tow-mater-1
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2008
Well my son just had his follow up x ray this morning and we did not receive good news. It showed that his pnuemothorax is larger than when he was discharged. The doctor said it might be something as simple as him taking a larger breath for the X-ray although regardless it should have been getting smaller. 
The good news is it hasn't completely collapsed and it is just a slow leak which can still heal on its own. The doctor could not guarantee that he would not need another chest tube but we are praying really hard! He has another follow up in a week and a half and will get his stitches out and hopefully some good news and NOT ANOTHER CHEST TUBE! He is feeling and looking better so that is something... we have to count our blessings 
Nate on the other hand is NOT looking or feeling better.
The drugs he is on suppresses the immune system so he is catching everything that is going around... which adds to his fatigue. Today is also the last day that we had to decide if we wanted to stay with this cruise or change our date. We decided to stay and take our chances. We do have a safety net with my poor Evan since his was not a pre-existing condition, if we had to cancel we are still covered under insurance. I go and see the cardiologist on Monday and I'm not looking forward to that as my blood pressure has steadily been rising over the last few weeks!
I am being optimistic though and I am going to buy some new luggage today and start packing.
So stay tuned for some positive updates on how everyone is doing great.
The good news is it hasn't completely collapsed and it is just a slow leak which can still heal on its own. The doctor could not guarantee that he would not need another chest tube but we are praying really hard! He has another follow up in a week and a half and will get his stitches out and hopefully some good news and NOT ANOTHER CHEST TUBE! He is feeling and looking better so that is something... we have to count our blessings Nate on the other hand is NOT looking or feeling better.
The drugs he is on suppresses the immune system so he is catching everything that is going around... which adds to his fatigue. Today is also the last day that we had to decide if we wanted to stay with this cruise or change our date. We decided to stay and take our chances. We do have a safety net with my poor Evan since his was not a pre-existing condition, if we had to cancel we are still covered under insurance. I go and see the cardiologist on Monday and I'm not looking forward to that as my blood pressure has steadily been rising over the last few weeks! I am being optimistic though and I am going to buy some new luggage today and start packing.
So stay tuned for some positive updates on how everyone is doing great.
(this little guy worked his magic to get Janice her mickey mail docs - let's hope he brings you good news as well).
Although I did go out tonight and buy beautiful luggage tonight... so that's a good update right?!
Things HAVE to get better right!
…nothing terrible but I was not happy. He was a very nice doctor and was very thorough with gathering all my health history. I did tell him that I had past issues with high blood pressure years ago and that I did not take the prescribed medication but controlled it with diet and exercise… that is until a few weeks ago. He explained that he would need to do a stress test, EKG, blood work and an ultrasound of my kidneys. He prescribed me bp meds but I told him that I probably would not take them. I bargained explaining it was the stressful last few weeks and that’s why it’s been climbing but I would be fine soon as I got on that ship! He wasn’t budging though… I asked “IF” I decided to take the meds, could I drink?…and his answer was that I shouldn’t. Well I threw up my hands and said “oh great! I’m going on a cruise and I WILL be drinking”. He said nurses and doctors are the worst to treat and then he said “YOU are stressing ME out!” So he went on to explain the stress test and that he would not do the old people test on me… I said I was fine with the old people test and he said “that would be shameful!” Anyway my test is next week so I thought I better cram for the test
and I’ve been working out on the elliptical on my breaks at work. Well my first time on that torturous device I thought I would die after 3 minutes 
but I stayed on for 9 more. The only reason I stayed on was because there was someone else in the gym and I didn’t want to look as pathetic as I actually was! I could not get past that 12 minute mark last week. So last night I think I scared my co workers after letting them know I would be at the gym and said if I wasn’t back on the unit in 15 minutes to bring the crash cart! 
I lasted a whole 19 minutes so I think I have a good chance at passing the test.
. We were there for 4 hours and had blood work and xrays and it turned out to be nothing thank goodness. 
I knew that it wasn’t the battery since I JUST had it replaced 2 months ago. I just found it funny since part of…or I should a LOT of my stress has been wondering whether we would be on this cruise or not and I seemed to be getting all these “signs” that we should not be going. It has just been a comedy of errors surrounding this cruise. My watch is at the jewelers right now getting fixed so I should it have it back in time for the cruise. 
So now we just have to wait on Nate, his appointment with his specialist is this Friday but I’m very optimistic that he will be cleared to go… he is feeling much better… not at 100% but well enough to go he thinks. So as long as I don’t die during my stress test all should be good for us to leave a week later! I have a lot to do since I’ve left everything to the last minute… I need to get my magnets going, packing, lots of shopping! I don’t know where I’m going to fit work in but for the first time since this ridiculousness started I feel we can start to look forward to this trip! See… I told you my next update would be a positive one! 
My one tip for the stress test, get to your target heart rate as soon as possible cus then you only need to keep going for about a minute after that 
He couldn't possible fathom why I didn't want to take them. I just knew my body was okay and was going to recover on it's own. Of course, I felt differently this summer cus my body just wasn't rebounding but I knew it and took the meds 
So she recommended that he NOT go on the trip
although the nurse that took his history who had just gone on her first 
Tomorrow we hope to finish off and get Luke a new suit and few more summer clothes oh and maybe our Halloween costumes if we find something that we like
if not I have to go dress shopping again for semi formal night.
