I LIVE and 5 favorites

It has been a really ( that needs to be underlined more than once for the mere understatement) long time since my last post, and for my few readers I apologize.  For the past few months I have been traveling up too Chicago and seeing a team of doctors as I went through tests, pokes, scans and will now become the worlds next superhero with the amount of radiation that is on my body. You can submit awesome name, what you think my powers will be power and costume idea's below.

Good news is I have answers for almost everything now.  I also found out how truly awesome and special my body is with doing the whole Darwin thing and trying to adapt to what is going on.  I may be only about one in 200 people for what I have but my body would not take that and decided to try adapt, improvise, and attempt to overcome.  The outlook is a surgery to fix an issue with my kidney aneurysm within the next coming month or two, and than monitor, the remaining issue with my kidney and aortic artery.  The coming surgery will not put me out of the woods completely but it will make me less high risk.

 And now with that update let's get the the real reason I blog, to be funny, and to share my current likes, and so I give to you my current 5 favorites.

1.  T Swifts new song.  I went through the " I WILL NOT LISTEN TO IT!!" stage and than finally did once another fellow blogger shared it.  She made me laugh and smile.  You go T Swift.

2.

ALS is a horrid disease and if you have facebook you have seen the ice bucket challenge all over it.  My main issue with the it was the worry of it becoming just another fad, and people not donating money and just doing the challenge to say they did it.  A few days ago I saw Anthony's video and was moved.  He is 26 and has ALS.  All my health issues are scary but not ALS scary and he is so brave for making the video that he did.  I urge you to watch the whole thing and if you have not already give to the ALS foundation or even his personal fund page.

3.

I am sorry if I made your cry.... Baby Groot will make it better....

4.

Buzzfeed has a wealth of videos where both America's and their oversea's counterparts try foreign food.  This one is one of my favorites.

5.

This also makes me laugh every time, mostly because I feel like I am watching myself on camera, and timers are for cowards.  I also now have Pizza and wine night...

Hope you are all having an great weekend and don't forget to be awesome. 

Sunday Funnies

I finally remembered that it's Sunday so I have thrown together some well loved Sunday funnies for you.  I also have a prayer request! I have a job interview coming up in the next week and a half (date is still TBD) for a programs coordinator at a camp I use to work for.  It is full time, and would be a huge answer to prayers.  I have nothing but good memories working at the camp and it would be an awesome next stage in life.

Now without further delay Sunday Funnies!  

One of those buggers came into my apartment this winter and every little thing that was on the floor for the next two weeks was a roach.  The fear is real. 

And this is why all the smart snakes are huddled in the corner....

He went in for a selfi and came out with rabies.

This is why the chicken crossed the road

Googly eyes makes all things better, but did they make 50 Shades of Gray better? 

One month later

It has been a long month since my last post, two hospitalizations, lots of doctors visits, scan, bloods work, and other tests later I still don't have many answers.  I do know that they no longer think I have heart disease but because my pulse rate is still high I am on medicine, while the doctor who did my brain surgery say I am "healed" a large handful of doctors including a neurologist from Chicago that has now taken on my case things a lot if this can all be surgery related.

However, things have gotten better in many areas.  While I will most likely always have my stutter, therapy has gotten it to a point to where it is hardly noticeable, and when I am having trouble I now know how to handle it.  My walking and gate is much better and is still improving on its own without therapy, and although I am still really struggling with nausea and somethings vomiting the neurologist finally found a medication and dosage that works well.  Ability to pay attention is getting better, as well as memory.  I still get "brain" overload but not as much as before, and now I can recognize when it is coming and do things like take a nap to help myself.  Sean and Jeanly continue to be awesome people in my life and I also reconnected with some family and spent Easter with them.  I really enjoyed reconnecting with everyone and look forward to more time with them. 

In other news I am funding my way to a service dog.

The program I am doing in Illinois works with you closely and helps you train the dog.  Talk about an awesome bond.  Awesome but expensive hence the fundraising.  I have chosen an Australian Shepard and if you have any fund raising ideas let me know.  It will make post everything that has happened in the last few year a lot easier.

