# 146 - Is it the Addison's?

Having a disease, such as Addison's makes it extremely difficult to determine whether or not some health issues are being caused by Addison's or by another problem.

On and off this year, at the least, I have had constant battles with my kidneys. As I get into a significant kidney infection, I seem to get more than the back pain at the flanks, I also get a terrible body aching that cannot be described. It seems that the body aches are signifying that my body is not cleansing the toxins out of the system as it should because the kidneys are impaired.

Last week, after feeling miserable for a good amount of time, I again go to the doctor and discover that I have an "massive amount" of blood in my urine.

Right now, I am struggling because the infection or whatever is causing the kidney problems is now creating Addison's maintenance issues.

I cannot imagine that Addison's would cause my body to hurt this bad, pretty much 24/7. It does seem that something above and beyond Addison's is at serious play in my system. The massive amounts of blood in my urine are an indicator that my suspicion is true.

Unfortunately, the doctor here in Livingston has a staff that is consistently lagging behind in sending the doctor's orders to the diagnostic location...it took a total of five days for the doctor's office to even fax the doctor's orders for the ultrasound to the location that does the test. So, I could not even schedule the ultrasound since I was waiting for the doctor's office to do their part. I believe I will go see the doctor to simply discuss this issue with her, to bring it to her attention, especially since it is not the first time this has happened.

It disturbs me because the doctor ordered the ultrasound as a STAT test. Since the antibiotics that I began taking five days ago, directly after the doctor's appointment, has not helped at all...I am concerned.

For anyone who deals with any chronic medical issues, I am sure you understand that going to the doctor becomes drudgery. The THOUGHT of going to the doctor is highly bothersome to me, usually because I only go when things have become serious. I'm definitely not one to run to the doctor, unless there is a real problem.

And, right now, I've got a real problem on my hands.

I suppose that a few tests will help to rule out a blockage and then I will be also seeing a urologist to determine if there are other issues, but I feel as if things are dragging along. And I am in agony, to be honest, pure agony.

Today, I've been a ragdoll. Getting much out of me today is almost impossible. I've been trying to rest because the next few days are going to be jam-packed.

Tomorrow, I drive nearly two hours into the Bayside of Houston to stay the night with my sister so we can drive together to be with my dad the next morning since he will be having a stint put into his carotid artery for an 80% blockage they just discovered. He is acting as if it will be no big deal, but I get my stoicism from him in that he also doesn't go to the doctor until there is a clear and present issue that is not disappearing and is likely a real problem.

I am concerned for him...we will be there for him and ready to help him out so he can get home and resting. However, any time an artery is involved, there is added concern. I have had my share of surgeries, some directly involving arteries and others with the main goal of avoiding arteries at all costs. I just don't like having to deal with an artery or the spinal cord.

With my oldest daughter, Heather, at a party for a family friend
who just returned from duty in Afghanistan and my dad is giving
his great-grandbaby Coraline a kiss. She is a PawPaw gal!

However, I am so happy they discovered the blockage...it is very serious. I am praying the stint will be successful.

A wonderful motivator for me to cling to tomorrow is that it is my oldest daughter's 27th birthday! I cannot believe Heather is going to be 27!

Heather and Coraline...two sweet beauties!

I was 19 years old when I gave birth to her while living in Germany, and it seems like yesterday while also seeming, simultaneously, like a thousand years ago! I have been so blessed to see her grow to be a beautiful young woman and to have her give me my first grand-baby, Coraline. My son-in-law, Henry, is a good-hearted young man...my first "legal" son! These happenings keep me filled with joy in spite of hurdles.

Henry and my grand-baby, Coraline. I love both of them!



Then, I have great news...my youngest daughter is being inducted to the National Honor Society for graduates. She is getting her Master's Degree and will be having a ceremony this Sunday. Since she lives a few hours away and since her dad works weird days and weird hours, I will be traveling by myself to be with her for a couple of days and to attend the ceremony.

Stefanie on the day she earned her bachelor's degree from Texas State and
dunked herself with her class ring into the river! I took this photo as some
family members tried to talk her out of going through with this tradition,
and she is brave...SHE JUMPED IN THE RIVER! A priceless moment!

I am super excited about this event, but my body is struggling so much these past few months...at least I know the reason. We cannot be peeing huge amounts of blood without there being a serious problem present.

