Scheduling, Scans, Samples

Since last Friday, we finally managed to go see the new Captain America, without me throwing up in the movie theater parking lot.

We took my brother all over Georgetown and Lexington, got him lots of goodies and clothes to take home, and we tried to treat him to lots of new foods.  I wish he never had to leave!  So, I haven’t had too much time to write this week, with my ‘little’ brother in town.(See More Testing For Mary)

Sometimes people don’t realize that they can be bad for your health, or they can help you.  Sometimes people, like family, only make your issues worse.  Me, I have named a few ulcers after them.

My brother, on the other hand, is a ray of sunshine and positivity, and he worries and cares about others so much.  I think having my brother in town for these two weeks has helped to distract me from my issues.

For symptoms, I’m still nauseated with stomach tenderness and vomiting, but that’s become ‘normal’.

Surprisingly, I only felt bad a few times, mostly in the mornings and late evenings, after food and whenever I am stressed, which is more often than I would like.

Monday, I got to submit my 4 samples to the VA, for all of those fun tests to be done on them.  I hate just dropping off samples for some poor undeserving person to deal with.

I got to spend this entire week calling the VA again, a headache in itself, trying to schedule my Capsule before the Double Balloon consult, and trying to confirm my Ultrasound this week.  I had to call the Veterans Choice Program, Good Samaritan Hospital, St. Joseph East,  and the VA, calling each numerous times, trying to schedule just the pill-cam!

The Veteran’s Choice Program had me double booked for my ultrasound, one for Good Sam, the other for Georgetown, and that was a mess, to get the right location on the right date that I had originally scheduled.  I don’t understand their systems.  No one is ever on the same page, and paperwork gets lost in their systems.  (The VCP allows me to see doctor’s outside the VA, often allowing your appointments to be sooner than what the VA could offer).

Finally, though, I got my Capsule # 2 scheduled.

Lucky me, on July 5th, I get to get up super early, and go to the doctor at 6:30 a.m. to swallow that camera, again.  I’ll get to carry that funny fanny pack around all day, and return it later in the afternoon.

The hubs will have a Urology consult that same day, to discuss our semen results, I think.  Not sure what he/she will do at this point, but we will see what information they have to give.

And then, after we return the equipment at 4, Philip and I will celebrate our 8 year anniversary together by going to the Def Leppard concert in Cincinnati that evening!

Hopefully, the capsule does not get stuck and ruin our evening with a bowel obstruction.  Hopefully, my stomach decides to cooperate with me and I don’t feel bad that day.  At least we will be close by to the Cincinnati VA, where I used to be a patient, so I can easily be admitted to the ER if it does get stuck.  No jumping around at the concert for me!

I received a new batch of my Imitrex this week, so I’m happy to say I haven’t had any migraines this week. YAY for that!  I also re-upped on prenatal vitamins – Woohoo, I’m so exciting!

My hand splints and braces are starting to rub my wrists raw, so it’s either thumb pain or rug-burn on my arms.  If it’s not one problem, it is another.

It is always ‘pick an issue, any issue’, but I have to have at least one.

My Clostridium difficile Toxin, or C-Diff Toxin Test, came out negative.  This was checked in one of my lovely samples I provided on Monday, and from what I gather, it should show if there is an infection caused by NSAID or antibiotic use.  It should be negative, considering I avoid Ibuprofen and medicine like that, to help my ulcers.  This was another useless test, I guess.

A few weeks ago I won a contest, which asked participants to write one sentence about how they ‘Stand Up to IBD’.  I placed 7th with my sentence:

“I stand up to IBD by sharing my long journey and struggle, in hopes that others can find humor in this ‘crappy’ situation. (Pun intended).”

For placing, I received a t-shirt, courtesy of Crohn’s & Colitis UK, along with some “Give Crohn’s A Slap From Me” stickers and decals, with the latest edition of Very Nearly Almost, a London Based art magazine.  I never win anything, so I was pretty excited to win this.  I can always use more Crohn’s shirts.

And that brings us to today.

This afternoon, I got to go to Georgetown and have my repeat Trans-Vaginal Ultrasound for Dr. A, to check for cysts or growths.  Surprisingly, I was the only person in both waiting rooms, and that means pictures!

  Oh, what fun it is trying to make small talk, while the doctor is probing your insides and moving it from side to side.  Let me tell you, I think it’s uncomfortable.  And the nurse always wants the back story, why I am getting the ultrasound, how long have we been trying, why do I live in Georgetown, and who does my hair.  Her small talk does make the procedure go by a little quicker, but you never get past the fact of what she is doing.  AWKWARD.

I did get another bracelet from the radiology department to add to my collection! You know I love getting those. (See My Crohn’s Journey and The Waiting Game)

The nurse said from what she could tell ‘everything looks alright’, but I would have to wait for the doctor to read the images.  Since my last one was okay in September, I would assume this one will be okay, too.

But, It Could Be Worse.

More Info On Crohn’s Disease at www.CCFA.org & CrohnsandColitis.com & crohnsdisease.com

Also, tomorrow is the CURE for IBD (VIRTUAL) 5K & Fun Run!

I hope you all have a good weekend, and I will see you next Friday.

For more information about infertility and the VA, please visit Resolve & VA.Gov

Follow It Could Be Worse on Facebook and Pinterest!

Baby Horsley Fund is Now Open at https://www.gofundme.com/itcouldbeworse

Friday Photo:

First and Current Facebook Photo.  I heard this was a thing this week, so why not?

Previous Posts:

More Testing for Mary

End Rape Culture

Infertility is a Sadness

The Waiting Game – Infertility & Crohn’s

5 Things You Shouldn’t Say