Living Life with Chronic Illness – Under Construction
I haven't posted in forever! That's because I've had things to do each week and weekend. Typically, my social life is one family event a month, one or two medical visits, and the rest of my energy goes to existing, hanging out at home with Jake, and playing with Emma when she comes. Up until... Continue Reading →
While the Infectious Disease doctor didn't have any "ah-ha" moments and definitely hadn't looked over my files ahead of time (her staff's fault for scheduling me as a patient with an acute need, not her fault), she did order a test I haven't had before called a Gallium Scan. Here is how things proceeded... Tuesday... Continue Reading →
If you've been reading my blog, you know I have been to both Mayo Clinic (Minnesota) and The POTS Treatment Center for help managing POTS. Most of my posts touch on all of the positives of each place. While I mentioned my personal struggles with getting through each program, I didn't really mention what I... Continue Reading →
Patience: the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset Proactive: creating or controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than responding to it after it has happened I am a proactive person and always have been. I don't wait around for the world to magically make... Continue Reading →
To find out if it a patient has Hyperadrenergic POTS, specialized doctors typically order an endocrine test called a Catecholamine Blood Test. I had my test performed at Mayo Clinic's Autonomic Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Want proof? Here is a glamor shot taken just prior to the test: Okay, time to get serious! The Catecholamine... Continue Reading →
This blog wouldn't exist if I hadn't gone to Mayo Clinic's Autonomic Clinic and been lucky enough to have a lot of people who wanted to stay up to date. While I covered what it is like to go through the clinic, there are some basic (and important) questions I have come to realize I... Continue Reading →
Yesterday for my birthday (thanks for all the birthday wishes!) I cheated on my food intolerance diet and treated myself to Chinese. I took these pictures to document the effects because I know some people think I'd feel better if I just ate "normally". I'm positive any food that makes my stomach go from flat... Continue Reading →
What are you looking at? You are looking at my daily breakfast (or pre-breakfast I suppose although I cannot eat for an hour or two after drinking all of this). I drink all of this first thing in the morning on my good days. On the bad days, I add 12 ounces of tomato juice... Continue Reading →
Most people with POTS suffer from venous pooling, AKA blood pooling in their legs. It is painful! Imagine yourself jamming items into a bag. The bag stretches and stretches, and it gets heavier and heavier. In the case of venous pooling it is a similar situation. More blood is pooling in my legs than they... Continue Reading →
