Birthdays and Life Changes

 Whew! Since this weekend, there has been quite a bit going on in my Life. I usually gripe about how boring things are for me, and how nothing exciting happens. Well, I am not saying this was exciting, but it was still a lot to take in.

My friend from Florida, My Ginny, flew in as she does every year for my birthday. At one point during her visit, someone had asked how long we had known each other, and we came up with in our calculations, that it has to have been about 25 years. Already at our Silver Anniversary (I joked to her about it). Either way, we were able to have some one on one time Friday night. Saturday arrived, and I was at the Post by about 11:30am to start the afternoon of my get-together. Overall it went well. Quite a few friends from some of the pubs I attend showed up for a bit. I was a bit more surprised at the number of Post and Aux members that showed up, just for my event. I guess I am liked at the Post more than I thought I was. I didn't get drunk, and kept all the drinks to just shots. Friday night, after a couple beers, I decided beer just wasn't tasting right and decided to get quit drinking beer for a bit. Saturday I had about 10 shots over the course of 12 hours.

Now we need to backstory a bit. Back around early July, my bellybutton decided to become an 'outie' versus his status of years as an 'innie'. It wasn't fully projecting outwards, but was making a transition was very obvious. There was no pain, and I did a quick Google search of what it could be. Obviously, an umbilical hernia, that carried the chance of one of the intestines getting clotted into the 'hole in the muscle wall, etc. For the time being I ignored it, as, well, no pain. Follow through to August, and I start noticing some abdominal pain occurring infrequently. Enough that I couldn't pin point where exactly the issue was. I decided to kind of keep watch and see what happens. By the end of August, I knew something was going on, but no clue. No pain around the bellybutton. I was having bowel issues, as in not having any BMs, except with the use of a laxative, and it was never solid. My abdomen was becoming more projected, and under pressure, literally, to the touch. By my birthday, I couldn't bend over to put on my shoes, the abdomen was so extended and tight, there was no lee way. I also started having quite a bit of pain flashes through the area.

Sunday morning I slept. When I woke, I felt like some of that pressure had lessened, and knowing I had a Dr appointment in November, I wondered if I could hold out that long to get things evaluated. Monday came. By evening, I was worse. Full pressure, shortness of breath, still no BMs, very little urine, no appetite or thirst for the past 2 days. I began to worry. The Wife looked up symptoms, and of course, liver failure was one of the major ones. I refused to believe it was that bad. She offered to take me to the ER if I felt bad enough, but I said no, come morning if it was bad still, I would get an emergency appointment with my Dr and go from there. I made it to about 7am. Woke the Wife, said let's go to the ER.

To cut out the short boring stuff, six hours in at the ER, a CT scan, and blood for labs, they agreed to do a paracentesis, as the abdomen issue was fluid build-up in my body cavity. So they inserted a tube into the side of my abdomen, and proceeded to pump out the fluid. And pump. And pump. All said and done, they removed 11.7 LITERS (that's 25.7 pounds) of fluid from the abdomen area, that was freely floating in there amongst all my organs. Then it was decided they needed to keep me over night to see a GI doctor, as well as monitor me. So, my first time EVER staying in a hospital as a patient, and now that I am home, it sucks. Never recommend. So, still Saturday, the Doctor assigned at the time to me came and explained that I have a decompressed liver. Here's and explanation:

* "Decompressed liver" refers to decompensated cirrhosis, a severe stage of cirrhosis where liver scarring is so extensive that the liver can no longer perform its vital functions properly. This advanced liver disease is marked by symptoms such as jaundice (yellow skin), ascites (abdominal fluid), confusion (hepatic encephalopathy), and bleeding from varices. Causes include viral hepatitis, alcohol-related liver disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Treatment focuses on managing complications, addressing the underlying cause of the liver damage, and often involves a liver transplant.

So, yeah. The liver is failing on me. I decided right then that I quit drinking. The Dr asked if I was having the shakes, since it had been about three days since my last drink, and I was like, no. I'm fine. I have been weaning the alcohol back for some time due to the diabetes anyways. Come Wednesday, another Dr assigned to me. Decided I could be discharged allowing that I contact a liver specialist and a GI doctor within the next 4-5 days, as well as my PCP. They gave me 5 new prescriptions temporarily to help, and maybe longer deciding on what these other doctors want to do. At least it cancels out a couple of the ones I currently take. I was able to eat the nasty hospital food Saturday night (first meal in like two plus days) but breakfast and lunch on Wednesday... I couldn't even swallow the first bite. They just tasted to wrong and bad. Wife was there for lunch, had her try the bacon from the BLT wrap I ordered, and she said it as fine. SO I know it was me. Finally got discharged about 4pm, grabbed my papers, stopped at the hospital pharmacy and got the meds, and headed home. Wife stopped at Arbys, as she needed something to eat. I got a regular, plain roast beef, and a vanilla milkshake, both of which went down fine. I crashed when we got home, having not slept much since Sunday morning. Which explains why I am awake at 2:30am.