My godson Elijah also turned two earlier last week.  I know people say it all the time put really where does time go?  I feel like just yesterday I was holding him for the first time in the hospital.  I love the fact that he is my godson. He has an extreme love of Totoro, he only ever wants to eat cookies, he can be both extremely funny, yet stubborn, and the fact that he gets pay back on his older brother by jumping on him in the middle of the night waking him up cracks me up.  Sorry Isaac but it does.  That little boy was meant to be my godson in so many way. 

He is one cool little dude.

Sunday Funnies

-1-

In college I took a class on Norse Mythology and hated it.  I summed it up to be one of the worst classes I ever took, and that I would never need that information.  Fast forward a couple years and Thor comes out.  Thor is as Norse/Greek god along with everyone else around him, and what I learned in that class really helped me get a deeper grasp on the movie and find some small jokes a lot funnier than other... I got some shade shot at me for laughing at one point.  Anyway, yesterday I stumbled across this pie chart and once again was laughing really hard.  

And if you were wondering I still dislike that class with a passion... but we will put the blame on the Professor who was so out of it half the class including me were able to get our final grade taken off our record.  I also know it says Greek but there is a major Greek/Norse crossover with some stuff, Zeus being a the god playboy was one of them.

-2- 

If only the parrot in the pet store was nice... and the owners did not have this buy or get out vibe.

-3-

"Mom said you have to WAIT FOR MEEEE!!!"

-4-

Me as a child in a nutshell.  Really though who am I kidding? That is still me. 

-5-

Miley Cyrus sings the Wrecking Ball song and Liam was dating her or married to her or something to that extent.  Miley likes to rock the short hair and Jennifer Lawrence likes to pop the zingers that rip a mans heart out.

-6-

I want to highfive the person who stated this, and then post a Bill of my own.

-7-

And we thought our airport security was bad!

Hope you all have a lovely week!

Heart Matters

Part three is coming soonish.  It is getting delayed because it is long, and I spent about two days this week here..

Hooked up to this guy... Among many other things...

 At least this time it was in my home town so I got a visit from the awesome Jeanly.  She would of come during my brain surgery but being a awesome Mommy of three young boys makes an almost two hour trip very hard.

Monday when I saw my doctor for my stuttering to get a referral my pulse rate was 123.  A normal adult heart rate is 60-100, resting heart rate should really be no high then 80, so 123 is high.  They were concerned and told me to take it at home and call in the results on Friday.  Wednesday rolls around and I am still needing script called in, my pulse has also never dropped below 100.  The night before I had started to have chest tightness and pain but I summed it up to my asthma and was doing at home asthma treatments.  This however did not fly with the doctors office and I was told that I needed to take myself to the ER immediately.  The nurse even went so far to say that if she called and I was not their within 30 min she would send police and an ambulance to my place to get me to the hospital.  

I really did not think anything was wrong, I even told the person who was taking me to the hospital that I really think its my asthma but I am just listing to the doctor.  We got to the ER and once I explained things to them they brought me back immediately and hooked me up to machines.  My pulse was 140.  The ER doctor came in right away and asked some questions.  He ordered blood work an EKG, a chest x-ray, a chest CT and for an IV to be put in immediately.  It occurred to me at that moment they were thinking that I was, or since my chest pain started the night before had a heart attack.  I however was still like thinking I would be out in two hours, because what 26 year old has heart issues.  

I was also giving many different IV meds an an oral Beta Blocker in hopes to bring my pulse down.  All test were coming back fine, and the Beta Blocker brought my pulse down into the 90-100, but the ER doctor not listening to other doctors and going against the grain decided to admit me for more testing.  I owe that man a big thank you for him and what to fallow truly show how God works to show His glory.  Upon getting upstairs I learned that my doctor was a doctor I had when I was in college.  He worked at the hospital every few months for a week at a time.  He only took on a certain amount of patients of the floor.  He remembered me as his past patient.  He is also familiar with my other rare heart issues I have.  The biggest blessing in all of this was when I woke up at 4am with chest pain again and said that "My chest hurts again, but it's not anxiety, that a different kind of pain."  He knew I was telling the truth and they were able to treat it and order more tests.

