I was awakened, after being asleep less than 2 hours, by hearing the words: “Ow!, Ow!. Ow!”. Imagine my surprise when I realized the words were coming out of my own mouth. Suddenly I realized just how much pain I was in. My head was at an odd angle and my neck was screaming with pain, my head was throbbing, and my stomach and bladder were causing extreme discomfort. As I hobbled to the bathroom I found the words, “Ow!….” continuing to come from my mouth. (Funny thing, I can’t really hear me say it, but when I woke up it really did sound as if the words were coming from outside my body….strange how deafness works sometimes.)
I stretched my neck and put ice on it and it felt much better, my head was also starting to ease some. The pain in my bladder and stomach were a different story. My stomach literally felt like it was being eaten from the inside out. Over production of acid is not a pleasant feeling. I tried to eat a little something to calm the pain down, I took extra medication for my acid reflux, but it takes time to work. I’ve never had it so bad before, I could not touch my stomach without it causing more pain. I would love to have been able to take Maalox, it was always my go-to fix when my stomach was acting like this, but unfortunately I haven’t been able to find Maalox or any medication like it that I can take, they all have something that will cause my fructose malabsorption to attack. I’m happy to report after a couple of days of a pretty bland diet, and extra acid reflux medication, my stomach is once again pain free…..for now. I do try hard to not eat anything that will cause excess acid production, and I don’t think I did eat anything offending before this, however, stress can also cause excess acid production, and the pain from my bladder was causing me much stress.
When I first saw the doctor here I was having pain in my bladder and she tested my urine and found nothing, I have an irritable bladder and we decided it was just spasming. So when this pain started I thought it may be the same. Unfortunately, this pain kept getting worse and worse. Every time I moved it hurt. Sitting was very painful, so was walking. I’m sure everyone who’s ever had a UTI will also know that I was having to go more than usual, but couldn’t urinate once I got in the bathroom…and it was very painful. All of this started on Sunday, the 3rd, I had just finished my antibiotics and steroids for the bronchitis 2 days before. I couldn’t believe I had an infection again. I upped my already large amount of water I drink, trying hard to flush things out. By Thursday, the 7th, I was convinced it wasn’t irritable bladder talking, something was wrong. So off to see the doctor again. Unfortunately, the doctor I’ve seen before is out on medical leave. (I hope she is alright, I mentioned before that she had pneumonia last month, so I’m a bit concerned.) I saw another doctor in the office. Not someone I really want to see again I felt like he talked down to me, as if I was not able to understand things. Stuart thinks I’m a bit too sensitive, and maybe I am, but this visit started off wrong (and Stuart later told me that he didn’t have a good feeling about this doctor either). I told the doctor I have profound hearing loss and could not hear him. He raised his voice a little, but didn’t look at me when he was talking, it didn’t help when I did see his mouth as he had a lot of facial hair and I couldn’t see his lips well enough. I had to rely on Stuart to tell me what was going on. He asked if I’d been running a fever, I explained that my normal temperature is 97.4F, and it has been around 99F recently. He said, that’s not a fever, everyone fluctuates. (Then why ask me??) I told him about just finishing antibiotics and just couldn’t believe I had an infection so fast….he says that antibiotics don’t stop you from getting something else….but it was the way he said it, as if what I said was stupid. I never said they did, I am just overwhelmed that I’ve been sick so much recently. I asked him about a medication I have for irritable bladder that is expired and wanted to know if I should get a new prescription….he went into this long tirade about how medicines don’t explode after the expiration date, and how there have been studies that medication that hasn’t been opened is good for years after the expiration date. I was so confused at how he was talking to me….and yes I heard most of that. I told him that I know different chemicals have different half-lives, and I didn’t know the half-life of this medication. Well he just went on and on about how drugs are not food and they don’t just lose it because of the expiration date.
He did examine me, but I didn’t feel that he listened to me very much. That’s ok, I talk too much when I’m nervous anyway. He told me my urinalysis was negative, but that could be because I was drinking so much water it caused it to dilute the urine too much. He said I had all the classic symptoms of a Urinary Tract and Bladder infection so he was going to treat me for it. He gave me an antibiotic specifically used to treat this type of infection, and told me if I wasn’t better in 48 hours to call the doctor on call or I could wait until Monday and call him. Yeah, that’s not going to happen if I can help it. I’m feeling better. Not well, but better.
On another note….I’m so very proud of myself today!! I took a bath by myself! I even washed my hair! I haven’t taken a bath or washed my hair without Stuart’s help in a very, very long time. I’m thinking over a year. Don’t worry I wasn’t being irresponsible. Stuart was in the house and on alert for my call. He also just couldn’t stay away the whole time and came in to check on me. But I did fine. A little wobbly, but that often happens with temperature changes (cool room, hot water). Or it just happens any time….heck most of the time…so I’m getting pretty used to it and how to handle it. Being extra cautious, have hand holds, non-slip surface under my feet…..
(at this point I got too hot while writing this and started to feel funny, so I had to put it down. Today, Tuesday February 12th, is the first day I’ve felt like coming back to the computer. I think I’ll end this post here If I start where I left off I’ll be writing another VERY long post….so I’ll have to write more soon)
Picnic with Ants 
Awe Wendy, always something to content with!!
