Vestibular Issues and General Update

     So yesterday was a really rough day.  About 45 minutes to an hour after I received my morning meds I got so nauseous that I almost threw up even though I was downing my crystallized ginger.  I asked for Phenergan (anti-nausea med) and soon was spinning, unsteady on my feet, with my legs shaking involuntarily.  Last time this happened in May of 13 I lost all motor control, couldn't sit up on my own, and left the hospital in a wheelchair, then proceeded to go into my third psychosis.  Understandably, I was scared and anxious.  I asked to see the ID doc who is overseeing all my medications and got told I should see the pharmacist instead.  I again persisted and asked for the ID doc that I had seen and was following me.  They said he wasn't on call, but thankfully my nurse called his answering service and spoke to him personally and even though he wasn't on call, he came and saw me.  

     He said that all the anti-nausea meds can have those neurological effects as they use the nerve in the brain to inhibit the nausea.  I will now be seeing an OT (Occupational Therapist) that I saw last time.  I am now struggling with constant vertigo and nausea, uneasy on my feet, and any change to my body at all (like when the nurse stopped my IV fluids and started my IV antibiotic) I spin like I'm on a roller coaster.  Thankfully we know what this looks like and I now know not to take any anti-nausea meds.  We tried a Scopalomine patch but that just made the dizziness worse.  I was told last time that meds like Anti-vert and patches and things simply trick the brain and don't allow it to heal the Vestibular Injury and adjust to the new signals from the body.  If you want to learn more about Vestibular Injuries you can Go to the Vestibular Website Here.

     Jordan came up last night as I was exhausted mentally and emotionally, couldn't walk by myself, and needed help advocating for myself.  Today our goal is to find out how much finishing out the IV antibiotics will cost at home.  We are to the point where we are simply going to do what's best for me and deal with the bills and financial aide issues later.  We trust God will provide as He always does.  This way I could also see Jord every day, my puppies, and have the support of family, friends, and my church family in Tucson.  Friends and family are still coming to Phoenix to visit, but it's much harder to do that then to help me in the same town.  

     I just saw the ENT again.  I absolutely love him.  He worked at Maine Medical Center in Portland, ME.  He went to medical school in London (where they do all the medical stuff in the TV show "Sherlock"...the building Sherlock jumps off is that medical school!)  Then he did his residency in the states and has treated PCD and CF patients and knows about vestibular injuries--he was a member of the Vestibular website and has very good friends that are otoneurologists--the specialist I need to manage my BAHA and these symptoms I'm having now.  There isn't one contracted with my insurance and the one that doesn't take insurance charges $360/hr which is out of the question.  I spent two hours on the phone with my insurance company a couple weeks ago finding out what I needed to do to go out of network since they don't have anyone contracted.  If anyone knows how that insurance stuff works and if I can pay for a visit cash and submit the claim to my insurance, let me know! 

     Something else that's funny is that the ENT's name is Dr. Michael Knowland and the Pulmonologist (lung doc) that diagnosed me in North Carolina is Dr. Michael Knowles...apparently "Knowl" is a good prefix for doctors to treat me and know what the heck they are doing! :)  Pun intended.  ;)

     I was able to sleep last night, which was another concern of mine yesterday, so after getting a good night's sleep (a feat in the hospital!) and with Jord here and reminding me to take one thing at a time instead of trying to fix everything at once and get overwhelmed, I am much more stable emotionally.  A neat evidence of God's grace yesterday when I was so scared I prayed for Him to send someone and literally 20 minutes later, my friend Becca messaged me on facebook asking when she could come see me.  She came by, brought me rice cakes and Chick Fil A and hung out for a couple hours until 19 Kids and Counting re-runs came on.  Jord got here right as the new episode ended.  Jord also called me every little bit and texted me verses and really led me well and pointed me back to Jesus.  He's here to help me advocate and back me up and that in and of itself is a tremendous weight and burden lifted off of me.  

     Although a bad rxn to a med happened that we were all praying against, I know God is still on His throne and in control.  NOTHING comes to me that hasn't first come through HIS hands, that He knows is the best way for me to bring Him glory.  Although it is very difficult to walk this path, God is pouring out His grace reminding me of 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 "7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me,“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Thank you so much for all your love, support, and your many prayers offered up to heaven's throne on our behalf.  I can't wait to get to heaven and rejoice and see the rewards and crowns you all will have to cast at Jesus' feet for living out the one another's on this journey towards Mount Zion.  

In the Love of the Lamb,
Rachelle :) 

Sporting my new orange scarf from a sweet friend!

A picture of a flower I took in the garden downstairs