Blackjack's Thread of Illness and Ailments

[robbiestoupe]

Good stuff NTP

[DigitalGypsy66]

Starting the year off with good news. Excellent!

[shafnutz05]

Some good cancer news for once - my uncle is currently in remission. Blood work and biopsy all looked good after the last round of chemo. I think he’s still going to go through another round at a lower dose, but he’s been home since just before Christmas, and is doing better.

Great news!

[tifosi77]

There's never a 'good' time to get that kind of sick, but I imagine there's and extra layer of s**tty involved with it in these times.

[nocera]

The past week or so I've noticed a crackling noise in my neck/head every time I turn my head. My internet sleuthing tells me that while occasional crackling is normal, crackling every time is probably a sign of something else going on. Neat.

[faftorial]

Have you considered urine therapy?

[tifosi77]

So it would seem, as I sit here on my couch at 3 am, that I am currently dealing with....... some stuff. We are in the process of working with an hilarious number of specialists to identify the cause, diagnosis, and treatment. It's sort of a catchall bucket of joy, this stuff, so I must be vague. But the possibilities range from something treatable with medication for short period, to surgery, to ongoing theraputic care, to something that we will have in our lives long past COVID. I am in my third straight night not being able to sleep, be causing sleeping actually makes it worse. Which is also hilarious, in its way. And on top of that, my phone alarm keeps going off.

So while I don't know when I could be more specific about this stuff, I do know that in this moment I could really use a virtual high five.

[skullman80]

So it would seem, as I sit here on my couch at 3 am, that I am currently dealing with....... some stuff. We are in the process of working with an hilarious number of specialists to identify the cause, diagnosis, and treatment. It's sort of a catchall bucket of joy, this stuff, so I must be vague. But the possibilities range from something treatable with medication for short period, to surgery, to ongoing theraputic care, to something that we will have in our lives long past COVID. I am in my third straight night not being able to sleep, be causing sleeping actually makes it worse. Which is also hilarious, in its way. And on top of that, my phone alarm keeps going off.

So while I don't know when I could be more specific about this stuff, I do know that in this moment I could really use a virtual high five.

hope it all works out for you tif. It's always the worst not knowing what is wrong.

[NTP66]

Same - hope your docs are able to figure it out quickly and get you on the path of healing.

[shafnutz05]

Hope the doctors are able to bring relief Tif

[dodint]

Tif, your doc is diligently scouring Wikipedia for a diagnosis. Should be any time now.

[DigitalGypsy66]

That sucks, tif. I hope you get some good news soon. Hopefully, it isn't the long-term care option, but if it is, at least you'll know what it is and things will get better.

[robbiestoupe]

Sorry to hear tif. Here’s to a good diagnosis and some sleep

[AuthorTony]

Fingers & toes crossed for you, tif.

[crusherstasiak]

hope you feel better soon, bub

[tifosi77]

Boy howdy, when my current stuff resolves it is gonna be a hot telling the story of the last 24hrs.

[shoeshine boy]

thinking good thoughts for you buddy!

[tifosi77]

It seems that, with all my tests and samples and draws, it came down to this:

I am an alcoholic.

This news did not come as a surprise to, but speaking those words out loud prompted me to do what I could to not be one anymore, so I had my last drink of alcohol last Tues. I fell into the 40+ drink per week crowd for 10+ years (which is a lot), and didn't realize how dangerous self-abstention could be.

Day 3 is when the hallucinations started. And it was my good fortune to have three kinds: Visual, audio, and tactile. So I could imagine I was seeing something, hear it talking to me, and I could Moe-Larry-Curly poke it in the eye and I could 'feel' it on my fingertips. The first day was bad enough, but the second night was truly bananas. I had a contiguous 40-minute episode that I can honestly say. changed my life. (I understand hallucinations are machinations of your own brain, which why this was such an important moment). To me, it was more like a lived memory.

