Rewind to before I got the implant and was told about the surgery and how it would benefit me. I remember researching online and the website stating that "most people can return to work within a couple of days of implant." That was definitely NOT the case for me. It was supposed to be an outpatient surgery, but they could not get my post surgery nausea under control. I remember Dr. Cohen coming and asking me questions late at night to see if I knew what day it was and where I was, concerned that maybe the implant had affected something in my brain. They ended up admitting me and giving me a super powerful anti-nausea med (don't remember what it was), but I had to be closely monitored and placed on oxygen. I remember sitting up and eating some food at midnight because I was finally able to keep something down after dry heaving for hours.
I knew my body and knew I typically take longer to heal than most people, so I had taken a week's vacation from my job as a teller at Bank of America. It was a wise choice because I could barely walk for a week and when I did have to go back to work, I had to sit and move extremely slow. Instead of the couple of months my doctor had predicted for the site to heal enough to wear the processor, I took 6 months to heal. When I could finally use it, I thought my problems were behind me and was so grateful I was able to use this system because I had never been able to hear so good.
Fast forward 9 years again and I am dealing with the worst infection I've ever had with it. Over the years it has flared and there was one other time I couldn't wear my processor for about a day, but antibiotic ointment, tea tree oil, or a sea botanical from Arbonne, or a combination of the three typically got it right back under control.
For the last month I started having vestibular symptoms again...nausea every morning and vertigo off and on all the time. I am more sensitive to different lighting and hard music or repetitive sounds from Jord's video games will make me spin. I had scheduled a GYN appointment to rule out hormonal issues and didn't think much of the nausea because I tend to go in cycles and throwing up every morning can happen with me for no apparent reason. Things that would send most people to the ER or their PCP, I place on the back burner and just deal with it as I live life and try to deal with the most pressing issue at the time, which often ends up being my lungs, cause obviously, breathing is a tad bit more important than say, getting to the bottom of my occasional "mystery pains". My BAHA post was flaring a little bit off and on during this time, but occasional blood and tenderness has been typical and not overly cause for concern, until last Friday night. I was using the special brush I have to brush the site and it literally started gushing blood. I held gauze to it and put lots of tea tree oil and gelee on it and went to bed. The next morning I couldn't use my processor because it was swollen and from what I could feel, it felt like the skin had swollen and was covering the post. I knew I needed antibiotics.
I called my PCP's office, hoping they would save me a trip to Urgent Care or ER because for me with a depleted immune system, going to those places is a last resort because I am subjected to all those lovely germs. The doctor on call called me back and explained that unfortunately because they hadn't seen me for this particular issue, I needed to go to a Minute Clinic or Urgent Care. I was bummed, but understood. I figured that would probably be the case, but it never hurts to ask. I was extra bummed, because it was my in-laws, Bill and Cathy's, last day in town before they moved to Huntsville, AL and we had planned to spend the whole day together and go out to lunch to celebrate my birthday a couple days early. We came up with an alternate plan and I set off to the nearest Minute Clinic.
I didn't wait long and was ushered into the office. She started getting my basic info, finally found my insurance, then asked why I was there. She took one look at it and said, "You have a really large cyst/abscess and it needs an "I&D" or "incision/drainage"...we can't do that here, you need to go the ER." My heart sank. Because I had started the process, I had to finish the process, so another 20 minutes to write down all my allergies and medications and a bill to my insurance for $79 to tell me that they couldn't help me. Grr...trying to keep perspective and trust God's will, so I called and rearranged plans again and headed off to the nearest ER. It was the ER where I was pretty sure a friend was a nurse and it was funny because when she was in nursing school we joked around about how she might get to take care of me one day. Turns out, she works nights and had been there until 7 that morning...so close! :)
I go through the maze that is ER's and get back to a bed. The doctor comes in, takes one look at it, cultures it, then says, "We don't have an ENT on call so no one here can really take care of that. It's so infected that it might be the actual post...if that's the case, they may have to remove it, or at the very least, hospitalize you for some strong antibiotics." I was trying to process and not melt down on him at the thought of losing my hearing aide...he asked if I was allergic to Sulfa drugs, which of course I am, and after that he decided to just give me a strong antibiotic topical ointment and wait for the culture to come back and send me on my way. He walked out of the room and I lost it. I called Jord in tears and he prayed for me and then I called my Aunt Netta who has been a nurse since before I was born and asked her what I should do. When I got discharged, I was starving, so we decided I would go fill my prescription, then Jord and Mom and Dad T. would come get me and go to lunch and then Frost for gelatto, and then decide where to go from there.