So no more drinking alcohol. Nobody has modified my diet (as of yet) but I have been good about monitoring with the diabetes. I was told my sodium intake needs to increase (after years of saying to decrease it) mainly because I am on a water pill now and it will drain a lot of sodium and potassium. I think I am sticking to water for now, no tea, no soda, until the doctors are able to determine how bad things are. Who knew turning 54 would be such a life changer.

Today is 9/11 and a day of remembrance for those lost on the airline flights, and buildings the crashes were involved in. The Post is doing a flag raising at 10am I am going to try to be at. Afterwards I need to get to work on the agenda for next week Riders meeting, as well as contact the doctors to get appointments scheduled. Let's see how day one on new pills goes...

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy

PeacE

Feeling Words

I have quite a bit of angst today. Like how I used that big sounding word? I even looked up the definition so I would know what it meant, and to use it properly. The only sad part, is that I did use it properly.

My buddy Smitty has been having medical issues this year. He has been in and out of the hospital, back and forth between there and the rehab facility, for seemingly months on end. Seems every time he is close to being released to go home from rehab, something happens and he is returned to the hospital, then back to rehab a few weeks later once everything is "cleared up" and whatnot. He returned to the hospital again last week, not sure why, but he was back in the ICU and on a ventilator. I got an update from his partner that he is still there, with double pneumonia. He seems to get that every time he gets returned to the hospital.

Anyways, to my angst... Another buddy of mine, and I, are supposed to meet up today to go see Smitty. Probably around the noon hour, depending on his work schedule. Either way, I have not slept good last night, and this morning my stomach is churning with dread. I don't do hospitals well. I think much of it is the memories of seemingly being there all the time when Dad was ill, and of course, he passed away while in the hospital, too. Even when my kids were born, I never stayed for a long time in the room with the Wife. I would leave and come back a couple hours later. She knew my feelings about hospitals, and wanted more rest anyways, so it worked out. I had been to see Smitty a couple times while he was in the rehab facility, and that doesn't bother me 'as bad', though both times I didn't stay much longer than 30 minutes or so. Maybe it is that whole.... environment... that bothers me so.

I don't know. I just been trying to make excuses all morning to NOT go, and keep arguing with myself that that is just being selfish. Sometimes I wish my morals/ethics weren't where they are.

PeacE

When Does Break Time Come?

Things are stacking up on my calendar it seems this weekend. Though, I am not getting paid for any of it, it is still nice to get out and do several of the things. Some of them are actually needed, and not just a luxury.

This morning I received an email from Blizzard. I have been asked to participate in a beta testing for 'Diablo III' (their newest game due out May 15). This is the same company that has World of Warcraft. I get a free version of the Diablo III just for signing a 1-year agreement to continue playing (and paying) for WoW. this is my first time doing a beta test, and I hope to be able to share with other friends how great (or not) this game will be. Unfortunately, I won't be able to really sit down and start playing until this afternoon. PT has been asking about going to the movies for the past three weeks, but nothing is showing that I want to spend the money for, or it is a movie that I would rather see with my family, knowing that they are interested in it as well. Today changes that. 'Lockout' comes out, and we are planning to see the morning showing. It's nice to be able to see the morning show as it is usually cheaper (about $5) and no one is crowding the theater. Plus, having the rest of the day free is nice.

Following the movie, I will be heading to the car part store to pick up pads for the Wife's van. A couple of friends and I are doing the brakes on it, and one of their cars tomorrow morning. I had stopped out yesterday to get he parts, but her van make/model/year had the option of pads or drums for the rear, and I had no clue. I had to crawl under there last night to find out out. Pads it is.Kind of almost sounds bad... getting pads for the Wife... lol!

Tomorrow, as stated, will be doing the brakes, but I feel it won't be but 2-3 hours. That is adding in some time to visit, as the friend's house we going to, his daughter will be there, and I want to meet her. She is a writer, and I have read the two books she has written, but never met her. Afterwards, I am not sure what our plans are. RM emailed me saying the Oscar Mayer weinermobile is going to be at a Walmart near us from 10-2, but I don't know if the boys would be interested - or if I want to brave the crowd/traffic to see it.

Sunday of course is softball in the morning, We are starting the tournament for the season. We play at 8am, and it is a double elimination, so have no idea when our second game may be. They set up the starting schedule based on win/loss record, and we were 7-7 for the season. We may have a second game if we lose, right after our first one, or with a win, may not play til 11, or even the following week. Much of it depends on how we do our first game, and how others end up doing. I don't expect to take it all, as there are a couple REALLY competitive teams playing. Our team is there for fun more than anything, though winning is always better feeling than losing.

Oh, forgot to mention... my buddy that has been in the hospital with pneumonia finally may want me to visit. He has been going through chemotherapy for the past 3 months (about) and this bout of sickness has had him hospitalized for the past month. From others, I have heard that he has lost ALOT of weight, just atrophy and not eating right (many things don't taste edible due to the chemo). I got a note from his girlfriend to call her - he wants me to visit. I may be doing that this afternoon before playing video games.

That means I probably won't be posting this weekend.

PeacE