beyondwords
2023-24 Health NOTES (most current on top)
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March 23, 2024 For the second time in my life, have lost my appetite--first for junk, now for almost everything. But still eating superfoods--protein, fruits & veggies, fibre--& taking my supplements. Happy to be losing a little weight already.
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March 19, 2024 Will have major abdominal surgery 4-6 weeks from now, with several appts to get ready. Today had blood tests & ECG. They'll remove large mass discovered in last month's MRI of back/spine--plus ovaries, tubes, probably uterus. Good news: During surgery they'll send that mass to lab in the same hospital and will find out whether it's cancer. If it is, they'll check & maybe remove more, e.g., certain lymph glands, and plan treatment. So no suspense or worry about unknown. And I should lose a few pounds!
During recovery won't be allowed to lift more than 10 pounds. What about my gardening? Compost bin? My attentive partner isn't eager to take that over too.
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March 18, 2024 Ate delicious supper downstairs. Cleaned up kitchen, washed dishes 1st time. Then slept during icing & elevation upstairs on bed.
3 medical appts today: hip & knee clinic (got staples removed from incision), physiotherapist (very pleasant treatment of back; discussed coming radiology treatments; practiced some exercises), chiropractor (treated me sitting--not lying on table; couldn't lessen SI pain).
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March 15, 2024 Sleeping too much, but still doing enough exercises & movement. Right leg a little stronger. Worst pain now is back/glute area. Partner okay leaving me alone 6 hours, but he can spy on me with several cheap cameras. I’m beginning to get used to having lost a lot of privacy.
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March 14, 2024 Spent a few hours downstairs for the first time today. Surprised myself when I unconsciously started back up the stairs with my newly operated leg. I then came all the way up using both legs (hanging onto the rail) just as I had before the latest surgery.
Pain was getting better so I reduced dose of painkiller for a day. Pain came back, so I'm back to full dose. Dizziness/lightheadedness/poor balance comes & goes.
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March 9, 2024 On a Saturday (case manager not available), because of concerns about wound draining and leg pain, I phoned the health line. They sent to my home a wonderful community paramedic who assessed me, bandaged my knee and tiny breaks in skin at my ankle, and phoned to report to her MD boss, who—to our surprise--sent me to Emergency. Over four hours later, a doctor told me the main concern was swelling but offered no ideas beyond the elevation & icing we’re already doing. A nurse then did a lousy job of bandaging my knee with huge gauze, which came off soon after returning home. My partner rebandaged my knee with bandages he had bought earlier in the day.
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March 8, 2024 Surgery went well (as surgeon had promised because this one was straightforward). Stayed in hospital only one night and all following day.
Initial recovery is a challenge. Pain not well controlled. Getting up off raised chairs or raised toilet not easy, partly because left knee still not well rehabbed.
Sleeping lots, doing Stage One exercises, icing & elevating 3 times per day, puttering, mostly staying in bedroom. My partner, my caregiver, is a sweetie. Finally back on Jigidi, hoping to catch up on 100s of notifications. Probably won't be doing puzzles for a few days.
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March 4, 2024 Rt knee replacement surgery
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March 3, 2024 Yet to come (& in progress):
- kyphoplasty of compression fracture at L2
- cortisone in hip bursae
- assessment & treatment of remaining back/glute pain
- investigation & treatment (removal?) of large ovarian cyst/mass discovered in MRI of spine
- assessment & treatment of urinary incontinence
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March 3, 2024 Still too many issues, but after an average of 5 medical appts/week, some much better:
- Toe ulcer healed. Toe straightened via tenotomy so callous won’t develop. Pain free!
- Ablation done on right side spinal nerves L2 to S1. Still pain, but in smaller area. Can stand a bit straighter, do more.
- Ablation done on “new” left knee. Still painful & weak, but better.
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February 12, 2024 Still multiple issues:
- a new knee last June that's not well rehabbed, still painful and weak, and the other knee to be replaced 3 weeks from now
- a toe ulcer that's not healing well inside; will get that toe straightened (tenotomy) this afternoon to take pressure off the end of the toe
- badly degenerated spine that causes severe pain in back, buttock, side; getting treatment from radiologists after assessment procedures--epidural a week ago, ablation of two nerves two days ago, ablation of two more this Friday
- probable bursitis in both hips; will have ultrasound and maybe cortisone, but time running out before knee replacement so may have to wait
- terrible posture & gait to work on after everything else rehabbed
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June 12, 2023 Total knee replacement--left knee
Surgeon reported it was a huge challenge because knee was in such bad shape. Stayed in hospital two nights because of dizziness & nausea. Lots of pain, but somewhat under control.
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Many thanks to Jigidi friends for good wishes & encouragement.
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My name is Patsy. I'm addicted to jigsaws, and now Jigidi. I'm amazed at the huge collection of puzzles here to choose from. And the way the whole site works. I enjoy being part of wonderful communities here. And Jigidi University, where I learn so much. Thank you everybody.
To see all my cat puzzles, go to Puzzles>Most Recent and type patsyscats in the search bar.
To see all my bargello puzzles, go to Puzzles>Most Recent and type patsysbargello in the search bar.
You'll also find lots of pictures of plants and flowers here. Many of those are from my wonderful sister: pcteacher.
I joined Jigidi on 22 October 2017 and was last seen on 28 March 2024. I've solved 22359 puzzles (9.5 daily) and put together 1679840 pieces (715.1 daily)