Throughout my life I’ve always managed to be fairly active. In spite of the fact that I’m legally blind, have balance problems, low blood sugar, & Oh yeah, did I mention that I had seizures & was heavily doped up on Dilantin & Phenobarbital? Here’s how it all got started.
When I was about 9 or 10 my mom & I were staying with my adopted Aunt & Uncle. Well anyway, I’d be outside playing & I used to sit cross legged on an old gas lid & spin around on it. It was sort of like that Sit & Spin toy that all the kids had. Then Mom & I moved into a house that we shared with a lady named & her daughter. Well, anyway we had a neighbor who lived in back of us (who ended up being my baby-sitter. Well, anyway I would stay with her both before & after school along with a few other kids. Well she used to let us veg. out in front of the TV until one day her family doctor asked her “Are the kids that you’re babysitting outside playing?”
When she told him that we weren’t he said, “Well, they need to be.” So the next day she had us all outside playing which was quite a shock to me. As it turns out I hated it at first, but I grew to love it.
Some time after that when I was in the 4th grade I had a teacher who really enlightened me about athletics. Let me explain. Now, when the rest of the class (mostly consisting of boys) were outside during recess playing athletic sports like soccer I would be by myself playing with my stuffed animals. Until one day my teacher caught me hanging upside down across 2 parallel bars & swinging from them. So the next day he told me that I didn’t need my stuffed animals anymore that what I was doing the previous day was considered to be athletic. I was doing athletics & I didn’t even know it. (It wasn’t until I took gymnastics later & saw it on the Olympics on TV that I understood what the heck he was talking about.
When I was 11 ½ my mom had a boyfriend. He taught me a lot of different things. But the one thing that I remember was on one summer night he took me through the warm-up exercises that I was having trouble with in PE. (You know jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups & so on). To this day I think that he had a meeting with my PE teacher & they talked. But I’m glad that he did that. Because I feel that it helped a lot. Also about that same time I was taking Tap, Jazz, Ballet, & Gymnastics lessons with a teacher. This was while I was enrolled in an after school program at a daycare center. Also we’d sometimes play the game called Twister. I swear that was my first introduction into yoga!
When I was 13 my next door neighbor was having a girl who was 18 & overweight start an exercise program which included jogging. I asked her one day if I could try it just for the heck of it. She said “don’t see why not”. So I would do some of the warm-up exercises that I learned in PE & then I would jog laps around the complex. At first I could only do 3. But as I grew more used to it, I found out that I could do more. Also at that same time I used to watch Richard Simmons. Now mind you I wasn’t heavy, but I liked (& still do) his personality & sense of humor. Unfortunately he was on while I was in school. So I would have to wait until the holidays or summer vacation to watch him since there were no VCRs at that time. But when I could watch him & do the exercises with him I had fun. The cool thing now is I have a neighbor who has a whole bunch of Richard Simmons videos & sometimes we’d get together & do them.
When I was 15, I used to watch the program Lilias, Yoga, & You after school & I would try some of the yoga postures just to see if I could do them.
I would say that I could do most of them. Some had to be modified, & there was only a handful that I couldn’t do. But bear in mind I was a lot younger & more limber at that time than I am now.
When I was 16 Mom re-married & we moved from Clearwater to Orlando & eventually we settled in & we had cable TV. One of the channels on that was called Lifetime. On it was a program called It Figures with Charlene Pricket. She had Aerobics with toning programs that had disco music in the background which I thought was really cool since I grew up during that time period. Shortly after that they brought back all of the old Richard Simmons programs to that station. & the cool thing was that Richard would be on at 6PM & Charlene would be on at 6:30PM. So I didn’t have to miss them due to school.
So there you have it my exercise history in a nutshell. & if a poor little blind girl who the doctors & teachers thought that I was mentally challenged could do it you can too!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Introduction: Why I Wrote This Blog Post or this isn’t meant to tick anyone off!
Over the years, I’ve noticed and observed many disturbing things. Now I’m sure that some of you may have observed the same things. However, you have to understand, the reason that my observations will shock you is that they came from someone who’s legally blind and at one time my doctors and teachers thought that I was mentally challenged. Alternatively, as they would have called it back then “mentally retarded.” My observations are as follows:
1. It seems that everyone is in such a big hurry! The ironic thing is that
the majority of people can drive and are in their nice comfortable climate controlled vehicles, while people like me who either have to walk or take some form of public transportation have to play Russian roulette with the traffic just to get across the street. Now if anyone should be in a big hurry it should be people like us that either have to walk or depend on some form of public transportation and have to be out in the elements in order to do so.
2. Also I’ve noticed a lot of people
trying to do two or more things at once. (Myself included). This is OK if it doesn’t hurt you or anyone else. For example if you’re in the kitchen waiting for water to boil you might put the dishes away, prep food ect. This is one aspect of time management. However, what scares me and ticks me off at the same time is when people try to drive and do something else at the same time. So for heaven’s sake if you’re going to drive then drive. Don’t try to do that while brushing your teeth, eating, putting make-up on, or talking on your cell phone. (unless you have a hands free headset). In other words please be mindful of the road and those who are trying to cross it. If you absolutely must do these things that I’ve mentioned, then please pull over and do them. It’s not worth messing up someone else’s life and possibly your own. (Especially if you end up hurt, killed, or sued).
3. Another reason that our society is
going crazy is that we work ourselves to death. It seems that society expects us to keep going all year long. in addition, we're really out of touch with Nature’s rhythms and the seasons. Is it any wonder that more people get sick with colds and the Flu during the Winter months? Let alone the fact that during the holidays we’re in a bigger hurry than usual, we don’t eat right or exercise. Let’s stop and think about this for a moment. It starts in October with the Halloween candy for mostly the kids. and Oh yeah, if you want to get real adults like it too. I happen to love dark chocolate, but I don’t allow myself to go crazy over it. Because I know if I do, I could end up with a blood sugar hangover. and it’s not worth it. Then we move on to November with Thanksgiving with the turkey with all of the trimmings. (for those who aren’t vegetarians). Then Christmas time comes around with the parties with all of the fattening food and all the booze you can stand. (For those who drink it). Then it’s Christmas dinner with the turkey, ham, or whatever meat is server and all of the trimmings once again. and then New Year'’ Eve rolls around with another party with the same stuff that I’ve previously mentioned. Then the ironic thing happens. The day after New Year’s the ads start popping out with what else. Diet stuff, exercise clothes and equipment and gym memberships. (I guess people need New Year’s Day in order to recover from their hangovers in order to think clearly enough so they can make their New Year’s resolutions!
