DDD #27

Last week John and I headed back down to LA for my last(?) PRP injection. After my second injection I did notice that the pain had decreased. It still swells up a lot, but at least I’m seeing any difference in my foot. After the first month’s injections I only noticed a change one day, and was thinking that the injections weren’t doing anything. I’m not sure if they will heal my Achilles 100% but if I can run or jump by the end of the year, the mission accomplished!!

The third injections hurt just as bad as the first two, but I didn’t start to feel any pain until we got home around 11pm. With the first two injections I felt pain immediately after the numbing shots wore off. I’m not sure if that was a good sign or not, as my foot hurt pretty bad the next morning.

After the injection we had made plans to meet Maggie at Gloria’s Café for our 27^th Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. At the last minute I got a text from my sister-in-law that she and her husband were going to be able to meet us as well!

Gloria’s started out as a Mexican restaurant but over time she started introducing more and more San Salvadorian dishes. Every dish I tasted was REALLY good. The flavor was outstanding.

Maggie got the beef tacos, I got the 7 seas soup, and Molly and Michael split the popusas combo plate.

Click to enlarge

John got the carne adbodaba and popusas.

The flavor of John’s carne and my soup, was SO good. I’ve never had anything like it before. I could have used some crab extraction utensils though, but I managed…as some of you know, I have a bit of crab cracking experience.

The décor was authentic and it had the neatest light fixtures…very 70ish. (Sorry no photo). If you didn't notice in the first photo, Gloria's has their DDD poster hanging in the window of their door. That is what I like to see! Be so proud that you risk the poster fading away to nothing. I'm sure Guy would replace it if they needed. Overall I LOVED Gloria's and can't wait to eat there again. Thanks Guy!

Thyroid Update

A few weeks ago I got some blood work done to check my thyroglobulin levels. (Thyroglobulin is a protein that is produced by your thyroid. Since I do not have a thyroid, my level should be at 0.) A year after my thyroid was removed my thyroglobulin levels were high at a 3.8, (I think). My doctor then found the cells in my neck, which lead me to my second surgery.

Six months after my surgery I got my levels check again and they were at 1.7. My doctor wasn’t that worried because she said she has some patients that never reach 0. As long as the number continued to go down, then we had nothing to worry about.

Six months later my levels were tested again and they were 1.4. I also had had my yearly ultrasound and my dr. didn’t see anything suspicious. Yeah!

Fast forward to my most recent blood work and my levels came back as 2.8. What the heck? I contacted my dr. and she isn’t worried, and doesn’t see it necessary for me to see her any sooner than my next appointment. She does think it’s a good idea to get more blood work done before my appointment to see if the levels test that high again.

So as of now the saga continues, but I’m not going to worry about it until after we get back from Paris. I will continue to say that I am one of the lucky ones. A friend of mine, (Stephanie on the far left), recently got diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer. If you’d like to follow her fight please visit her Care Page.

Medical Drama Part 2,094

You know what is worse then being told you have a lump in your breast? Having to tell your husband you have a lump in your breast. Trust me…I know.

A few weeks ago I had a routine check up and the nurse practitioner found a lump. The only good thing was that she told me it had all the characteristics of being a cyst. It was mobile, firm (but not rock hard), and fairly large. She also told me that 80% of lumps are cysts. Next step was getting an ultra sound. She told me that if it is a cyst, it would appear as a large black circle on the ultrasound because liquid shows up as black. I also knew that ultra sound technicians are not allowed to tell you anything, so I felt ahead of the game knowing that black was good.

I was lucky I only had to wait 2 days until the ultra sound, and I cannot tell you how happy I was when I saw a black circle!! It was pitch black, similar to this image (thanks Google).The technician did come back and tell me it was a cyst. Yeah! I wanted to go out and celebrate, but I still felt a little uneasy knowing that the lump could have been cancer. I didn’t really let myself think that it was cancer. I honestly don’t know what I would have done if it was. I thought that the ultra sound wasn’t going to be 100% clear and because of my medical history they would have required more testing, but in the end it would be a cyst. I am so thankful it was a cyst. Thyroid cancer sucks, but breast is a whole new level. Even though I only had to wait 2 days, it was tough.

Like I said before…telling John was one of the worst things I’ve had to do. I know that if the situation was reversed I would have been a lot more worried. I feel guilty that I put him through so much more stress/worry. I should take the brunt of it right? I’m the one with the illness. It doesn’t seem fair.

Sci Fi Medicine

Sometime last year John Googled 'Achilles Tendon Injuries' and came across an article on PRP Therapy. The more research he did on it, the more it sounded like it could help my Achilles. If it was good enough for professional athletes like Tiger Woods and Troy Polamalu, then is has to be good enough for the Booers right?

I asked a few of the orthopedists that I saw what they thought of the therapy and they were all neigh sayers. Only one dr. wasn't very skeptical, he didn't know enough about it to know if it would help me ore not.

