Hi ya'll..been sick

C

cathyh

Active member
Sorry I haven't been around much. I think the last time I wasn't sick or in pain was October 2012, almost bankrupt also. Thanks to my family paying for doctor visits I'm on a bunch of meds and although they don't seem to be working, they say it will take time to heal. It's been difficult to work and I am a full time music instructor and artist. Even sitting at the computer has been a task, although I try to enter contests when I can. :( :)
 
Hi Cathy. Sorry to hear about your health problems, I know how difficult it can be to feel bad for an extended period of time. Thinking positive and having the support of your family will help you through the bad time you're having. Do as your dr says to do and give your meds time to work and ease back into things as you feel like doing. Maybe you'll get a good win that'll lift your spirits a bit too. Good Luck and get well soon! Spoon
 
Oh Cath, I'm so sorry!

Homilies like "That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger" may work for a mental set back, but not so much with chronic pain - but you CAN cope!

I try to focus outside of myself as much as possible, realize and accept my limitations, and not push myself unless absolutely necessary.

But then again, I have fibromyalgia, so I'm not sure if this is even apt?
 
Thanks Spoon! It does lift your spirits when a little win happens! :) Good advice. I want to DO DO DO and have to let myself off the hook to get better. Took a couple of tries to get a doctor that understood the problems. Hopefully they have me heading on the right track. One symptom is I have lost my voice now for 7 months now..not so good for a music teacher ;P


spoon03331 said:
Hi Cathy. Sorry to hear about your health problems, I know how difficult it can be to feel bad for an extended period of time. Thinking positive and having the support of your family will help you through the bad time you're having. Do as your dr says to do and give your meds time to work and ease back into things as you feel like doing. Maybe you'll get a good win that'll lift your spirits a bit too. Good Luck and get well soon! Spoon
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Oh Amy, so sorry about the fibromyalgia. I have a friend that suffers with that and can't imagine not getting relief from it and no cure :( After 7 months of coughing all night, throwing up stomach acid, sore throat, ear aches, no voice and anxiety finally diagnosed with GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease). Only a month ago got on some medicine, started feeling a tad better when prescribed blood pressure meds that made the GERD 10x worse. Got more medicine. Very frustrating. No voice and burning throat is the worse because I am unable to drum up any new music students. Thank goodness my current students are being patient. At this point the docs say it will take time to heal, the acid has burned up my esophagus. Hopefully they are right. I am trying to stay positive!
 
Geez Cath, that's awful! It took them 7 months to diagnose GERD? Geez, that's just nuts!

Do they know what triggered it?
 
Hi Cathy and welcome back! I noticed you had been missing and I did miss reading about your unique and interesting wins.

I hope you recover and feel lots better soon. You have been through so much. Take care! (( ))
 
Not sure Amy. Looking back noticed my voice to a little raspy after working in the yard, thought it may be an allergy. Back in the Fall, some of my students got this chronic cough that lasted weeks and I seem to catch what they had but I kept getting worse. First doc thought it was just allergies, gave me blood pressure meds that made me cough worse. Second doc was nutzo...told me she was put on earth to tell people that have hoarseness that they have lung cancer...doh! Frustrated, I tried a bunch of holistic herbal cures..that didn't work. Finally after researching on line I read about GERD and seem to fit what I had and found a specialist..they agreed. So I only really been treating it for a month. Last week got a new blood pressure med that made things worse than before but they think I'll get used to it.

Right now they want be to keep taking all the meds and then decide if they need to go down there and look around. ulcer? hernia? who knows. It's so exhausting to talk I've avoided my family, friends and opportunities all these months. Skipped all the holidays. So has affected the quality of life. If anything good has come out of this it would be I've got better eating habits than before. Even bought a juicer! :)


amyshulk said:
Geez Cath, that's awful! It took them 7 months to diagnose GERD? Geez, that's just nuts!

Do they know what triggered it?
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Oh, of course family is worried and know I am broke. They have sent money, even gift cards to the grocery stores. Turns out I had won some nice things that they would enjoy and mailed them out to them. That made me feel better about that.
 
Get better soon! Sounds like you're on the right track now. Best of luck to you.
 
cathyh said:
Oh, of course family is worried and know I am broke. They have sent money, even gift cards to the grocery stores. Turns out I had won some nice things that they would enjoy and mailed them out to them. That made me feel better about that.
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Oh man, nothing like stress on top of feeling sick! Good to know your family is there for you! And I so hear you on being able to "quid pro quo" !

While I know the affordable health care act {Obamacare} is now the law of the land, it isn't really operational yet, have you looked into State help?
 
Things were worse than we thought. Went in for a routine biopsy of my throat and woke up in ICU with a tracheostomy. Turns out I have cancer of the larynx. Started chemo and radiation treatments this week. Rough road ahead but docs tell me this is 90% curable and that I'll get my voice back and get rid of the trache. No fun!
 
Amy, things happening so fast but did apply for social security disability and food stamps next. Also a save my tn home program and art grant that I am waiting on. I have insurance but my deductible is $7500 which I have surpassed and now some things being paid at 100%, still have to pay the $7500 though and totally broke. Letting that bill pile up until I can figure out how to deal with it.
 
Wow, Cathy! Glad you dropped in to post. I miss your winning posts, they were often interesting and unique.

It sounds like it was a long, hard road to diagnosis, but now that you are there, I hope you don't feel too awful during the treatment. I hope you have the best possible outcome and begin to feel better as soon as possible. I will be thinking of you.
 
cathyh said:
Amy, things happening so fast but did apply for social security disability and food stamps next. Also a save my tn home program and art grant that I am waiting on. I have insurance but my deductible is $7500 which I have surpassed and now some things being paid at 100%, still have to pay the $7500 though and totally broke. Letting that bill pile up until I can figure out how to deal with it.
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Oh man, they should provide ombudsmen to help people navigate the maze for State/Federal benefits since one is usually at their nadir when they need help!!!
 
cathyh said:
Things were worse than we thought. Went in for a routine biopsy of my throat and woke up in ICU with a tracheostomy. Turns out I have cancer of the larynx. Started chemo and radiation treatments this week. Rough road ahead but docs tell me this is 90% curable and that I'll get my voice back and get rid of the trache. No fun!
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Whew, with it being 90% curable it sounds like they DID catch this early, good!!! Life with a trache? Yuck, but a life lesson you will be able to draw on in the future when life gets rough - "At least it's not as bad as when..."

Bull through this, let your artistic side frame your reality, and you'll be on the other side and healing up in no time!!!
 
Hopefully I'll be able to get rid of the trache once the treatments are over, that is what they say. I hope so, it is driving me crazy. Plus I have had no voice for months and months, can only whisper a little.
I miss entering contests but I get fatigued so fast. I am working on an art project though :)
One week down, 5 weeks of treatment to go...
 
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