Later that night around 1am when they came in to check my heartrate and temp, the nurse saw my swollen face and said "Douglas, wake up--I alerted the doctor you have a high temperature and one side of your face is swollen, were you stung earlier? Do you have a food allergy?" I said no, I've been dealing with a long covid relapse since mid-August and this happens every night. She later returned with a naproxen to reduce the inflammation and I said "Can I just have some regular aspirin? Naproxen interferes with the Amlodipine I take at night for my high blood pressure." Cathy (the nurse) said "You're not doing too well, are you? Hang in there!"
Since coming home, I've been dealing with a sore stomach and then a couple nights ago, some pretty severe bloating. Very painful on the right side (hence the hot water bottle is always with me) plus I am out of breath--constantly. It's really pushing on my lungs.
I am still feeling fortunate though--I was supposed to visit my friend Carl at the hardware store on Saturday to get help in retrieving data from my recently croaked laptop, but he called Friday morning and asked if I could come in a day sooner as Mitchell was there, and this was REALLY his thing. I said of course, and Mitchell was a great guy--I brought along a couple flash drives and we were able to get the rest of my files off my old Toshiba.
On my way home, I stopped at my barbershop and gave my barber Roe (who is also suffering with plantar fasciitis) a foot roller like the one pictured above. I then stopped in my dentists office and canceled my next appointment on Oct 13, got back home just in time for my stomach to begin its crazy bloating thing. I laid in bed Friday night, unable to turn on either side it hurt so bad. God, what did I ever do to you?
It was no better on Saturday, in fact the pain was worse; at least it kept me from stuffing myself (which I am prone to do every weekend), all I wound up having was a bowl of hot & sour soup and some applesauce. I had this bloating several years ago (also after a gallstone mishap) and it lasted 3-4 weeks before it fully went away.
I haven't been to the senior center since mid-August, they've probably forgotten all about me (and I wouldn't blame 'em, I'd forget myself too). I'm just amazed at this series of unfortunate events. At the same time, I am liking my new computer and my feet are finally showing some real healing--still too painful to walk about barefoot, but I can stand in the shower longer and they're not in great pain in the mornings.
I've also been doing good at sticking to my healthier eating (you'll see in my next post) and the orofacial pain (from that horrific dental visit 4 weeks ago) is finally dying down too. Now I just have to get this awful bloating to settle down and pray nothing else goes wrong--for a couple of weeks at least!
One more thing, I know my posts have been a real drag lately, and I'm always surprised when kind folk and online friends show up to offer their friendship & support. Thank you, and I'm going to try harder to talk about things beside my health in the future.
Dug, long covid by itself is enough to deal with... but it's been one thing after another for you. I can only believe that you have a lot of inner strength as I find that I can only deal with one thing at a time without finding myself overly stressed. And from this post, I'm very glad that you are aware of what you can take or not take when taking other meds. And your posts are never 'a drag'... when things are not going well (or even when they are) IMO it's always good to share. And sometimes other readers have advice you've not heard before...
ReplyDeleteThank you Rian, I always appreciate your feedback. And you're right, I have gotten some very good advice on here. 🙂
DeleteDoug, your posts are NEVER a drag. All us old folks have aches and pains and "stuff" that happens to us. You write about your continual battles with a real sense of humor, and I am so glad whenever I read your posts to find out how you're doing right this minute. Don't stop, okay? Keep 'em coming, friend.
ReplyDeleteWell, this just made my day. Thank you very much DJan, I appreciated this a lot. 🙂
DeleteDuuuude! Not a drag, just the facts. Hope the hospital updated your records about what drugs you are taking, and what drugs to not administer. They should know that stuff. Glad you could tell them. I cheer every time I see a glimmer of positive change for you. And I have that same foot roller for the same reason. Good luck with the healthier eating. Aw man, I need to back up my computer….Olivia
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chuckle Olivia, and yes back up that computer! 🙂
DeleteHearing about your health is not a drag. Listening to the latest from orange whacko, now that's a drag!😬 Can't wait for the healthy eating post cause I'm a sugar addict.😉
ReplyDeleteBobi...you’re a hoot and I love ya 🙂
DeleteOne of the many reasons we're friends is that you write honestly and about what's happening in your world, never with self-pity or whining, but with realism and hope. You would have every right to be raging over this series of very unfortunate events, yet you take one step at a time. Painful step! We care about you, Doug! Speaking of drags, I'm sure people wanted to strangle me over my ranting over the Typepad to WordPress transfer--such a small thing to get worked up over. Story of my life!
ReplyDeleteMargaret, thank you very much I'm so glad we're friends. 🙂 And no, no one wanted to strangle you! I read every migration post with bated breath, hoping you would not give up! You make everything interesting to read too.
