My website is up and running!!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
More hospital stuff
I can't believe how much my recent hospital stay has affected me. It's hard to think about it without getting teary eyed. It's almost like I was a different person when I was there. I guess I had to be strong otherwise I would have gone crazy! I can't tell you how many different people I had to tell my story to before my back was fixed, doctor's, nurses, roomates, friends, family and even the housekeeping lady. I was begininng to think that there wasn't really anything wrong with me and I was just going to have a headache forever. When I woke up from surgery and my headache was gone, I knew I wasn't crazy!!
I think being in the hospital is a huge stresser for anyone. I had never had to stay for 8 days before. I loved all my nurses that took care of me. I look foward to taking them some homemade cookies soon. They went out of their way to make me comfortable. I was so embarrased to have to use a bedpan, but they tried to put my mind at ease.
I have a bag that has all the stuff from the hospital in it that I can't seem to put away. Everytime I get near it I want to just start crying. I'm just going to leave it alone for a while. It was really hard getting through everything without my mom. I miss her so much. It's almost been a year since she passed away.
The kids are all doing great! Austin has been off his ADHD meds for over a month now and he is doing awesome!!! He is working so hard in middle school and we are so proud of him. He is such a good helper and has a heart of gold. Luke is doing super in school, all As on his first report card! He's been growing so much lately, he's not my little boy anymore. He ususlly the one testing us but he can also be very sweet. Savannah loves kindergarten and everything about it. I think she would live there if she could. She loves learning and playing and meeting new friends. She loves to draw pictures, I mean LOVES it!! This girl is always working on some sort of art project.
Matt has been amazing through everything. I love him more everyday. We were made for each other for sure. He listens to all my worries and makes they better. He always seems to know what to say and when to say it. I am so excited that I get to spend the rest of my life with him.
I think being in the hospital is a huge stresser for anyone. I had never had to stay for 8 days before. I loved all my nurses that took care of me. I look foward to taking them some homemade cookies soon. They went out of their way to make me comfortable. I was so embarrased to have to use a bedpan, but they tried to put my mind at ease.
I have a bag that has all the stuff from the hospital in it that I can't seem to put away. Everytime I get near it I want to just start crying. I'm just going to leave it alone for a while. It was really hard getting through everything without my mom. I miss her so much. It's almost been a year since she passed away.
The kids are all doing great! Austin has been off his ADHD meds for over a month now and he is doing awesome!!! He is working so hard in middle school and we are so proud of him. He is such a good helper and has a heart of gold. Luke is doing super in school, all As on his first report card! He's been growing so much lately, he's not my little boy anymore. He ususlly the one testing us but he can also be very sweet. Savannah loves kindergarten and everything about it. I think she would live there if she could. She loves learning and playing and meeting new friends. She loves to draw pictures, I mean LOVES it!! This girl is always working on some sort of art project.
Matt has been amazing through everything. I love him more everyday. We were made for each other for sure. He listens to all my worries and makes they better. He always seems to know what to say and when to say it. I am so excited that I get to spend the rest of my life with him.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Update & trick-or-treating
I can't believe that it's already November, where has the year gone? I have to admit that it's been a tough year. The past month is has been the toughtest. The whole time I was in the hospital I had a positive attitude and didn't really worry much. I just did what I had to do to get better. When I got home it all hit me and I have really struggled. Things are getting better thanks to my amazing friends and family. Of course Matt has been my rock and really got me through the tough times. I'm done with all the pain meds and life continues to move on.
Here are a few pictures from Halloween. Matt took Luke and Savannah out trick-or-treating.
Boba Fett
Here are a few pictures from Halloween. Matt took Luke and Savannah out trick-or-treating.
Boba Fett
Bunny
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Amy Update!
I wanted to get on here and update about the past couple weeks. My surgery on the 14th went well and I was home the next day, Thursday the 15th. I was up and about and feeling great. But when I woke up on Thursday the 22nd my head was killing me. It got so bad that I asked to call an ambulance to take me to the hospital. There was just no way I could have sat up in the van for the 10-15 minute ride. The pain in my head, neck and upper shoulders was like nothing I've ever felt before....it was hell.
When I got to the hospital I was given some pain meds that helped control the unrelenting pain. I saw a few doctors and it was decided that I would receive a blood patch in my spine to hopefully repair any leak of CSF that might me going on. The procedure was done in my ER room and quite painful. They took some of my blood and put it in my epidural space. The doctor that did it was ready to send me home but I asked to stay overnight to see how I felt the next day. Needless to say the patch didn't work and what came next was a bunch of tests:
MRI of my lumbar spine, with & without contrast
MRI of my brain, with & without contrast
CT scan of my neck, base of my skull and upper shoulders.
