Personal Update

(This post serves as the explanation for my pulling back from the blogs and for my use of comment moderation here when I am typically a staunch supporter of freedom of expression)

I’m going through hell here.

Grinding pain since June 9. As yet, no end to this pain is in sight.

My usual blogging activities have been curtailed and will become even more curtailed.

As I’ve mentioned before, I am dealing with health issues: namely, excruciatingly painful bilateral hydronephrosis, with the left ureter in crisis at this time.

What misery!  Without pain medication, I cannot function.  On any level.

The nephrostomy done on August 12 has been successful in that my left kidney, previously in crisis with regard to output, is no longer in crisis..

But what I’ve had to endure since then!

After inserting the neph tube on August 12, the hospital released me with this ugly thing hanging out and attached to my waistband by only one safety pin and no plan for somebody to do the dressing changes and at-least-every-other-day tube flushes:

Complications since then have included the following: allergic reaction to Tramadol, dangerously-rapid weight loss, allergic reaction to Vicodin, systolic blood pressure so dangerously low that kidney failure was imminent, public humiliation when the neph bag leaked, middle-of-the-night bed changes. struggling with how to bathe with this tube and hose attached, and — worst of all — an inexplicable, notorious to treat neuropathic pain cycle.  The pain is akin to that of shingles.

There is a possibility that ureteral neuroplasty will eventually resolve the pain. Maybe, maybe not. But it’s the only chance I have to ameliorate this pain cycle.

Meanwhile, federal law mandates that I have drug screens to make sure that I am the one taking the medication prescribed. I have yet to learn who is paying for these drug screens.  It is very likely that I will have to endure such drug screens for the foreseeable.

Next up:

1.  neph tube exchange (outpatient procedure) this month

2.  in November, ureteral pyeloplasty  (3-4 hour surgery and an in-hospital stay of a few days, followed by at least 3-4 weeks of recovery at home) or nephrectomy, requiring a hospital stay of a few days.

Mr. AOW and I will need help during those recovery weeks.  I’ve never had major surgery before and really don’t know what to expect.  Yes, I’m apprehensive.

Former blogger The Merry Widow, our dear friend who came here in January 2010 to help me provide care for Mr. AOW after his devastating brain hemorrhage of September 15, 2009, will again travel here from Florida — this time, to care primarily for me.