Since I had the antibiotic ointment, we decided to go ahead with our afternoon plans and spend time together, then I would go to another ER in the morning. We got home that night and I knew the post needed a good cleaning...Jord was willing if Candy was squeamish, but he was really hoping she would be willing to do it...turns out she was an EMT long before I knew her so God provided in special ways yet again! As she was cleaning it, she reminded me to "think happy thoughts, like when we will be in heaven and there will be no more pain or suffering." It turns out that what was covering the post was a gigantic clump of dried bloods. She gently cut that away and said that underneath it didn't look that bad. It was definitely still infected, but not as bad as the doctor made it sound. Jord and I decided that we would see how it looked in the morning and then make a decision on an ER at that point.
The next morning, we changed the bandaging and it was still bleeding a little, but there was no pus or other signs of bad infection, so we opted to avoid the ER and research and see if we could find an otoneurologist, which is an ear/neurology specialist. I googled and found one that is in Phoenix that is accepting new patients and is a vestibular specialist...exactly the doctor I needed. Within my PCD facebook group, I found another lady that also has a BAHA and she commented on my post and said that she was told that vertigo, vestibular and balance issues are common with BAHA's and that she would never be able to ride a bicycle again because of the balance issues....well that would have been nice to know about 9 years ago! Again, thankful I know God is sovereign and that this did not surprise Him as it has me. In going forward with the current situation, we sent out prayer requests through email and facebook and I just called their office and they are passing the information onto the nurse and/or doctor, so I'm praying without ceasing that God would grant me favor with their office and they would accept me as a patient and take my insurance.
Today is my actual birthday, and although this isn't what I had planned at all, it is God's best for me. I'm thankful I have friends and family that are willing to adjust our fun plans of horseback riding, a picnic lunch, and a family dinner, to serve me in driving me wherever I end up going today--whether its in Phoenix or to an ER in Tucson today, God is surrounding me with His loving care through His people--I am so thankful for the hope I have in Him and to have friends that are constantly pointing me back to Jesus and His completed work on the cross in the midst of my physical suffering here on this earth.
Thank you for lifting us up and surrounding us with His love and support as we navigate this new challenge.
In His Mighty Grip,
Rachelle
"Fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you and uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Isaiah 41:10 (Our Pastor shared this verse at the end of an email to our life group asking for prayer...I was about to respond with, "that's one of my favorite verses" then thought about it...which verse ISN'T one of my favorites lol???") :)
Fast forward 9 years again and I am dealing with the worst infection I've ever had with it. Over the years it has flared and there was one other time I couldn't wear my processor for about a day, but antibiotic ointment, tea tree oil, or a sea botanical from Arbonne, or a combination of the three typically got it right back under control.
For the last month I started having vestibular symptoms again...nausea every morning and vertigo off and on all the time. I am more sensitive to different lighting and hard music or repetitive sounds from Jord's video games will make me spin. I had scheduled a GYN appointment to rule out hormonal issues and didn't think much of the nausea because I tend to go in cycles and throwing up every morning can happen with me for no apparent reason. Things that would send most people to the ER or their PCP, I place on the back burner and just deal with it as I live life and try to deal with the most pressing issue at the time, which often ends up being my lungs, cause obviously, breathing is a tad bit more important than say, getting to the bottom of my occasional "mystery pains". My BAHA post was flaring a little bit off and on during this time, but occasional blood and tenderness has been typical and not overly cause for concern, until last Friday night. I was using the special brush I have to brush the site and it literally started gushing blood. I held gauze to it and put lots of tea tree oil and gelee on it and went to bed. The next morning I couldn't use my processor because it was swollen and from what I could feel, it felt like the skin had swollen and was covering the post. I knew I needed antibiotics.
I called my PCP's office, hoping they would save me a trip to Urgent Care or ER because for me with a depleted immune system, going to those places is a last resort because I am subjected to all those lovely germs. The doctor on call called me back and explained that unfortunately because they hadn't seen me for this particular issue, I needed to go to a Minute Clinic or Urgent Care. I was bummed, but understood. I figured that would probably be the case, but it never hurts to ask. I was extra bummed, because it was my in-laws, Bill and Cathy's, last day in town before they moved to Huntsville, AL and we had planned to spend the whole day together and go out to lunch to celebrate my birthday a couple days early. We came up with an alternate plan and I set off to the nearest Minute Clinic.
