A Little Health Update

I have a lot of things to update my two readers on. In fact, there’s so much it’s what’s kept me from updating in a while.

I can’t do it all now, but here’s the health stuff.

For this, just know that my back and neck and head are still awful.

My gut is SO much worse.

Before the pandemic, I was used to chronic diarrhea, and I was managing it. For some reason, during the pandemic, I swung the other way.

Since I’ve been back to teaching in person, I’ve swung back. However, I’m not managing it well now. Before, I could be okay on half an immodium a day. I would wake up in time to eat, get a sense of my gut, and see if I needed the half a pill before heading to class.

Current status: I almost didn’t make it to the bathroom after class a few weeks ago, and about two times a week, I’m crippled by my IBS. Along with the diarrhea comes cramping that leaves me whimpering on the floor. I have to take up to three immodium to make it stop, which means I don’t go at all for two days after. Then, it’s back to a system in overdrive.

All my docs have been able to confirm so far is that I indeed have IBS.

In other, more hopeful, news, I’m having a little surgery on Monday to try to fix my ear problems. Unlike most people, I can’t pop my ears. Any change in elevation, in a car or plane, hurts.

I’ve managed to convince my team to use a smaller than normal breathing tube during the procedure, since I have an obstructed airway, and a nausea patch, since my last surgery recovery went so badly.

I haven’t, however, gotten them to agree to catheterize me. They think they don’t have to, since the procedure is short, but the last two times docs have thought that, I’ve woken up covered in my own piss. I’m thinking it’s because I only ever truly relax when a doctor puts me under.

Fingers crossed that they listen to me this time.