Sunday, April 8, 2018

A Belated Post: When Exhaustion Becomes More Than Just Being Tired

my 37 staple belly zipper
I began this post on Feb 28, 2018, it's been sitting here in draft form since then.  It was the start of my story describing how I found out I had colon cancer.  Better yet, my story to hopefully inspire you to make your story better.  I missed my last colonoscopy appointment about a year ago.  Although rescheduled, unmarked on my calendar, I let it slip by, only recently trying to get it rescheduled ...  too late.  I don't know if my condition could have been determined a year ago or not, the only hindsight I can see is that I let it slip away.  Bad move.  I'm finishing the post on April 7, 2018.  If you get nothing else from it, remember, early screening yields early detection, equalling a better fighting chance and recovery.  Do it!
With my amazing surgeon,
Dr Holly Michaelson
 I underwent major surgery on Feb 24, 2018, completely unplanned, unprepared for, and likely, life-saving.  This may be the hardest blog post I have ever written.  Hard because I have no idea how I approach it nor why I feel the need.  Perhaps the selfish part is because I have been so tired for the past month or so (I mean like sleeping 16 plus hours a day, waking up to pee and to get a drink only to lap down for a 3-hour nap).

 I'm no author or writer, but this is my attempt to share my story of being tired. I'm not a "real" doctor, just via email (DrGreeley@gmail.com where the "r" is for my middle name of Roy, but that's another blog post), so the terms I may use in this write-up may be inaccurate medically, or even factually, they are as I understand them to be.

 I had not been feeling well since mid-January.  What hit me has developed since sometime between mid-December and January 22, 2018 - the date I finally got in to see a doctor at Med Express in Hadley, MA. My symptoms were a constant cough, pain in the lower right side that felt like a muscle pull and maybe even a cracked rib from coughing (so I thought).  Stomach cramps felt like they had subsided somewhat by the time I finally saw a doctor in January.  I knew it wasn't the flu that was running rapid across the country, this was different.
me and my mom, Feb 2018
With little to put their finger on other than 4 blood items that were slightly elevated out of the normal range, the doctors opted to try an antibiotic given I was planning a trip to Florida to help my son move and to finally get up to see my mother, sister, and brother-in-law in the Pensacola area.  The antibiotics seemed to help.  I did feel better, I had some more energy, but I was still tired...  a lot.  The 7-8 hour drive from Pensacola to Orlando took me 12 hours.  I think I napped in every rest area along the route.  The important thing was my mom looked great and it was an amazing visit.

 I flew home on February 12th and had an appointment with my new primary on February 13th.  I had a laundry list of ailments I wanted to be checked out, it was obvious to me by then, once I got in, get everything checked.  Unfortunately, for lack of a better term, she seemed to focus in on my blood glucose level which she thought was in the pre-diabetic area.  What does that have to do with my cough and belly ache?  I listened, we discussed lifestyle changes and I said, I could do it.  The thought of drinking water and cutting out sugary stuff was going to be a challenge, especially since I am not a label reader.  Nevertheless, I weighed in at just over 224 that day, not my highest ever but close, and a new regiment of eating and exercise.  Challenging, yes, doable, yes.

 I cut out all soda, juice, coffee, and drinks other than milk or water.  Cutting out a minimum of 2 liters of soda a day wasn't that hard, I knew it had to be done.  My doc wanted me to return the following week for another blood workup to compare with the previous done in January.  By Tuesday, February 20th, the stomach cramps were back, and the pain in my side when I coughed.  I had already prediagnosed myself with having a stomach ulcer that the coffee and bleeding nose were upsetting....  the pain in my side was from coughing and I likely pulled a muscle and maybe even cracked a rib.  My email may start with "Dr", but, obviously, I was no doctor.  I went to have blood drawn and mentioned to the nurse, my stomach pains had increased and I really wanted to see the doc again if possible.  She was overbooked and they recommended going back to Med Express or right to the ER if it did not improve, or get better, over the next day or so.  I opted for the ER that afternoon.  Best move I could have made, it was where I needed to be.   

 I arrived at 2:00 pm and by 6:00 pm, a series of test including a lower abdomen CT Scan, I knew I was being admitted and I had a serious problem.  Luckily, I have been placed in the hands of the amazing doctors, surgeons, and nursing staff.  I am blessed and #HaveBelief and #HaveFaith, I have more to do in this world.

 Although I am focused on colon cancer, early screening applies to you for all that may apply to you.  Breast cancer screening, skin cancer, whatever possibly could affect you, get screened, find out EARLY.  Your survival ability may depend on it.

 Never forget how important you are to someone in this world, be there for them.
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Interesting in reading about my fight with cancer?

Never, ever, forget how amazing you are and can be!


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