BAD LUCK!

I have officially decided that yesterday and today was the worst days of this week.

About a month ago, a little sty and infection started to form on my left eye, and when I saw the Dr he gave me some antibiotic and cream to put on, well it never seemed to have gone away. Now about a month later I still had the same bump on my eye which was very irritable and scratchy and last night it just felt like my whole eye was about to fall out. So we decided to go over to our emergency rooms as no Dr’s office is open after 6pm. So at about 7:30 we were at the emergency rooms waiting for the Dr on call to see us.

Off I went into the emergency ward where the Dr saw me, and explained that they would have to make an incision on the eye lid, off cause this would be painful he said, however it something that they would have to do. So they prepared everything and as I was lying there, he made the incision on the left eye lid and squeezed out all the puss. OUCH! Is about all I can say without sounding like the worst sailor ever.

Anyway, as if that wasn’t enough, you see we only left there at about 10pm, which meant that I couldn’t eat anymore. I had some blood works from the Fertility Clinic which I had to go for today and it was suppose to be done fasting. NICE, so bloody nice… Now here is grumpy me, hungry, thirsty and really sore… but I survived.

So on arrival at work, one of my colleagues went with me over to the one clinic close by, we decided to have a walk there as it is about 100 meters from work, nice morning breeze, and what a walk, it was great to be out in the open for a change. Anyway, 10 vials of blood later I walked out of there. We rushed back to work; I got a toasted and coffee, and have never had breakfast so fast in my entire life. I was starving! So Dr testing about everything here are the list (and no official medical explanation but rather my understanding of the test):

1. Glucose fasting (measure the amount of glucose in the blood right at the time of sample collection)
2. Insulin fasting (used, often along with glucose and C-peptide levels, to help diagnose insulinomas and to help diagnose documented acute or chronic (fasting) hypoglycemia)
3. TSII (testing of the Thyroid)
4. Free T4 (Total T4 and free T4 are two separate tests that can help the doctor evaluate thyroid function)
5. FSH (FSH levels are also useful in the investigation of menstrual irregularities and to aid in the diagnosis of pituitary disorders)
6. LH (The LH blood test measures the amount of luteinizing hormone)
7. 17-B Oestradiol (E2) (associated with changes in ovarian steroid levels)
8. Progesterone (measures the amount of the hormone progesterone in a blood sample)
9. Free Testosterone (needed for hormonal balance and to help women’s bodies to function normally)
10. Growth hormones (Growth hormones are the chemical stimulation that initiates cell division, bone growth, and a number of other physical processes within the human body)
11. Prolactin (ordered along with other tests, when a woman is experiencing infertility or irregular menses)
12. Antenatal (Incl. HIV) (testing things like your blood group, Rhesus factor, Iron levels, red blood cell abnormalities, Syphilis, German measles, hepatitis B, and HIV)
13. B-HCG Quantitative (pregnancy test)
14. Phospholipid antibodies (testing antibodies – complications caused by Antiphospholipid Antibody could cause miscarriages)
15. ANF (anti Nuclear factor – is an antibody. The presence of this antibody raises a number of possibilities – positive test possibility of Arthritis, Scleroderma.)

So this is my bit of bad luck these 2 days, and O Yes AF haven’t started yet (which is for some reason a bit odd it normally starts on day 26 of my cycle) but I’ll have to wait for day 28 to arrive as it might be because of the fact that I’m not using any medicine at this moment, so Dr said it could have an impact on this months cycle. Anyway we are waiting for AF to either come (which will be sad, but then we can start the process) or stay away (which will be the ideal, because that will mean that I got it right) so either or, I’m trying to cope everyday with the thoughts that there might be a BFP, but also with the knowing that it actually will take a miracle to have a BFP on our own, but who knows what our little rocky road has in store for us.

Now I’m waiting in anticipation for AF, and my test results… so wish me luck!

