Just got back after a week's R & R - this is probably the least we've done on a vacation. Visited family - saw our one sister-in-law, and also a niece and her husband. They were staying in a time-share the same place we were, and it was not scheduled. They live in Utah and we hadn't seen them in years and years. Had never met our nieces husband, and they are grand-parents. My husband didn't feel well, so we laid low, and then on Thursday I was taaking my plethora of medication, as one doctor put it, and when I got to the vitamin, which was split in half I popped both halves in my mouth at once. The one half went down my tracea and I choked, and kept on coughing. Wound up sliding down to the floor. The change of position must of helped the pill pop out. I kept on coughing and coughed up blood. My husband didn't know what to do. He didn't want to do the Heimleich, as I am on coumadin. When I calmed down, I phoned my pulm. doctor, and they said I was ok as long as there was no more blood.
I'm taking simvastatin (Zocor). - only 20 mgm. I had such pain in the muscles in the front of my thighs that I couldn't sleep, I stopped the medication. The pain was gone by the next evening. Guess I'll have to contact the cardiologist to let her know what I did. My heart rate has been up in the morning, so I went back up to the 100 mgm of metoprolol again. I seem to be handling it ok, as long as I drink enough water.
The combination of the heart problems and the sarcoid, along with COPD (lots of second-hand smoke - I never smoked), makes it difficult to balance medications. Even though they think the sarc caused some of the heart problems, they have not made a definitive diagnosis.
Spent some time during the week working on the message for tomorrow morning. Still have to finish it and also do the Church Bulletin. Our neices graduation party is tomorrow, and our grandson is performing a solo on his euphonium at his college concert. In a couple of weeks his twin will be home from Australia, but is going straight to camp to work for the summer. That means I still won't get to see him. Don't think I'll get to the concert either, because it's at night and I start back to work Monday morning.
I thank God for all of you, on each of the sites. You are an absolute inspiration. You are in my prayers. God bless! Hugs from Great-Gram.
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A week's rest on the King's Highway - nearly choked to death
- By Great-gram
- Posted June 6, 2009 at 5:48 pm · 4 replies
- Shared with the public
Explore topics in this journal entry and replies:
Coumadin Simvastatin Pneumonia Pain Metoprolol Bronchitis Depression Zocor
4 replies
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- By Angelfox
- Posted June 8, 2009 at 12:02 pm
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Hi Greagram....I am a greatgrandma, too. Life can be difficult at this age, but added to it the sarc, its really difficult. At least you got to see your loved ones. Just thanking God for small miracles.
- By Great-gram
- Posted June 8, 2009 at 6:09 pm
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Wow! Hi! 68 and a great-grandmom - that makes two of us. The only difference is that I have 3 daughters and 1 son. The son is the one that is now a grand-dad, and boy is he going to spoil his grandson. Most guys don't go out buying clothes, but he does. Talk later - hubby has supper ready. God bless. Great-Gram
- By martzj
- Posted June 8, 2009 at 11:08 pm
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Great gram,
"The combination of the heart problems and the sarcoid, along with COPD (lots of second-hand smoke - I never smoked), makes it difficult to balance medications"
With COPD + heart problems you should never be around smokers if possible. If it is on the job I hope you will ask folks to smoke outside! You've been taking care of people all of your life...and still going at 68! It is time you take care of yourself now.....chase those awful smokers out gran!!! (smile) Seriously, I'm just 54 now and can't go into restaurants where smoking is still allowed....my heart clamps down and ribs feel so saran wrapped I can barely breathe.
Glad you survived that scary stuck pill incident! whew! What a wild vacation you had......Try not to have another one like that anytime soon : ) !!!
hugs to you,
Jaynie
- By Great-gram
- Posted June 9, 2009 at 4:41 pm
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Hi Martzj and all! You and many others have certainly been through a lot. Doctors are great, but sometimes a few don't really have a clue about some things. When I was coming out of a severe depression after br ca treatment, I went to my doctor for help. God love Him, his attitude was "You've been through a lot worse than this (referring to the situation of a new grandchild that my youngest was about to birth to). Hey, I was excited! I knew she had enough in her, that she would make it. He had no clue that it was a clinical depression that was brought on by the withdrawl of all the chemo drugs.
As far as smoking, I eventually learned how bad second hand smoke is. When my mom was living with us I opened the kitchen window in the winter in order to get her to go up to her room to smoke. I limited my time in her room because of it. She quit when she was in her 70's. When I went back to work after the br ca, my office was in a room with 5 smokers. My doctor wanted me to quit because I had bronchitis or pneumonia 5 times that year. I had to have my mail sent to my home, because my boss would confiscate it and take out the information about smoking and secondhand smoke. I hung a poster on my divider that said "Smoking causes brain drain." Staff would hide their cigarettes when they saw me coming.
I can't visit my one daughter and her husband because of the lingering effects of the cigarette smoke in their home. My son-in -law is great in that he will go outside when I am there, but it helps very little. I was up front and honest with her. Our visits will have to be in a smoke free enviornment.
I ask the clients and volunteers where I work now to please stay away from the windows and doors if they are smoking, because of its affect on me.
Thank God, I never strarted smoking, when my mother told me I could at the age of 16. Took me 20 minutes of twirling a carton of Raliegh's around on the kitchen table before I chose not to. The church I attended always told us it was wrong. That helped me make my decision.
Please take care of yourself and enjoy the small things in life, as they are the most precious. Hugs to you! Great-Gram.
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