tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74010415438209170452024-03-13T09:11:57.688-07:00Mary BirdsMary's Health Blog
(was/will be Birds and Birding in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas)Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comBlogger261125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-48406457852006754592022-11-21T06:21:00.002-08:002022-11-21T06:21:33.167-08:00Home today <p> So I’m headed home today. Not sure I’m ready but I’m going. I have some stuff to assemble and some volunteers to do it and I plan on cooking Thanksgiving dinner later this week. Lots of gardening to do too.stay tuned. I’m so ready to be home! </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-88087898888642542722022-11-04T09:10:00.004-07:002022-11-04T09:10:47.444-07:00Total confusion <p> Two weeks ago I got the news that my tumors had grown 30%. I was in the hospital so it was easy to ad in a CT guided biopsy of the tumor near the left kidney. </p><p>Whoops. </p><p>The biopsy shows no cancer in the cells taken. It is possible it’s good news (tumor fragmenting and dying) or it could be something else. We will rescan in two months. In the mean time I m not letting myself think it’s gone. Please no overtly positive comments. I think my oncologist is as confused as I am. </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-21319106116708737402022-11-01T14:24:00.000-07:002022-11-01T14:24:00.177-07:00Back to nausea Yesterday and today I got sick (nauseous and vomiting) during PT. It was quickly over but limited our work from standing to just sitting up. Then I was visited by the social worker ans head of PT telling me mmy discharge date was firm for Friday since I wasn’t making progress. The week at the hospital really set me back. After we talked about my issues with backsliding (edema makiNg legs heavy in addition to the hospital) they extended that two weeks. But that will be the drop dead date. I can leave earlier but not later. I’m going to try takNg zofran (a whopping 4 mg) before PT tomorrow. At the hospital I got 40 mg but here only 4 mg. It still seems to take the edge off. Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-55995085934517693372022-10-27T15:41:00.001-07:002022-10-27T15:41:39.789-07:00PT is beating my ass <p> Belinda - maybe 5 feet tall and ultra petite - has been exhausting me with PT. We are working on standing and holding it. I still get anxious, maybe it’s the altitude. Lol. She’s great, quite the cheer leader. I still/again need a lot of assistance with standing but we are working on that. </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-46702097708543735382022-10-24T14:09:00.003-07:002022-10-24T14:09:13.152-07:00Boring beats exciting I think this is mostly due to the swelling. So I sit here with my legs wrapped and elevated and hope that the edema goes down.<p> Still lots of swelling in the legs so they are hard to pick up and move. That makes PT difficult.Otherwise same old same old especially over the weekends when not much happens here. That beats the excitement of last week.</p><p>I have not yet recovered from the hospital stay as far as mobility. I think this is mostly due to the swelling. So I sit here with my legs wrapped and elevated and hope that the edema goes down.</p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-71835507535240359552022-10-21T01:50:00.001-07:002022-10-21T01:50:16.303-07:00Welp never again<p> I had my first and last nebulizer treatment with albuterol last night. Five minutes after it was done I had most of the bad side effects. </p><p>First came the discomfort in my chest and then dinner reappeared. The level of anxiety was huge. My heart rate jumped and I was vomiting and hmy hand trembly Heart rate nearly 140 when my normal is 90-110. </p><p>I had the option to go to the hospital ofc. The nurse consulted the doctor constantly - this at midnight - and we brought the heart rate down with meds. The nurse stayed with me until symptoms eased. I am liking the 100 heart rate this morning. </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-27580042503108120902022-10-20T05:15:00.002-07:002022-10-20T05:15:27.601-07:00More drugs<p> Slight shallowness of breath so I will get some meds including allergy for that. </p><p>Lots of swelling in my legs making it hard to list my legs AGAIN so Lasix to try to reduce it. </p><p>Thanks to all who have reached out to me!</p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-59937466612544229252022-10-17T00:36:00.002-07:002022-10-17T00:36:30.604-07:00Rehab again <p> Let’s see. Sick to my stomach again but made it to rehab on Bryan Rd south of 83. Flu going around. </p><p><a href="http://maps.apple.com/?q=Mission+Nursing+and+Rehabilitation+Center&ll=26.19425392150879%2c-98.31153106689453&sll=26.19425392150879%2c-98.31153106689453&ppois=26.19425392150879_-98.31153106689453_Mission+Nursing+and+Rehabilitation+Center">http://maps.apple.com/?q=Mission+Nursing+and+Rehabilitation+Center&ll=26.19425392150879%2c-98.31153106689453&sll=26.19425392150879%2c-98.31153106689453&ppois=26.19425392150879_-98.31153106689453_Mission+Nursing+and+Rehabilitation+Center</a></p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-51559011722931017832022-10-13T14:43:00.005-07:002022-10-18T11:22:16.427-07:00Part 2<p>After a couple years of Stability my cancer exploded more than 30% since the last scan in early July. I am still hospitalized (4 months and a week?) so they did a biopsy to test for potential success for immunotherapy. Mixed feelings as I have been wanting the test. </p><p><br /></p><p>Low blood sugar when I have to fast for tests (no shocker there). </p><p><br /></p><p>Hope to be back in rehab soon</p><p><br /></p><p>Love to</p><p>You</p><p>All </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-33588058554702237402022-10-13T14:16:00.004-07:002022-10-13T14:16:41.433-07:00Biopsy #3<p> They squeezed me in for biopsy number three today. I hate waiting. Next they will do testing on the biopsy samples to see if I have the potential for immunotherapy to give good results. I have been wanting the immunotherapy testing so that’s a positive thing.