Yeah, I was pretty down a couple days ago and while I’m not exactly jumping for joy kicking my heels together, I’ve pulled myself together enough to be more rational. I had many responses of sympathy and concern about my “down in the dumps” mood and it does help to hear from people. I really appreciate the support. I’m settling in to the reality that I won’t be eating normally for months and will have a very slow and boring recovery through summer and into the fall. My feeding tube will come out sometime after the leaf viewing season in New England is complete. Yippee.
My biggest issues today are mucous production (24/7 issue), throat and mouth pain, and a nagging low grade fever (99.4 – 100) that hangs around much of the time (the doctors don’t know why). The fever drains me but the mucous miseries keep me from doing much away from home; I need to be near tissues or a sink. I went to Wal-Mart carrying tissue and after a short time I have to slither off to the side to BBrrrrhhhaaaaacccckkkkkk into a tissue – then stuff the mess into a baggie I carry in the other pocket. So I can’t go to movies or anything that requires quiet time that’s for sure. So I’m miserable AND bored.
Speaking of mucous, remember during the movie Titanic when Jack was trying to teach Rose how to spit? Well Jack, I can “hock a loogie” like nothing you’ve ever seen before. It’s gross and I haven’t said much since my one posting but I never sleep more than an hour at a time without waking up to clear the debris from my throat. It’s like sleep apnea. I keep tissues at my side and a waste basket next to me on the floor. I usually fill it up (stock tip: the maker of Kleenex). I also have weird dreams but that could be fever/pain/pain pill/ or lack-of-sleep induced weirdness.
The good news is I’ve had no nausea and therefore no nausea meds for 2 days. That’s a victory of sorts. As a result I’m back up to 4 or 5 cans of sludge which does help to maintain my weight. If I could ever get to 6 I think I might gain a few pounds back. We’ll see.
Oh joy…another weekend coming up. I’ll, um….get up…..um….stuff Coke down my tube…..um….shower……..stuff some sludge down my tube……..actually swallow some water just to make sure it still works (ouch!) and then….um……read the paper and then um……..well…..you get the idea.
Remember: one step a time!
ReplyDeleteGood to hear a little "on the mend" music. I assume you looked at neti pot therapy and it didn't help. Maybe the squirt bottle neti system would give you better penetration. Another friend with MMP (Major Mucus Problems) uses the squirt bottle to put a Prescription solution from his Ear, Nose and Throat Doc into his whole sinus system from whence the vile stuff comes.
ReplyDeletePut on lots of 70 sun tan lotion, get a golf cart and go out with your buddies and make rude comments about their golf flaws. You"ll have fun and they"ll have to put up with you :-))))