Since I didn't hear what I wanted, I decided to use Google to find a dr. that did the administered the therapy. In my research I found Othrohealing located in LA. Everything I read on the site sounded awesome, so I made an appointment for the first holiday I had this year, which was Good Friday. (Gotta save that PTO for Paris).

I was pretty worried because I felt that this was my last hope. If the dr. didn't think my case was worthy of the therapy I don't know what my next option would be. Lucky for me, after a general evaluation, and ultra sound, the dr. thought I could benefit from the treatment!! AWESOME!

First step was getting blood withdrawn...6 vials...piece of cake compared to the 12 I had done the week before. Here I am snacking on the granola bar they gave me after the withdrawal:
Next step was to wait 25 mins while the blood was put in the centrafuse.

Next step = prep for injection! First the dr. poked me with a plastic tool to designate the worst areas. He told me that this part is the most painful for some patients. ‘Whatever,’ I thought. How bad can a plastic tool hurt, right? OMG! It totally hurt, and he didn't even draw any blood!

Then it was time for the numbing shot. Let me paint a picture for you. Imagine having a really sore muscle/tendon...now imagine sticking a needle into that EXTREMELY sore muscle/tendon. Sounds a bit painful, right? Let me tell you it hurt SO bad! Luckily I only had to get one numbing shot. They even used some freezing spray (before the injection), which might have caused no pain to the skin, but the tendon pain was so intense that the spray was useless.

Luckily I didn't feel any of the injections, and it really didn't take that long. Look on the left side of the video, and you will see the needle entering the tendon. The dr. targets the black areas, which are the pockets of liquid. The white blood cells are supposed to speed up the healing process.

After the injection I got iced by GAME READY.
This thing was AWESOME! The brace filled up with ice-cold water and it had a timer, so after 10 minutes I was done! I can't imagine all the other cool equipment that professional athletes have access too.

I was pleasantly surprised that my foot didn't hurt afterwards. The dr. said that some patients need crutches or get a prescription for vicodin. Seriously? My foot didn't hurt at all.

FLASH FORWARD to 4 hours later and I am in A LOT of pain. The numbing juice wore off and I could barely walk. The drive home was extremely difficult because I could not find a comfortable position for my food, and the ride was also really bumpy. I just knew once I got home, and out of the car, that my foot would feel better. I was wrong. I was still in a huge amount of pain. Luckily I had some left over vicodin from my surgery and was able to take one. I don't think I would have been able to sleep through the night if I didn't have those meds. (The dr. gave me 500 mg of Tylenol but that didn't do a thing for me.)

The next day it was a little better, but still really sensitive. The dr. also said to treat my foot like it is a new injury. Take it really easy for the first 5 days and then start up physical therapy again. I head back down in a month for another injection, and then possibly one more. I might see an improvement after 14 days, or I might see an improvement after the second injection.

Overall I am SO thankful I got the PRP treatment. Other wise I would have always had the 'what if' hanging over my head. Dr. Sampson and his team were AWESOME. I can't believe how lucky I was to find such a great practice from Google. So keep your fingers crossed for me that this will do the trick and I will be able to run and jump in a few months.

Is that a Fungus?

A couple of months ago I finally went and saw a dermatologist for the bizarre rash on my foot, (the same one as the bad Achilles). It appeared last July once I started wearing a boot while I slept. In November I started wearing a sock with the boot thinking that would make it go away, but it didn’t.

Are you wondering why it took me 7 months to go to the doctor? Well it doesn’t itch, it’s not spreading, and it doesn’t bother me. I also really didn’t want to go to another dr. appointment, but obviously it’s being caused by something other than the boot.

The dermatologist I saw is good, however he had no idea what the rash was. He called in reinforcements, (the other dr.), and he too had no idea what it was.

Next step = biopsy. Yes, you read that right. I had to have a biopsy ON MY FOOT! You know there are some things you just aren’t prepared for when you go see a dr. for a rash. I’ll just take some cream thanks, and be on my way. What are you doing with that needle?

Of course the first numbing shot didn’t take deep enough so as he started digging I started feeling the pain.

Shot #2 = awesome! NOT! At least that one worked. He put one stitch in and I had to come back in 2 weeks.Two weeks later…the biopsy didn’t tell him anything and the rash continued to mystify them.

Next step = Blood and urine tests.

Results = I’m healthy as a horse.

Next step = see a rheumatologist. (I personally didn’t think this was necessary, but the rash had stumped him…what else was he to do? He also wanted to prescribe me a steroid cream, but not before I saw the rheumatologist.

Month later = rheumatologist visit where I stump him AND some other dermo that worked in his office. They kept saying how ‘interesting’ the rash was. AKA they had no idea what was causing it.

Next step = MORE blood and urine tests. They took 12 vials of blood. 12!!!!! The dr. said they were going to test me for everything, and I guess that meant they needed a pint.