Sure don’t like the sounds of that doctor, and don’t balme you one bit for not wanting to see him again!! I would not either.
Light and love!!
Katie
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I won’t see him again! Luckily my doc is back in the office if I need….which I did. I now have thrush in my throat and mouth because of all the antibiotics and steroids…guess I need to write another post.
Hope you are doing well….heck…how are you?
love
w
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*contend not content lol
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Not like doctor, love you all xo
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Lisa,
love you too my dear!
Thank you for the Valentine’s Wishes. It was very nice.
We’ll be home first week of April at the latest!
smooches
wendy
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Oh Wendy! What a drag….if its not one thing it’s another. Drat chronic illness and what an idiot doctor. That drives me crazy when doctors talk down to me. I’m not stupid..I’m sick and I can’t hear very well! Make a point never to see him again!
I’m glad you are feeling better with the mess though. Hang in there!
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Deb, Finally I am feeling better. But having vertigo more often…but it’s slow, so I can handle it. I was thinking, just a year or so ago, even this slow vertigo would completely freak me out and I’d be in a state of utter terror. Now, I can breath through it….and I tell myself I’m in a car that’s why I feel like I’m moving. Funny sounding but it works. (unless it gets too fast, then all bets are off!)
saw you are not feeling well again.
I hope you will get through this soon.
I’m thinking of you daily and sending healing, calming thoughts your way. and yes, I’m worried about you.
love
w
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Meds….not mess…!!
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Just what you needed — an idiot doctor! Why is the substitute usually such a pain! (oops, bad pun).
Really hope you start to feel better.
And congrats on your personal care successes.
Take good care (((((hugs)))))
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Phylor,
thank you for checking on me.
I will never see that doctor again…ever! I’ll go to the ER first.
Oh…a bath. That’s a good idea, think I’ll do that right now.
{{{hugs}}}
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that’s so great you were able to take a bath by yourself! i understand what a challenge that can be. it’s so wonderful when we gain little bits of independence back!
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Lindsey,
I don’t know how often I’ll be able to take a bath on my own, but it felt good. I know I won’t do it without Stuart home.
I do hope it’s a sign of things turning around.
thank you.
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I hate rude doctors. My Mom had one and I would be just as rude back, my Mom was always mortified! As far as the peeing and how bad it hurts….this is going to sound really weird but, someone told me once to put a few inches of water in the tub, and when you have to pee and you know it is going to hurt, sit in the water. It worked! The warm water somehow took the sting out of it. Yes, I know you are sitting in pee-pee water for awhile, but what the hell, if it works. I know you can’t move quick enough to get yourself in the tub, but if Stuart is there? I have been reading when you post, but too yucky feeling to do many comments. I didn’t forget about you. (have you ever tried http://www.sea-band.com/ for the nausea. They help me. Just an idea.
mo
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Hi Wendy, I hope you are feeling a bit better. I’m sorry to hear about your experience with this doctor. It’s very demeaning and frustrating … one more stressor when you’re not feeling well. Make sure you don’t see him again. Go with your gut. If you don’t like him, don’t return. Find someone else. Are you still in Arizona?
It’s difficult when you have such a complex history to build trust with someone who is NOT listening. Chronic illness is difficult for most to understand, unless they’ve been there. What is most important is your health and whether this doctor was able to help you. If he didn’t you are wasting your time and energy.
I’ve been thinking of you, but I’m so far behind on reading. You understand it. I have this visual of a physician mumbling words with a covered beard and shouting which never helps with hearing loss. How ignorant is that?
Are you staying with your in-laws or at another place? I think you mentioned it before but I don’t recall. Have you been able to do anything special while away?
Take care and stay safe, Edie
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Edie, Your vision of that doctor is absolutely right! And imagine his being short, skinny, and wearing a bolero. Don’t worry I won’t see him again. I’m hoping to not see anyone again.
I’m enjoying the weather. We did have a snow day…but it was gone by morning. Just the way I like it, very pretty and fluffy and gone in a hurry!
We haven’t done anything special, we are hoping to go one place….we want to visit where we got married. It’s in a national part, in the ruins of an old mission. A beautiful and magical place. We are staying in Stuart’s father’s house. He got married last year and he’s living with his wife., but he keeps an office here that he works in…with no set schedule (that really drives me crazy…he’ll call and say, I’ll be there in 1/2 hour and my secretary is coming too. And she brings her mother who has Alzheimers. so it’s the same conversation every time you see her. Today I had a vertigo spell, and ended up sleeping through the visit. Yay!
Don’t worry about keeping up. I am so behind. I just can’t look at the computer for long…much different than it used to be. You may find this interesting. You know I have Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (a “psuedo brain tumor”)…well I’ve been having an interesting symptom…I keep smelling things that aren’t there. I’m thinking my pressure may be a bit high, they reduced my meds, but i think it needs to go back up. So strange, I smell cigarette smoke, flowers…specifically carnations….certain things cooking…and no one is cooking. It only happens once in a while, but isn’t it weird?
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