4/21/2007

Hubby is gonna retire early!

Well, this week my husband saw our doctor for the first time in a LONG time! He was sick with some kind of stomach flu for a week or more since Easter. He decided to see if the achy knees and other stuff that have been plaguing him even before he got laid off on 2/2/07 would be enough for him to try to file for dissablility social security. He's been suffering with them, and excessive tiredness for a couple years now, and the time off has not lessened the pain, but actually increased it. He held his own, trying to keep up the medical insurance and extra income to help me since I had my stroke and other illnesses. Now I am on Medicare since November, and I set up a policy with Blue Cross to cover the difference and Social Security set me up with coverage for my prescriptions. Now we have bought a individual policy for him, so he was able to see the doctor for him.
It shows that he has an acute case of emphisyma, as well a high count in his PSA blood count, (meaning he might be will be fighting prostrate cancer ). He's had and EKG, and x-rays of his chest and knees, and is scheduled for further tests on his bladder, kidneys, corotid arteries and his heart. The guy is really getting the treatment now, and he really needs it! Lets hope that it not too late for him to enjoy a little of his retirement time.

I'll let you know later, as we find out more after the tests........










4/18/2007

Follow up on Little Matthew

This is a little follow up on our Matthew as of today. He has lost over 35 lbs in the last month or so. He absolutely wont eat anything exept sometimes soft mashed potatoes and daily eats fudgsicles or chocolate milk. He refuses to eat anything more because he feels like something is choking him and he spits big phlegm balls and complains all the time of his throat hurting him. Hes been on all kinds of antibiotics and the swelling is diminished in his tonsils.

His Dad and Mom took him to the emergency room yesterday, and later I joined them to have him checked out again. We explained how he wont eat and they did a scan on him and then had an ear, nose and throat doctor come in to see him. The doctor put a little camera into his nose that looked down his throat to the tonsil area, but they still could not see anything that could be causing his discomfort. This is even when the ex-rays showed something suspictious lump of bump in his throat, behind the tongue. Today he is scheduled to be knocked out and a bigger camera will be put down his throat to his stomach and lungs to see if there is any problem down there.

Lets preface this with the original problem, when it began, Matthew had very large infected tonsils that were really hurting him about a month ago. Well, this one day he was eating a hot dog, and it became stuck in his throat! His Dad tried reaching down his throat to try to pull in out and it was lodged too deep to reach, so the Dad tried several times to do the Heimlich Manuver, and finally and with a few slaps on the back and one more Heimlich the hot dog flew out! Matthews face was blue and he was at the point of blacking out when the hot dog finally was removed. The bun or bread that he ate with it did not come out! We are wondering if the bread got lodged in his lungs or caused some damage further down. Lets hope that these tests today find out some answers. This is a 7 year old kid who eats well before, and is built like a college linebacker! He had a great appatite for everything before this happened and it is not like him to not eat anything at all. I know the surgeon that is doing these tests today, and he does do tonsilectomys too, but we dont know if while hes knocked out if he will deside to get it over with too, so I hope he can get all of it fixed and Matt on the road to recovery fast. This is the same doctor that did my surgeries for my blocked corotid artery as well as two operations on my Perotid gland and he is good a great doctor.
Your prayers are wanted and welcomed for this sick little boy. Please join my family in wishing him well! THANK YOU!

This is a later report of today, the hospital had Matthew come back for more tests today, one was a swallowing test, where he had to drink a mixture of Barium and the x-rays would show how well he swallows. Little Matthew did the best he could, and was brave, but he could not swallow enough of the fluid for the test to accurately tell what was wrong. After that, they said that it was an emergency for the other scope to check further down his esophogus, and they sent him to prep for the operating room and get prepared to knock him out for the proceedure. That meant that they had to again put in an IV and get ready for the anastesia. The Nose and throat doctor that had done my surgeries walked in to talk to the parents, and my daughter asked him if it would be possible that when Matthew is knocked out, if he could just do the tonsilectomy at the same time, instead of having the kid go through it again next week. The doctor said "Yes, no problem, of course." Then he asked about my daughter's insurance, and when she told him that she has this one from Medicaid, he changed and yelled that he cant do it! He doesnt work with that insurance! He gruffly strutted out of the pre-op area and refused to do the prodeedure! The hospital was slightly appologetic, and tried to make calls to Children's Hospital, the specialist that was going to be able to see Matthew on April 27th.
The doctor is unavailable until the 25th of this month, but they were able to move the date up to the 25th. For some reason, the insurance will only pay for this work being done at Children's Hospital!!! Children's hospital is many miles away in downtown Detroit, and my daughter has Matthew at a local St. John's hopital in the emergency room. (which the insurance DOES cover) l don't understand how a doctor would refuse to do an emergency proceedure on a kid so sick! I have a mind to write the hospital and make a formal complaint! My brave little grandson had to go home again with no answers to his problems and still not able to eat! More will follow later, after he sees the doctor at Children's Hospital...............................

4/11/2007

A happy Easter! and much more!

Well, I sure hope that everyone had a very Happy Easter! My family and I went out and I treated them all to Country Buffet for an early dinner out. Poor Caroline, she wasn't able to go because they scheduled her to work from 9-5 and my Hubby didn't go either, because for the past 3-4 days he's had a stomach flue symptoms, and couldn't leave the house. He had light food, like a can of tomatoe soup, which was all that his stomach could handle. Ever one else had their fill of whatever they liked, and we all had fun. Little Matthew, still can't eat easily and his dinner just consisted of mashed potatoes and gravy. It was obvious that the little guy has lost at least 30 lbs. and was still not feeling well. He looks like a different kid now! Sure hope the 27th comes fast and he is scheduled fast to get those tonsils out! His parents and I are concerned about him.

Good news! We heard from our contractor, and he says that they will break ground this week for our new bedroom addition, and then soon after, the destuction, and reconstruction of the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom will begin.

I have taken lots of photos of the house that will change before the construction, and will match that with pics of the new spaces after the construction.

I have bought new appliances for the kitchen, as well as a new round table set with chairs, and a new living room set and tables for the living room, and I bought 2 new beds ( queens) one for my bedroom and one for the new bedroom being made. ( I have a king now, but never had a head and foot board, - Now ill have them) I have to hold the stores up for delivery untill work has progressed enough to get them brought it here. I CAN'T WAIT!
EVERY ONE - THINK SPRING- It seems that winter has not given up the battle, and it does not look like spring here at all! Temps in the 30s are not my idea of spring like weather! And OOOOOOH how I long for some good sunshine!