Tuesday, April 29, 2025

I tried. I really did try to be healthy enough to survive Easter, but ended up in the hospital (again) with an attack of pancreatitis. I quit drinking for the month before, tried to eat healthy-ish, and tried to exercise as much as I could around work and my flagging strength.

However, after the meal I started feeling unwell, like my stomach had doubled in size, then the shaking and vomiting started after an hour or so while we were still at my aunt's. My aunt has a pulse-ox we made her get during Covid and I was running a 91 or below on both hands so the ambulance was called. They took me to Clara Maas, which isn't the best hospital in NJ, but at least now they're part of RWJBH so my doctors will be able to see any test results, etc. The family stayed as long as they could, but had to get back to South Jersey so around 10pm I told them to go home.

At this point I've vomited up everything except bile, but then the real pain hits, so they gave me morphine and admitted me upstairs around 2am. I was there from Sunday night to Thursday after dinner and were contemplating a paracentesis on Wednesday, although as it turns out my ascites weren't voluminous enough to take the risk of hitting something unintended, so I worked on getting home the next day. I found out I'm not allergic to penicillin or Zosyn after all (yay!), and I was SO glad to get out of the hospital, but it's been hell, not gonna lie.

I still have a persistent cough and low oxygen so I have to rest more, and am up at least twice per night coughing. My legs and ankles have significantly swelled, and my lower body strength is limited as a result. I look like I'm pregnant since everything's still inflamed, although I can eat without throwing it back up. Still, I was logged back on to work as of Monday since I can at least work from home even though I feel like I'm moving through molasses. 

My sister had done some research and found closer GI/hepatologist specialists about 1/2 an hour away, so I made a new patient appointment with the one who appealed most to me, which miraculously didn't take 2 months to procure, so May 7th I'll see him as a second opinion. If there are lingering symptoms for edema, weakness, and breathing I figure he can address those as well, and until then I'll just tough it out, since that's what I always do.

So that's the status for now. All other plans have to be put on hold while I work, rest, and hopefully get well enough to drive to the appointment myself, otherwise I'm requesting a ride from the parents if necessary, but it certainly was an Easter none of us will ever forget, although not in a good way!

Sunday, April 06, 2025

Interestingly, and not in a good way, my liver is doing what it did when I was in the hospital. Even though my bilirubin was much lower then, it still started going up again by the 4th and 5th day there despite (obviously) not drinking.

Last week I had repeat blood work, and same again, bilirubin had slightly increased despite 2 weeks of not drinking. Therefore the nausea and fatigue is still hanging on but I managed sushi on Friday and hopefully by Easter I'll be okay to eat a normal meal without feeling like I'm going to have it make a reappearance unless I lie down ASAP.

In other news, I'm nesting. I bought a window bird feeder that should attach to my sliding balcony doors, and for my birthday requested a glass or crystal vase for the fresh flowers I bring in from the supermarket when my little Christmas tree isn't up. The last touch will be a reed diffuser (another birthday gift request) even though my windows are mostly open spring and fall once the temperature holds. 

I'm greatly looking forward to that, and hearing the evening insects during the summer, a major reason why I torture myself hauling my groceries upstairs to the second floor since it means I can leave my windows open without worrying about being broken into. Once in a lifetime is enough for being burglarized, but it was certainly a learning experience!

I'm also trying to figure out WTF to do with money, although I've always been on the more conservative end of a stock portfolio so I haven't been hit as hard as others, but I know the Trump pain is far from over so I need to prep. When I'm finally feeling better I'll have to put that up as a priority.