Worried about Swine Flu? Yeah, me too. Lucas and I got the H1N1 vaccine last week and I wrote all about it over at DC Metro Moms. If you live in the greater DC metro area and can't find the vaccine in your own city or county, I highly recommend going to one of the DC clinics. We had a very positive experience last week; since then I've heard from several friends and neighbors who had equally good experiences. The lines seem to be shortest at clinics in the NE and SE. Here's the schedule.
Please note, these clinics are not just for children and pregnant women. Caregivers of children under 6 mos, health care provides and anyone with an underlying medical condition such as asthma and diabetes is considered a priority group by the DC government. Off the record, I'll also tell you that they seem to be vaccinating anyone who shows up. Several parents of kids older than 6 mos were told they could be considered "caregivers" and get the vaccine along with their kids.
Recent news reports seem to indicate that the supply may open up this week and so the vaccine may be easier to find through your own doctor, but if it doesn't, or if you are anxious, go to DC. And, let's give them huge kudos for doing this really, really well. (Because you know we all give our capital city enough grief on the many ways they mess things up!)
Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!
Showing posts with label health issues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health issues. Show all posts
Monday, November 2, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
One year ago
One year ago today, a doctor called me at 6am (which we didn't hear) and then again 8am to tell me to go to the emergency room immediately.
Where should I go?
The nearest emergency room.
And so I went. Not to the closest one, I'll admit. But to the one that my primary care doctors were affiliated with, the one where a friend works, the one that I knew exactly how long it would take us to get to in rush hour traffic.
And the ER docs and residents and med students were intrigued. I've only seen a few episodes of House, but I felt like I was on it. A huge mystery. Group after group of doctors and students stopped by to see the petechiae covering my torso, to hear my story, to ask me questions. My diagnosis of ITP, or low platelets, occurs in approximately 2 out of 100,000 adults so I was a good learning opportunity.
A normal person has about 150,ooo-300,000 platelets (per million) and I had 3,000. They were worried about internal bleeding and I had a headache. Late in the evening, after about 12 hours in the ER, I had a CT scan. And after that, they started talking about cancer.
As in they weren't certain, but would be pretty surprised if it wasn't.
Cancer.
I went on some pretty heavy meds. My platelets had to get up so I wouldn't bleed out in surgery--the lymphectomy and bone marrow biopsy which would stage my cancer.
Several nights in the hospital. More meds. My veins couldn't take it. It was so painful.
The surgery. More pain but at least this time I had morphine.
Abel and my parents were my rocks.
I desperately missed Lucas.
Pathology came back: no cancer. None. Nothing.
A miracle?
I went home.
Spent the summer on steroids; being tested for all sorts of other conditions; getting infusions in the chemo lab where I felt guilty every time I walked in with my full head of hair. Guilty and relieved at the same time. Because that wasn't me.
I think now, now when my last blood test showed my platelets at 240,000 (normal!), now I am finally dealing with the emotional implications of those days in the hospital. Those days when I felt certain that I'd be bald for my friend's wedding. When I composted my "I have cancer" post in my head. When I resolved to fight like hell for Lucas's sake.
It seems like so long ago. And I know everything is fine. Will be fine.
But, still. It could have been me. And that is a lot to deal with.
Where should I go?
The nearest emergency room.
And so I went. Not to the closest one, I'll admit. But to the one that my primary care doctors were affiliated with, the one where a friend works, the one that I knew exactly how long it would take us to get to in rush hour traffic.
And the ER docs and residents and med students were intrigued. I've only seen a few episodes of House, but I felt like I was on it. A huge mystery. Group after group of doctors and students stopped by to see the petechiae covering my torso, to hear my story, to ask me questions. My diagnosis of ITP, or low platelets, occurs in approximately 2 out of 100,000 adults so I was a good learning opportunity.
A normal person has about 150,ooo-300,000 platelets (per million) and I had 3,000. They were worried about internal bleeding and I had a headache. Late in the evening, after about 12 hours in the ER, I had a CT scan. And after that, they started talking about cancer.
As in they weren't certain, but would be pretty surprised if it wasn't.
Cancer.
I went on some pretty heavy meds. My platelets had to get up so I wouldn't bleed out in surgery--the lymphectomy and bone marrow biopsy which would stage my cancer.
Several nights in the hospital. More meds. My veins couldn't take it. It was so painful.
The surgery. More pain but at least this time I had morphine.
Abel and my parents were my rocks.
I desperately missed Lucas.
Pathology came back: no cancer. None. Nothing.
A miracle?
I went home.
Spent the summer on steroids; being tested for all sorts of other conditions; getting infusions in the chemo lab where I felt guilty every time I walked in with my full head of hair. Guilty and relieved at the same time. Because that wasn't me.
