Friday, August 21, 2015

LONG TIME. . . .way over-do. . .

Dear Friends and Neighbors, One and All  ~~

It has just hit me. . .WoW. . .we are in mid-August. . . .Let me bring you up to date, for a bit.  This has been an interesting year. . .indeed.  I have learned a lot. . hell, I am ready for my WHITE coat.  ho ho ho.

Health-wise, there has been a lot of improvement since the end of February-into March.  In early May the kidney specialist  directing my therapy for the serious "kidney disease" --- renal failure.  In December it was felt - according to the books that I ought to be on dialysis four days a week!  My MD and I discussed the care of one on dialysis and what it all meant, and for when I was ready, the kind of dialysis therapy we would use.

But as the months progressed using medications, marked improvement in my numbers on xray and bloodwork began to appear.  There would be no need for dialysis!  Thanks be to God and my MDs!!!

First week of May the cardiologist told me there were marked improvements in
the damage to my heart ~~~~~ the blood clot was GONE: no evidence of it any more.  Just GONE! And overall condition had improved. . . I remain A - FIB but I have never noticed it myself, though they assure me that condition is still there.

These two major changes, healings actually, were ample reason to celebrate and this has continued.  Then on Fourth of July I was admitted to the hospital with  pneumonia !!!  How sweet. . . in the infection was such that it produced "delerium". . . I was out of my friggin' mind a lot, saying lots of silly and sometimes embarrassing things ---- my lips are forever sealed. . LOLOLOL. . .When I was ready to go home, my mind was back. . .Of all the things I've lost in life, I miss my mind the most. . ho ho ho  Yepper.

So I continued to get better. . . .but one weekend we kinda had a feeling/ became suspicious that the pneumonia might be back. . .absent the bloody delerium. .
So we didn't waste anytime. . .we were off to the Urgent Care labs to find out.
After more xrays, blood -work, they thought it did look like the crappy PNeum
so they put me on anti-biotics and sent me home.

Anti-biotics do a job on the kidneys so they put me on half-dosage so as not to kill the kidneys. . . a certain amount, every 48 hours for ten days. I didn't get the crazy head again. . . phewww!!!. . .just tired and so I did little and slept s lot. . .I will have a CT Scan next Tuesday to see just WHAT is going on in my lungs. . .
what showed up on he xrays just might have been like the "scars" of the first batch of of the disease.

I will return to campus in early September with a half teaching-schedule and lab/counselling work at the Center. . .and use my head and be sure not to over-do it, etc. etc. ."gets lots of rest". . .and keep on taking my meds and behaving myself. . hahahahaa

I do think of you guys often but, to be honest, I just haven't had the energy and drive to start working on the Blog. . .yepper, the DUNES are/.is still there.  ;-))
I have done some email writing as I feel up to and have something semi-worthwhile to contribute. . .mainly to guys who have written to me about this or that. . . Your care and concern is deeply appreciated. . . .as someone wrote or said. "We're kinda like a family.  .we care and we are 'there'. . . ."  THANKS for that.

Again, genuine THANK YOU, I am happy I am still here to enjoy and celebrate this wondrous exciting gift of life.. . please cherish yours.

Love and hugs. . .
still the same,
Justin O'Shea

8 comments:

J said...

This news is most encouraging Justin. And it's good to have you back.

Richard said...

Hey, Justin!! Good to hear from you again. So glad that you will be well enough to return to teaching this fall.

I developed afib about ten years ago when I developed a nasty gall bladder. Threw up fourteen times over the course of a weekend before I finally had my other half take me to the emergency room. By that time I had sepsis, afib, and high blood pressure. Once the sepsis was cured, I was able to have surgery to remove the gall bladder.

My surgeon tried to remove it laproscopicly (minimal invasion), but the thing was so far gone that they have to cut me open. Consequently I wound up with a nasty 8 inch scar on the right side of the body.

After discharge I started using warfarin to prevent clots from the afib. My cardiologist convinced me to enroll in a trial for what ultimately became Pradaxa. I've been on it now for about eight years with no significant problems.

You did not say whether you were on any type of blood thinner, but I certainly hope that you are. Strokes (or worse) are nasty.

I still get pretty tired from the afib, but other than that it has not bothered me too much.

JustinO'Shea said...

Thanks, RICHARD< for sharing your experience. I am still learning/ adjusting. ;-)
Yes I am on Waffaring (sp). When it was discovered the heart blood clot was "gone" the cardiologist stopped the blood thinner. . . ."no further need". . .The neurologists I work with hit the roof! hehe. . "Back on the cumaudin. . to prevent stroke", just as you said.
We do a monthly blood check - INR. . .I just walk into the lab; the vampires draw the blood.
That area is "doing just fine". . .
Amazing. . .the human body is so marvelously interconnected. . .things affect everything else.
LOL One part changes and all the other parts get into the show too. LOL Cheers. . .Justin

gp said...

Always great to hear from you Justin; take good care of yourself!

jimm said...

Justin-on-the-Mend,its good to hear from you and know you are still a-tickin'! A delirious babbling Justin??? Oh,I'd luv to have a white smock and a couch! Im glad you are healing and looking to the future. And blogging is further sign you are on the mend!

Richard said...

Justin, the nice thing about Pradaxa (and three or four other new thinners) is there is no need for those monthly INR tests and blood draws, nor are there any dietary restrictions, so you can have all the spinach you want! :)

Richard

radicaljoe7@gmail.com said...

Justin, It is more than we can understand what life has put you through. God keeps us in His Hands, the Hands that put us all together, from dirt. It is beyond our comprehension of His Powers, for that is why, I guess we are always running to Him for his Help. We all are Praying for You and hope that you are on this Planet for as long as God wants you to Be. Dancing with a happy beat, makes us all more than
Blessed to know you Justin, we always here for you in our Thoughts and Humble Prayers. Thanks for thinking of Your Good Family............

Robert said...

Wow,
I have not visited your blog in a while. I have always liked your social/gay/psychology/wellbeing posts, and since you are from the Cape ( My paradise away from home, PTown Rules!!) I would check in on a monthly following basis. Sorry to hear about your health setback. You are rather fortunate to be young and of a rational/intelligent mind to carry you thru this situation. you will survive n thrive, heck look how far you have come.....

Best of wishes on the health perspective and godspeed recovery.

May you find the everlasting success with your Phd efforts, use it as a springboard to your helping and compassionate future

RO'C