4. The next thing I’ve noticed is that
the rate of overweight kids is increasing. Along with the health problems that used to be associated with adulthood. One of the problems is that the parents are in such a darn hurry that they just pick up whatever’s convenient from the store, a fast food joint, or whatever. This wouldn’t be so bad if it happened occasionally, but it seems to happen almost every night. and here we go again with the problem of parents being in too much of a big hurry to actually fix healthy meals for their kids. So they just grab what’s convenient whether it’s healthy. When I was little either my mom, Aunt Jeanie or Grandma Mary would fix healthy meals almost every night. If we went out to eat or ordered a pizza, it was a treat. I mostly spent time with my mom and Aunt Jeanie and Uncle Clyde while Mom was trying to save up so we could get our own place. Also, I spent a lot of weekends with my Great Grandma Mary when she was alive. and for the most part, she cooked healthy meals that were also tasty. Now my late Grandma Fran was also a good cook. But what she made wasn’t usually good for me. So I didn’t go over there very often. (More the other problem is that in Florida P.E. and recess has all but disappeared from the public schools. I suppose that this is due to the fact that so much emphasis is being placed on preparation for the FCAT test. However, I’ve recently found out that because of this problem PE is now being put back into the public schools. Also, kids don’t go out and play like they used to. They’re either doing homework, or are in front of the computer or TV. When I was little, I had both P.E. and recess. No if’s and’s but’s or maybes about it. If it rained, it took place in the gym. Also, I had a very wise babysitter by the name of Mrs. Tilly. At first she would let us kids sit in front of the tube before and after school. Until 1 day, her Dr. asked if us kids were outside playing. When she said “no” he insisted that, we needed to be outside playing in good weather. At first, I hated it. But I grew to enjoy it. When I went to Kinder Care, the same thing happened there too. Also, I had dance and gymnastics lessons. I couldn’t follow everything perfectly, but I gave it my best shot. I also grew up during the Disco period. and to this day, I still like to boogie. I do a lot of my boogying in church during the Praise and Worship time. Needless to say, it took a long time for the people at my church to get used to my boogeying. Because dance isn’t normally part of the seventh Day Adventist church. This is ashamed because dance can be a a very good form of Cardio Exercise and the seventh Day Adventists are supposed to be very health oriented. I hope to be able to turn this around by my example. But I’m afraid that it would take an act of God in order to make this happen.
These are just a few things that I’ve observed over the past several years. Now if a person who’s legally blind and was thought to be mentally challenged can observe these things, what’s wrong with this picture? But don’t worry. I’ll cover more ground as the book unfolds. My hope and prayer for this book is to enlighten you and not to tick you off. Take care, stay sane, and God Bless,
Dana Morgan 8/11/07
1. It seems that everyone is in such a big hurry! The ironic thing is that
the majority of people can drive and are in their nice comfortable climate controlled vehicles, while people like me who either have to walk or take some form of public transportation have to play Russian roulette with the traffic just to get across the street. Now if anyone should be in a big hurry it should be people like us that either have to walk or depend on some form of public transportation and have to be out in the elements in order to do so.
2. Also I’ve noticed a lot of people
trying to do two or more things at once. (Myself included). This is OK if it doesn’t hurt you or anyone else. For example if you’re in the kitchen waiting for water to boil you might put the dishes away, prep food ect. This is one aspect of time management. However, what scares me and ticks me off at the same time is when people try to drive and do something else at the same time. So for heaven’s sake if you’re going to drive then drive. Don’t try to do that while brushing your teeth, eating, putting make-up on, or talking on your cell phone. (unless you have a hands free headset). In other words please be mindful of the road and those who are trying to cross it. If you absolutely must do these things that I’ve mentioned, then please pull over and do them. It’s not worth messing up someone else’s life and possibly your own. (Especially if you end up hurt, killed, or sued).
3. Another reason that our society is
going crazy is that we work ourselves to death. It seems that society expects us to keep going all year long. in addition, we're really out of touch with Nature’s rhythms and the seasons. Is it any wonder that more people get sick with colds and the Flu during the Winter months? Let alone the fact that during the holidays we’re in a bigger hurry than usual, we don’t eat right or exercise. Let’s stop and think about this for a moment. It starts in October with the Halloween candy for mostly the kids. and Oh yeah, if you want to get real adults like it too. I happen to love dark chocolate, but I don’t allow myself to go crazy over it. Because I know if I do, I could end up with a blood sugar hangover. and it’s not worth it. Then we move on to November with Thanksgiving with the turkey with all of the trimmings. (for those who aren’t vegetarians). Then Christmas time comes around with the parties with all of the fattening food and all the booze you can stand. (For those who drink it). Then it’s Christmas dinner with the turkey, ham, or whatever meat is server and all of the trimmings once again. and then New Year'’ Eve rolls around with another party with the same stuff that I’ve previously mentioned. Then the ironic thing happens. The day after New Year’s the ads start popping out with what else. Diet stuff, exercise clothes and equipment and gym memberships. (I guess people need New Year’s Day in order to recover from their hangovers in order to think clearly enough so they can make their New Year’s resolutions!
4. The next thing I’ve noticed is that
the rate of overweight kids is increasing. Along with the health problems that used to be associated with adulthood. One of the problems is that the parents are in such a darn hurry that they just pick up whatever’s convenient from the store, a fast food joint, or whatever. This wouldn’t be so bad if it happened occasionally, but it seems to happen almost every night. and here we go again with the problem of parents being in too much of a big hurry to actually fix healthy meals for their kids. So they just grab what’s convenient whether it’s healthy. When I was little either my mom, Aunt Jeanie or Grandma Mary would fix healthy meals almost every night. If we went out to eat or ordered a pizza, it was a treat. I mostly spent time with my mom and Aunt Jeanie and Uncle Clyde while Mom was trying to save up so we could get our own place. Also, I spent a lot of weekends with my Great Grandma Mary when she was alive. and for the most part, she cooked healthy meals that were also tasty. Now my late Grandma Fran was also a good cook. But what she made wasn’t usually good for me. So I didn’t go over there very often. (More the other problem is that in Florida P.E. and recess has all but disappeared from the public schools. I suppose that this is due to the fact that so much emphasis is being placed on preparation for the FCAT test. However, I’ve recently found out that because of this problem PE is now being put back into the public schools. Also, kids don’t go out and play like they used to. They’re either doing homework, or are in front of the computer or TV. When I was little, I had both P.E. and recess. No if’s and’s but’s or maybes about it. If it rained, it took place in the gym. Also, I had a very wise babysitter by the name of Mrs. Tilly. At first she would let us kids sit in front of the tube before and after school. Until 1 day, her Dr. asked if us kids were outside playing. When she said “no” he insisted that, we needed to be outside playing in good weather. At first, I hated it. But I grew to enjoy it. When I went to Kinder Care, the same thing happened there too. Also, I had dance and gymnastics lessons. I couldn’t follow everything perfectly, but I gave it my best shot. I also grew up during the Disco period. and to this day, I still like to boogie. I do a lot of my boogying in church during the Praise and Worship time. Needless to say, it took a long time for the people at my church to get used to my boogeying. Because dance isn’t normally part of the seventh Day Adventist church. This is ashamed because dance can be a a very good form of Cardio Exercise and the seventh Day Adventists are supposed to be very health oriented. I hope to be able to turn this around by my example. But I’m afraid that it would take an act of God in order to make this happen.
