Since I can't really find anything on the space news sites I visit regularly, I'm going to bore you with some stuff about ME. It might border on TMI, not really related to anything space-related - just stuff I've been going through. As I usually say, if that doesn't sound interesting, check back tomorrow or Monday.
About a month ago, I did a story about an upcoming surgery that was going to be the next day. The surgery was to repair an umbilical hernia - belly button area, not the "crotch busters" people associate with hernias that guys get. I see my next post was the 13th, so I only missed the day of surgery. A week later I thought I was completely done, although my post-surgical visit was set for the 25th. I had switched from prescription pain pills to over-the-counter Extra Strength Tylenol because it worked better and was taking less of it after that. By the end of the 8th day I was doubled over with a different thing: an insanely itchy area not pain.
I did a followup post full of the TMI about that on Sunday, June 22nd.
Thankfully that's almost completely gone. On my followup with one of the Surgeon's PAs, he recommended a couple of old, low-tech fixes: benadryl antihistamine pills every four hours, calamine/benadryl lotion topically. The important part was that he also told me I was discharged, go return to life as usual - carefully. Just start out with less than you used to do and build back to it. I've noticed the absence of pain I used to get if I accidentally tensed my stomach muscles too much, even yawning and stretching in the middle of the night. That used to hurt until almost noon on most days but sometimes would go hours longer.
The rash has been gone at least a full week, if not more. The surgery had microrobotic aspects, so they cut three holes in my abdomen to put those tools in, and the way they close those is stitches under the skin, but close the skin with glue. I still have one or two of those suddenly get itchy for a while, but it's also getting less intense when it happens and today has been an easy day.
It's hard to say what percent of "back to normal" I've made it to. Certain things are getting back to normal, others aren't. I haven't ridden my bike yet, but it's on the workstand so I can tweak the shifter because the rear derailleur feels "off center." At 60 to 90 minutes a few times a week, it's not a big time percentage, it just feels more important.
And for no particular reason:
For those who aren't familiar, Dr. Shawn Baker is an MD who has adopted and advocated for the carnivore diet. Very good videos on YouTube, usually under 10 minutes - or at least the ones I've watched. One of the things I couldn't help but notice in the inescapable long waiting periods in the hospital is how the vast majority of the staff are built more like this make believe toy than someone like Dr. Baker.
Glad to hear that you are doing better. Give it another month and you should be able to do things pain free without having to think about it first.
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I saw a nurse recently say that she knew about eating healthy, exercising, etc and why to do it - but didn't do it.
ReplyDeleteShe admitted that she couldn't be bothered to do it
Jonathan
My old allergist said 4 Benadryl every 4 hours for the mega-itchies from medications and surgeries was the way to go. But fair warning, 4 will knock the uninitiated out, as the mental not-prison by reason of insanity I worked at also used, legally, Benadryl to help 'slow' the residents who weren't criminals by reason of insanity.
ReplyDeleteWhat to look out for when taking antibiotics or pain killers is little red dots on your skin that are itchy, as that signifies you have some sensitivity or an outright allergy to one or more of the meds.
As to the shape of hospital staff, well, after the wife's last round of surgery, I noticed all the nurses in the surgical area were way above my likeness level and I like chunky women. Positively rotund a lot of them are. Almost meeting the 19th Century image of a sexy Ottoman harem girl, but usually without the mustache. (no, not kidding, fat and ugly with a 'stache' was the height of beauty from 16th to early 20th Century in the Ottoman Empire, not skinny belly-dancer type women like in 'Alladin'.)
I understood their preference was for goats instead!
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