The test that finally got somewhere was the ECHO, which is an ultrasound of your heart and how it works.  Several hours later the results came back and showed that I have two things going on. Two things that no blood test, EKG or anything else would show.  The first is Mitral Valve Prolapse.  This is where instead of closing each time it opens the Mitral Valve is floppy.  This can cause blood back up in the heart.  Since I am so young I was most likely born with it.  Most cases end up not being serious, or need any treatment.  The second thing I have is Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease. This one is can and most likely is the more serious of the two.  It is a congenital and very rare heart disease effecting 2% of the population. This is were my Aortic valve only has two Leafleats instead of three. This causes a lot more stress on the heart and puts me at higher risk for stenosis, heart infection and other issues.  About 80% of people with this end up having to have open heart surgery and once symptoms become present surgery is most likely in your future.  The symptoms are:

• Fatigue and weakness, especially when you increase your activity level
• Shortness of breath with exertion or when you lie flat
• Chest pain (angina), discomfort or tightness, often increasing during exercise
• Fainting
• Irregular pulse (arrhythmia)
• Heart murmur
• Heart palpitations — sensations of a rapid, fluttering heartbeat
• Swollen ankles and feet (edema)

On Thursday I see my regular doctor (for insurance reason) and from their I will be referred to a heart specialist who will know more.  It is hard right now to say for sure that another serious surgery is in my future but right now it seems to be a yes.  However with medication I could be regulated at not need anything for another several years.  While this new is not good I am grateful for an ER doctor who fallowed what he believed.  It lead to knowing what was going on in a two days time instead if having to go through the dreaded mouth wait and anxiety. Right now I am on meds that are keeping my pulse down but it still climbs into the over 90 range daily.  Time will tell like with everything and as always I know I am in good hands.

Sunday Funnies

While I finish up Surgery Part three, I thought I would finally put up a well love Sunday Funnies enjoy!

-1-

This cutie has gotten her 10 seconds of fame and has better moves than most doing it.

-2-

Was it a walk?  Was it a treat?  Whatever is was it got a maximum dwerp out of this pup

-3-

-4-

I dislike all bird of this hight because I was bite by an Emu (Ostrich cousin) when I was a kid.  My guess is this child is trying rid the bird of the evil that is within.

-5-

Children are adorable, and yet so funny as the learn consequences for things like this in life.  That is unless that child is like me and sits at the dinner table for 3 hours because spanish was gross.

 -6-

He must be a Boy Scout

-7-

-8-

Surgery Part Two: After ICU

To be honest I really do not remember a whole lot of being in the hospital. Part of it is the medicine... ok a big part of it is the medicine and another part of it is that I spent a lot of time sleeping.  At some point ( I may have still been it the ICU) I had a CT scan to make sure the noodle was still doing ok.  I can actually say now that I have passed out from pain because as careful as they were when they moved me I did pass out which of course freaked them out.  They brought me around (I am sure with some sort of drug in my PICC) and than instead of the normal two people moving a person I remember about 6 people transferring me back to my bed.  I once again cracked some sort of joke because people laughed.  I than remember telling the nurse I was going to "take a slumber on the way back".  I would blame that on the drugs, but alas that's just me.  I was in the hospital for a week.  During that time I had the blessing of Sister Sarah ( an actually religious sister) and good friend who stayed with my all day everyday.  This was amazing. She got the nurses when needed, helped me up and around once I got too that point and even brought snack that I was craving.  I can  truly say that I do not know what I would do without her there at my side during that time. It would have been very lonely and I am sure effected my recovery. She is an amazing person. I mean how many friends can you say helped you when you were throwing up, helped you change, and walk, and sat with you even though you had only had a minor washcloth bath for the whole week?  She is a keeper as far as friends go.