So now I’m waiting to hear from him. I asked him if he could recommend a good local podiatrist for me, and he said he didn’t think I needed to see one. I disagree, so I’m seeing one this week.

We will see if the rash stumps any more doctors. I finally got the prescription for the steroid cream, however I don't think it is helping.

Excuse me?

Do you remember way back in 2008 when I posted about my Achilles injury? Seems so long ago right? So long ago that it’s probably old new right? Wrongo bongo.

It has been 15 months since my Achilles injury and it has still not healed. 15 months. Have you had anything awful last 15 months? For me that has meant no running, jumping, hiking, climbing, or wearing high heels…for 457 days…seriously.

I’ve seen a total of three orthopedists (locally) and the last one finally gave me a solution. Finally right? Wrongo bongo AGAIN. His solution?

Surgery.
Excuse me? Surgery? I didn’t even think surgery was an option. I mean what could they do to my Achilles if it wasn’t torn? Well, apparently they can insert a tendon from a cadaver to help support my Achilles in its healing process. Recovery = 4-6 weeks in a boot, and then 4-6 months rehab. The doctor said that since the tendon has not healed on it’s own in a years time that surgery was the next step. Why couldn’t my Achilles just have snapped? I would have been fully recovered if that happened to me 15 months ago!

I did ask my Dr. about Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy, which can help injuries heal quicker, and he was totally negative about it.

He said that most insurance don’t cover the cost.
I told him I didn’t care.

He said it could cause the tendon to snap.
I told him I didn’t care.

He said it could have a placebo affect.
I told him I didn’t care.

Those were the worst reasons I’ve ever heard! Just because he doesn’t do it and doesn’t want to loose the surgery business, doesn’t mean he should think it’s a bad idea. Shouldn’t he want what is best for his patient? What if it were to work for me better than surgery? Doctors can be so hit and miss. In fact his anti-ism made me even more determined to do more research and to find a doctor that administers the procedure.

I found the Orthohealing Center in LA online, and I’m hoping that they will be the answer to my prayers. Check out this testimonial. I know it’s probably an extreme case, but I’m not as bad off as he was so I have hope! I’m hoping to go down to LA soon meet with the doctor and hopefully get the procedure done in the same day.

I am actually willing to try anything at this point to avoid surgery. I’m even seeing an acupuncturist after much harassment from John, (who saw her for his back, but she kicked him out after seeing his MRI because there wasn’t anything she could do for him). Small needles? Really? What could that do for me? Fist let me tell you that I was TOTALLY skeptical…next let me tell you that I’ve seen her three times and I think it is helping! No joke! I have noticed that over the last week the swelling has gone down quite a bit, and I even wore some shoes with a heel! I don’t think it can repair the ‘shredded rope’ state the tendon is in, but if it helps with the swelling that has got to be helpful.

So we will see what happens. I have the feeling that my Achilles is not going to heal itself anytime soon. I’m tired of having dreams where I am running…I want to make it a reality! Plus I need to be able to run if someone were to ever steal my purse and run down the street. Priorities people!

Is there a Doctor in the House?

I've apparently injured my Achilles tendon...and I have NO IDEA how.

It was a little sore last Sunday, but I didn't think much of it. It would only hurt if I had been sitting for awhile and then got up and walked around. I'd limp around a bit and then it would loosen up. On Wed./Thurs. It hurt most of the morning but then by the afternoon I'd forget about it. But then on Friday it was hurting worse and now I'm limping around like a total gimp!

Now I've been icing it and wearing an ace bandage. I noticed it was swollen but by wearing the bandage it has gone down a bit. I've really tried to stay off of it this weekend, but unfortunately I haven't notice a huge improvement. I'm going to try to go to the doctor tomorrow and maybe he will be able to give me some info for a speedy recovery because John and I are going to WISCONSIN on Friday!!

Have we lost our minds? Are we really going from 85 degrees to 35 degrees with scattered flurries? Yes we are and I can't wait!
This coming weekend Cal Poly is playing Wisconsin in their final regular season game. For those of you who don't know, Wisconsin is a Division 1 school and CP is Division 2. Obviously it's a bit of a mismatch and we aren't expecting a victory, however we are expecting a once in a lifetime experience! We can only imagine what it's going to be like to attend a college football game a such a large school...and a game in such cold weather. I'm also very excited to be visiting another state and another college town. I can't wait to see what it is like.

I think CP will be able to stay close to Wisconsin for maybe a half. At least I hope. They have already made the playoffs so we are guaranteed one more home game. (As season ticket holders we had first dibs on the tickets). Hopefully they will get 2 play off games but I'm not sure if we will be traveling for the second one.

I have the feeling I'll have more time to blog this week if I'm ordered by the doc to stay off my feet. However with me being sedentary I'm not sure how many interesting blog topics I'll come across. Stay tuned...