Spent Friday doc hopping.
GI follow up to learn the polyp was a fundic polyp likely from GERD med use. Which is pretty much what the internet told me (and yes, I know, I was whigging out good about the growths, the growths of doom! So sue me.)
No signs of Barrett's, which is great news. Doc says science isn't sure if GERD meds prevent Barrett's or not, but, comparing my experience with my parent--20 years of nothing vs. 20 years of GERD meds--I have to say the meds seem to be winning.
If I get brave, I can have the surgery to tighten the sphincter if I want extra insulation from Barrett's. Which sounds like a nice idea, but I'll hold off until the adrenal demons are done with me.
Oh, and no more scopes. The post-op nurse must've been reading someone else's file because I do not need a colonoscopy. Or any endoscopies in the near future. Just lots and lots of Nexium and I'm good.
Then off for the ankle x-ray. When I woke up Friday morning, I could not put any weight on it for several hours. Between alternating doses of Motrin and Tylenol, plus a wrap and a shoe, I was able to put more weight on it, but not walk. Eventually the joint went numb which was a blessing.
Xrays didn't show a break, but I was put in an air cast because of the sprain. That has actually been very helpful. I didn't realize how much help just stabilizing the joint would be. You would not even guess that I had seriously considered picking up some crutches at one point, that's how great the air cast is. I even stumped around Target for a bit because I forgot it was Black Friday (thankfully, it was later and everyone had already been trampled to death). Hopefully it will heal quickly.
By the way, did you know they sell air casts to just anyone at drugstores? I could've saved myself a lot of time and money if I'd known that! Instead I took the two hour route to a prescription for one, which I didn't even need!
Note to self: Check the drugstores before the doctor's office next time.
Oh and if you want to make a doctor laugh, wrap your ace bandage too tight over your Santa socks so that your whole foot is covered with imprints of Santa.
Energy wise, Friday was the best day yet. A little tired but definitely 80% good and only 20% tired. I'll take it! Eating was finally more normal. Took only 15mg. Serious thumbs up.
I really think the family drama on Tday was pulling me down as Thursday was horrid. Really horrid.
And no, I didn't find the ankle stressful at all. I'm sure physically it was, but I had no emotional whig out about it. Broken bones that don't break skin do not worry me. At all. I've broken this particular ankle twice before, once doing almost exactly what happened on Tday. Plus I broke a rib and my arm twice.
Yes, I am a walking disaster.
The point is, breaks hurt, but they are not life or death. Sometimes there's nothing they can do anyway. Like with the rib.
I also remember the time the toddler put her hand in the car door as I was slamming it shut. The door latched around her fingers. I gave her a hug, checked her fingers and took her to lunch as planned while calling the doc to set up the x-rays. The mommy friends with us were horrified and I think they thought it was weird that I didn't freak out.
Do you know some of them avoided me after that incident? Look, she needed to eat if we were going to spend hours getting x-rays. Eating also distracted her from the pain, plus she got a happy meal toy, which, same thing. And, no I will not be running in circled and flapping my hands like a decapitated chicken. That doesn't help the toddler. Medical care was delayed like an hour. Oh the horror! Call CPS!
So that's how I handle suspected broken bones. Unless my femur is in pieces sticking out of my leg with copious amounts of blood, it is a non-event.
Maybe someday this adrenal unpleasantness with be a non-event too.
Except, I still flip out about blood. Not so much mine, but the toddler's. Gasping in horror and everything. I know it's not serious, but my baby bleeding makes me go DEFCON 5. So there may be no hope for me.
Diagnostic Tests to Reassure Patients
4 days ago
PS: I remember getting a comment on the toddler when that happened that eating would be bad if she needed surgery.
ReplyDeleteI knew she wasn't going to need surgery and she didn't. I also knew we'd be dealing with doctors and xrays for hours on end anyway. She also stopped crying well enough that I was thinking possibly nothing was broken (it wasn't) but I had to check because a car door latching around your kid's entire hand is just an automatic xray in my book.
M
LOL about the mommies' horror at your callous treatment! I think your reaction was the best one. Got her taken care of and yeah, the eating thing is a big deal (speaking as someone who had hypoglycemic episodes all through childhood). Plus, freaking out can't help the kid. They are hurt and scared because of the pain, and adding a panicking parent, who is supposed to make it all better, is only going to make them more scared. I speak from experience, having had my dad shut my hand in the (locked) car door once - accidentally. My dad wasn't a jerk about it (he was a jerk about a lot of things) but he didn't lose his mind over it either. He quickly unlocked the door and freed my hand...had he panicked and messed about, I'm pretty sure I would have felt a lot more traumatized.
ReplyDeleteGlad your ankle isn't broken. And good tip on the air cast.