I didn't wait long and was ushered into the office. She started getting my basic info, finally found my insurance, then asked why I was there. She took one look at it and said, "You have a really large cyst/abscess and it needs an "I&D" or "incision/drainage"...we can't do that here, you need to go the ER." My heart sank. Because I had started the process, I had to finish the process, so another 20 minutes to write down all my allergies and medications and a bill to my insurance for $79 to tell me that they couldn't help me. Grr...trying to keep perspective and trust God's will, so I called and rearranged plans again and headed off to the nearest ER. It was the ER where I was pretty sure a friend was a nurse and it was funny because when she was in nursing school we joked around about how she might get to take care of me one day. Turns out, she works nights and had been there until 7 that morning...so close! :)
I go through the maze that is ER's and get back to a bed. The doctor comes in, takes one look at it, cultures it, then says, "We don't have an ENT on call so no one here can really take care of that. It's so infected that it might be the actual post...if that's the case, they may have to remove it, or at the very least, hospitalize you for some strong antibiotics." I was trying to process and not melt down on him at the thought of losing my hearing aide...he asked if I was allergic to Sulfa drugs, which of course I am, and after that he decided to just give me a strong antibiotic topical ointment and wait for the culture to come back and send me on my way. He walked out of the room and I lost it. I called Jord in tears and he prayed for me and then I called my Aunt Netta who has been a nurse since before I was born and asked her what I should do. When I got discharged, I was starving, so we decided I would go fill my prescription, then Jord and Mom and Dad T. would come get me and go to lunch and then Frost for gelatto, and then decide where to go from there.
Since I had the antibiotic ointment, we decided to go ahead with our afternoon plans and spend time together, then I would go to another ER in the morning. We got home that night and I knew the post needed a good cleaning...Jord was willing if Candy was squeamish, but he was really hoping she would be willing to do it...turns out she was an EMT long before I knew her so God provided in special ways yet again! As she was cleaning it, she reminded me to "think happy thoughts, like when we will be in heaven and there will be no more pain or suffering." It turns out that what was covering the post was a gigantic clump of dried bloods. She gently cut that away and said that underneath it didn't look that bad. It was definitely still infected, but not as bad as the doctor made it sound. Jord and I decided that we would see how it looked in the morning and then make a decision on an ER at that point.
The next morning, we changed the bandaging and it was still bleeding a little, but there was no pus or other signs of bad infection, so we opted to avoid the ER and research and see if we could find an otoneurologist, which is an ear/neurology specialist. I googled and found one that is in Phoenix that is accepting new patients and is a vestibular specialist...exactly the doctor I needed. Within my PCD facebook group, I found another lady that also has a BAHA and she commented on my post and said that she was told that vertigo, vestibular and balance issues are common with BAHA's and that she would never be able to ride a bicycle again because of the balance issues....well that would have been nice to know about 9 years ago! Again, thankful I know God is sovereign and that this did not surprise Him as it has me. In going forward with the current situation, we sent out prayer requests through email and facebook and I just called their office and they are passing the information onto the nurse and/or doctor, so I'm praying without ceasing that God would grant me favor with their office and they would accept me as a patient and take my insurance.
Today is my actual birthday, and although this isn't what I had planned at all, it is God's best for me. I'm thankful I have friends and family that are willing to adjust our fun plans of horseback riding, a picnic lunch, and a family dinner, to serve me in driving me wherever I end up going today--whether its in Phoenix or to an ER in Tucson today, God is surrounding me with His loving care through His people--I am so thankful for the hope I have in Him and to have friends that are constantly pointing me back to Jesus and His completed work on the cross in the midst of my physical suffering here on this earth.
Thank you for lifting us up and surrounding us with His love and support as we navigate this new challenge.
In His Mighty Grip,
Rachelle
"Fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you and uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Isaiah 41:10 (Our Pastor shared this verse at the end of an email to our life group asking for prayer...I was about to respond with, "that's one of my favorite verses" then thought about it...which verse ISN'T one of my favorites lol???") :)
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