Happy Leap Day... or something. I'm soo tired today. I hope I'm not catching anything, but the fact that my throat is sore, my ears hurt, my teeth hurt and my tummy hurts leads me to believe that all I need is a good night of sleep, which I'll definitely get tonight. Glorious sleep. I NEED my minimum of 8-9, preferably 10 hours of sleep at least once a week. Generally that's Friday night. I sleep SO well in the mornings, starting around 4am. I don't know why, but I almost never have nightmares after 4am.
I went to my doctors appointment this morning. I was going because at my last visit I complained that I was more tired, extremely cold all the time, my hair is falling at a greater pace, my skin is so dry that I'm starting to look like a reptile... all hypothyroidism symptoms. I already have hypothyroidism, it runs in my family. I already take Synthroid medication. But I thought maybe it had gotten worse. I went for blood tests 2 weeks ago and apparently everything looks good. She said that I'm freezing because I'm losing weight, and the rest seems hereditary. Some days it's hard to not resent my ancestors and family for all the freaking diseases and ailments they passed down to Steph and me. But I know neither of us had a healthy lifestyle growing up, by any means. So on one hand I wonder how much of that we'd pass down to our own offspring, if we were fertile. Maybe I should finally admit to myself that maybe it would be selfish of us to procreate and pass down our less than stellar health.
I told my doctor that I haven't boarded a plane since 2000. The year that I came back from Africa and fell asleep on the plane with my legs crossed. The resulting deep vein thrombosis that forever changed my life. Can you tell that I'm still angry about the circumstances ? What if I hadnt fallen asleep like that? What if our flight wasn't so crowded, what if I had gone up to use the washroom more often during the 13 hour flight. What if ? What if? Would I have to pay 200$ for custom made compression socks for my funnel shaped calves and wash them by hand and wear them until the toes section desintegrates ? Anyway, I asked her if she thought going on a plane would increase my risk of another DVT or any other clotting. She said that she didn't think so, but she's sending me for a thrombosis blood work up, just to be 100% sure.
I also asked her if she thought that my going to a beach resort and not wearing my socks for extended periods of time would be dangerous in any way, or simply uncomfortable and painful for me. She said that it wouldn't be dangerous, it would only be uncomfortable for me. So that's good news. Not that we're boarding a plane anytime soon, thank you all for your voting yesterday. We have decided to not spend the money, and make a small dent in our debt instead.
Then, I asked her if anything can ever be done for my right leg (the one that immediately swells up and feels like a lump of cement as soon as I take the compression stocking off), surgically or otherwise. I held my breath. She flipped in my patient records file and found the report of the speicalist that saw me in 2001 and prescribed the compression therapy. The report said "There is no other solution that we can offer this young lady. She will have to get used to wearing compression stockings as they will be lifelong. Gravity is her worst enemy." Yep. it literally said that. She read some more and said that no matter how much lose I weight, the damage done by that DVT is irreversible, and that I will have to wear the compression stockings forever. Then I think I accidentally swallowed a billiard ball, or it felt like it, and it's still lodged in my throat.
Just wanted to say I'm thinking of you. And I totally agree with what the others said...I don't think all hope is lost. There MUST be SOMEthing SOMEone can do...if not right now, then eventually.
(((HUGS)))
Hey Nancy, do they offer EVLT there? Endovenous laser Therapy? That could help but I know its not OHIP covered and can be expensive. What about regular salene injections? Something should be able to be done!
The Endovenous Laser Therapy procedure is an updated alternative to the customary vein stripping treatment. The updated procedure is faster than before and can be preforemed under local anesthesia with minimal pain. After the procedure there is a rather pain-less quick recovery time. During this recovery a physician will use an ultrasound machine to examine and map out the vein to be treated.
Those damn support stockings. I haven't pulled mine out since I was preggers but they are a pain in the arse!
I am with Heather - and actually, I would consider getting a second (or I guess maybe it would be third?) opinion from a doctor who is going to do something besides read what the last person wrote in your file. You never know - there may be some things you could try now. And as Heather points out, never say never when it comes to medical advances!
Aw, that's such terrible news :-(
But I don't believe it. Maybe there's nothing that can be done right now - we're making so many strides in medical research, though... I think a lot of "impossibles" will become possible in the next ten years, even.
*big hugs* Nancy
That sounds incredibly painful to have to deal with on a daily basis, and especially the circumstances of the "what ifs" ... which are unchangeable, but we all end up thinking about them within our own lives.
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