</p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-7627720124156235532022-10-13T06:56:00.003-07:002022-10-13T06:56:41.998-07:00Shit shat ist geshotten <p> I used to conjugate Crap in German like this. </p><p>I learned today that there was significant growth on my tumor. I haven’t even gotten out of the hospital yet. Working on scheduling a CT guided biopsy to look for other treatment options (immunotherapy). Stay tuned. I’m licking my wounds. </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-14823186772360162042022-10-12T07:16:00.003-07:002022-10-12T07:16:20.641-07:00Lawdy lawdy<p>They still can’t get blood. the blood from this morning was taken down stream from the hydration drip and was therefore They think showing high anemia when I’m not showing any symptoms. </p><p>Results of the endoscopy were good </p><p>A doctor finally came to talk to me about the CT results - some fluid collection in various places- any why procedures were scheduled for today. rather than have a needle aspirate liquid an equally good option is waiting guess what I chose.</p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-8962959177260144452022-10-11T16:53:00.002-07:002022-10-11T16:53:21.815-07:00Horribly bad day<p> After much trepidation I agreed to undergo a endoscopy. They think they found the source of the bleeding and fixed it. We will see if it worked or not. First time under general anesthesia (propofol) and hopefully the last Still can’t moon walk even with one glove </p><p>They are still failing on blood draws.. Not sure why they send the B team first. I have bruises on bruises and still have 3 IVs. </p><p>Slept like a log all afternoon. Not sure it made up for last night yet. No idea when I shift back to Mission rehab. </p><p>Yikes they ate back for another blood draw. </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-59751517365759240602022-10-10T22:47:00.003-07:002022-10-11T04:53:41.550-07:00Back to the hospital <p> Let’s see</p><p>Uti</p><p>Maybe lung Cloudiness /pneumonia </p><p>Anemic / transfusion</p><p>More including blood where it isn’t supposed to be</p><p>Fifteen minutes sleep last night </p><p>CT at 3 am </p><p>Another CT at 43o</p><p>GI Doc has me on NPO (nothing by mouth) but I don’t know why </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-42916562934639311032022-10-10T08:06:00.000-07:002022-10-10T08:06:06.396-07:00Again <p> So I spent Friday pm and the weekend throwing up. Chest x Ray Friday and another today - Drs can’t share. Stool sample sent off and UTI back or never gone. Blood work done. First phlebotomist failed five times. She is not welcome back. Second got it first time. I’m feeling low and don’t expect to get home this Friday. Yuck. . </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-52643855420956526692022-10-03T15:54:00.002-07:002022-10-03T15:54:20.489-07:00Monday blues<p> Really good PT session where I was at 80-90 for power to stand. That was the highlight. Lunch came at 1 pm (usually 1130) and was a hot dog which I ate. One ketchup packet and zero salt for the fries was limiting. Half an hour later the hot dog reappeared. It was prob ELG the most meat id eaten in weeks. </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-13410253028130924952022-10-02T05:29:00.001-07:002022-10-02T05:29:14.222-07:00Even keel <p> Early last week they missed my 4 AM thyroid med. I felt better. So I declined the Med the next few days and lo and behold woke up clearer headed on Saturday. I was able to eat and avoided nausea. Now to talk to the Dr about what to do for the thyroid. New labs tomorrow. </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-58269341187196050502022-09-28T12:27:00.005-07:002022-09-28T12:27:51.751-07:00Long silence <p> Sorry for the long silence. I haven’t had much to say beyond whether I had nausea or not each day. Today’s a good day so far no nausea we will PT up hoping I would tolerate it better and I did.</p><p>Blood sugars been pretty constant even though I’m having difficulty eating. I try to eat something each meal or stretch a meal into two meals but it’s a struggle.</p><p>Great to see Sheryl Barker today especially bearing gifts of watermelon and Diet Coke and grapes. I hate to say there’s a good thing there’s a hurricane for entertainment but it beats the daytime television. More soon I hope.