Karla wrote:
> Sally, Yep, I am plaqued with pneumonia rather than being plagued by
> it!!! LOL I had to beat you to the punch! Love ya! Karla
>
>> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Karla
> To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS
> Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2001 6:27 AM
> Subject: What's been happening
> I have tried searching the archives to find any messages
> where I have let you all know exactly what has been going on
> in my life lately. I have not been able to locate anything
> so this email will do exactly that. If by chance I have
> already done this......my apologies. As most of you can
> remember, my four month old grandson passed away
> unexpectedly on March 10th. That was the beginning of a
> most difficult period regarding my health. Actually, in the
> days surrounding the funeral I was the only one that was NOT
> sick. Everyone and their brother had bad colds, sore
> throats, flu....you name it.Everyone that is, except me. I
> was healthy...other than dealing with the adhesions. In the
> days following the baby's death our family made plans to
> spend two weeks in Florida to pull ourselves together and
> try to begin healing. We were scheduled to go from April
> 10th to the 24th. In the end of March I began to feel
> punky. I was suffering from symptoms I normally develop
> when I have urosepsis....which is a urinary infection that
> goes throughout the entire urinary system. I was placed in
> the hospital on a multitude of very heavy antibiotics.
> After about a week in the hospital the doctor informed me
> that I would not be able to go to Florida. A blood culture
> indicated that I had a bacteria in my blood and this
> bacteria would not respond to the antibiotics I had already
> been on. This meant another week or so in the hospital.
> This was very devastating as I had been looking forward to
> spending some really good time with my daughter and her
> girls. We decided that they would continue on to Florida
> since my sister's family was going as well. A few days
> before Easter my doctor notified me that I would be able to
> go home for the holidays. I immediately asked if I would be
> able to go to Florida, to which he said yes. I was
> scheduled to be discharged on April 14th. On that day my
> doctor came into the room and indicated that my creatinin
> was high. He told me that under normal circumstances he
> would have me stay in the hospital at least a few more days,
> but since he knew how important to me this trip would be he
> said I could go. He instructed me to visit the ER in
> Florida should I feel sick and he gave me his card so that
> the doctors there could call him. I felt extremely
> comfortable in going. My only nervousness came the day of
> discharge when I had absolutely no urine output the entire
> day. (Since I have a urostomy I cannot control when, where
> or how often the urine flows) When I slept that night I did
> have some urine output, so I did feel better about the
> situation before I left. My trip was very uneventful. I had
> a wonderful time. I would spend about an hour in the sun
> each day and would make sure that I got in a good nap every
> day as well. The time spent with my daughter was very
> healing.....something we should have done way before the
> baby's death. My last day or so down there left me
> beginning to feel a little punk again, but all in all not
> too bad. The day after my return home I had a scheduled
> appointment to see my doctor. I told him that I felt that I
> did have something brewing, but since there were really no
> symptoms I was sent home. Two days later I began feeling
> very ill late in the afternoon. I had severe chills that
> even a hot bath could not take care of...a clear sign to me
> that I had a kidney infection. I drove myself to the ER,
> but only with extreme difficulty. It was very painful to
> put my foot down on the gas pedal. I have never had this
> problem before so I was very scared. I was admitted to the
> hospital, but they were unable to obtain access to my veins
> for an IV. The next morning I was sent (or at least I think
> I was sent) to surgery to get a central line placed. I
> barely remember these events. The next thing I remember is
> my mother telling me that my kidneys had shut down and I was
> in the ICU. My family was all there and I had a visit from
> my daughter who told me something I would have never
> expected in a million years. My daughter has been violently
> opposed to my having any more surgery despite my pain and
> the need to control the massive hernias and urine leakage.
> But at this visit she told me that if I wanted to let go I
> could. She told me that I should not worry about her and
> the girls....they would be fine. I have said for years that
> when the good Lord came calling I would be ready, but her
> saying this to me made me want to fight harder than ever. I
> wanted more time with my daughter and my beautiful
> granddaughters. Eventually my kidneys began working again
> and I was discharged ten days later. However, the next day
> I began having problems with vomiting. After a day of this,
> and a fear of kidney shutdown, I again went to the ER. I
> was given some suppositories, a bottle of IV fluid and then
> sent home. The vomiting continued throughout the day and
> the morning of the next. The first thing I did in the
> morning was call to see my doctor, only to learn that he too
> was ill. I was set up to see the internist that specializes
> in nephrology (she had been involved in my kidney
> shutdown). This doctor proceeded to admit me, but it was
> time for another central line. When the surgeon came into
> my room to do the placement I learned more details of the
> prior events. He was very surprised that I had no
> recollection of his placing the line the previous time.
> This time everything was uneventful....other than I believe
> I began hyperventilating....just my fear of having history
> repeat itself. Anyway, I was hospitalized another five days
> with no real answers as to all the vomiting, even though it
> continued another day in the hospital. My doctor has told my
> family it is only a matter of time. My infections are
> coming one right on top of the other. For some reason,
> perhaps the urostomy, I am not a candidate for dialysis nor
> am I a candidate for transplant. He also had told me before
> all of this began that he did not want me to have my
> surgeries....believing that it would kill me. He explained
> to my daughter that with one of these infections my kidneys
> would just shut down and not recover and I would die.
> Throughout these hospitalizations I have also been plaqued
> with pneumonia, something that I am sure will not help the
> situation. At this last hospitalization I think I got it
> across to the doctor that this surgery is now my ONLY hope.
> It is worth the risk of my dying if there is a chance I can
> prevent my death. He heard what I have to say and is now
> reviewing my records and discussing this with the surgeons
> in Chicago. The only problem is now it is me that doesn't
> know. I don't want to go through more surgery. I am
> tired. Well, that is my story as it has been the last two
> months. Sorry for boring you all with the
> details. Love, Karla
>