For now, I am simply trying to hang in there, but it is difficult. I would even consider going straight to the hospital to get better faster than later, especially since it is taking a toll on my Addison's maintenance. However, it seems that hospitals have such serious bacteria and other issues that I feel better at avoiding them at MOST all costs!

The private road down our acreage...too long with curves to photograph
its entire length, which is over a foot-ball field, but it makes for a
beautiful walk with the dogs.

Even with the agony I am experiencing, yesterday I went for a walk and made dinner and took care of home business, but today...RAGDOLL.

About a month ago, me with my first Grand-baby, Coraline.

Right now, my husband is being supportive. He knows I am suffering and he hates leaving me alone, but life dictates that I be a big girl! I assured him that the kidney pain is indeed a pain, but I am not in a state of disrepair as serious as is an Addisonian Crisis, so he needs to keep doing his normal thing and stick to his work schedule because next week might be a different story.

After all, I have so much going on around me that I can't hardly stop to think about my own situation; if the pain weren't so constant and intense, I would be completely distracted!

I am hoping next week will be better than this week. I always have hope...it will never come to an end, even at the end!

NOW, GO CONQUER!

# 139 - Good News is Good!

Sometimes, you need some good news.

Backstory: This past summer I had cultures taken that revealed a very serious bacterial infection with "high" numbers of infection for Klebsiella Pneumoniae. At the time, I didn't realize how serious this infection actually was, but I knew I was feeling terrible.

The specialized laboratory that ran my cultures had also run a list of 17 antibiotics that were tested for effectiveness against my bacterial cultures, a bacteria that is known for being antibiotic resistant. This bacteria comes in a wide range of variations, which can make treating it more difficult. If you have a good immune system, you will likely not have to worry about such bacteria being able to "grow" in your body, but for those of us who have conditions that impact our immune systems or for those of us who are taking medications/treatments that might make the immune system compromised, you can be more at risk.

It appears that my immune system goes through tremendous ups and downs. When it is good, it's really good and that means, for example, this past Fall I had been surrounded by family members suffering with the Flu, respiratory illnesses, stomach bugs, etc., and I didn't catch one little buggie. But, last summer, I over-extended myself in many directions, and I paid a price. Additionally, I was living under tremendous daily stress which is a BIG no-no for those with Addison's disease and the combination took a toll...I picked up this bacteria, most likely in a medical setting, and it threatened to chew me up and spit me out.

A lesson I learned is that I must limit the stress I confront on a daily basis so that my system is not depleted of valuable "fight" that should be directed to my Addison's battles. Staying away from those who create battles serves me well.

Thankfully, my Internal Medicine physician carefully reviewed the list of antibiotics that would have a chance to fight the bacteria. He selected a medicine that appeared to have the strongest impact on the bacteria numbers (the report gives the numbers of bacteria to start with and then the numbers after the antibiotic has been introduced for a few days).

I went through three-rounds of antibiotics, then I kept delaying the appointment for us to take repeat cultures. My doctor wanted to check on the bacteria levels to make sure we were keeping the infection at bay, even if I wouldn't be able to eradicate it completely.

Finally, a couple of weeks ago, I had repeat cultures taken. My physician sent the cultures to a highly specialized laboratory in California. The nurses were laughing with me because part of me was getting to travel to California. I guess it seemed especially humorous to them because they'd never had to send cultures to this lab.

It took extra time to get these test results, but this morning the doctor's office told me that the cultures they obtained showed NO BACTERIA and they specifically tested for Klebsiella Pneumoniae.

With my notepad and pen ready to take down the bacterial infections numbers, knowing my physician was already poised to make the comparison, I tried to prepare myself for the onslaught of information.

I cannot begin to express my joy at hearing my favorite nurse tell me that the doctor thinks my medical situation always gives him unexpected shocks, but this one was positive! The cultures showed NO abnormalities whatsoever.

The result is...healthy, healthy, healthy.

Therefore, on the days I am feeling drained, it's probably related to Addison's. But, during the time of battling this bacterial infection, my doctor told me that it is important that a patient battling a serious chronic condition does not blame every ailment on their condition or something like this bacterial infection can be easily overlooked.

So...I've been very blessed. The odds were NOT in my favor, but I can't help but think that my hard-won battles are a testimony to something greater than medical statistics that would otherwise point to a negative outcome.