These are just a few things that I’ve observed over the past several years. Now if a person who’s legally blind and was thought to be mentally challenged can observe these things, what’s wrong with this picture? But don’t worry. I’ll cover more ground as the book unfolds. My hope and prayer for this book is to enlighten you and not to tick you off. Take care, stay sane, and God Bless,
Dana Morgan 8/11/07
Introduction: Why I Wrote this Blog Post:
I started experimenting with childbirth preparation techniques back in November of 1991. Then in June of 1992, I discovered yoga. Then in May of 1995, I discovered meditation and visualizations. I mostly used these techniques to help me cope with the discomforts of PMS and menstrual cramps. A couple of years later I used these same techniques for coping with the pain associated with the coming in of my 1st Wisdom Tooth and its extraction 6 years later. However, I never realized how helpful they would be to me until¼.
A couple of years ago I started getting extremely sharp pains in the upper-right side of my belly. in addition, I didn’t think much of it at that time because it was a very stressful time in my life. You see, my grandmother was dying of Ovarian Cancer. in addition, I thought that it was a form of sympathy pains or even Gastritis or just a case of nerves. Therefore, I eliminated caffeine from my diet. In addition, I thought that it was from the Ibuprofen that I was taking for my menstrual cramps. Therefore, I quit taking that as well. and I was religiously taking Pepto Bismol. All of these things seemed to help until Feb. of last year. Then the pain came back again. At first, I couldn’t place it. All I knew is that it would rear its ugly head after I ate anything fried or greasy. Then on Palm Sunday, I went to my mom’s house because the pain, nausea, and vomiting were so bad. I also had my first seizure in a long time so I slept off and on all that day.
The next day, I made an appointment at the Family Health Center at Florida Hospital and saw Dr. L. After feeling my belly, she ordered an Abdominal Ultrasound to see what was going on. Later that afternoon I went back, home-to my apartment. Later that night, I did something dumb. I ate some potato chips, not realizing how greasy they really were. The next day, my belly was really acting up again. So later on that afternoon, Mom took me to the E.R. at Florida Hospital. We waited there until 6:30PM. Then I was examined, had the Abdominal Ultrasound and a Chest and Belly x-ray. After that, I was given a shot of Dilaudid in my IV. (I must admit that my friend was right when she said, “That it makes you forget that you’re in pain.”) What I really noticed was that it made me feel very dreamy and euphoric. Then I fell asleep for several hours. I also spent the night at Mom’s house. However, the next day, I was in pain and throwing up again. We called the Family Health Center to see if they could help us. But they said that with the severity of my pain, it would be better for me to go back to the E.R. So back we went. Then we waited until 9:30PM. Then the Dr. said, “Oh, you’re back again?
Then he gave me another shot of Dilaudid, and then I fell asleep. Mom thought that she’d lie in the bed next to me until I was admitted. But then a nurse said, “That it could be early in the morning before a room became available.” At 1 point, Mom asked me where Smokey’s carrier was. I managed to tell her where it was, then I fell back to sleep. Then Mom went to my apartment to get Smokey (my cat) and took him to her house.
At 2:30 AM, a room became available. It was on the second floor on the Diabetic unit. A nurse kept asking me all kinds of questions when all I really wanted to do was sleep. This was very annoying.
I finally crashed until 7:30AM. At that time, a Dr. wanted me to drink 2 cups of a contrasting solution for a Nuclear Medicine Scan. I told him that I was too nauseated to drink anything. Then I fell back to sleep until 10:30AM.
At 4:30PM. They took me down to Nuclear Medicine for that scan. and The tech just put the contrasting solution in my IV. Well, no sooner than she did that, my belly really hurt like Hell. and Nobody could give me anything for the pain because it could mess the test up. So there I was lying on the table moaning and groaning very loudly bordering on screaming. Shortly after that, Mom got there and held my hand. She told me to “just squeeze my hand and breathe.” Yeah, right! No amount of Lamaze breathing was going to help with this kind of pain. I wanted painkillers. Well, anyway, this continued for an hour. Then I returned to my room, at that point I got a shot of painkillers in my IV. After that, I slept for a few hours. Later that evening and early Sabbath morning, the test was repeated again. This time it was for shorter periods of time and without the contrast.
At 2:30PM., my friends Jeanie and Clyde called me and we had a few good belly laughs. Let me tell you that laughter is the best medicine. That’s why wise King Solomon said in Proverbs 17:22 “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” At 6:30 PM the hospital chaplain came by to talk to me and pray with me. That was a real blessing since I was unable to attend church that Sabbath.
On Easter AM, Mom came by and gave me my Easter Bag. It had all kinds of pretty things and a pair of flip-flops in it. But no candy because I couldn’t eat it and I didn’t want it anyway even if I could.
Monday, 7:00AM surgery day. Drs. Mahan and Levine came in and told me what I was to expect. They told me that they were going to try to do it Laproscopically, but there was a chance that they would have to remove it the old way. At that point I didn’t care if they had to take it out through my nose. I just wanted that puppy gone. (I believe that a ready state of mind influences how well surgery goes.) Also I believe that that same mindset determines how fast and how well you’ll heal afterwards. At 1:30PM, we all went down to the O.R. (Me, Mom, our friend Robin, and my friend Art. After that, I don’t remember much of what happened from that point on. The only thing that I do remember was that I was in Pre-op. and waiting to go into the O.R. I was in La La Land. This was due to the sedation that they gave me for the Endoscopic Procedure beforehand. and I was talking out of my head. I kept asking, “Where’s Art? Where’s Art?” and Mom said, “He just went to Winter Park for a minute.” (Actually, it was for a few hours.) Then I went back out again.
When I came to in Post-op, someone had told me that they tried to do it Laproscopically, but they couldn’t because my gallbladder was too inflamed. So they had to do it the old way. I still didn’t care, I was just glad to get that puppy out. Shortly after that, I was moved to room #4203 where I had two Ivs. (One was for a P.C.A. (Patient Controlled Analgesia) device, I also had a Foley Catheter in my bladder to keep it empty, and a JP pump attached to my belly in order to collect any fluids that had drained from my incision. My legs were also put in support stockings and put into this device that massages your calves in order to prevent any blood clots from forming in my legs. (Actually, this part wasn’t bad at all. I actually liked it.) Also, for the first few hours, the only thing that I was allowed to have by mouth was ice chips. This was so frustrating because my mouth was so dry.
