Partially OT:

Mar 10, 2007 10 Replies

I am back, again. And it is nice to be here and be able to hear and read about everyone again. In the last part of December My DS was burned and was in a burn center. He is ok now. Mostly healed and just a little tender with all of that new skin. In the first part of January I went into respiratory failure and ended up in the hospital again. I never know when it is going to happen. I go to bed at night and the next thing I know it is three weeks or more later and I am in the hospital on a ventilator. This time I ended up with a tracheostomy so when I got out of the hospital I had to go into a nursing home for a while. Right after I got to the nursing home they had an epidemic of Norovirus, so we got quarantined for over three weeks. We were not even allowed to leave our room. No visitors. No one in my ward got it thank goodness. But it did keep us confined to our rooms for three weeks. I called the phone company as soon as I got there to get a connection for my laptop, but they came out and refused to come in because of the virus. So there I was stuck with nothing to do.



My sister did bring me some fabric so I tried handsewing a few blocks, but without an iron to press as you go they didn't seem to be very good. Jessamy's hexagon project would have been a good one for hand sewing. Even if I couldn't quilt, I did, however, get a lot of dishrags knitted. Every time someone came to see me I gave them a couple of dishrags. It was kind of fun.



The best news is they have finally figured out why this keeps happening to me. (4 times in the last two years.) It is caused by a sleep disorder. Because of it my blood fills up with carbon dioxide and I can't take on the oxygen I need to stay alive. If you are told you have sleep apnea, don't take it lightly, it is a killer. I was told that most people that have it as bad as I do just have heart attacks and die. I am blessed that my sister lives with me and has to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. After the first couple of times she really watches out for me now.



Another thing I noticed in the nursing home is everyone in there on a vent was VERY overweight. ( My roommate weighed in at 700 lbs.) I mentioned it to the Dr. and he just smiled and said "and what does that tell you?" So now I am also on a diet. He told me if I could get back down to 150 lbs (not that I am telling anyone what I actually weigh :~) ) I could probably even get off the oxygen. And the sleep disorder might even go away. That would really be a blessing.



Anyway, it is nice to be back. I am glad you are all here. Even though I don't usually say much, I do read everyday. So even though I am invisible you all seem like old friends to me. Today I may even fire up the old sewing machine and really get back to the old me. Vikki in WA State


Oh my gosh!! I was wondering what had become of you. Glad you and yours are getting back to "normal". And the doc is right about apnea - if you lose weight, it becomes less of a problem. My DH has apnea and is on a CPAP at night. He's losing weight now, because the doc says "do it or die!" Prayers for continued healing all around.

(((hugs))) and here's for a good year with *enough* weight loss to kick the problem out of the door :-)

Wow, Vikki, you've really been through the wringer! Glad you're back, and know the cause of your respiratory failure problem. Even better to know that it is something you do something about. :-)

I'm a diabetic, and control my blood sugars with diet. The interesting thing is that the same diet that keep blood sugars in control is great for weight loss. If you'd like, email me at bookbug2005 AT gmail.com.

I know several people with sleep apnea and use breathing machines at night but none as bad as what you have. So glad you got a diagnosis and can move on. I remember when your son was burned. So glad he has recovered.

Thanks everyone for your best wishes and prayers.

Vikki in WA State

"mary" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com... I know several people with sleep apnea and use breathing machines at night but none as bad as what you have. So glad you got a diagnosis and can move on. I remember when your son was burned. So glad he has recovered.

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Butterfly (and we're glad that you are)

Well it certainly is lovely to have you back Vikki, and hopefully continuing to get better every day!

Glad you are back, Vikki!! Prayers and good thoughts on the way for you and your son!!

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