She’s So Vein…

 …you probably think this entry’s about her.  Don’t ya?

…well,  you’d be right.  🙂

I saw my vascular surgeon yesterday.  He went over my charts again.  The ding-a-ling Neurologist never had the test results of the EMG, MRI or blood work sent to him.  I told him what I knew – about the diabetes diagnosis and normal MRI – but told him I haven’t heard anything from them other than that.  He had me sign another release of info. again.  

He told me that he still believes that there’s more to just the varicose veins going on in my legs that are causing me all these weird symptoms.  He still wants to do the Ablation on them so they don’t get worse but he can only guarantee a 30% improvement in my symptoms and functionality.  WTH?  Before he said, "Oh, don’t worry, we’ll get you fixed up like new."  Now he’s saying, "Oh well, we’ll get you 30% closer to being fixed up like new."

Whatever.  I guess 30% is better than 0%, so, I’ll take it.  

I disagree with his 30% prediction, though.  I think most of my problems are due to the veins and once they’re treated, and provided I heal well, I think I’ll notice a marked improvement in how well I can walk and keep walking.  The worst part for me when walking is how fast my legs and pelvic area fatigue and then start to ache.  Being that I’ve spent the better part of 18 months sedentary, it seems logical to me that the other contributing factor would be muscle atrophy.  Once I heal from the procedure, I think I’ll be able to gradually build my muscles back up enough to eliminate that problem, which in turn, should raise the percentage considerably.  It’s probably a very ignorant assumption but, for me, it’s positive thinking and that’s where I’m staying in my opinion until experience says otherwise.  

The procedure, I’m told, isn’t very painful.  I’ll be given a Valium an hour before and then another one just minutes before.  I’m thinking it’s because it’s going to hurt like hell and they don’t want me kicking them in the head and having enough brain function to cuss them out.  Given my past history with the whole "Oh, it won’t be that bad," I don’t have much faith in their honesty.  I KNOW it’s going to hurt…….I just won’t care much because I’ll be tripping in Valium-land.  

When he described to me what happens after surgery, I felt a little sweaty.  About 2 days after the surgery, lasting up to approximately a week, my thigh will swell, bruise and feel like a bad charlie-horse making it difficult to walk easily.  He described it like; the pain will get worse each day for about three days, level off for a day or two and then will recede each day for about three days.  In the same breath he also said, "But you should be able to resume your normal activities the next day."  Ha-ha!  Sure!  Like sitting on the couch activity!  I was assured I’d be given some strong pain killers to take home with me.    

Once he was done describing the procedure and what to expect for recovery, and he was satisfied that I had turned a adequate shade of green, he added, "Then after a week, we’ll have  you come back for another ultrasound to see how well it’s healed and then we’ll do the other leg."

HUH?

"Oh, well, we can’t do both legs at the same time, you’d have too difficult of a time trying to get around and it would just be way too uncomfortable.  At least doing one at a time will enable you to limp around the house and resume your activities."

See?  I told you so!  It’s going to hurt!!!

Looks like I’m going to be spending a couple of weeks with my best friend Mr. Vicodin and Miss TempurPedic.  

Well, I’ve kept Wesley home from school all this week while I’ve been frantically trying to get all the paperwork done and ready to be sent out to ECOT.  I’m waiting to hear back from the ECOT principal to discuss his IEP, and once everything is squared away, we’ll just have to wait for his computer and other equipment to arrive and be set up.

Normally, you’re not supposed to pull your kid out of school prior to being enrolled with ECOT, but, I just couldn’t see any reason why I should prolong Wesley’s agony and anxiety when he’s not doing anything in the classroom anyhow.  I haven’t even bothered to call the school to let them know why he’s not there.  I should, I’m most probably wrong not to, but I don’t care to have anything more to do with them.  Liz offered to go down to the school to drop off any school items we might have here at the house and to pick up Wesley’s school supplies, so I’ll probably have her do that today.  She needs to demand that Mr. B. give Wesley’s "silly-bands" back, too.  He took them away from him one day two weeks ago and has since refused to give them back.

To show how much these people actually "care," they haven’t called once to inquire why Wesley hasn’t been in school.  I’m glad I haven’t had to talk with them but it’s school policy to call the parents when a child doesn’t show up for school and hasn’t been called off.  For all they know, I could have dropped him off and he could have wandered off of school grounds or been kidnapped.  Talk about negligence.  Looks like Mrs. M. and I were right about them all along.  

It’s been exactly one week since I started the Metformin for my diabetes and so far it’s done very well to keep my glucose levels in the normal range.  Yay!!  The only drawback is having to run to the restroom about 30 minutes after I eat.  Sheesh!  They didn’t warn me about that one.  LOL!  

Another good thing is that I’ve been feeling better and my stamina seems to be increasing.  I’m sleeping a little better, too.  

Today is kind of contrary to that, though, seeing as Wesley had me up until 3 AM, so, I’m going to go take a little nap to regenerate.

I have no doubt in my mind, whatsoever, that I’m going to get well again and by this time next year feel like a new person.  Stick around and watch, I’ll prove it to ya.  

Until next time…Be well, be happy, be safe and God Bless!