Life post-op was very frustrating. For one thing, Drs., Nurses, Techs, and Lab Techs kept coming in and waking me up. and Just when I needed and wanted to rest and sleep the most. Then Thursday the Ivs and the catheter came out and I was expected to pee in this hat shaped thing so they could monitor my urine output. (I thought this was very dumb.) Also I didn’t have much of an appetite because everything in my belly was still “asleep”. So Tuesday and Wednesday I was on “Clear Fluids” until Thursday until I finally passed gas. Then my diet was gradually increased. At first was a “Soft Foods” diet, and then to a “Full Diet As Tolerated.” Later that Thursday, I had my friend Art bring me a cup of Chicken Noodle Soup from Boston Market. That was the best food that I’ve eaten in a long time. I’ve also found another use for these techniques in this book.
You see, When I was a baby and a little girl I used to have seizures a lot. Mostly they were due to low blood sugar. and Back then the answer wasn’t self- monitoring of blood sugar levels or even diet and lifestyle changes. The answer was simply “Let’s just medicate them.” So I was on Dilantin and Phenobarbital. So consequently, I was a zomby. and the real “fun part” was, (I’m being sarcastic here) when I was old enough to start school It was as if society was playing a cruel joke on me. It was as if the school board were saying, “OK. Now that you’re all doped up you got to get up Monday through Friday, go to school, and try to learn something.” Well, naturally, as a result of the drugs I couldn’t stay awake to learn anything if my life depended on it. and to me it was a major waste of time. and as a result of that my doctors and teachers all thought that I was mentally challenged. This continued until I was 11 ½ years old. and Mom just “pulled me off the meds” because of what she saw on her job. (That’s a separate story). Well, after she did that I started to blossom. I started to really enjoy school and was starting to learn.
However, when my doctors heard this they “hit the roof!” They said things like, “Don’t you know that you could have caused her to have a seizure and it could have fried her brain?” Mom responded back by saying, “But she’s staying awake in school and is learning.” and the doctors patted her on the shoulder and said, “No, no, you’re just seeing something because you want to see it.” So I went back on the meds. ,But only for two more weeks and only at night. and I didn’t have any more problems for 7 ½ years. Then I had three seizures. But they were blood sugar related and I didn’t need any medication for them. Then on 4/4/04 I had one. I didn’t know what it was at first since I hadn’t had any for 20 years. Also I was dealing with gallstones. Then it happened again on 5/1/04, 7/6, 7/13/ and 14. Then again on 11/15 (due to an allergic reaction I had to a certain group on antibiotics). Then it happened on 2/4/05, 3/29, (I suspect that this was a combination of pre Dr.’s appointment stress and spiritual warfare). Then again on 9/12. (I suspect that this was due to the stress of getting ready to move). I’ve noticed that they happen during the “let-down” after a stressful situation. So here we go again, back to taking the meds. and At first it was back to being dopey and dense. However, I’ve had other problems with taking the large doses of Dilantin. For one thing I’m also on the pill for hormone replacement, it flushed the pill out of my system, and consequently I didn’t have a period for 3 month. Also it greatly affected my balance and coordination. So I “played mad scientist.” I gradually
decreased the Dilantin until I figured out a program that I could live with. Also at that time my Neurologist put me on Klonopin. (This helps a lot). So I could still function most days, not walk as if I’m drunk, and I still have my periods. Now I know that most women would ask, “What’s the big deal”? But my answer is this, try going through 3 months of drug induced menopause and see how you like it. There were a couple more concerns about taking such a large dose of Dilantin. It made me sleep a lot. This wasn’t a bad thing sometimes. But what if I had to “get off my butt and get a job?” It wouldn’t last. (Because I kept nodding off to sleep in the afternoon.) In other words, no one would keep me.
Well, here we go again. With the tummy problems. 2 ½ years after having my gallbladder removed. Actually, it started last September with the runs. They would come and go. and I just thought that it was a normal side effect of not having a gallbladder anymore. You see, the bile that normally is stored in your gallbladder has no other place to go. So it just goes to your intestines and makes you have to poop more. It also makes you have loose stools. At first I thought that I was Lactose Intolerant, but now I’m not sure about that.
Then, in the summer of this year, I started having frequent heartburn, a gnawing feeling in my belly, and I was feeling nauseated, but there wasn’t anything to throw up. I started “babying my stomach”. (Especially during PMS. When the symptoms became worse). What I mean by this is I would eat a lot of bland foods such as cream of wheat and other hot cereals, pasta, and I also became a vegetarian. Because I’ve discovered that meat just “sat there” in my belly and made me feel even more uncomfortable.
Well anyway, I had an appt. at the Family Health Center on 10/9/06 and saw Dr. Jason. I told him about my symptoms. He suggested another Endoscopy. (Since it was 2 ½ years after the first one). He also gave me some samples of Protonix and a prescription for it. (Later I found out that Medicaid didn’t cover it so he switched me over to Previcid). But I didn’t like either the taste or the side effects. It tasted like garlic and it gave me severe cramps and the runs. A week later I got a referral for a place called Advanced G.I. Center. The next day I made my appt. My appt. was scheduled on 11/1/06 at 12:30PM with Dr. H. It was a case of “hurry up and wait”. and To make matters worse, it was extremely cold in there. Thank God mom brought a shawl so that we could both wrap up in it. Well anyway, it seemed like an eternity before a nurse who weighed me saw me. I found out that I lost 5 LBS. I think that this is due to the fact that I became a vegetarian and my consistent yoga practice. I also like to “praise dance” in church which burns up some extra calories. Then she took my vital signs and they were fine. This means that I’m “alive and kicking” unfortunately. Then she asked me a lot of questions. and What I didn’t know or couldn’t remember, mom did. Thank God.
Shortly after that, I saw the Physician’s Assistant. She preformed the initial exam. and When she pressed on my belly it set off another series of hard cramps in my belly. Thank God I learned the Lamaze Breathing techniques. (Because they really came in handy).
Some time after that I finally met Dr. H. and he agreed that an Endoscopy was the best way to go. They even have their own outpatient surgical center. This was nice in one way, but scary in another. The nice part is that you’re in and out the same day. The scary part (at least for me due to my low blood sugar), is that you have to be fasting after midnight the night before the procedure. and Since my procedure was to take place on the 14th at 11:45AM, I was concerned about my blood sugar dropping. You see, when I had this done the first time, I was already in the hospital and hooked up to an I.V. Also a tech came in every so often and checked my blood sugar so I felt safer. The other issue I had was with the sedation. When I had it the first time I kind of remember talking out of my head. I sure didn’t want to repeat that movie again.
How was I going to avoid another replay? Well, I started religiously practicing self-hypnosis and visualization twice a day for 12 days. I also wrote a pre and post Procedure Care Plan. This stated my preferences. Also, as the date drew closer, I called the MNH Outpatient Surgical Center and asked to speak with someone about how I could keep my blood sugar normal. (Since I wouldn’t be able to eat anything that morning). The nurse said that I could have six ozs. Of a sweetened “clear fluid”, but no later than 7:45AM.
