Another visit to the Emergency Room

First of all, I want to say that I respect doctors, and their medical knowledge. I respect the years they spent learning and specializing, and the fact that - medically- they know significantly more than I do.

My husband was in the ER Saturday night. We have been in a battle with the PA at his neurologist's office because we felt his meds were too high. The first time we went in, we weren't sure exactly what was wrong, and the PA increased the meds. We weren't happy, but he knows what he's doing, right? The second time we went in, we told the PA we felt the problem was that he was over-medicated and wanted Selo to be taken off the dilantin. The PA started him on a different medication, and said once the levels were stable with that one he would start slowly weaning Selo off the dilantin (a process he said would take a minimum of four months). Again, we weren't happy, but at least there was a goal this time.

Last weekend, things got so bad, we went to the ER. Selo was non-responsive, slurring his words, had blurry vision, dizzy, couldn't walk from one room to the other by himself, and was having trouble breathing that wasn't corrected by his inhaler. After 7 hours, an MRI, EKG, and lots of blood work, they found that the dilantin level in his blood was so high it was toxic. He was being over dosed with his seizure medicine.

The ER doctor- who DID listen to me and take me seriously- told Selo (well, told me, since Selo was out of it and I keep track of his meds as closely as he does) to have him skip Sunday's dose, and call the dr on Monday to find out what to do from there. Yesterday, Selo woke up feeling better, and was showing improvements.

This morning, I called the neurologist's office. The receptionist said she couldn't get the neurologist on the phone, couldn't talk to him, and couldn't set an appt with him. The office manager was out of the office, so she couldn't get permission to do anything. After her very unhelpful speech about her NOT doing anything, I pretty much gave her all my anger and frustrations. She said that either she or someone else would call me back by four o'clock with answers to my questions- all of them.

Thankfully, I did receive a call. Selo is to not take anything today, take a partial dose tomorrow, and we have an appt with the neurologist (not the PA, but the actual neurologist) tomorrow at four o'clock. And the person that called me back was knowledgeable, kind, and answered every question I had.

Now, like I said before, I respect the PA's medical knowledge. I respect the fact that he went to school, studied and learned, and is probably good at what he does. However, when we have gone in there several times telling him something is wrong, and then still end up in the ER for the very thing that he was told was wrong, I am NOT a happy wife. I am furious. This is my husband's health. And not just a bump or a booboo. This is serious stuff. I am ticked off that we had to go to the ER before getting help, when we had three appointments in two months to get help for this. And I'm ticked that my husband has to live this way because the PA decided not to take us seriously and make some changes. I am hoping that tomorrow when we see the neurologist he will be more sensitive and know that although I don't know the medical ins and outs of the brain and seizures, I do know my husband and I know when something is wrong. This is the last chance this office has. If we don't feel comfortable walking out tomorrow, we will find a new neurologist.

Dealing with crisis

Yesterday was a bad day for my family. All sides of my family. Every time I called another family member, I found out more bad news.

First, my step-mother is having a surgery to remove part of her tongue. The doctors are not sure what the mass inside her tongue is, but are concerned enough that they want it gone right away. It will be biopsy-ed once it is removed to determine what it is and the risk it posses.

Second, Selo's grandfather had heart surgery. He was taken to the ER Tuesday night because of chest pain, and it was discovered that his heart kept stopping. He has had a pacemaker put in, and is expected to recover well.

Third, our (Selo and I) brother-in-law's father was found dead on Wed, after having frozen to death. (For those of you in Utah, this was the story on the news about the man and woman found near the Oxbow jail.)

And last, the most scary at this very moment, my aunt has been kidnapped. She worked at the jail where a double homicide suspect was being held while awaiting his trial. They were seen together in her personal van shortly after his escape, but neither of them have been seen since then on March 21. The story is on the America's Most Wanted website and it was aired last night on TV. We are very scared for her safety, and the police are not giving much hope of a safe return for her.

