Among Friends

[Bird mama]

@mousiegirl

I am so glad to see you and am thankful you are on the mend.

@Winifred

Both my dogs did that to me in their old age.  I can't tell you how many years were shaved off my life from every time I would go to wake either Spottie or Max (had Spottie first, then Max).  I would be right by them saying their name and eventually it would escalate to SPOTTIE or  MAX.  Of course, each dog would get up like there was nothing wrong and my heart would be pounding against my ribcage. 

@possummink

If that isn't a pigeon on the woman's shoulder, what is it?  I have my glasses on and see pigeon, lol.  Grayson is too wild to sit still on my shoulder. 

[possummink]

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@Bird mama wrote:

@mousiegirl

I am so glad to see you and am thankful you are on the mend.

@Winifred

Both my dogs did that to me in their old age.  I can't tell you how many years were shaved off my life from every time I would go to wake either Spottie or Max (had Spottie first, then Max).  I would be right by them saying their name and eventually it would escalate to SPOTTIE or  MAX.  Of course, each dog would get up like there was nothing wrong and my heart would be pounding against my ribcage. 

@possummink

If that isn't a pigeon on the woman's shoulder, what is it?  I have my glasses on and see pigeon, lol.  Grayson is too wild to sit still on my shoulder. 

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Bernie,   I too thought that the bird on her shoulder was a pigeon, in fact that is what I typed on my post when I first posted it.   Something made me take a second look,  couldn't enlarge the original photo I found, and then I realized it was an African Grey Parrot(extremely smart birds).  I went back and edited my post to say Grey Parrot.   

The parrot has red tail feathers on the underside of the photos and has a white skin patch around the eye..  Otherwise that bird could pass for Grayson, your 'wild child'.  

Mousie,   I am sure glad to see your post and know that you are ok and home.   I can just imagine how happy your pups were to have you back home.   Take good care of yourself.  You were missed, my friend.

Winifred,   I do miss a lot of our posters too.   I just hope that all is well with them,   I know there are times, when I don't get here for a bit, but I do try to post on each thread I usually post on at least once a day.   Sometimes, things happen that prevents that.   Yesterday I was ''running'' (I wish I could run like I used to, with my own power instead of horsepower)  My GS had the day off and I picked up some of his friend for bowling.   While they did that,  I went to Pennys, Sephora, Petsmart, Dunkin Doughnuts.   I picked them up and stopped by home for a minute then drove them to one of the friends home, then down the road to a produce stand for some Strawberry Onions.   Long part of the day and then started the laundry, and fixed supper.   I didn't get back on here till late evening.  

I'm kinda like Bernie, if my dog had not responded like Conrad did to you, my heart would be racing and thumping like crazy.   Amazing how our pets can mean so much to us and yet scare us so badly.    I'm glad he's ok.   How old is Conrad???

Waving to all my Birding Friends,  Hope all is ok with you and yours 

[possummink]

These parrots can speak phrases,   make choices to complete tasks,  comment on food, including temperature of food,  Alex, the African Grey that used be on TV now and then is the one that could speak sentences, count,etc.  There are videos of him on Youtube.    He died in 2007, at age 31.  He was the coolest bird.  

[mousiegirl]

Hi everyone!  It has been raining, a little sun now, but it is supposed to rain again tonight and tomorrow, so good to see it.

Anyone remember the pulled back muscle with referred pain to the front that I spoke about several weeks ago?  Well, it was not that.  I will tell my journey as medical info.

At the same time, three weeks ago, that I had the back and frontal pain, some stomach discomfort began.  I took the usual Prilosec for the stomach, and SportsGel and Ibuprofen for the back at night because I couldn't sleep due to the pain.  Last Monday, I decided to go to the Doctor.  I havn't been happy with her for some time, that is about to change, and she did not examine me, only had me tested for anemia and prescribed a stronger version of Prilosec.  I thought this very strange.

