Tuesday, June 23, 2009

IT TOOK LONG ENOUGH

If it's not one thing, it's another. I went to the hospital in Tiberius for what should have been a routine endoscope. They couldn't do it because there was too much food left in my stomach to see anything. They sent me home with strict instructions for preparing for another one attempt on Sunday. I did everything they said, and more. This time they could see a little better even though there was still food in there. They decided that as there were signs of inflamation, edema and maybe something else (they took a biopsy) it was decided to send me upstairs to the surgical floor. Just what I didn't need. I kind of wasn't exactly ready for that. They gave me stuff that they thought might help get the stuff moving out of my stomach, and on Wednesday, after almost 4 days of fasting, sent me for a flouroscope. Still not empty. On Thursday they sent me home with strict instructions for yet another endoscope on July 3. This time I'm ready for them. I have a bag all ready just in case, with cell phone charger, fags, jammies, and a few other essentials. Being ready for them, they probably won't want to keep me.
The hospital in Tiberius is so much better than the one Safad that it's sacrelige to mention them in the same sentence. The staff is wonderful. The only bad part was no charger for the phone. Then I found out that one of the women in my room actually had one that fit my phone! I was back in business! As to fags, I bummed as many as I could and managed to get along that way. I was consoled by the fact that I wasn't the only one stuck without in the only hospital in the country that doesn't sell fags. So, here I am, back at home and running around like a mad woman with all kinds of gimp events to go to. I'm so busy that I didn't get around to looking at my burn until 0230 this morning.
The first picture is of the burn before treatment of any kind.

This is the burn after three months of treatment.

And this is the burn today. Almost all better.

Now all I have to do is put Eucerin on it several times a day. And the only things left to take care of are the hematological and gastro issues. I'm 99% convinced that Safad did my stomach in when they stuck that nose hose in to empty my stomach the last time I was there. Time and the hospital in Timerius will tell.
Holy Christmas trees in July! I have to get ready to go to another gimp even.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

BUSY, WHO ME?

I was a very good girl and followed the pre test instructions for the gastroscope and started what should have been a 12 hour fast 20 hours ahead of time. We even got there a little early. So, the test should have been just fine, right? WRONG. They got me up on a bed and all arranged the way they wanted me, asked why this test now. I showed the doc the CT results and she gave me a strange look. Then she gave me a go to sleep shot, then woke me up to tell me that she couldn't do the test because there was too much food in my stomach, and we'd have to try it again. Ok. This time I get to fast for almost 48 hours. Just broth and water. I started things yesterday with some apple sauce, and plan to make some cabbage soup later today.
I now have the paperwork for the next attempt on Sunday. The only bad thing about that is that I will have to miss the big demonstration. The big mall in town where my clinic and bank are is rebuilding only heaven knows what and the main entrance is blocked to everyone. Not that we could ever be sure to get in that way. Anyway, they built a wooden ramp for us to use and everything was just fine. Some bright bulb at city hall decided that the ramp was dangerous and gave the mall two options. Remove the ramp or build a safe one. They removed the ramp and it's been over a week since we've been able to get to the bank (the one I use) and supermarket on the ground floor. We decided that if they don't solve our problem by end of business tomorrow, we will demondtrate and close off access to the mall for everyone. The owner has counter hreatened that he will not allow us in on our scooters. Oops. Our scooters are defined by law as electric wheelies, so if he tries to do that, we'll be able to get a court order to close the mall. It's all too insane. As I'll have to leave for the test at about the same time as the demonstration, I'll just have to miss it.
Yesterday morning there was meeting of the Access Kiryat Shmonah group at the community center to prepare for an even we've been working on for several months. Then, in the evening we had a meeting with the two top people from one of the larger gimp groups.
I must say that it was quite nice, when, after I introduced myself, the spokesman for the group added that I'd been active in all the big demonstrations. That was a very nice ego boost. We had a good meeting and they will be up here again soon for a day long meeting.
I had a private chat with the chairman and threw out a few ideas that might be helpful. We'll see.
This morning three of us decided to go to the police and get a license for Sunday's demonstration. That involved a lot of waiting around in the sun until everyone arrived. The relevant cop is now pressuring the mall owner to get a ramp sorted and if he doesn't by our deadline, we close the entrances to the mall on Sunday. Except that I won't be there. I'll be getting a tube stuck down my throat.

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

YEAH YEAH YEAH

Like I don't know that I've neglected my blog. It's just that I really don't feel much like writing. This has not been a good two or three weeks.Strange things happened. Liat wrote that she and Adee would be over here, but didn't say when. Alberto built a new pergola and had a porch roof thing that is perfect for my ramp. So, how to get it over here? Who has a pick up? After a few minutes of hard thought the answer popped into my head and I rode over to Liat's parents and asked her father if he could bring it for me. I also asked when the girls were coming and almost fainted when he told me that they are here now, but not in town. So, the big question is what happened that they didn't tell me, I had to find out by accident? As they were coming back to town late Thursday, I made a midmorning appearance there. Adee still wants nothing to do with me. It doesn't help at all that everytime she looks my way, the other granny jumps in to distract her. It's so far from subtle that no one can miss it. I did ask Liat if she could find an hour for just the three of us to be together and she agreed, and said that she'd call.I ended up having to keep my foot up because it swelled up on account of the stairs I had to manuever at their house. In the end I only got to see Adee twice. The last time Liat did get her to let me give her a kiss. They had a double birthday party for Adee and another little girl. Of course I wasn't invited.I just don't get it. Ok. So, her parents pay for the tickets for them to come over, and they stay with them. They couldn't let me know they were coming? I had to find out by accident that they were already here?
Then, just for added interest, the CT results were a little strange and the doc at my clinic went ballistic and had the endoscope moved from August to today. It seems that whatever they saw on the CT could be nothing, or very very bad. At least I get the results today. One thing we do know is that I have kidney stones. No biggy at this point. They don't bother me at all.
The only good news is very very good. We finally stumbled on something that works on the burn. It's getting better by the day.
So, dear, three faithful readers,don't worry if I disapear for a while.