Digestion Problems Worsen

I have an appointment with my Gastroenterologist for this next week. Even though I have faithfully taken the Myralax each morning, take Metamucil every day, have been on the Bowel Retraining regimen, using the glycerin suppositories, and I've been really careful about what I was eating, I'm still having bowel problems. For lack of a better word for it, I would call it constipation, but it's more like the colon and rectal muscles just are not working properly. Before I was diagnosed with PD last year, I had a four month bout with diarrhea that was very difficult to stop. The Gastro treated me with the same meds that would be used with colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, so that may be what's going on now. From what I've read, the IBS spasms can cause some really strange symptoms, which fit mine fairly accurately. I won't gross you out with any details. Let's just say things are not as they should be.

Other than that, I can report positive improvement with my right knee, which I had twisted again. We took off several days from the track, I have been staying on the computer more and reading more, and generally letting it rest. I did walk 1 quarter mile lap yesterday, and another today. Mostly I've been doing the exercises that the Physical Therapist outlined for me. I'm thinking I probably need to get some kind of knee brace to use in situations that might aggravate it, such as the clearing out I was doing of Daddy's things that set this episode off.

So, I wait for the Gastro appointment, look forward to the Sleep Study next weekend, and baby my knee while it slowly heals. DH, as always, has been super considerate. He keeps me laughing over his foolishness and does so much for me. No one could ask for a more loving and caring helpmete.

My Wonderful Christian Family

I've been overwhelmed by the amount of concern that the people at church have shown to me since they have found out about my diagnosis. I've always known that our church members were particularly loving and compassionate when someone was sick or there was a death in a family, but I'm seeing it directed at me this time. We've recently had a greatly loved church member die of complications from Parkinson's, which is probably why everyone has been so solicitous, too.

All I can say when they say how sorry they are to hear about the Parkinson's diagnosis is that it's OK, because that's really the way I feel. I just haven't gotten upset about it. I'm not saying I won't at some point in the future, but for now, God's GRACE is holding me steady.

I did have a chance to talk to the other person at church who has PD last night, to see if he had trouble with his stomach when he started on the meds. He didn't have any problems at all, which I'm glad of, for his sake. I already had a very touchy digestive system, having just finished a long bout with colitis, so it's not really surprising that the meds are giving me trouble. At least we've finally had a chance to talk, and it feels good knowing there's someone I know who is going through the same thing I am, even though he's much older than I am. He's been on meds for five years already.

Results of Endoscopy and Ultrasound

Yesterday I had the Endoscopy and Ultrasound to try to determine why I'm having such a terrible time with the acid reflux. I've been diagnosed with GERD now for several years, so I generally know what I can and cannot eat. I really thought it was the Sinemet that set off the reflux, but my Gastroenterologist wanted to be sure it wasn't a lingering infection from the severe colitis I had been plagued with for so long.

Anyway, the tests showed nothing but irritation, not infection, and no sign of gall stones or anything like that, so it was the medicine after all. My own doctor had been called away, and one of his associates, who is not familiar with my case, did the endoscopy. His orders were to take the Parkinson's meds with meals, which, of course, I'm not supposed to do. He also prescribed Carafate and a week's worth of probiotics, and to continue the twice a day on Protonix. All this is designed to settle down my tummy and soothe my esophagus.

As for taking the PD meds with meals, I'm not going to do that, but I do eat crackers with them each time, to try to protect my stomach. Hopefully, by the time I'm weaned off the Sinemet and fully titrated onto the Requip, I won't have the conflict with the meds, anyway.

If I still have problems then, I'll have to try to get the Neurologist and the Gastroenterologist to talk to each other and decide what's best for me. I don't like being the go-between for doctors. They need to discuss this with each other!

I had read that Parkinson's meds and Parkinson's itself could cause a person to react differently to anesthesia. Well, there may be some truth to that. I slept until 6:30 PM yesterday evening after we got home from the endoscopy, and then I went back to sleep about 10:00 and slept all night until around 6:30 this morning!! I just about lost yesterday!! I'm fine today, with no ill effects at all.

A Truly Normal Saturday!

For the first time since the end of March, I got out my digital camera and took a series of pictures of an item to put on eBay last night. That's the first time I've touched that camera in all this time. I don't think I could have held it steady much sooner than now, as I was so weakened by my bout of colitis. Anyway, it felt good to actually get a new listing up again, and I plan to get at least one up each day from now on, and hopefully two most days.

My strength has improved some, what with all the exercise I've been doing, but my walking is still very shaky. I have a Neurologist appointment this week, and I'm really looking forward to that. I've been really patient, and I'm praying that this will be the time for all the tests that will help him figure out what's wrong with me.

I am so very thankful to God for my DH, who has been so attentive and so supportive through all these months. I don't know what I would have done without him. I don't know how people, who don't have Jesus to hold onto, make it through the scary times that life can throw their way,either.

A Weary Day Today

My legs have been dragging all day today, and I've been sighing a lot. I'm just tired all over, and I'm not exactly sure why. It may be the Dyflucan tablet I took last night that's doing it. I hope it's something that simple. I've been through two bottles of Nystatin, and I still have a little thrush on the back of my tongue, and the rest of my tongue is still coated. All this as a result of the high powered antibiotics it took to knock out the colitis I had up until a few weeks ago.

I had planned on going to church tonight, but it started raining a little before it was time to go, and DH was reluctant for me to get out, after being so tired all day. Oh well, I'll try again next Wednesday.

My Other Problem

Part of what has made diagnosing all this trouble walking so difficult, and has slowed down being able to deal with it, is that I have finally finished an almost 4 month long battle with the dreaded diarrhea. Once I was finally diagnosed with colitis and put on some very powerful medicines, I did start to improve. But by that time I had already fainted, had stitches in my head, and gotten so weak it was all I could do to walk at all.

The walking difficulties came before the colitis did, though, so the basic problem still exists. Even now that my digestive system is getting back to normal, I still can't walk normally.

My Gastroenterologist, Dr. B, is beginning to taper me off of some of the high powered medicines he had to use to get my system under control, so that may help me walk better, too. We'll just have to wait and see. I'm to cut one pill back for the next 7 to 10 days and let his nurse know how I'm doing. Based on what I tell her, she'll give me instructions on what to cut back on next.

I was able to map out an Estate Sale/Yard Sale shopping tour for us today that didn't involve a whole lot of walking, and we both had a great time. Friday has been our Date Day ever since we retired, and it sure was nice to spend most of the day normally, even if I did have a doctor's appointment.

I was hoping we would find a walker, but we didn't. Dr. B fussed at me for not using one, and I told him we'd been looking for one. He made me promise him that I would get one, so I guess we're buying a walker.