Re: What's been happening

From: Suze (suze63@one.net.au)
Mon May 21 04:04:44 2001


Dear Karla, Thank you for finding the strength to let us know how you and your family are. You are in our thoughts and prayers Thinking of you all Love Suze

Karla wrote:

> I have tried searching the archives to find any messages where I have
> let you all know exactly what has been going on in my life lately. I
> have not been able to locate anything so this email will do exactly
> that. If by chance I have already done this......my apologies. As
> most of you can remember, my four month old grandson passed away
> unexpectedly on March 10th. That was the beginning of a most
> difficult period regarding my health. Actually, in the days
> surrounding the funeral I was the only one that was NOT sick.
> Everyone and their brother had bad colds, sore throats, flu....you
> name it.Everyone that is, except me. I was healthy...other than
> dealing with the adhesions. In the days following the baby's death our
> family made plans to spend two weeks in Florida to pull ourselves
> together and try to begin healing. We were scheduled to go from April
> 10th to the 24th. In the end of March I began to feel punky. I was
> suffering from symptoms I normally develop when I have
> urosepsis....which is a urinary infection that goes throughout the
> entire urinary system. I was placed in the hospital on a multitude of
> very heavy antibiotics. After about a week in the hospital the doctor
> informed me that I would not be able to go to Florida. A blood
> culture indicated that I had a bacteria in my blood and this bacteria
> would not respond to the antibiotics I had already been on. This
> meant another week or so in the hospital. This was very devastating
> as I had been looking forward to spending some really good time with
> my daughter and her girls. We decided that they would continue on to
> Florida since my sister's family was going as well. A few days before
> Easter my doctor notified me that I would be able to go home for the
> holidays. I immediately asked if I would be able to go to Florida, to
> which he said yes. I was scheduled to be discharged on April 14th.
> On that day my doctor came into the room and indicated that my
> creatinin was high. He told me that under normal circumstances he
> would have me stay in the hospital at least a few more days, but since
> he knew how important to me this trip would be he said I could go. He
> instructed me to visit the ER in Florida should I feel sick and he
> gave me his card so that the doctors there could call him. I felt
> extremely comfortable in going. My only nervousness came the day of
> discharge when I had absolutely no urine output the entire day.
> (Since I have a urostomy I cannot control when, where or how often the
> urine flows) When I slept that night I did have some urine output, so
> I did feel better about the situation before I left. My trip was very
> uneventful. I had a wonderful time. I would spend about an hour in
> the sun each day and would make sure that I got in a good nap every
> day as well. The time spent with my daughter was very
> healing.....something we should have done way before the baby's
> death. My last day or so down there left me beginning to feel a
> little punk again, but all in all not too bad. The day after my return
> home I had a scheduled appointment to see my doctor. I told him that
> I felt that I did have something brewing, but since there were really
> no symptoms I was sent home. Two days later I began feeling very ill
> late in the afternoon. I had severe chills that even a hot bath could
> not take care of...a clear sign to me that I had a kidney infection.
> I drove myself to the ER, but only with extreme difficulty. It was
> very painful to put my foot down on the gas pedal. I have never had
> this problem before so I was very scared. I was admitted to the
> hospital, but they were unable to obtain access to my veins for an
> IV. The next morning I was sent (or at least I think I was sent) to
> surgery to get a central line placed. I barely remember these
> events. The next thing I remember is my mother telling me that my
> kidneys had shut down and I was in the ICU. My family was all there
> and I had a visit from my daughter who told me something I would have
> never expected in a million years. My daughter has been violently
> opposed to my having any more surgery despite my pain and the need to
> control the massive hernias and urine leakage. But at this visit she
> told me that if I wanted to let go I could. She told me that I should
> not worry about her and the girls....they would be fine. I have said
> for years that when the good Lord came calling I would be ready, but
> her saying this to me made me want to fight harder than ever. I
> wanted more time with my daughter and my beautiful
> granddaughters. Eventually my kidneys began working again and I was
> discharged ten days later. However, the next day I began having
> problems with vomiting. After a day of this, and a fear of kidney
> shutdown, I again went to the ER. I was given some suppositories, a
> bottle of IV fluid and then sent home. The vomiting continued
> throughout the day and the morning of the next. The first thing I did
> in the morning was call to see my doctor, only to learn that he too
> was ill. I was set up to see the internist that specializes in
> nephrology (she had been involved in my kidney shutdown). This doctor
> proceeded to admit me, but it was time for another central line. When
> the surgeon came into my room to do the placement I learned more
> details of the prior events. He was very surprised that I had no
> recollection of his placing the line the previous time. This time
> everything was uneventful....other than I believe I began
> hyperventilating....just my fear of having history repeat itself.
> Anyway, I was hospitalized another five days with no real answers as
> to all the vomiting, even though it continued another day in the
> hospital. My doctor has told my family it is only a matter of time.
> My infections are coming one right on top of the other. For some
> reason, perhaps the urostomy, I am not a candidate for dialysis nor am
> I a candidate for transplant. He also had told me before all of this
> began that he did not want me to have my surgeries....believing that
> it would kill me. He explained to my daughter that with one of these
> infections my kidneys would just shut down and not recover and I would
> die. Throughout these hospitalizations I have also been plaqued with
> pneumonia, something that I am sure will not help the situation. At
> this last hospitalization I think I got it across to the doctor that
> this surgery is now my ONLY hope. It is worth the risk of my dying if
> there is a chance I can prevent my death. He heard what I have to
> say and is now reviewing my records and discussing this with the
> surgeons in Chicago. The only problem is now it is me that doesn't
> know. I don't want to go through more surgery. I am tired. Well,
> that is my story as it has been the last two months. Sorry for boring
> you all with the details. Love, Karla


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