Friday, August 02, 2013

August Thoughts

It's hard to believe it's already August. It seems that July blew by me, most of it being spent on medical visits and problems. The last week in July I was finally able to make contact with my doctor's team who moved from U Penn to Temple University a few months earlier. I have an October appointment to see him for my pulmonary hypertension. Last week I saw my local cardiologist (dubbed Doctor Dreamy by one of my lung doctors.) He's a good guy who tries to deal with my many issues.

At times I get quite frustrated. From March 6 the day of the attack until mid July I was a slave to the gall bladder problem. First with the tube and bag and later with the open unhealed incision and pain.
I am so grateful that part is over. My incision is over ten inches long and still sore. The area around it is very tender. I have to be careful. It seems that everyone knows someone else who had a gall bladder out using the three hole method who rebounded the following day. Well, that has grown tiresome to hear. They didn't have stones the size of golf balls, or two infections in theirs, or my other health issues. I wish I didn't.

I am trying to make the most of the life I have. I live just 40 minutes from the beach  but haven't been there once this year. Over the weekend I want to get down there to just watch the ocean and maybe have a short walk on the boardwalk. Since the weather got so humid, my breathing is labored at times. I need to talk to my pulmonologist about a light weight portable unit. My last x ray report stated a lot of things I didn't want to see. I have degeneration of my spine (again caused at least in part, by the radiation.) My lungs will slowly worsen. I have to deal with it while not allowing myself to get overly stressed about it.

I love life. I am grateful for each additional day. I wish I had more money to do things I want to. Unfortunately, a large portion goes for medical. I have paid $3,400.00  out of pocket for the surgery and doctors plus all medications. One minute the glass seems half empty and the next half full. Sometimes when I think how long I've survived after cancer and heart issues, the glass overflows.
I still have hopes and dreams of things that may come. I just have to keep on keeping on.

1 comment:

TARYTERRE said...

KEEP ON keeping on. That's all you can do. Medical bills add up and can suck the joy right out of a GOOD day. Don't let them. I have a ton really getting in the way here, but I'm not letting them. And I have a 15 inch scar on my stomach too from gallbladder surgery. So I can empathize when people talk to you about the 3 hole method. Makes you want to scream doesn't it?