I will start this post out by saying what a ride these last couple of days. First Sunday, I had to go to the emergency room. I have not gone to the ER in almost a year. I woke up Sunday coughing which signals that I need to change my trach. I do not have an inner cannula because the inner cannula makes it more difficult for me to breathe efficiently so I live without. I just change the trach one time a day. I’ve been doing this regiment for almost 3 years. Well, it wasn’t the trach that was clogged up with gunk. It was my actual stoma. It scared me to death. Because I thought oh crap why can’t I get my trach back in and why am I bleeding out my stoma. I called 911 and I was sent to the ER where they once again forced the trach in and even tried to suction after the trach was in but the suction catheter would not go in that far. I know right then it was the granulations that Dr. Anderson noticed the last few times I have been in to see him. My stoma has been getting tighter and tighter and I was hoping that I didn’t need another surgery to stretch out the stoma and cut out the granulations that were forming. I will be seeing Dr. Anderson at 3:15 today to find out what my fate will be surgery or perhaps it is time to just to take the trach out and not wait for August 4th. I’m hoping that it will be decided that I can live life without my trach. I am extremely hopeful. I will inform everyone as soon as I know for sure.
The best part of Sunday was when my friends Summer and Karen came to visit me. They went to the ER to see me but I was about to be discharged so they met me at home where we sat outside and talked for a while. These lovely ladies brought me a wonderful gift. The gifts were Dark Chocolate body soap made with olive oil and coconut oil, Eucalyptus and mint body soap made with olive oil and coconut oil, and Tea Tree and Lavender shampoo and conditioner. I love it and I wish I could smell it. I used the Dark Chocolate body soap first. I liked how my skin felt after using it. With chemical body washes I usually by I seem to be a lot drier than with this handmade soap. The brand of the soap is Practically Perfect and it can be found at The Soap Store.
Now time for some good news I went to see my Rheumy doctor in Seattle, Dr. Gardner today. I got some awesome news. I will be reducing my prednisone to 2.5 MG from the 5. My body is doing great with the new regiment of medications and the Rituximab infusion treatment that I am receiving every six months. This makes me so happy, because soon I will not have to take prednisone at all. One less pill I will have to take on a daily basis.
I want to share some great information with you my dear readers that I found out today. I will be cutting my pills in half and so I asked the doctor how I get a tablet cutter. He told me that every pharmacy gives one to people for free. So that means anyone can go into a pharmacy and ask for a tablet cutter and not have to pay for it. I got mine today at the pharmacy at UW Medical and it didn’t cost me a dime. I also discovered that I have lost 2 more pounds since the last time I weighed with Susan two weeks ago. I am now 328 pounds. This makes me happy. Dr. Gardner asked me if I was losing weight because I look slimmer. I think the regiment of strength building exercises is causing me to firm and tone up. This makes me excited. It is strange that you do not notice improvements in your own body until someone points it out to you.
Monday was extra special because my brother and my niece came with my sister in law and I to Seattle. My niece is looking for a car and wanted to look at a few up North after my doctor appointment. It was nice to spend a whole day with my brother. I even got to see where the Letterman shop is located. It is located near the Portland Airport. It is huge. We traveled a lot and we even drove over the Puget Sound Bridge and water. Can I just say it was gorgeous? It was beautiful.
That is it for now. I will share more when I have more information. And don’t forget you can get free tablet cutters at any pharmacy. I think everyone should have one. You never know when you will need to cut a pill in half. This makes it so much easier.
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