I also had other amazing friends visit me although I can say the first group ( Thomas, Becca, and Eric)  I mostly slept through.  They did bring me some beautiful flowers, and sat with me even though I was sleeping.  Alyce came later that week and since I was a little more awake I was actually able to hold a conversation.  The Turk's sent flowers and once I was out of ICU they were able to be delivered.  With the flowers my Newman friends gave me and the ones from them, everyone loved walking into my room because it smelled like spring.  I however was too high on painkiller to smell anything.

The normal stay for the surgery I had was 3-6 days. Average being 4 days.  I remember Dr. K coming in on day 3 squeezing my toes (in a caring nature) and asking if I was ready to leave.  I don't remember what I said, but I guess it was in some form or another a "NO" came out of my mouth, because later another doctor came in and did an evaluation.  From there I was told that I was not leaving for a few days.  Apart from knowing I had a male doctor come in and do an evaluation I don't remember him, but I do remember Sister Sarah telling me later that before falling asleep I said, "He is cute and can come back anytime." What can I say even after brain surgery I was aware I am single and ready to mingle.

Pain was a struggle to get under control at first, but once they found the right meds to pair together it became easier.  The other big issue I had was that my veins that I had an IV in kept blowing.  I was on some very strong medicine to help with not get infection, boost my immune system, keep me from getting sick vomiting wise etc.  Some of these were very powerful and were pretty much destroying my veins.  By the time the 3rd one blew they had to call NICU (again) up to get an IV.  NICU was than called up two more times after two more blows later that week.  Dr. K came in at one point after NICU and saw how bruised my arms were and took me off one of the med immediately.  He felt bad it had been going on so long.  Also, at the time he ordered for my PICC line to come out.  This was pretty much a long catheter like line that was in my wrist.  I remember them pulling it out (it was painless) and being amazed that it just kept coming.  They put it in after they knock me out to deliver various meds and blood during the surgery and in the ICU.  It is pretty much a life line that makes it easier to delver many different meds without having veins collapsing.  They also used it to draw blood several times before taking it out.

Some of the beautiful bruising on my arm but also what I call my vampire bite in.  One mark was from an IV and the other more noticeable one is from the PICC.  Hoping they will not be lifelong scars.

This was the 7th and final IV.  I took the picture on the last day to celebrate, luckily it was the last day or it would have needed to be replaced. 

Like stated earlier, NICU had to be called in several more time but eventually the 7th IV was the charm, although if I had to be in the hospital any longer I would have needed an 8th. 

 In the hospital I also had some blood pressure issues because they were not giving me one of the meds I was on before the surgery... even through we told them too and what would happen if they did not.  At some point we finally got the message across and by day 3 by blood pressure was stable.

By Friday I was at the point of being ready to leave but my bladder though otherwise.  Because of the surgery and swelling the processing between my brain and bladder was not working and I was unable to go to the bathroom on my own.  This lead to the joy of having to be cathed, and than trained on how to do it.  This did not all happen until that fallowing Monday, so while I was really to leave it did help with getting me walking better and eating better.  Monday came and I saw the specialist who trained me.  It took all of 15 minutes after she talking about safety and cleaning and infection and really left me wondering why a regular nurse could not have taught me.  After seeing several doctors and having a round of tests done I got the "all clear" to go home the next day.  I excitedly sent the text to Mama T (aka the Turks) the I had gotten the all clear.  After arranging with the nurses that I WANTED to be woken up every 4 hours to see if I wanted pain meds by about the 3rd day instead of letting me sleep, pain and everything else was becoming a lot better.  Early that morning (Tuesday) I was seen by someone who showed me some tricks to help me swallow properly. (one time choking on your pills is too many in the hospital) and by that evening we were out of there, luckily we moved slow because we had forgotten that pharmacy was suppose to come, but really what do you expect when you ask the girl who has no short term memory "Are you ready? and "Anything else?"  The trip home (aka the Turks) was several hours in which I  "slumbered" the entire time.

...

Since this post is long enough I will continue the at home excitement in another post.  So stay tuned for the excitement of part 3: ER trips, at home stitches taking out, and much more.