Third night was when s**t got real. We were planning on going to a friend's birthday celeb and I'd be our desigDriver. Mrs Tif suggested we stay home, and I relent. As the day goes I start presenting more and more pre-stroke signals, and eventually we go to the E.R. (The waiting room that night is the subject of its own story.....)

Go back, get checked, blood drawn, CT scan; I'm told stroke isn't a concern but DVT might be. Mrs Tif hits the head, and a few minutes after she comes back, they say they are running an IV........ why do I need an IV for one test "Oh, you're being admitted."

There's no polite way to put this...........I was....... a very bad patient.

Without possessing any actual memory of these events, I am told that I:

* Tried to get rid of the cardiac chest pack so many times:

" ripped my IVs out and took a chunk of skin;

" threw a punch at an NP,

" made a break for it and got as far as the top run of stairs leading to the CCCU before I was grabbed, and it took the whole floor staff to get me off the stairs as I tried climbing the railing.

I have been in the hospital since Saturday the 28th, and it sounds like they want to keep me overnight yet. Can't wait to see this bill.

[dodint]

Huh. Damn dude. Just sat down to send you a message, glad to hear you've turned a corner. Any support I can provide please let me know.

Much love to Mrs. Tif.

[AuthorTony]

Glad you're getting help, tif! One of my best friends went through something really similar. He's been good for around 8 years now and happier than ever. You can do this!

[DigitalGypsy66]

That's wild, man. Glad you're on the mend.

[faftorial]

It seems that, with all my tests and samples and draws, it came down to this:

I am an alcoholic.

This news did not come as a surprise to, but speaking those words out loud prompted me to do what I could to not be one anymore, so I had my last drink of alcohol last Tues. I fell into the 40+ drink per week crowd for 10+ years (which is a lot), and didn't realize how dangerous self-abstention could be.

Day 3 is when the hallucinations started. And it was my good fortune to have three kinds: Visual, audio, and tactile. So I could imagine I was seeing something, hear it talking to me, and I could Moe-Larry-Curly poke it in the eye and I could 'feel' it on my fingertips. The first day was bad enough, but the second night was truly bananas. I had a contiguous 40-minute episode that I can honestly say. changed my life. (I understand hallucinations are machinations of your own brain, which why this was such an important moment). To me, it was more like a lived memory.

Third night was when s**t got real. We were planning on going to a friend's birthday celeb and I'd be our desigDriver. Mrs Tif suggested we stay home, and I relent. As the day goes I start presenting more and more pre-stroke signals, and eventually we go to the E.R. (The waiting room that night is the subject of its own story.....)

Go back, get checked, blood drawn, CT scan; I'm told stroke isn't a concern but DVT might be. Mrs Tif hits the head, and a few minutes after she comes back, they say they are running an IV........ why do I need an IV for one test "Oh, you're being admitted."

There's no polite way to put this...........I was....... a very bad patient.

Without possessing any actual memory of these events, I am told that I:

* Tried to get rid of the cardiac chest pack so many times:

" ripped my IVs out and took a chunk of skin;

" threw a punch at an NP,

" made a break for it and got as far as the top run of stairs leading to the CCCU before I was grabbed, and it took the whole floor staff to get me off the stairs as I tried climbing the railing.

I have been in the hospital since Saturday the 28th, and it sounds like they want to keep me overnight yet. Can't wait to see this bill.

Best of luck to your recovery (immediate and long term) Tif.

I had a similar issue when I awoke in the hospital after being out for 2 weeks and demanded to go home. I made it to the door pushing the IV along with me and a big orderly pushed me and IV back in. I think they shot me up with something else as I don't remember what happened after that. It will take a lot for me to willingly check myself into a hospital ever again.

[skullman80]

That is some wild stuff Tif. Glad you are getting help, and hope all goes well!

[robbiestoupe]

wow, that's crazy tif. Glad you found the source and can start on the new path. Looks like you're already willing, just need to put in the miles

[meow]

Yikes. Good stuff seeking help. Asking for help isn’t giving up - it’s refusing to give up.