On Thursday evening, right after dinner, there was pain on my upper chest so severe that I suffered all night.  I took some Ibuprofen and that was enough to let me get some cat naps.  I decided to go back to the Doctor on Friday, but fortunately mine was out, so I saw another internist.  She was right on top of the situation, palpated my stomach, and ordered two tests.  That evening, I received a call from the on call doctor telling me my tests were highly abnormal and I should go to ER.  this was scary. I sat down and wrote two letters, one telling the new doctor that I would like to see her from now on as I had lost confidence in mine quite a while ago, and one to my Doctor telling her of my decision and why.  I don't know if the new doctor will accept me, and if she doesn't, I will be on the hunt.

I checked into ER on Saturday morning, and was admitted in the afternoon.  I had an ultrasound, found out I can hold my breath a very long time, lol, but it was no picnic as he had to press down very hard, ouchie.  I was hooked up to an IV until late yesterday.  I had a CT with contrast Saturday night, and a chest x-ray Sunday morning.  The x-ray machine was brought to my bed, didn't even have to get up, I never knew about this.

I was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, slight inflamation.  I had researched before I left home and decided that I could have this, but one has to be sure.  The big issue was that my blood sugar was extremely high, so I was given insulin to bring it down.  It still isn't normal, but as the pancreatitis heals, so should the blood sugar which was brought on by the pancreatitis.

The good new is that the tv was great, new and had lots of good cable shows, otherwise, I would have been driven mad with the boredom.  I only got cat naps because of the noise in the hospital and because everytime I fell asleep, someone woke me up for tests, or to talk, so I slept like the dead last night and woke up at 10:30, never happens, but I was exhausted.

No meds for this problem, just eat small portions, no sugars and high fat.  I don't eat sugar except on hoilidays when I bake something, or high fat.  I had been eating small bits daily due to stomach discomfort, but once I am healed, I will have to discipline myself.

DH arrived at the hospital at 8:00 pm, and I actually walked to the elevator and to the front of the hospital myself,  Usually, there is a wheelchair, but usually, I have had surgery, so that is the difference.  As soon as we arrived home, I realized that I left my one and only bra in the room, so called and notified the nurses desk that DH would be coming for it, lol, so off he went again, poor guy.  He got home at 9:00, and after a shower, the pups and I hopped into bed, so nice to be back in my comfy bed after the hard as rock hospital bed.

Now, one is given pajamas in addition to the gowns, so I had two gowns on one tied in the front and the next tied in the back, so much better than just the gowns as I was completely covered at all times, so some improvements have occurred, but sorry to say, the food is still awful.  I hadn't eaten for for two and a half days, so began liquids Sunday night, then advanced to anything I wanted except sugary food.  I played it safe with broth and jello, then, when advanced, cream of wheat and yogurt, then a spinach omelet, the size of my palm.  I ate my home made green soup when I got home with some crackers, yummy.

I felt bright eyed and bushy tailed last night, today I feel sleepy, so think I will take it easy to build up my strength, as I lost some weight after starving for a few weeks.  As I was walking to the entrance last night, I was wobbly and hoped that I wouldn't topple over, lol.

So the message of my story is that one may think they have one thing due to certain symptoms, but it could turn out to be something entirely different and serious.  Next time, I won't wait so long before having symptoms checked out.

[Bird mama]

Oh @mousiegirl

My eldest sister had a bad case of pancreatitis a few years ago (my BIL was still alive then so it must have been 2011).  She was in the hospital for a couple of days and said the pain was excruciating.  They talked about doing some kind of exploratory surgery but she refused that.  Unlike you, she is diabetic and until recently (like the last 6 months) wasn't good about her diet.  I understand almost being afraid of food.  The pancreas is worse than a gallbladder when it gets inflamed.

My sister never had another attack and that is what I wish for you - that it never happens again.