X-ray of my chest
Countless blood tests
2 spinal taps
2 blood patches
10 day total inpatient
The first spinal was awful and they weren't able to get any fluid. That was really scary because I had no idea if that was good or bad, I was leaning towards bad. The reason they couldn't find fluid was because it was in the same spot where they did surgery and there was tons of scar tissue. So the next spinal was in my room and they tried another blood patch. They got fluid but the patch didn't help. The fluid showed some abnormal white blood cells so I was in isolation for about 24 hours. They had to rule out meningitis, which they did. If anything it would have been chemical.
My doctor wanted me to try and get up and walk with PT. I did okay with walking but my head started hurting so bad that I had to get back to bed ASAP. That evening my neurosurgeon calls and asked if I would be willing to do surgery to get a really good look and make repairs as needed. So he went in through my scar and was able to sew up the problem and my headaches were gone when I woke up in recovery!! Dr. Jobe said that he had never had a case like mine but had read about it. I told him that he will never forget me. I will see him in the morning and update soon after.
Love, Amy
When I got to the hospital I was given some pain meds that helped control the unrelenting pain. I saw a few doctors and it was decided that I would receive a blood patch in my spine to hopefully repair any leak of CSF that might me going on. The procedure was done in my ER room and quite painful. They took some of my blood and put it in my epidural space. The doctor that did it was ready to send me home but I asked to stay overnight to see how I felt the next day. Needless to say the patch didn't work and what came next was a bunch of tests:
MRI of my lumbar spine, with & without contrast
MRI of my brain, with & without contrast
CT scan of my neck, base of my skull and upper shoulders.
X-ray of my chest
Countless blood tests
2 spinal taps
2 blood patches
10 day total inpatient
The first spinal was awful and they weren't able to get any fluid. That was really scary because I had no idea if that was good or bad, I was leaning towards bad. The reason they couldn't find fluid was because it was in the same spot where they did surgery and there was tons of scar tissue. So the next spinal was in my room and they tried another blood patch. They got fluid but the patch didn't help. The fluid showed some abnormal white blood cells so I was in isolation for about 24 hours. They had to rule out meningitis, which they did. If anything it would have been chemical.
My doctor wanted me to try and get up and walk with PT. I did okay with walking but my head started hurting so bad that I had to get back to bed ASAP. That evening my neurosurgeon calls and asked if I would be willing to do surgery to get a really good look and make repairs as needed. So he went in through my scar and was able to sew up the problem and my headaches were gone when I woke up in recovery!! Dr. Jobe said that he had never had a case like mine but had read about it. I told him that he will never forget me. I will see him in the morning and update soon after.
Love, Amy
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Doing great!!
I am doing wonderful after surgery! I am healing well and taking it easy. Matt is doing an amazing job of taking care of the kids and I. We've had all kinds of goodies delivered and picked up some Selmon's for dinner last Friday. Thanks to Jenna and Ryan!! Jenna is bringing Taco salad this evening and Jennifer is getting pizza for us tomorrow. Oh, and Donna brought over some yummy homemade chocolate chip cookies Saturday. The night before surgery our BFF's, the Pippins' brough Pizza over and really helped calm my nerves. I made it through surgery and I see the light at the end of the tunnel!! I want to thank everyone for helping me get through a very difficult time.Matt has been able to spend more time with the kids this week. He took all three kids to the beach on Saturday to enjoy the first waves. Matt took them to pick out a new boogie board that the used all day. Hopefully we will get more good waves so they can surf this winter.
I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm doing great!!
I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm doing great!!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Update about sugery
My last blog was about what I was expecting and this blog will be what happened after surgery. I want to start off by saying that I had the best care possible this time. Everyone from Beth in pre-op to the housekeeping lady that made me laugh. I told my sad story to everyone I talked to and it really made a difference. I have so much more I want to share but I'll have to do that later. Thank you so much for all your prayers, love and support!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
What to expect
This picture was taken a couple days before my back surgery in February of 2005 at the Daytona 500. We had so much fun. I wasn't really that nervous about surgery because I didn't know what to expect.
The next picture was taken about a week after my surgery.
My back is really hurting and I am scared to death of the future pain. Surgery will be at Noon on Wednesday at Bayfront Medical Center here in St.Pete. When I woke up after my first surgery on the way to the recovery room I thought I was going to die...it was that bad. It didn't help that the nurses in the recovery room were too busy talking about their weekend plans that it took almost an hour to get my pain pump.
The worst part of my hospital stay was my overnight nurse, she was not nice at all. After they pulled my cathier I had to use a bedpan because I wasn't allowed to get up. The nurse gave me the bedpan and left. I had to lay/sit on that thing for 2 hours!! I kept calling and calling for the nurse but she was too busy, By the time she comes to help me she says that she will only help if I stop crying!! It was like a nightmare, my worst night ever!! After I went home we called and complained and the hosptial appoligized and refunded our $300 co-pay. I have made up my mind that I will only accept the best care possible. I'm not so shy and quiet anymore, I speak my mind! So keep me in your prayers so I don't have a nercvous breakdown before surgery!!
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