I think now, now when my last blood test showed my platelets at 240,000 (normal!), now I am finally dealing with the emotional implications of those days in the hospital. Those days when I felt certain that I'd be bald for my friend's wedding. When I composted my "I have cancer" post in my head. When I resolved to fight like hell for Lucas's sake.
It seems like so long ago. And I know everything is fine. Will be fine.
But, still. It could have been me. And that is a lot to deal with.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Wanting a baby
Tap. Tap. Tap. Is this thing on?
Seriously, dear readers, I oh-so-casually drop "get pregnant" into my list of New Year's resolutions here and not a single comment about it?
Hmmm...perhaps it is only news of an actual pregnancy that elicits comments.
(I'm not.)
But, I want to be.
Almost all our friends with kids had their first child after us and has had or will be having a second child before us. I hate that at this point Lucas will be approximately 4 years older than a future sibling. I mean, first we stick him with a crappy birth date then this?
I know, I know, it is fine for siblings to be several years apart. I'm sure Lucas has gotten many benefits from being an only child for this long. But, when I thought about our family, I just always thought that any children would be closer in age.
In my ideal world, we would have gotten preggers this past summer. But, a little thing called ITP put a big wrench into those plans. Back in August, I inquired about getting pregnant and got this response: "Well, if you do, we'll certainly deal with it. But, we strongly recommend you wait."
And so we waited and I continued to ask.
In early December my platelet count came in just below normal, which was a very dramatic increase for me. I'm praying that it will be at that level or even a little higher at my next bloor draw and if it is then that will be my green light.
I'll still be considered a high risk pregnancy because pregnancy in itself has the potential to lower your platelet count. But, that just means that I'll be monitored very closely we'll deal with any possible complications as they come.
With Lucas, I was blessed to get pregnant quickly (very quickly--is that TMI?) but wanting a baby and being told to wait certainly has given me just a hint of what it must feel like to deal with infertility.
Seriously, dear readers, I oh-so-casually drop "get pregnant" into my list of New Year's resolutions here and not a single comment about it?
Hmmm...perhaps it is only news of an actual pregnancy that elicits comments.
(I'm not.)
But, I want to be.
Almost all our friends with kids had their first child after us and has had or will be having a second child before us. I hate that at this point Lucas will be approximately 4 years older than a future sibling. I mean, first we stick him with a crappy birth date then this?
I know, I know, it is fine for siblings to be several years apart. I'm sure Lucas has gotten many benefits from being an only child for this long. But, when I thought about our family, I just always thought that any children would be closer in age.
In my ideal world, we would have gotten preggers this past summer. But, a little thing called ITP put a big wrench into those plans. Back in August, I inquired about getting pregnant and got this response: "Well, if you do, we'll certainly deal with it. But, we strongly recommend you wait."
And so we waited and I continued to ask.
In early December my platelet count came in just below normal, which was a very dramatic increase for me. I'm praying that it will be at that level or even a little higher at my next bloor draw and if it is then that will be my green light.
I'll still be considered a high risk pregnancy because pregnancy in itself has the potential to lower your platelet count. But, that just means that I'll be monitored very closely we'll deal with any possible complications as they come.
With Lucas, I was blessed to get pregnant quickly (very quickly--is that TMI?) but wanting a baby and being told to wait certainly has given me just a hint of what it must feel like to deal with infertility.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Wellness? Ha! Ha!
Within hours of hitting "post" on my previous post which said, "we're finally starting to see the light--the light of wellness" the Internet was all mwahahahahahaha silly, silly girl and laid me low. Did you get my mental blog messages that said woe is me, I think I am dying cause I was definitely sending them out. I got Lucas's virus x4. I truly think there is some sort of relationship between kid germs and the adult who catches them. Like that they grow in strength when transmitted to an adult by the size difference between kid and adult. So, for example, if I am 4x the size of Lucas then the virus gets 4 times as strong when it comes into my system. Luckily Abel--who is like, I've sneezed twice, must see the doctor, unlike me who is like I'm dying but what is the dr. going to do about it?--went to the dr. and got a miracle elixir. Which, though I did not actually see said dr., I also took because I mean we have the same symptoms (except mine are worse, clearly). This miracle elixir has allowed me to go for 18 hours without a coughing fit that made me vomit. Previously I was going approx. 45 minutes without one such attack. And, I have now eaten 2! meals! without (see above). So, I think that I will not die. But, I'm not going to say that out loud just in case the Internet wants to be all mwahahahahaha again after I hit post. (Also, above mentioned elixir is making me a bit loopy to apologies if this all makes no sense.)
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