Now getting back the 1st issue. As you know I’ve been practicing self-hypnosis and visualization for 12 days in hopes of avoiding the sedation. I told my mom what I was planning to do. and She said “I doubt if they’ll do it without you being sedated”. I told her that they could just spray the back of my throat with local anesthesia and I could handle the rest. But she was doubtful. You see, she’s stuck in the 70s when everyone took tranquilizers and sleeping pills to handle stress. As you remember, I was even over medicated for my seizures. Well anyway the Friday before the procedure, I called Doc.’s office to ask about cutting the dose of the Zantac that he prescribed me because it was causing the same problems. I also asked about using the self-hypnosis and visualization instead of being sedated for the procedure. He was OK with both of those. and The nurse just told me to inform the staff at the Outpatient Surgical center that I didn’t want to be sedated.
Crisis Time 11/13/06
I called the bank at 10:30AM to see how much money I had in both checking accts. To my shock and horror, I found out that my main checking acct. had only .21 in it and my overdraft acct. had $46 in it. When I asked about it, I found out that Borders had come through on my debit card but I was $4 short. The bank had transferred it but they added a whopping $10 fee. Thank god for overdraft protection because without it I would have been screwed. However, I was able to transfer $26 so I could get what I needed for the next few days after the procedure. This proved to be good thinking because something else came through the next day as well and I was covered.
By 9PM Mom called me on her cell phone. She was in the E.R. at Sand Lake Hospital. Her heart started racing again and she was having problems breathing. She told me that she couldn’t take me to my appt. for my Endoscopy and that I would have to reschedule it. Like heck, I thought. When I hung up the phone I prayed. Also, certain praise and worship songs and scripture memory songs started playing in my head. So I put on the CD that had them on it. It was a real test of faith, but I continued with my planned prep. I had my last snack at 11:30PM, which consisted of a cup of chicken noodle, soup with extra noodles and I finished my juice water. Once in bed, the only thing I had were 2 caught drops so that I wouldn’t feel as if I were coughing up a hairball in the middle of the night.
Procedure Day 11/14/06
At 7:35 this morning Mom called me so that I could check my blood sugar and drink something sweet if necessary. I checked my blood sugar, which was 101, so I decided to forgo the sweet drink. At 8:30 AM I called Lynx to see if any buses went by the Outpatient Surgical Center. Obviously, the customer service rep. Was miss-informed. Because when I called the Outpatient Surgical Center at 9:30 I was informed that buses didn’t go by there. So the woman that I talked with talked with the administrator and they paid for a cab for me to come to and go from the center. Praise God that got worked out! At 10:30AM the cab arrived and took me to the center.
At 10:50AM. I arrived at the center and had to sign in. I swear I felt as if I were “signing my life away”. Then I waited until 11:30AM. While I was waiting, there was a TV in the waiting room. and I swear, every other commercial was for some kind of food. (This really annoyed me). You remember, I’ve been fasting since midnight the night before. Also I started not feeling “right”.
By 11:30 I was taken into a prep room where I was given a gown to put on over my dress and a saline lock was put in place. During the 1st attempt, the vein in the back of my right hand blew, so the prep nurse had to re-insert the lock into my left hand. This one finally took, thank God! At 11:45 someone else took me back to the procedure room. I gave the nurse my plan and told them that I didn’t want to be sedated, but would accept the local anesthesia. I had explained to the staff that I’d been practicing self-hypnosis and visualization for 12 days before the procedure. I also gave the samples of the enzymes back to the staff. I explained that the base is made of pork and I’m a 7th Day Adventist as well as a vegetarian.
When I got onto the table, I was covered with a warmed blanket. I also asked the nurse if she would check my blood sugar because I wasn’t feeling right. She did, and it had dipped from 101 at 7:35AM to 74. She talked to my Dr. Then she hooked me up to an IV of sugar water and I started to feel better. After that, I put my walk man on, then I turned onto my left side and started listening to my relaxation tape.
A few minutes later, Dr. H. came in and asked me how I was doing. Then he sprayed the back of my throat with local anesthesia, and started guiding me in what he was doing. At first I gagged, but the staff was great. They kept reminding me to breathe and focus on my special place. Eventually, I got used to the weird sensation and was able to relax completely. Doc. didn’t find anything seriously wrong. I just have a mild case of Gastritis. A sample of lining from my Esophagus and stomach were removed for tests to rule out bacteria and reflux. Shortly after that the scope was removed. After that, the nurse asked me how I was feeling blood sugar wise. I told her that I was feeling better. Then the IV was removed.
The coolest part of this was that the staff commented that I did a lot better than many of the patients who were sedated. Also, before the procedure I had everyone in the room cracking up with laughter. (Which I think, had a relaxing effect on all of us).
A few minutes later, I was walked back to a recovery room for a few minutes while the staff called a cab for me so that I could go home.
When I got home, the first thing I did was to fix my oatmeal. While it was cooling down I gave Smokey a lot of loving. Then I ate and took my vitamins with my OJ. Then I called Mom and let her know that I was home and in 1 piece. I also told her how well everything went. Even that I didn’t require any sedation. She was totally amazed. I can’t help but wonder how this would have gone if Mom didn’t have the “heart scare”. Also, I had an epiphany. I realized that Mom’s getting older and she won’t be around forever to take care of me. and I may even have to take care of her in a few years.
A few hours later, I talked to a couple of my friends and told them how well things had gone. They were rejoicing with me. I also asked them to pray for Mom because she was scheduled for an exercise stress test the next AM.
At 9:15PM I got down on the floor and did Sadhana-My nightly meditation and yoga practice.
The next day, I felt as if I was drugged. My endorphins had kicked in big time. So I slept off and on all day. I guess that’s what the “Dr.” ordered. My throat was somewhat sore. Thank God I owned stock in caught drops and made jello and soup on Monday night. Again at 9:15PM I managed to do Sadhana and started to feel better in the days to come.
On 12/6/06, I had my follow-up visit with Dr. Hilal. He said that everything looked great. No bacteria or reflux. He felt the same way that I did. The reason for the Gastritis was probably due to the Cortisone that I’ve been on since I was very little. Also he commented to my Mom on how well I did. He said that it only took him 3 min. to do the test. However, for me time seemed to stand still. Also, he said that I don’t have to see him again unless something else comes up.
Now as far as post-op pain management goes, here’s where we’re going to have some fun. Because a lot of what I do may sound funny and strange to you, the reader. Until you understand why we do it. (Thus the reason for this book.)
As a Doula, I’ve had the privilege of sitting in on a Lamaze class that was taught at Florida Hospital and I’ve learned a lot from it. Also the hospital’s Physical Therapist (P.T.) was a big help in teaching me about comfort measures and the right ways to move Post op. I’m also into a lot of other Mind/Body techniques such as meditation, visualization, and yoga. and oh yes, let’s not forget about the P.C.A. Device that I used in the 1st 2 days and 3 nights post-op. “Thank you God for the drugs!” (A little of my sick sense of humor here.)
