On Friday, feeling very ill, short of breath, suffering peripheral edema, and in a great deal of pain in my back, neck, hands, feet, and joints (especially my knees); I went to my doctor.
While I was there, I became flushed and short of breath. My blood pressure was taken, and read out at 196/138. The nurse practitioner thought she must be mistaken, so took it three times, with only a slight difference each time.
Apparently, for at least part of the day Friday I was in hypertensive crisis.
Literally two minutes later, my BP was back down below 160/110, so they didnt rush me over to the ER, but obviously this was a big concern.
My BP had been normal the last time we had talked, and I had been taking my BP every week or so since going back on hormone therapy and it had been up a little, but still well within normal range. Given the history, and that both the medications I'm taking and the LHAP class of disorders are known to cause, or increase risk for hypertension; we decided that it was likely induced by the medication, and that we would discontinue it immediately.
A blood pressure as high as I read on Friday carries significant risks. Stroke, heart attack, organ damage, aneurysm, blindness... It's very much a not good thing.
At any rate, I immediately went to the hospital for more tests, by which time my BP had subsided back to normal; where it has been ever since.
I was told to take aspirin, and given a scrip for vasodilators (no joke. Viagra. Apparently its one of the best meds to give for transient hypertension. It was originally designed as a hypertension drug, and the erectile dis-function treatment was just a side effect)) should a problem recur; but the next week is a real danger.
The medications I'm on, especially the hormones, are delivered by deep muscle injection, and are persistent for three weeks. I had just injected them the night before (which is why we're pretty sure the problem started Friday. The concentration in my system probably wasnt high enough til a few hours after the injection), so for the next week the levels in my system are high enough they could induce another hypertensive crisis.
I have to monitor my BP at least three times a day, or whenever I feel any of the possible indicators. I need to restrict my physical activity, and not do anything strenuous, or that would get my BP up. Also no meds that would either dramatically drop, or increase, my BP (like cold medicine).
I'm not to be left alone for more than a few hours, or drive by myself either.
Finally, I need to be especially on the lookout for potential symptoms of heart attack or stroke; and never to be more than a few minutes away from a hospital.
The additional test results from Friday should be back on Tuesday, and I'll go back to see my dock next week (or earlier if the hypertension recurs).
Showing posts with label Emergency. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Emergency. Show all posts
Monday, November 22, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
An Update on My Father in Law
Mel just got off the phone with the hospital, and with her father. He's on a lot of painkillers, but he's lucid and aware.
It was not a head on collision as initially reported. He was riding at about 50mph in an area where the speed limit slows from 65 to 55 to 50 all in a few hundred yards; when he was struck from behind by an vehicle doing at least 75mph.
... While wearing an orange silver and yellow reflective safety vest, and a bright yellow reflective helmet, riding on a pinkish beige and chrome scooter (yeah, I know... but he had one as a teenager and wanted one again for puttering around with) IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.
In the collision, he was thrown violently, and his helmet was knocked off when he hit the ground.
He suffered multiple breaks in his pelvis, including his right pelvic socket. His right femur, right arm, and several ribs are also broken. There are numerous other small fractures, including some stress fractures in other bones and small fractures in several vertebrae. He suffered severe contusions over much of his body, moderate but mostly shallow lacerations (road rash), and a few small incised wounds requiring stitches, including a couple on his face, most likely from glass or plastic shards.
He is currently in traction on his pelvis and spine, with a spinal collar.
They believe there is no brain or internal organ damage, and no internal bleeding. As I said, he is stable, lucid, and aware. And in a lot of pain.
They are going to do some more spinal and other neuro tests to rule out any further injury, and keep him under observation for at least a day against the possibility of delayed bleeds.
Then he's going to have reconstructive surgery on his pelvis. They're going to need to set multiple pins, and probably replace his right hip.
From there, he has six months to a year of reconstructive surgeries, and physical rehab ahead of him.
He has most likely permanently lost a significant portion of his mobility and flexibility. He's an aircraft mechanic, which requires crawling around in tight places... It's likely that he will never be able to work again.
My father in law has also been taking care of his parents, who are in their late 90s, and in rapidly failing health. He is no longer going to be able to do that.
Realistically...
We're going to have to put his parents into full time care, and he's going to have to come live with us. There is no way he's going to be able to deal on his own, and certainly not deal with his parents.
His oldest son, and youngest son are really not equipped to take care of him. His youngest son is already disabled, with failed kidneys, requires daily dialysis, and frequent hospitalization; and is moving back in with his eldest brother in Dallas (this was planned already). His middle son has five kids and a wife all living in a small house, on an even smaller income... and frankly he'd go crazy there even if they had the room, or the money; which they don't.
At the moment, he doesn't want to hear it... but he's going to have to face up to it. He's been despondent and deteriorating ever since Mels mom died two years ago, and we've been trying to get him to move in with us ever since... He NEEDS to be around family. The only time he really seems alive is with his kids and grandkids... Now, not being able to take care of himself for so long, on top of all that...
