The worst I've ever had was Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP). You've probably seen the warnings on commercials for Plavix. Anyway, I had just moved to NM and almost immedicately started feeling bad. It was early June. We thought it was allergies at first becuase that got bad. Then, I started having problems with keeping things down at one end, then the other end. I develeped petechia, or broken vessels all over my body, which looked like I had polka dots. I was rushed to the ER constantly because my normally extra low blood pressure was so high they thought I was going to have a stroke. But, my new doctor said nothing was wrong with me to go home and stop bothering him. The ER sent him my blood results onces which indicated that I had a blook infection that was highly contegeous. They put me in the hospital and still treated me like I made the whole thing up. We now know that I probably had this bacterial infection or some other type of virus that made me so sick for so long (from January to August) that was left untreated that my antibodies attacked themselves. DH and I went camping.
I was vomiting by a tree, as usual. This time the vomit was red. We didn't think a thing of it at the time because I already knew that whatever I had was going to kill me and there was nothing anyone could do to help me. I just waited to die. I didn't know it at the time, but I had just got TTP. Blood was rushing into my stomach, my brain, my organs, and so on. I started hallucinating that a swarm of bees were in my good ear. However, I knew there were no bees around. Then, I became extremely paranoid. Every movement of my husband terrified me, so I didn't allow him to move. I sat down on the table and that is the last thing I remember. It was a few days before my birthday. I awakened 8 days later in ICU with the TTP diagnosis. I was SO glad that it wasn't in my head and there was a name for it. I was told that during the 8 days that I was out, I first was helevacted to the trauma center, then to ICU. I was intubated once because of the fluid in my lungs. My kidneys shut down as well as my pancreas as they were filled with blood. DH said I initially became combative, which is common with brain injuries and blook in the brain is a brain injury.
There is a lot more to it, but that is mostly it. The third time they needed to intubate me, I was on a new floor and the nurses didn't believe I was drowning and refused to call my doctors or take me to dialysis, so I ended up going on conscious. They had to intubate me and rush me back to ICU and I had almost made it to a regular room. DH was mad to say the least because he had gone home and his parents were staying at their RV. Nobody called my family to tell them I had a turn for the worst and was in ICU. Nobody has ever had a relapse after 10 years and I have just finished 8 years. The longer I go without having a relapse, better the chances are that I won't.
Location: Originally from the Home of the only 6 times Super Bowl Champs!
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Last winter I had a severe case of pnemonia coupled with allergies that led to my first (and so far only) asthma attack. I was having a very difficult time breathing when I finally gave in and went to the emergency room. It took over a month before I even started feeling better. That was very scary to me.
When I was 24, I woke up one day to find the left side of my face was numb. I was petrified that I was having a stroke. I was diagnosed with Bell's Palsy.
In my early 20's I had Gillane Barre Syndrome. You can get this from the flu shot or enviremently. I never had a flu shot. It is where the white blood cells keep reproducing and they produce some many that they leave your blood steam and attach to nerves, muscles and organs. I was so ill that I was on a ventlator. The treatment is a plasma firthis machine. They take 1 pint of blood at a time out of you and seperate the plasma from the red blood and they give you back the red blood and keep the plasma. The plasma is where all the white blood cells are. Kind of like a dialisys machine. I was in the hospital for a month. I was using a walk and then a cane for a year or so. I still have some weekness in my legs and with my balance over 20 later.
About 10 years ago I had a particularly bad bout with pneumonia. I had a fever of 105 for six days. I was taking 600 mg. of Advil every 4-6 hours to keep the fever at 102 - never went lower than that. I was so weak that I couldn't stand up. I had to use an inhaler to breathe. Since my immune system was fighting so hard against the pneumonia, I came down with various bacterial infections - ears, eyes, sinus, throat. It took about a month before I was able to function again, and that was in short doses.
Three years ago, Aug 26, I had a ruptured bowel. The pain was so bad I was asking to be put out of my misery. Hadn't felt right for a couple of days, but the onset of pain was so quick and horrendus when it burst, I wanted to just die. The other time was 5 years ago I had a migraine that kept "looping". I had gone in for an IV treatment to help it and after a week of no relief I finally was admitted to the hospital. Wasn't a fun time at work, because I had to keep throwing up from the pain. I thought it was an anerysum, since my mom's sister died from one and it is hereditary. It took them 5 days to get it under control and I still had a headache for a month after that.Talk about wanting to end it all, thankfully I have had only one really bad one since then.
Knock wood, so far nothing magor in the last few years, and it can stay that way!
Wow, all those sound serious but I'm glad they are under control.
Sorry nothing to report here apart from a benign tremor I inherited from my mums side of the family, but it's more inconvenient than serious and can't be fixed.
In October 2008 I was diagnosed with malnutrition, anemia, kidney failure, liver failure, seizures, vitamin b12 deficiency, and loss of some memory. In 2001 I had a gastric bypass and according 2 the medical staff that was just a "fluke" from the surgery. I am 5 11 with a big bone frame and in December 2008 I was down 2 a 126 lbs, all bones hanging! I was in and out of the hospital numerous times, had a home health nurse, and a physical therapist that also came 2 the house. In January of 2009 I was using a power chair 2 get around and had oxygen. After many, many tests I can now say that I honestly knew I was going 2 die and my family did also. They made sure my funeral arrangements were done and taken care of and my hubby and mother did not leave my side. After all of this I am now walking on my own slowly with a limp, starting 2 kinda remember some things, on way less medication, and thank God everyday that I am here. All of this has left me w Idiopathic Peripheral Neuoropathy, kidney and liver damage, vitamin deficiency, and loss of hair. I will never b able 2 drive again, never work again, and most of the things that I used 2 do or b interested in, I am no longer. This whole "ordeal" was surely a HUGE life changing experience 4 me and I do not ever wish this kind of experience on anyone!!!
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In order to find his equal, an Irishman is forced to talk to God... Stephen Braveheart
I had ovarian cysts. I had been ill but no one would listen to me so I quit going to the doctor. I woke one morning very sick and in a lot of pain. I had shingles so I thought the pain was the shigles. I remember my kids calling the ambulance and grandma for help. I remember a little of the rides then I woke up in a hospital but I didn't know where I was. I had been transported to another town. The doctor told my dh if I stayed awake I would live. I had too many cysts to count, the cysts went into my fallopian tube and rupurted it. I was ill for months until I had another surgery to remove the other ovary. It has taken me years to get well. Then I contacted west nile. I have to be very careful about stress and how tired I get. I think I am doing okay.
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"Do the best that you can where you are, and be kind." by Scott Nearing
In 86, the drs that I was having liver failure and was not a candidate for a liver transplate, but thank goodness after a week in the hospital for test, nothing showed up in this area. When I left the hosp since I was not to please with thier results. I was still very yellow, and swollen in the stomach area,
we discover later I had a enzyme that was not breaking up my food like it should of been, and was having problems with a digitestation problem, and this was the cause.
other time I had a infection in the eye, and was blind for 2 wks, very spooky, since the dr couldn't tell me if I would be able to see or not ever again.
the mumps.. I had them in all 5 glands at one time, oh I was in pain, but nothign like I was when I had the shingles.
In order to find his equal, an Irishman is forced to talk to God... Stephen Braveheart 