It's a frightening situation especially when you don't know if it's gallbladder or pancreas or heart.  They always say women show different signs for heart attack.  I remember a couple of times when I was in my 30's, my gallbladder gave me fits.  I worked through it just fine but when I described what I felt to my doctor casually at my annual exam, next thing I knew I was going for a cardiac stress test and running like a maniac on a treadmill.

[Bird mama]

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@possummink wrote:

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The baby with the closed eyes looks like it's grinning and thinking, yeah, I know, I'm adorable, lol.

[Bird mama]

@possummink

Ahhh, I see it's a parrot now, lol.  Grayson may not say words but I swear that bird mimics my tone when I speak to him. 

[possummink]

Mousie,   What a scary thing to happen to you.   I'm glad it all turned out ok and that you are home and able to rest and eat food that you grow and fix for your family.   At least now, you know what that referred pain was from.    

My mom had her gallbladder out many years ago and before that she had awful flare  ups from that thing.   Believe it or not, we still have the 3 gall stones they removed from it too.   They gave her a little bottle with them in it and she put it into the medicine cabinet in the big bathroom and they are still there.   I just checked to see them recently as my sister had problems with hers and my younger brother asked if those stones were still there.  

At least you found out what caused your issue.   They never found out what caused all the bleeding I had several years back, when I was put in isolation, tested for e-coli, ebola, Marburg, virus( an acute hemorrhagic fever), Lots of tests, cultures, IVs, morphine, and no answers.   The last IV,  my vein closed and all the fluid went under my skin in my arm.  My arm looked like a club.and it took a while for the fluids to be absorbed.  

I agree about changing doctors.  I don't understand why some doctors as dismissive of their patients symptoms.   I hope you are accepted by this new doctor.  It's so important to have confidence in your doctor and their abilities to keep up with current medical breakthroughs, and treatments as well as taking the time to talk to their patients,  In many cases your live is in their hands.  You'd think that was a precious responsibility.   Rest up and take it easy getting back into your gardening and home routines. 

[Bird mama]

The bird of the day is the African Penguin

[mousiegirl]

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@Bird mama wrote:

Oh @mousiegirl

My eldest sister had a bad case of pancreatitis a few years ago (my BIL was still alive then so it must have been 2011).  She was in the hospital for a couple of days and said the pain was excruciating.  They talked about doing some kind of exploratory surgery but she refused that.  Unlike you, she is diabetic and until recently (like the last 6 months) wasn't good about her diet.  I understand almost being afraid of food.  The pancreas is worse than a gallbladder when it gets inflamed.

My sister never had another attack and that is what I wish for you - that it never happens again.

It's a frightening situation especially when you don't know if it's gallbladder or pancreas or heart.  They always say women show different signs for heart attack.  I remember a couple of times when I was in my 30's, my gallbladder gave me fits.  I worked through it just fine but when I described what I felt to my doctor casually at my annual exam, next thing I knew I was going for a cardiac stress test and running like a maniac on a treadmill.

@Bird mama   Your poor sister, great that it never returned.  I would have refused surgery also.

 Once I went to the ER for a headache that wouldn't go away and nausea.  After a CT which was normal, at least four different Doctors came in throughout my stay in the ER and tried to coerce me into having a spinal tap.  I told them NO WAY.  This was years ago and had a different Doctor, who ordered an MRI, I was afraid of brain cancer but was told it didn't present this way, and the MRI showed I had a sinus infection.  It never occurred to any of the Doctors including mine that it could be a sinus infection.  So, I had a headache for three weeks, after the ER had pills for the nausea, and the meds took another ten days to work, thought I would lose my mind.  Let's say that I have a large amount of skepticism about the medical field.

I wondered also if it were heart, but I thought I might be feeling something different. I had three EKG's in five days, and all was well, thank goodness.

I was told that gall stones could cause pancreatitis also, heavy drinking, smoking, and when those were not pertinent, I was told the Doctors were on the computer trying to figure out what was going on, this was before all of the tests were in.

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