So if I'm not writing much, now you know why. I sleep with my phone next to my head, and I'm constantly consumed with updates and contact. I've been numb since the first phone call, and during the short moment that I think I can feel emotion again, I find out that I'm emotionally worn out. These are the things that you think will "never happen to my family", but now, they are happening. What caused this to happen? What were they thinking? What is the next step? Why is this happening? And sadly, we just don't have any answers yet.

Another Trip To The ER

Early this morning, Selo woke up in pain. Fifteen minutes later, we were on the way to the ER. He was admitted immediately when we got there. They put him on a mixer of pain meds and anti-inflamitories and then started their series of tests. If you remember back in November, he was in the hospital for this same thing. He has since been seen by several doctors and had several more tests. This has been going on for seven months.

Today, an answer has been found.

As of right now, Selo has a 2.2 mm kidney stone traveling through his right side. It has just left the kidney, and has approximately 15 cm to go before it reaches the bladder. Once it reaches the bladder, the pain will significantly decrease. From the bladder it will be passed out of the body. This could take days to weeks.

We don't know what has caused this. If we are lucky enough to be able to capture the stone, it can be tested. As of now, the doctor gave two meds. One of them to open the tubes the stone has to pass through from the kidney to the bladder, and another for pain. We were also told that once a person has a kidney stone, the stones will likely come more often after the first.

He is now resting. I am glad to see him sleeping.

I am also glad to *finally* know what is wrong. He has been suffering with this on and off for months. It is a relief to both of us to know what is causing his pain. Now, it can be treated. We can change his diet, his activities, his lifestyle, whatever it takes.

The pain can be alleviated.

The Car is Totaled

It's a total loss. I am in shock.

I don't know whether to fall to my knees in thanks that we lived through it or have a breakdown because of what we are going to have to deal with now.

Either way, I want to cry.

Blessed to be Alive

I don't know of an easy was to begin, so I'm going to jump right in. Then I'm going to finish, so I can get some sleep.
This morning, on the way to work (about 6:45), the tire blew. Selo was driving, and was doing his best to keep control of the vehicle. Just before he straightened it out, the car hit a bump, and started to spin. We spun three full times, hitting the left guardrail on the passenger side (yes, backwards), hitting an SUV and flipping it over onto it's roof, and finally coming to a stop facing the wrong direction on the opposite side of the car pool lane.
We did the necessary paperwork, and our car was towed away. (About 7:30) The entire front bumper had been ripped off the car. Both of the bumpers on the passenger side of the car were mangled. The lady in the other vehicle was taken to the hospital in an ambulance, but we were told she only had a minor bump on her head, and was emotionally distressed (I certainly don't blame her).
My mom picked us up and took us to the ER so that Selo could be checked out. He had hit his head, and his neck, shoulders, and back were sore. We got there about 8 or 8:30, and he was admitted right away. After X-rays and physical checks, he was released with no long term or permanent damage- but to take it easy until he healed, two or three weeks.
As we were gathering our belongings to leave (about 11:30), my sister Rebeka, who had come in to make sure Selo was okay, passed out. She went completely pale, her eyes dialated more than I had ever seen, and she was just gone. As she was being picked up and put onto a bed, Selo had a seizure. Red face, stiff muscles, violently shaking, unresponsive.
Both Selo and Rebeka were put on a bed, into a room, admitted (Selo was re-admitted), and given IVs, and started testing.
Rebeka's pregnancy test came back negative, which means she's not miscarrying and it's not an eptopic pregnancy. The results of the ultrasound came back normal, which means it is not a cyst or growth on anything. She is still in the hospital because she passed out when she tried to stand up and they still can't find what's wrong. At this point, she is going to be given another bag of saline, and then have her vitals checked again.

Commercial break to ease the tension and remind you to breathe. If you are looking for billet grilles, click on that link. Now back to the story.

Selo is home now. He was diagnosed with having grand mal seizures, and has been referred to a nuerologist. He cannot drive, or operate machinery ect, until he has been seen (and treated if necessary) by the nuerologist. He has finally eaten, has had a pain pill and a muscle relaxer, has kept it all down, and is almost asleep.
I haven't slept, and I'm exhausted from going from one ER room to the other and keeping track of both my husband and my sister. I'll post again when I have more info. For now, please keep us in your prayers.