So this book will give you a balanced prospective of both medical and non-medical pain management for after surgery. Because I believe that both approaches have their place. For the 1st couple of days the nurses wanted me to use the P.C.A. Device in order to keep me down so that I would rest and my body could start healing itself. However, as time went on and I started walking the halls, I relied more on the Lamaze techniques and other mind/body techniques and comfort measures so I needed less pain medication. But I didn’t eliminate it all together until my body had healed enough so I could do without it.
and as far as the Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders are concerned, I hope that the practical holistic advice found in this book will help you to manage your Epilepsy or Seizure Disorder well. (With the appropriate medical care). and Hopefully, you’ll need fewer meds.
A couple of years ago I started getting extremely sharp pains in the upper-right side of my belly. in addition, I didn’t think much of it at that time because it was a very stressful time in my life. You see, my grandmother was dying of Ovarian Cancer. in addition, I thought that it was a form of sympathy pains or even Gastritis or just a case of nerves. Therefore, I eliminated caffeine from my diet. In addition, I thought that it was from the Ibuprofen that I was taking for my menstrual cramps. Therefore, I quit taking that as well. and I was religiously taking Pepto Bismol. All of these things seemed to help until Feb. of last year. Then the pain came back again. At first, I couldn’t place it. All I knew is that it would rear its ugly head after I ate anything fried or greasy. Then on Palm Sunday, I went to my mom’s house because the pain, nausea, and vomiting were so bad. I also had my first seizure in a long time so I slept off and on all that day.
The next day, I made an appointment at the Family Health Center at Florida Hospital and saw Dr. L. After feeling my belly, she ordered an Abdominal Ultrasound to see what was going on. Later that afternoon I went back, home-to my apartment. Later that night, I did something dumb. I ate some potato chips, not realizing how greasy they really were. The next day, my belly was really acting up again. So later on that afternoon, Mom took me to the E.R. at Florida Hospital. We waited there until 6:30PM. Then I was examined, had the Abdominal Ultrasound and a Chest and Belly x-ray. After that, I was given a shot of Dilaudid in my IV. (I must admit that my friend was right when she said, “That it makes you forget that you’re in pain.”) What I really noticed was that it made me feel very dreamy and euphoric. Then I fell asleep for several hours. I also spent the night at Mom’s house. However, the next day, I was in pain and throwing up again. We called the Family Health Center to see if they could help us. But they said that with the severity of my pain, it would be better for me to go back to the E.R. So back we went. Then we waited until 9:30PM. Then the Dr. said, “Oh, you’re back again?
Then he gave me another shot of Dilaudid, and then I fell asleep. Mom thought that she’d lie in the bed next to me until I was admitted. But then a nurse said, “That it could be early in the morning before a room became available.” At 1 point, Mom asked me where Smokey’s carrier was. I managed to tell her where it was, then I fell back to sleep. Then Mom went to my apartment to get Smokey (my cat) and took him to her house.
At 2:30 AM, a room became available. It was on the second floor on the Diabetic unit. A nurse kept asking me all kinds of questions when all I really wanted to do was sleep. This was very annoying.
I finally crashed until 7:30AM. At that time, a Dr. wanted me to drink 2 cups of a contrasting solution for a Nuclear Medicine Scan. I told him that I was too nauseated to drink anything. Then I fell back to sleep until 10:30AM.
At 4:30PM. They took me down to Nuclear Medicine for that scan. and The tech just put the contrasting solution in my IV. Well, no sooner than she did that, my belly really hurt like Hell. and Nobody could give me anything for the pain because it could mess the test up. So there I was lying on the table moaning and groaning very loudly bordering on screaming. Shortly after that, Mom got there and held my hand. She told me to “just squeeze my hand and breathe.” Yeah, right! No amount of Lamaze breathing was going to help with this kind of pain. I wanted painkillers. Well, anyway, this continued for an hour. Then I returned to my room, at that point I got a shot of painkillers in my IV. After that, I slept for a few hours. Later that evening and early Sabbath morning, the test was repeated again. This time it was for shorter periods of time and without the contrast.
At 2:30PM., my friends Jeanie and Clyde called me and we had a few good belly laughs. Let me tell you that laughter is the best medicine. That’s why wise King Solomon said in Proverbs 17:22 “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” At 6:30 PM the hospital chaplain came by to talk to me and pray with me. That was a real blessing since I was unable to attend church that Sabbath.
On Easter AM, Mom came by and gave me my Easter Bag. It had all kinds of pretty things and a pair of flip-flops in it. But no candy because I couldn’t eat it and I didn’t want it anyway even if I could.
Monday, 7:00AM surgery day. Drs. Mahan and Levine came in and told me what I was to expect. They told me that they were going to try to do it Laproscopically, but there was a chance that they would have to remove it the old way. At that point I didn’t care if they had to take it out through my nose. I just wanted that puppy gone. (I believe that a ready state of mind influences how well surgery goes.) Also I believe that that same mindset determines how fast and how well you’ll heal afterwards. At 1:30PM, we all went down to the O.R. (Me, Mom, our friend Robin, and my friend Art. After that, I don’t remember much of what happened from that point on. The only thing that I do remember was that I was in Pre-op. and waiting to go into the O.R. I was in La La Land. This was due to the sedation that they gave me for the Endoscopic Procedure beforehand. and I was talking out of my head. I kept asking, “Where’s Art? Where’s Art?” and Mom said, “He just went to Winter Park for a minute.” (Actually, it was for a few hours.) Then I went back out again.
When I came to in Post-op, someone had told me that they tried to do it Laproscopically, but they couldn’t because my gallbladder was too inflamed. So they had to do it the old way. I still didn’t care, I was just glad to get that puppy out. Shortly after that, I was moved to room #4203 where I had two Ivs. (One was for a P.C.A. (Patient Controlled Analgesia) device, I also had a Foley Catheter in my bladder to keep it empty, and a JP pump attached to my belly in order to collect any fluids that had drained from my incision. My legs were also put in support stockings and put into this device that massages your calves in order to prevent any blood clots from forming in my legs. (Actually, this part wasn’t bad at all. I actually liked it.) Also, for the first few hours, the only thing that I was allowed to have by mouth was ice chips. This was so frustrating because my mouth was so dry.
Life post-op was very frustrating. For one thing, Drs., Nurses, Techs, and Lab Techs kept coming in and waking me up. and Just when I needed and wanted to rest and sleep the most. Then Thursday the Ivs and the catheter came out and I was expected to pee in this hat shaped thing so they could monitor my urine output. (I thought this was very dumb.) Also I didn’t have much of an appetite because everything in my belly was still “asleep”. So Tuesday and Wednesday I was on “Clear Fluids” until Thursday until I finally passed gas. Then my diet was gradually increased. At first was a “Soft Foods” diet, and then to a “Full Diet As Tolerated.” Later that Thursday, I had my friend Art bring me a cup of Chicken Noodle Soup from Boston Market. That was the best food that I’ve eaten in a long time. I’ve also found another use for these techniques in this book.