He's coming to live with us. That's that. If I have to go down there and haul him back bodily, HE WILL LIVE WITH HIS FAMILY, and he will do what needs to be done about his parents.
We've already talked with the rest of the family about it. We can be the "central hub" as it were. They can visit us eight months out of the year; and the other four he can go visit them (they mostly live in warmer parts of the country).
But he's going to be cared for by family, surrounded by and loved by family, and he's going to LIVE the rest of his life, not just exist.
It was not a head on collision as initially reported. He was riding at about 50mph in an area where the speed limit slows from 65 to 55 to 50 all in a few hundred yards; when he was struck from behind by an vehicle doing at least 75mph.
... While wearing an orange silver and yellow reflective safety vest, and a bright yellow reflective helmet, riding on a pinkish beige and chrome scooter (yeah, I know... but he had one as a teenager and wanted one again for puttering around with) IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.
In the collision, he was thrown violently, and his helmet was knocked off when he hit the ground.
He suffered multiple breaks in his pelvis, including his right pelvic socket. His right femur, right arm, and several ribs are also broken. There are numerous other small fractures, including some stress fractures in other bones and small fractures in several vertebrae. He suffered severe contusions over much of his body, moderate but mostly shallow lacerations (road rash), and a few small incised wounds requiring stitches, including a couple on his face, most likely from glass or plastic shards.
He is currently in traction on his pelvis and spine, with a spinal collar.
They believe there is no brain or internal organ damage, and no internal bleeding. As I said, he is stable, lucid, and aware. And in a lot of pain.
They are going to do some more spinal and other neuro tests to rule out any further injury, and keep him under observation for at least a day against the possibility of delayed bleeds.
Then he's going to have reconstructive surgery on his pelvis. They're going to need to set multiple pins, and probably replace his right hip.
From there, he has six months to a year of reconstructive surgeries, and physical rehab ahead of him.
He has most likely permanently lost a significant portion of his mobility and flexibility. He's an aircraft mechanic, which requires crawling around in tight places... It's likely that he will never be able to work again.
My father in law has also been taking care of his parents, who are in their late 90s, and in rapidly failing health. He is no longer going to be able to do that.
Realistically...
We're going to have to put his parents into full time care, and he's going to have to come live with us. There is no way he's going to be able to deal on his own, and certainly not deal with his parents.
His oldest son, and youngest son are really not equipped to take care of him. His youngest son is already disabled, with failed kidneys, requires daily dialysis, and frequent hospitalization; and is moving back in with his eldest brother in Dallas (this was planned already). His middle son has five kids and a wife all living in a small house, on an even smaller income... and frankly he'd go crazy there even if they had the room, or the money; which they don't.
At the moment, he doesn't want to hear it... but he's going to have to face up to it. He's been despondent and deteriorating ever since Mels mom died two years ago, and we've been trying to get him to move in with us ever since... He NEEDS to be around family. The only time he really seems alive is with his kids and grandkids... Now, not being able to take care of himself for so long, on top of all that...
He's coming to live with us. That's that. If I have to go down there and haul him back bodily, HE WILL LIVE WITH HIS FAMILY, and he will do what needs to be done about his parents.
We've already talked with the rest of the family about it. We can be the "central hub" as it were. They can visit us eight months out of the year; and the other four he can go visit them (they mostly live in warmer parts of the country).
But he's going to be cared for by family, surrounded by and loved by family, and he's going to LIVE the rest of his life, not just exist.
A Family Emergency
Earlier this morning we got a phone call from a trauma center in Arizona. My father in law (who is 68) was riding his motor scooter on a secondary highway, when he was struck by an oncoming car.
They airlifted him to the regiona trauma center in Scottsdale (about 40 miles from the accident site). He is severely injured, but as of 9am, he is awake, alert, and responsive.
He is currently listed as stable, and is undergoing additional neuro and physio diagnostics. There may be some major musculo-skeletal injury in the hips and legs; as well as some minor injuries to the upper body and head. He was wearing a helmet, but apparently it came off during the accident.
We are monitoring the situation as best we can from here in Idaho... There's a lot of family chaos at the moment. We'll know more in a couple of hours.
Thank you all for your support and concern. You'll excuse me if there are some long delays in getting back to people today etc...
Update: We have more news, some good some not, about my father in law
They airlifted him to the regiona trauma center in Scottsdale (about 40 miles from the accident site). He is severely injured, but as of 9am, he is awake, alert, and responsive.
He is currently listed as stable, and is undergoing additional neuro and physio diagnostics. There may be some major musculo-skeletal injury in the hips and legs; as well as some minor injuries to the upper body and head. He was wearing a helmet, but apparently it came off during the accident.
We are monitoring the situation as best we can from here in Idaho... There's a lot of family chaos at the moment. We'll know more in a couple of hours.
Thank you all for your support and concern. You'll excuse me if there are some long delays in getting back to people today etc...
Update: We have more news, some good some not, about my father in law
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)