Most of all, I know that I savor the beauty and strength of life with loved ones and with fabulous friends who are truly caring and supportive during these challenging battles. As I celebrate this good news that has surprised me, I am feeling rejuvenated!

It's amazing how a little bit of news can be so powerful!

I guess the point today is that you can't always listen to people in your life who aren't supportive when you need it most. If someone is hurting with you and dealing with their own suffering because of the bad news, that's one thing, but if someone ever uses your health hurdle as a weapon to wound you deeper than the pain of the diagnosis already inflicts, then that person should probably not be trusted with much of anything regarding your health nor with much of your life, in general. To remain healthy, you must accept the reality of who is REALLY in your corner and who is not.

From the tall guy, who is my son-in-law, Henry, to my oldest
daughter, Heather, to my sister, Robin, to my youngest daughter,
Stefanie, to her sweetheart, Brice. A shot from this past weekend.

Let's face it, dealing with a difficult diagnosis is not so easy when the battle is within the body staring back at you in the mirror, so it is important to remember that fact as loved ones around you are dealing with their own health issues. And when those times come to celebrate good news, remember to do it with the people who most deserve your love, time and energy.

For me, I have a list of people to thank today --- people who knew the odds weren't in my favor with this bacteria, but who helped me in my lowest points. Those people, I will remember and those people I will honor to the core of my heart.

# 137 - KPC - Klebsiella Pneumoniae

Being told you have a bacterial infection is something most of us have experienced. Most of us have had to take anti-biotics for some reason or another. Some bacterial infections are rather simple and others are becoming difficult to treat because the bacteria are building up their own resistance, their own defenses, against anti-biotics of today.

I have another doctor appointment tomorrow, but a couple of months ago, I was tested and shown to have Klebsiella Pneumoniae bacteria. I had never heard of the word. However, I was not very worried, not until I began to see this word pop-up in the news. Then, I began to feel guilty for not pushing my own health issues through because I had allowed myself to fall through the cracks.

Personally, I am thankful that it appears I do not have symptoms, even though I have tested positive for the bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae. However, I am getting a double-check on that tomorrow. I did speak with the diagnosing doctor's office today to confirm the presence of this bacteria and will see my Internal Medicine doctor tomorrow to see if I should go ahead and start on a preventative round of anti-biotics. I'm still learning about this bacteria, but am grateful it's not the KPC variety.

Most important, after I read such terrible things regarding this bacteria and felt like I was spinning in circles, a profound source helped me to sift through the basics regarding this bacteria. That's when I truly began to understand that Klebsiella is a bacteria that has been around for a long time and you can have the bacteria in your system, but NOT BE INFECTED. This source helped me to understand that 1 in 100 people might test positive for this bacteria, but they might never get sick because their immune system keeps the bacteria from colonizing into an infection.

However, when it is KPC, it is dangerous. KPC is a variant of Klebsiella.

Very often, a person with this bacteria that has colonized will end up very sick. If a person develops sepsis and dies, the family members might not even know that KPC was involved or they might hear the word Klebsiella mingled with the word sepsis and it would be critical to know this because it means the patient was exposed to bacteria, most likely while in the hospital for the initial reason they were admitted.

If you or someone you have known has been very ill from a KPC infection or if someone you know has died from a KPC complicated infection, please email me.

For those of us with weakened immune systems, this bacteria is definitely a concern. If you are going to be hospitalized, be sure to speak up about health care workers being diligent with their hand-washing and sanitation efforts. If the health care worker comes into your room, washes their hands, puts on rubber gloves then proceeds to touch the bed railing, the remote control, the room door handle, the sink faucets...then that person is not exactly protecting YOU from bacteria, they are only protecting themselves; You should SPEAK UP. Remind them that you are not wearing a latex protective coating and could they rewash their hands and not touch other items before asking you to open your mouth or before handling items that will touch your own body fluids. It's Germ-Control 101.

Of course, if you're unconcscious, the hard fact is, you will depend on hospital staff to still maintain rigorous sanitation habits, even if your eyes can't keep an eye on their effort toward due diligence to not spread infection.

Again, if you have had an actual KPC infection or know who someone who does or who has died from one, email me at FindingLana@yahoo.com because we can take steps to bring awareness to this dangerous bacteria.

As for me, I am going to be getting more cultures done to make sure my bacteria has not become an infection or that it is not becoming stronger...so that I can keep this bacteria in my body from colonizing to the point of creating a deadly infection.