You see, When I was a baby and a little girl I used to have seizures a lot. Mostly they were due to low blood sugar. and Back then the answer wasn’t self- monitoring of blood sugar levels or even diet and lifestyle changes. The answer was simply “Let’s just medicate them.” So I was on Dilantin and Phenobarbital. So consequently, I was a zomby. and the real “fun part” was, (I’m being sarcastic here) when I was old enough to start school It was as if society was playing a cruel joke on me. It was as if the school board were saying, “OK. Now that you’re all doped up you got to get up Monday through Friday, go to school, and try to learn something.” Well, naturally, as a result of the drugs I couldn’t stay awake to learn anything if my life depended on it. and to me it was a major waste of time. and as a result of that my doctors and teachers all thought that I was mentally challenged. This continued until I was 11 ½ years old. and Mom just “pulled me off the meds” because of what she saw on her job. (That’s a separate story). Well, after she did that I started to blossom. I started to really enjoy school and was starting to learn.
However, when my doctors heard this they “hit the roof!” They said things like, “Don’t you know that you could have caused her to have a seizure and it could have fried her brain?” Mom responded back by saying, “But she’s staying awake in school and is learning.” and the doctors patted her on the shoulder and said, “No, no, you’re just seeing something because you want to see it.” So I went back on the meds. ,But only for two more weeks and only at night. and I didn’t have any more problems for 7 ½ years. Then I had three seizures. But they were blood sugar related and I didn’t need any medication for them. Then on 4/4/04 I had one. I didn’t know what it was at first since I hadn’t had any for 20 years. Also I was dealing with gallstones. Then it happened again on 5/1/04, 7/6, 7/13/ and 14. Then again on 11/15 (due to an allergic reaction I had to a certain group on antibiotics). Then it happened on 2/4/05, 3/29, (I suspect that this was a combination of pre Dr.’s appointment stress and spiritual warfare). Then again on 9/12. (I suspect that this was due to the stress of getting ready to move). I’ve noticed that they happen during the “let-down” after a stressful situation. So here we go again, back to taking the meds. and At first it was back to being dopey and dense. However, I’ve had other problems with taking the large doses of Dilantin. For one thing I’m also on the pill for hormone replacement, it flushed the pill out of my system, and consequently I didn’t have a period for 3 month. Also it greatly affected my balance and coordination. So I “played mad scientist.” I gradually
decreased the Dilantin until I figured out a program that I could live with. Also at that time my Neurologist put me on Klonopin. (This helps a lot). So I could still function most days, not walk as if I’m drunk, and I still have my periods. Now I know that most women would ask, “What’s the big deal”? But my answer is this, try going through 3 months of drug induced menopause and see how you like it. There were a couple more concerns about taking such a large dose of Dilantin. It made me sleep a lot. This wasn’t a bad thing sometimes. But what if I had to “get off my butt and get a job?” It wouldn’t last. (Because I kept nodding off to sleep in the afternoon.) In other words, no one would keep me.
Well, here we go again. With the tummy problems. 2 ½ years after having my gallbladder removed. Actually, it started last September with the runs. They would come and go. and I just thought that it was a normal side effect of not having a gallbladder anymore. You see, the bile that normally is stored in your gallbladder has no other place to go. So it just goes to your intestines and makes you have to poop more. It also makes you have loose stools. At first I thought that I was Lactose Intolerant, but now I’m not sure about that.
Then, in the summer of this year, I started having frequent heartburn, a gnawing feeling in my belly, and I was feeling nauseated, but there wasn’t anything to throw up. I started “babying my stomach”. (Especially during PMS. When the symptoms became worse). What I mean by this is I would eat a lot of bland foods such as cream of wheat and other hot cereals, pasta, and I also became a vegetarian. Because I’ve discovered that meat just “sat there” in my belly and made me feel even more uncomfortable.
Well anyway, I had an appt. at the Family Health Center on 10/9/06 and saw Dr. Jason. I told him about my symptoms. He suggested another Endoscopy. (Since it was 2 ½ years after the first one). He also gave me some samples of Protonix and a prescription for it. (Later I found out that Medicaid didn’t cover it so he switched me over to Previcid). But I didn’t like either the taste or the side effects. It tasted like garlic and it gave me severe cramps and the runs. A week later I got a referral for a place called Advanced G.I. Center. The next day I made my appt. My appt. was scheduled on 11/1/06 at 12:30PM with Dr. H. It was a case of “hurry up and wait”. and To make matters worse, it was extremely cold in there. Thank God mom brought a shawl so that we could both wrap up in it. Well anyway, it seemed like an eternity before a nurse who weighed me saw me. I found out that I lost 5 LBS. I think that this is due to the fact that I became a vegetarian and my consistent yoga practice. I also like to “praise dance” in church which burns up some extra calories. Then she took my vital signs and they were fine. This means that I’m “alive and kicking” unfortunately. Then she asked me a lot of questions. and What I didn’t know or couldn’t remember, mom did. Thank God.
Shortly after that, I saw the Physician’s Assistant. She preformed the initial exam. and When she pressed on my belly it set off another series of hard cramps in my belly. Thank God I learned the Lamaze Breathing techniques. (Because they really came in handy).
Some time after that I finally met Dr. H. and he agreed that an Endoscopy was the best way to go. They even have their own outpatient surgical center. This was nice in one way, but scary in another. The nice part is that you’re in and out the same day. The scary part (at least for me due to my low blood sugar), is that you have to be fasting after midnight the night before the procedure. and Since my procedure was to take place on the 14th at 11:45AM, I was concerned about my blood sugar dropping. You see, when I had this done the first time, I was already in the hospital and hooked up to an I.V. Also a tech came in every so often and checked my blood sugar so I felt safer. The other issue I had was with the sedation. When I had it the first time I kind of remember talking out of my head. I sure didn’t want to repeat that movie again.
How was I going to avoid another replay? Well, I started religiously practicing self-hypnosis and visualization twice a day for 12 days. I also wrote a pre and post Procedure Care Plan. This stated my preferences. Also, as the date drew closer, I called the MNH Outpatient Surgical Center and asked to speak with someone about how I could keep my blood sugar normal. (Since I wouldn’t be able to eat anything that morning). The nurse said that I could have six ozs. Of a sweetened “clear fluid”, but no later than 7:45AM.
Now getting back the 1st issue. As you know I’ve been practicing self-hypnosis and visualization for 12 days in hopes of avoiding the sedation. I told my mom what I was planning to do. and She said “I doubt if they’ll do it without you being sedated”. I told her that they could just spray the back of my throat with local anesthesia and I could handle the rest. But she was doubtful. You see, she’s stuck in the 70s when everyone took tranquilizers and sleeping pills to handle stress. As you remember, I was even over medicated for my seizures. Well anyway the Friday before the procedure, I called Doc.’s office to ask about cutting the dose of the Zantac that he prescribed me because it was causing the same problems. I also asked about using the self-hypnosis and visualization instead of being sedated for the procedure. He was OK with both of those. and The nurse just told me to inform the staff at the Outpatient Surgical center that I didn’t want to be sedated.
