, even if you are not doing the Walk, please find it in your heart to donate to Team Laws. Every little bit helps, so even if you can only afford $5, $10 or $20, it helps! Passing this message along to others on your friends list would also be helpful. Please donate at: Team Laws
With this disease it is so easy to throw in the towel, and that is the worst thing we can do. - Teri Garr

Tonsillectomy/Uvulectomy Recovery

Well this is the first day since my surgery that I have felt decent enough to spend anytime on the computer. It has been quite the roller coaster of pain and emotions.

Thursday 8/4/2011- “The Big Day”, we had to be at the surgery center by 11:15am , with a surgery time of 12:15pm. They took me back to have me change into my beautiful gown and put on my even more attractive surgical cap. Then the nurse did my IV to get some fluids going.  After she was all done with me she went out to tell Jeff, my sister Cari that they could come back and sit with me. To my surprise, Christine (Jeff’s cousins wife) who works at the Clinic came down to visit with us as well.

After all the different doctors came in to talk to us about the surgery, they finally shewed Jeff, Cari and Christine out and took me off to surgery. As I was laying there on the table, I was growing more and more anxious, I was so thankful when Dr. Feelgood, as I called him, came in to knock me out. (panic attack avoided)

After waking up, the nurse brought me two Percocet to take. I really wasn’t feeling to bad at this point. I was just very tired and so happy to see Jeff and Cari.

We didn’t hang out for much longer and headed home.

After arriving at home, I was starving! Believe it or not, I had very little pain and made scrambled eggs. Christine surprised me once again by showing up later that evening with popsicles. So lucky to be in the same family as her. I was still hungry around 10:00pm or so, decided it was PANCAKE TIME! It was delicious.

Friday-Monday- Still not feeling too bad, between liquid ibubrofen and liquid percocet, it was all very tolerable and I was thinking, “ Hey this isn’t too bad at all.” Aside of the severe hunger pains, Thursday through Monday was ok. I did however have to sleep in the recliner.

Tuesday- Oh Tuesday, what a nightmare you have brought me! So nauseous, and so much pain in my throat and ears. A day spent throwing up and on the verge of tears is NOT my idea of a good time. If someone would have offered to put me out of my misery, I probably would have taken them up on it. I think the only time I left the recliner was to go to the bathroom. At this point even water didn’t want to stay down.

Wednesday-Woke up feeling so much better, at least I was no longer nauseous. I can’t wait for the night when I can cuddle up with my husband in bed again and stay there for the whole night. Laying flat puts such pressure on my ears that I gave up sleeping in the bed days ago. Not that I really get to sleep anyway. I can’t go but 30-45 minutes at a time without hydrating, otherwise my throat and ears REALLY hurt. I can see areas in my throat that no longer have a scab on it and it is just raw and red, those are the areas that hurt the most right now. Forget anything cold at this point because it is like razor blades.

Thursday-Sunday-It’s been about the same, the pain comes in waves in my throat and ears. I have managed to eat a beef and cheddar from Arby’s Saturday, not and easy task to get it down but I needed some solid food.  I guess the worst has been that my ears are killing me. Last night I couldn’t even recline to sleep because the further back I went the worse the pain and pressure in my ears got. I really just don’t have the patience for this recovery shit. I want to be able to eat my favorite foods and guzzle a beverage. Sips of anything is a chore to get down. I still can’t do cold at all because it’s like flames going down. Now I know what a fire eater must feel like.

I know I shouldn’t be complaining, it could all be so much worse, but damn it, I have seemed to miss out on so much this week. I know all of this will be worth it in a few weeks once I am fully recovered. The fact that I am able to sleep in the recliner, being flat on my back says a lot. Before, I would be waking myself up gasping for air from my throat blocking off my air supply. I am looking forward to that first pain free night of cuddling with my wonderful husband and sleeping like a baby,  ALL night !

Rebif

I received my Rebif today through Fed Ex and shortly after that I received a phone call from Rose, one of the Nurses from Rebif. We scheduled for her to come out for a home visit on Monday at 8:00pm. I know that seems late but they say it’s better to take your doses closer to bedtime because of the flu like symptoms that may occur.

I will be injecting, or should I say, Jeff will be injecting me, Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Friday’s. I just hope that it doesn’t burn like some of the other injections I have used in the past.

Day Two Post Op

So it’s day two post tonsillectomy/uvulectomy and I’m feeling pretty good. My throat isn’t really sore at all, I’m rather annoyed by the swelling of the uvula area. If that’s as bad as it get’s then I can’t complain at all. I haven’t been sleeping well because of the swelling, but I have been able to eat scrambled eggs, pancakes and mac n cheese so at least I’m not starving. Drinking on the other hand has proved to be a bit challenging. It feels like it is trying to go up my nose, lol.

I’m sure the fact that I have been keeping up with my meds has made a tremendous difference. I can take my Ibuprofen and Roxicet (liquid Percocet) every four hours so I take the Roxicet and 2 hours after that I take the Ibubrofen. So every two hours I am taking meds, plus my amoxicillin every 12. I feel like that’s all I do is take meds.

I thought about posting a photo with this blog but I figured you all didn’t want to be grossed out by the disgusting gunk in the back of my throat. Apparently my tonsils were quite large according to what the doctor said and according to the gigantic holes in the back of my throat. All and all I am doing good so far, keep your fingers crossed for me .

Bye bye tonsils, Oy Vey!

Well I guess Thursday is the big day, I am getting my tonsils removed and my uvula shortened. I know, it sounds like way too much fun. I’m not looking forward to it at all. I am terrified of the pain afterwards, but I am hoping that in the long run it will fix my breathing and swallowing issues, especially when I’m sleeping. We went back and forth about whether or not I should have it done, mainly because of finances. Like I don’t already have enough medical bills. It was piling up before all of the testing for MS, why not add more to it? Oh health insurance, why do you suck so?

I get the feeling that there won’t be enough popsicles and sherbet to make me feel better.  I hear that this is a very painful surgery for adults, so am I thrilled to have it done? Absolutely not! So don’t be surprised when you all have to listen to me bitch and moan for a few weeks. My poor husband, I guess this will prove just how much he loves me, lol.