Hubbies operation

I’m not really the type of person that loves a hospital nor do I like to have anyone operated on! Unfortunately hubby had to be in the hospital today 7 August 2008 for an arthroscopy! Now this is not really a biggy, but when he normally comes out of theatre he is moody and obviously full of pain, and that I can’t really handle well. I quickly feel sorry for him and wants to cry my eyes out because there is just nothing I can do for him… Pieter had to be at the hospital at 12:00 which gave us some time to do a bit of walking around in the shopping centre, we bought some new clothes and just spend time together. Which was really nice… at about 11:35 we went through to the hospital as Dr Botha normally starts the procedures at about 13:00. Pieter got booked in and spend a couple of hours lying there… He only went into the theatre at about 14:45, I truly felt sorry for him as he couldn’t drink or eat, and prior to him leaving for theatre he already complained he was hungry… He is a little cuddly bear, and loves his food… and so the procedure began… Let me explain what an arthroscopy is… Arthro mean joint and scope is to look. Therefore a knee arthroscopy allows the surgeon to view inside your knee and directly inspect the bone and structures within. An arthroscopy is commonly known as “Keyhole surgery” these incisions are minimal and therefore reduce scarring and allow quick recovery. During the procedure a small camera-type device is inserted into the knee and this relays a picture to a television screen. At the same time instruments can be inserted into the knee so that surgery can be performed. There are a couple of reasons for this to be done; I think the picture will give you an indication A knee arthroscopy is almost always performed under general anesthetic. In most arthroscopies, three small incisions are made at the front of the knee. One incision is to insert the arthroscopy, the other to insert the instruments required during the procedure and the third to attach a tube that inflates the knee with fluid. Most arthroscopies take between 30 – 60 minutes to perform. At the end of the operation, the fluid is drained from the knee. Stitches are required to close the wounds Local anesthetic is injected into the knee to minimize discomfort after surgery, and adequate information on what to do with the dressings, padding and stockings will be given to you on the day of your surgery. With modern anesthetic techniques, most patients usually wake relatively quickly and are aware of their surroundings within one hour of the end of the procedure. So… on his way out of theatre this time, which were of cause the second time he had a arthroscopy done, he was telling everyone how nice the people in theatre is… How stunning the narcotics doctor were and the fact that he had a dream but can’t remember what… he told this story to everyone about 10 times!! Ha-ha! Then hubby realized that his thought has been blocked off, his tummy growls and he really can’t deal with his feeling! He is hungry! He sat up as the one nurse came with a plate of stew, which was just enough to feed a 5 year old. As he finished the food he started moaning and groaning and making jokes that he feels like having ribs and beer. Not long Dr Botha came around and visited everyone that was done by him for the day. Dr Botha laughed so hard when Pieter explained that he is hungry and wanted to go home, that he discharged him to go eat! Ha-ha! Anyway, everything seemed to have gone well, they removed some of the little bones and cleaned out his knee, now it’s rest for a whole month… nice! I took hubby out for Spur, seeing that he was so hungry, the poor man finished his whole plate and on return home he already started to feel sleepy. When we got home, he took his pain medicine and went to bed… This was another day of our lives.

