Saturday, July 30, 2016

Friends vs Doctors


I didn't go to the market today because I had been in so much pain yesterday, and woke up still in terrible pain! I was in agony! It was all because of my BLOODY G-TUBE! I hate that thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Thank god it's being removed on Tuesday ...)  I could (and still can) feel the tube rubbing constantly between my ribs. Also, at the G-tube site, below my left breast, there's been this thing protruding from the hole and it keeps getting bigger and bigger and more painful. It's been like this for three weeks.

I've had the nurse from CCAC look at it, sent pictures of it to my family doctor, and showed it to her substitute as well. They said, "Yup, that's normal. It's just skin growing." But none of them gave me any helpful hints on how to keep it from hurting. 

Today, however, my new employee Alison, who also works for my friend Jenny, texted Jenny about this problem. Alison and I knew that Jenny once had a G-tube herself. 

This is the information Jenny texted to Alison about my problem:

She has granulation tissue and a bit of purulent discharge.

The red raised stuff is called granulation, it hurts a ton. Like a ton!

You can use silver nitrate, alum (the pickling spice) in a paste, or steroid creams/diaper rash creams to shrink it.

You can use those things, on that red tissue, and it will make it shrink and go away.  You can also use a bit of Emla or lidocaine cream on it/around it to ease some of the pain. 


Stabilizing the tube can help too, so keeping it secured and moving the least you can.


Yeah, it's totally normal. That red tissue is formed when the stomach is trying to heal itself. It's not at all dangerous. Just really painful but it can be treated and the lidocaine can help a ton. Good luck and let me know if I can do anything else.
 
It sure is more information than any of the "professionals" had given me. Thank you Jenny!  I'm in far less pain than yesterday since I took your advice.

This whole situation has made me wonder, what if before doctors did procedures they could refer people to a networks of patients who have had those same procedures. That way people could get a firsthand experience from the person who has already had the procedure. Yes, I know doctors would absolutely hate everything about that, but idealistically, I like the concept. Unfortunately, we all know that our medical system is neither user-friendly nor practical.

Sunday, July 17, 2016

What Do You Want for Your Birthday, Anne?


Last night, when I took Motria out for her birthday at Hot House,  I was taken aback when she asked, "What do you want for your birthday, Anne?" My mind went blank.  We were, after all, celebrating her birthday not mine.

August 12th is a little under a month away, certainly, but I've been focusing on other things, like getting my G-tube removed for instance, and training new employees. I'm back at the market (Yay! You can't keep a good woman down!) and I'm preparing for an art show on August 18th.  

What did I want for my birthday?

The first thing that always springs to my mind whenever I'm asked this question is I want Rob and my mom back. Impossible, of course.

The second thing that popped into my head, although I didn't say it, was I want the world to be less violent and corrupt. I want the world leaders to focus more upon the environment, climate change, the protection of animals, and to respect the rights of people everywhere. Commerce, trade, and making money hand over fist should NOT BE THE TOP PRIORITY OVER EVERYTHING! (Capitalism - ugh!) I want humanity to step up to the plate and take responsibility for what we're doing to the planet and to each other.  I want reason and acceptance to be the norm not violence and hatred. I want people to please please PLEASE stop hating each other just because of differences in skin tone, sexuality, gender identity, or religious beliefs!

Can I have all of this for my birthday, tied up with a big red bow? Pretty please?

Sunday, July 3, 2016

Bloody G-Tube!


WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT

Bloody G-Tube!  Literally.  When I changed the dressing this morning,  there was a bit of discharge (which is, unfortunately, typical) and some blood coming from the opening. And, as usual, redness around the opening from constant chafing. It was a lot more red today, though!

I took photos of everything to show both the visiting nurse and my family doctor, but I won't post them here because they look a little grotesque.

Excuse my venting, but I'm kind of fed up with the whole G-tube thing! I may smile and act bravely, but I have pain in my ribs constantly, and it gets worse when I paint, work on the computer, or if I even chat for a long-ish time.  Of course, I grin and bear the pain because I want to live my life the way I want!

However, there are things I just can't do because of the G-tube.  I can't do fine detail work on my paintings because I need to cross my arms over my torso and the G-tube is in the way. I can't sleep without sleeping pills because I sleep on the side where my G-tube is located. And, since I'm being "graphic" here, I can't even use my vibrator! Now that really sucks!!!

Do doctors think about such things or even care? No! Bastards! And, if they had put any thought into giving me this horrid procedure in the first place it might have occurred to them that this woman has Cerebral Palsy, a condition which makes her movements spastic, she might inadvertently whack herself where her G-tube is occasionally. I don't do it often but when I do it's so painful.

Doctors, generally speaking, are ableist shmucks who think people like me sit in one place all the time and don't have lives. Hell, they were amazed that I actually ate orally for 57 years!

They coerced and practically bullied me into getting the G-tube. If they don't remove it soon, I'm going to do the same thing to them. Remember the TV movie "Network" where the guy yelled out the window, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!"? That's me.