</p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-28264801891094349012022-09-15T16:10:00.003-07:002022-09-15T16:10:21.914-07:00Mission Rehab initial thoughts <p> Mission Rehab wins hands down on food s far. Seeing a calendar with two weeks of meals and being able to choose among options is great. It’s also good to not receive food that will be wasted. Today was cold cereal breakfast because they had almond milk(!), jambalaya for lunch, and pulled chicken BBQ for dinner </p><p>The true test of any facility is how they handle issues. There’s always going to be issues but how do they respond. Five stars to Mission rehab on this. </p><p>Both facilities have every other day shower assistance. </p><p>The window faces brush instead of parking lot but we will see how the bird list goes. </p><p>Staff at both places in nursing CNA housekeeping and PT are great!!! </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-74977850874551186502022-09-13T18:49:00.005-07:002022-09-15T16:03:35.381-07:00Arbor View to Mission Rehab <p> Ok I’m at Mission Rehab now much closer to home. Cost for room and board is half that of Arbor Ville. Of course I asked for A single room for the cost of half a double. And they bit which is fantastic. I’m hoping for better food which certainly was the case tonight I had a nice salad and some non-cream tomato soup and fresh fruit which wonderful mix of watermelon and melons and pineapple and stuff room is huge since it’s really half a double the TV has shrunk to maybe the size of a computer monitor and the number of channels is 10 or so.I don’t care I’m not here for the TV. I have to meet the rest of the staff tomorrow since they got me in here after seven tonight. I was supposed to come yesterday but that’s a whole other saga </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-69094575814192489552022-09-10T20:17:00.003-07:002022-09-10T20:17:40.487-07:00Saturday Sept 10<p> So Monday is the last day covered by insurance. I made the decision to go to Mission nursing facility which is closer to home. Of course my records were not passed over on Friday so now I have to deal with that on Monday</p><p>In the meanwhile let’s see, Dr. S has taken me off the tablets for insulin to see if that’s why I was getting nauseous at PT, taken me off and put me back on and taking me off a renVela (which I blame for nausea) done an extra blood test for which I have a massive bruise thank you very much. phlebotomist could get blood - and found a UTI that only took a week after the urine test to get labs back. </p><p>So back on antibiotics I go </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-65096856073272733902022-08-30T11:21:00.002-07:002022-08-30T11:21:15.687-07:00Arbor View Redux<p> So let’s see. They’re kicking my ass and PT and OT. I do an hour and a half or more a day and sometimes get homework. Everything aches lol. The food is monotonous. I have actually been served the same exact meal two days in a row twice now. Once it was chicken salad and coleslaw and the other time it was tuna salad and coleslaw and believe me I’m just sick of it lol. We are trying to get the swelling out of my right leg they did Venogram to be sure it wasn’t a blood clot and then now we’re wrapping it. Can’t use a diuretic with the kidneys. </p><p>Up to ten species of window birds (naked eye without glasses). </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-28753185102006927082022-08-23T13:32:00.001-07:002022-08-23T13:32:04.096-07:00Windsor Arbor view<p> It’s a lot harder to post to the blog on my phone then on the tablet and there’s no signal for the tablet. Windsor Arbor View has been wonderful. came in Thursday night I had an evaluation for PT on Friday and have done PT yesterday and today (Monday and Tuesday). Five species out the window so far and not including squirrel just birds. I’ll try to write more later</p><p><br /></p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-81630768913558920972022-08-18T10:00:00.002-07:002022-08-18T10:01:31.864-07:00Adventures in healthcare 956<p>So today’s peer to peer meeting between my doctors and the insurance company evidently went well. I was approved for transfer to a skilled nursing facility. Yay! <img height="404" src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/32b48c0a-97d3-49c0-82a2-7d4d425bb15b" width="720" /></p><p>After initial serious problems with the food at the hospital which generally consisted of a slab of proteins that was stone cold, something that I would be suspicious about having dairy in it, and a frozen vegetable I went on a vegan diet at the recommendation of my kidney doctors. This has become a salad diet it seems lol. They bring so much food I get a huge salad with avocado and veggies I get a soupAnd a fruit cocktail. In theory I can get fresh fruit but that’s only happened once. Right now the food is generally excellent and of course being Edinburg there is pico de gallo and salsa Verde. yes the sores in my mouth Have healed</p><p>i usually take whatever soup they bring whether it’s meat or vegan And drink some broth and maybe some veg. Today’s soup was onion and cabbage. I so wanted to do a Dickensian request for more but i couldn’t finish the first helping. </p><p>Transfer today or tomorrow. Or whenever the paperwork is done. </p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401041543820917045.post-11960374696655422162022-08-17T11:44:00.002-07:002022-08-17T11:44:13.028-07:00Two steps!I was able to stand with help and take two steps with my bad leg to get into the new recliner. The old recliner was quite short and the thighs and in the back the new one is larger more my dimensions and much more comfortable I hope especially as I’m sitting here two hours. I already feel it in my car though lol<p> Two steps! I was able to stand with help and take two steps with my bad leg to get into the new recliner. The old recliner was quite short and the thighs and in the back the new one is larger more my dimensions and much more comfortable I hope especially as I’m sitting here two hours. I already feel it in my car though lol</p>Mary Gustafsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11493443773756796417noreply@blogger.com