Not so good news

Today was a very hectic day. A day full of surprises, heartache and emotions… Well Pieter had to go back to the specialist who has seen him about 5 years ago for his knee which gave him some trouble. After the operation he had 5 years ago, pain started to creep back into his life, and eventually it became such a issue that I decided to make an appointment with the specialist. Which I think was the best thing I would have done. Anyway, we came in early morning so that we will be able to do what ever needed to be done at work prior to leaving for the appointment. I decided to go for a ear test, seeing that I know that my left ear has been giving me issues since I was a teenager, but never to any extend that I had to get anything for it. Every now and then, lets’ just say once a year, I needed to go back to have my ears checked due to family problems. So eventually we left work, and off we went to the doctors rooms for the knee and for my test. So while Pieter was waiting to see the doctor, I ducked out to go see the Hearing testing centre. Well there I was, sitting in the reception room which were very cold, no people around. I guess not everyone would think of having their ears checked out ever so now and again. So the Doctor came in, she took me to the testing room and explained the procedure which we will follow… Now off I went into a little in fined space, with a seat a little window, lots of earpieces and a door that closes to close to you that anybody will become cluster phobic. First we started with the right ear, and while I was waiting for these little sounds to creep through and push this button every time I have heard the sound, I was watching her every move through this window. Every now and then she will look up and give me a smile. Mmm what was the smile all about…? So you have the high pitched sounds, then a bit of lower pitched, then funny other in between pitched sound and obviously every sound comes through with a different tone… so there I was pushing this little button, 1, 2, 3, 4…etc, then the other ear which is the left, and as these sound comes through she is making funny looking circles on a piece of paper, well not that I have any choice I wanted to have it tested. So there I was 1, 2, 3, and 4 and so it continued. After the first set of testing, she came around, opened the door and said that she will be putting on a new piece of equipment that translate the sound through the bone of your skull, just behind the ear, so once again I had to sit and press this little button every time I hear the slightest bit of the sound… It almost feels as if your brain is playing tricks on you, as suddenly you hear funny sounds and very fainted sounds and your not sure whether this is the actual sound or is this just your ears singing… anyway, after the testing once again she comes around, then added another piece of equipment onto this thing, which now makes a whoosh sound, like white noise in the one ear and they would test the opposite ear… This is truly not fun, the more I hear the whoosh the less I hear the sound; well it can’t be that bad because I hear the sound… So after she has tested both ears, around she came, and took off all these things that made me look like one or other escaped alien, and took me through to anther room, for the feedback. Hey at least I am prepared, cause I know that the left ear is giving issues, so if she mentioned that I might go deaf in the left ear, I already know… so in she came… Our conversation started with her telling me that her receptionist is also deaf, and that she wears a little device in both of her ears, which enables her to hear. (Ya right I though, so what does this have to do with me) I hear fine, just very soft things is an issue… then she continued, that the receptionist can’t hear anything unless she wears the devices and that it is truly a big change for once family to get use to this change. So I thought, okay once again I’m not deaf. She moved over, took out a box of tissues and took one from the box as if she wanted to use it, but she left the box on the table. Well she said, people who can hear normally between 1 – 20 decibels, but for me I only start hearing on about 45 – 50, and she is sorry to say, but I have lost some hearing. So ya I knew that hearing has been lost in my left ear, so what’s the big fuss, but she continued, you have lost a lot of your hearing in both ears! HELL WHAT? She continued… you will have to start wearing a hearing aid in both of your ears, and all I could think of was the fact that I might not be able to hear soon… She continued, the hearing aid will be able to assist you in such a way that you might be able to hear between the decibel ranges people with no hearing disability, however, this will depend on how your system deteriorates over time, and you might loose more than what you have already lost. The device has the ability to rapid process data, reduce noise, directionality for speech intelligibility, compressor for natural sound reproduction and it will not be completely visible. The hearing aids will be fitted into the ear canal, and only a slight piece might show from the ear. And while she is rambling off what the stupid device can do, I was crying my eyes out… I just couldn’t get the thought of not being able to hear out of my mind. I knew I never must have had the ears test, I knew, I knew… i started asking the stuff that was coming to mind, will I hear my baby if they cry… will I hear my family when they talk, will I be able to hear sounds like music… she started explaining that it will be a learning process for my body to get use to the piece of equipment, that I might not loose more hearing that I will be able to hear a baby if they are next to me, that children who speaks softly I might not be able to hear, I will be able to listen to music, but when someone talks while I listen to music, I will not hear them, that they would have to get my attention first… and so it just went on and on… until she said, you might not hear by the age of 40 and even sooner. So how in life will I manage, how will I hear if my child is speaking to me, how will I still be able to have the fun I have now, how will I be able to do the work that I’m suppose to do on a daily basis, I don’t think I will! How will I communicate, unless someone knows sign language, to communicate back? How will I facilitate any work session? I’m not going to make it, I’m not, and I’m not… Why…why is this happening… Happening to me… why me… So I grabbed all the stuff she had put in front of me, and I started walking out… now I had to go back while Pieter was waiting to see the Specialist, I need to sit there and face this with a smile still in tacked. Till such time I’ll be able to talk about it