Crisis Time 11/13/06
I called the bank at 10:30AM to see how much money I had in both checking accts. To my shock and horror, I found out that my main checking acct. had only .21 in it and my overdraft acct. had $46 in it. When I asked about it, I found out that Borders had come through on my debit card but I was $4 short. The bank had transferred it but they added a whopping $10 fee. Thank god for overdraft protection because without it I would have been screwed. However, I was able to transfer $26 so I could get what I needed for the next few days after the procedure. This proved to be good thinking because something else came through the next day as well and I was covered.
By 9PM Mom called me on her cell phone. She was in the E.R. at Sand Lake Hospital. Her heart started racing again and she was having problems breathing. She told me that she couldn’t take me to my appt. for my Endoscopy and that I would have to reschedule it. Like heck, I thought. When I hung up the phone I prayed. Also, certain praise and worship songs and scripture memory songs started playing in my head. So I put on the CD that had them on it. It was a real test of faith, but I continued with my planned prep. I had my last snack at 11:30PM, which consisted of a cup of chicken noodle, soup with extra noodles and I finished my juice water. Once in bed, the only thing I had were 2 caught drops so that I wouldn’t feel as if I were coughing up a hairball in the middle of the night.
Procedure Day 11/14/06
At 7:35 this morning Mom called me so that I could check my blood sugar and drink something sweet if necessary. I checked my blood sugar, which was 101, so I decided to forgo the sweet drink. At 8:30 AM I called Lynx to see if any buses went by the Outpatient Surgical Center. Obviously, the customer service rep. Was miss-informed. Because when I called the Outpatient Surgical Center at 9:30 I was informed that buses didn’t go by there. So the woman that I talked with talked with the administrator and they paid for a cab for me to come to and go from the center. Praise God that got worked out! At 10:30AM the cab arrived and took me to the center.
At 10:50AM. I arrived at the center and had to sign in. I swear I felt as if I were “signing my life away”. Then I waited until 11:30AM. While I was waiting, there was a TV in the waiting room. and I swear, every other commercial was for some kind of food. (This really annoyed me). You remember, I’ve been fasting since midnight the night before. Also I started not feeling “right”.
By 11:30 I was taken into a prep room where I was given a gown to put on over my dress and a saline lock was put in place. During the 1st attempt, the vein in the back of my right hand blew, so the prep nurse had to re-insert the lock into my left hand. This one finally took, thank God! At 11:45 someone else took me back to the procedure room. I gave the nurse my plan and told them that I didn’t want to be sedated, but would accept the local anesthesia. I had explained to the staff that I’d been practicing self-hypnosis and visualization for 12 days before the procedure. I also gave the samples of the enzymes back to the staff. I explained that the base is made of pork and I’m a 7th Day Adventist as well as a vegetarian.
When I got onto the table, I was covered with a warmed blanket. I also asked the nurse if she would check my blood sugar because I wasn’t feeling right. She did, and it had dipped from 101 at 7:35AM to 74. She talked to my Dr. Then she hooked me up to an IV of sugar water and I started to feel better. After that, I put my walk man on, then I turned onto my left side and started listening to my relaxation tape.
A few minutes later, Dr. H. came in and asked me how I was doing. Then he sprayed the back of my throat with local anesthesia, and started guiding me in what he was doing. At first I gagged, but the staff was great. They kept reminding me to breathe and focus on my special place. Eventually, I got used to the weird sensation and was able to relax completely. Doc. didn’t find anything seriously wrong. I just have a mild case of Gastritis. A sample of lining from my Esophagus and stomach were removed for tests to rule out bacteria and reflux. Shortly after that the scope was removed. After that, the nurse asked me how I was feeling blood sugar wise. I told her that I was feeling better. Then the IV was removed.
The coolest part of this was that the staff commented that I did a lot better than many of the patients who were sedated. Also, before the procedure I had everyone in the room cracking up with laughter. (Which I think, had a relaxing effect on all of us).
A few minutes later, I was walked back to a recovery room for a few minutes while the staff called a cab for me so that I could go home.
When I got home, the first thing I did was to fix my oatmeal. While it was cooling down I gave Smokey a lot of loving. Then I ate and took my vitamins with my OJ. Then I called Mom and let her know that I was home and in 1 piece. I also told her how well everything went. Even that I didn’t require any sedation. She was totally amazed. I can’t help but wonder how this would have gone if Mom didn’t have the “heart scare”. Also, I had an epiphany. I realized that Mom’s getting older and she won’t be around forever to take care of me. and I may even have to take care of her in a few years.
A few hours later, I talked to a couple of my friends and told them how well things had gone. They were rejoicing with me. I also asked them to pray for Mom because she was scheduled for an exercise stress test the next AM.
At 9:15PM I got down on the floor and did Sadhana-My nightly meditation and yoga practice.
The next day, I felt as if I was drugged. My endorphins had kicked in big time. So I slept off and on all day. I guess that’s what the “Dr.” ordered. My throat was somewhat sore. Thank God I owned stock in caught drops and made jello and soup on Monday night. Again at 9:15PM I managed to do Sadhana and started to feel better in the days to come.
On 12/6/06, I had my follow-up visit with Dr. Hilal. He said that everything looked great. No bacteria or reflux. He felt the same way that I did. The reason for the Gastritis was probably due to the Cortisone that I’ve been on since I was very little. Also he commented to my Mom on how well I did. He said that it only took him 3 min. to do the test. However, for me time seemed to stand still. Also, he said that I don’t have to see him again unless something else comes up.
Now as far as post-op pain management goes, here’s where we’re going to have some fun. Because a lot of what I do may sound funny and strange to you, the reader. Until you understand why we do it. (Thus the reason for this book.)
As a Doula, I’ve had the privilege of sitting in on a Lamaze class that was taught at Florida Hospital and I’ve learned a lot from it. Also the hospital’s Physical Therapist (P.T.) was a big help in teaching me about comfort measures and the right ways to move Post op. I’m also into a lot of other Mind/Body techniques such as meditation, visualization, and yoga. and oh yes, let’s not forget about the P.C.A. Device that I used in the 1st 2 days and 3 nights post-op. “Thank you God for the drugs!” (A little of my sick sense of humor here.)
So this book will give you a balanced prospective of both medical and non-medical pain management for after surgery. Because I believe that both approaches have their place. For the 1st couple of days the nurses wanted me to use the P.C.A. Device in order to keep me down so that I would rest and my body could start healing itself. However, as time went on and I started walking the halls, I relied more on the Lamaze techniques and other mind/body techniques and comfort measures so I needed less pain medication. But I didn’t eliminate it all together until my body had healed enough so I could do without it.
and as far as the Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders are concerned, I hope that the practical holistic advice found in this book will help you to manage your Epilepsy or Seizure Disorder well. (With the appropriate medical care). and Hopefully, you’ll need fewer meds.
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