DeleteBlog friends stick together in good times and bad times. I am heartened that your feet are improving, that the bloating is a familiar side effect of the healing in your liver, and that the pain from your dental procedure is lessening too.
ReplyDeleteThey saved the files from your computer! Now that is a miracle. And how nice to think of your barber. I thought I had planter fasciitis once but it was obviously something else since I was in no where near the pain you are suffering.
Don't ever feel like we don't want to hear how you are doing.
Miss Merry, this was so kind of you to write all this out but I still felt guilty reading all of it! Good grief I share way too much on here! But you are very kind, you know I just think the world of you. Thank you. ❤️
DeleteYou have a lot going on right now. It would be strange if you DIDN'T write about you. This has been a very long stretch of sucky stuff. Hope it ends sometime very soon!
ReplyDeleteDebby, I think it's awesome how you always take the time to read my blog given how busy and popular your own is. Thank you so much, you're a good soul. 🙂
DeleteI’m glad I don’t have your foot problem because around the house I always go barefoot in spring, summer and autumn – I wear thick socks in winter. I really like going barefoot.
ReplyDeleteI put that down to growing up in a small country town where I went barefoot most of the time. After all we were in the dividing line between the Little Desert to the south and the Big Desert to the north (they weren’t very creative in naming deserts in my neck of the woods).
I also played tennis barefoot. In spite of the deserts, all the tennis courts in town were grass courts. There was one (well, three actually) across the road from where I lived. Of course, in summer, walking across the road was a trial (oo, aah, hot), but it was a minor road so quickly crossed.
So, keep blogging about anything that catches your fancy. I know that your regular readers don’t mind what you say. And I’ll find a minor topic where I can go off on a tangent and waffle on at inordinate length about bugger all – just like this one.
Peter as much as I've always gone barefoot too, I've never heard of anyone playing tennis barefoot! Anyway, I always enjoy reading how you relate to the stuff I write about, and I'm glad we're friends. Thanks for what you said here, Music Man :^)
DeleteI only played barefoot on grass courts.
DeleteI tried it once on en-tout-cas (the surface the French Open is played on) and only lasted a game. I quickly changed into my tennis shoes.
As for hard courts, much too hot for my tootsies.
Thanks for clearing that up Peter. Hey I hope the AM is doing well. :^)
DeleteDoug, you keep writing about whatever is one your mind—regardless. I know I, for one, will keep reading and wishing for your wellbeing. Remember, blogging fulfills a need within the blogger just as much (or more) than it does for the reader. We’re here for you.
ReplyDeleteDon, you're such a kind person--thank you my friend, much appreciated. :^)
DeleteIt would be so good if you could find some really good medical help for all of this. Your hospital stay seemed to have good people looking out for you, and yet they let you go, without providing further assistance??? I am a bit aghast that none of the doctors have followed up and made sure you are properly recovering, which it sounds like you are not.
ReplyDeleteThanks dkzody, I've been keeping silent about what you wrote here but in all honesty I feel just the same way. Very little faith (or trust) with the medical side of things here. I'd rather steer clear of them unless I get an injury, or something precise & severe like appendicitis or cancer.
DeleteYour health is and should be at this time, so don't feel the need to apologize for the content. The nurse was correct when she said you weren't doing well. It's like everything is hitting at once!
ReplyDeleteGlad you were able to retrieve all of your files. A positive note of the week.
Thank you Maebeme, I'm very glad I know you. :^)
DeleteIt's been a while, and I'm sad to hear about all your health issues. Hope things improve, and quickly. I'm dealing with a little sciatica myself, but physical therapy seems to help some. Take care.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tom, sure miss you around these parts. You're still on my blogroll, awaiting a comeback. I am sorry about your sciatica, my friend Evvie has that as well and also gets physical therapy for it.
DeleteI can't decide if it was good that the nurse was alert and noticing or unfortunate that she didn't have a solution to all your problems in her back pocket. And what happened to follow up after a hospital visit? I guess I was fortunate in my doctor when I needed it! Plus of course no mystery ailment like you are cursed with.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Ceci
Thanks Ceci, I just spoke to my GP this afternoon (he called me), I guess he got an alert I was in the hospital--he asked how I was feeling, wanted to know when I was coming in for another examination. Not anytime soon, to be honest. I just don't have a lot of faith right now in the medical biz.
DeleteI get it, you are not happy with the care you have received, BUT you have got to be the squeaky wheel here. You have got to campaign for your good health, not just treat the bad health. Please explain to your doctor (yes, go to see him) how you want to feel and how you want to live your life, and ask for his help to do that. We patients must be pushy to get the good health care we need. The doctors are overwhelmed and if they think they can push you off with a pill or two, they will do it.
DeleteThanks for the pep talk dkzody, much appreciated.
Delete