Mood: On the up and up!
Reading: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Watching: Man of the House



Well I got back from the hospital Friday night. I ended up sleeping a lot since then, which is why I didn't hop back on here and post anything, but everything went well. Anyway, here's what happened:

This all started two months ago when I went and got a physical. Well it was just a big waste of money. They couldn't get my blood pressure, they just listened to my heart, then the doctor said if I don't change anything then I would die within ten years. I then went and had my blood drawn. Well they called me up a week or so later and told me that my white blood count was elavated, and that I should come in for a urine test because they thought I had a bladder infection. Well I didn't have any symptoms of a bladder infection so I decided against spending even more money, it was bad enough that the physical cost $250 and the blood work cost over $300.

Well at this point I didn't know what to do. The doctor didn't give me anything in the way of direction. So I just went on looking for a job. Well at some point I had noticed a commercial for another doctor, then it turned out that my cousin went and saw this doctor. Well my mom had checked him out and then we set up an appointment. At this point I was feeling on top of the world. Thinking finally, maybe I'll get this weight under control.

Well so on the 7th I went with my mom to see this doctor. They took my weight, which was at 436 (the highest ever been) and then gave me an EKG. Now the great thing about this doctor was that the first visit was only gonna cost $195, but since I alreay blood work, they were gonna drop it to $145. It then hit me how much of a rip off that other doctor was. Anyway, the doctor came in, and said that because of how high my blood pressure was and the amount of weight I had, that he would not be able to help me. The look on his face was that of strict seriousness, and it really made me worry. They were able to get my blood pressure, it was 170 or 120, which is extremely high. Anyway, he told me that he would suggest some weight reduction surgery, preferably Gastric Bypass. My mom told him that we don't have the money for that, and he then said well at least take him somewhere where they can start, and suggested Cook County Medical.

He didn't charge us for the visit, which made me feel even worse, because most people are only that nice if they really believe something is wrong. I left with the worst feeling in the world. I felt so empty inside. Hope had left me. I so wanted to just start sobbing, but all I could do was let a few tears trickle down my cheek. I wanted to just go home and be by myself, but my mom told me that I should come over. So I drove over to her house (we had met up at the doctors office) and she was going to run a few errands. That few hours that she was gone just crawled. Time couldn't have possibly moved any slower. Eventually she got home, then had to leave again to get my brother, and then they were back after a short while. It was great seeing him No matter how I am feeling, seeing my little brothers smile always makes me feel better inside.

It was at this point that my mom said that we should to go Cook County Medical Hospital tonight. I wasn't sure about this, I mean I didn't have any insurance. Well after dinner I dropped my car off at home, then my mom and I made our way into Chicago towards the hospital. I was so nervous about what would happen. Would I need some kind of surgery, if I did, how would it get paid for? Would they just look at me and tell me that I'll be dead in ten years? Those were just a few of the question spinning in my mind as we made our way downtown.

Well we got to the hospital. The ER was packed! They again took my vitals, now, my blood pressure at this point had lowered slightly. It was 160 over 100. They told me to go have a seat and they would call my name. Well I figured I would have been there for several hours. My mom overheard one guy had been waiting there for 14 hours. Luckily I didn't have to wait long at all. Just about after I found a seat they called my name. They asked me some questions of why I was here, I told them the story.

I was then taken back into resusitaction (sp?). They again checked me out, asked me questions about why I was here, the whole bit. One of the ER doctors told me that the reason they admitted we was because the oxygen level in my blood was between 82 and 85 percent. Normal oxygen levels are 95 percent or higher. He though came to the conclusion that because nothing major has happened to me within the last day or so, that I have been living with this for quite sometime, so there was no immediate danger to my health. Man, I can't tell you how much of a relief that was to me. I was so freaking happy to hear that.

They then decided to keep me over night, not that it was at all critical, but because I hadn't seen a doctor in four years, keeping me over night would get me into the system quicker. They then had to move me in the ER, into one of those curtin rooms on a stretcher, which wasn't comfortable, my butt kept going numb. I finally got moved up to a room on thursday, exactly twenty four hours after I had gotten there. A long wait, but well worth it since I was finally getting some much needed medical attention.

When I finally got into the room, which was a two person room, I saw that there was a Cook County Officer in the room. Through my time there I found out that the guy next time me did something that got himself in jail, but I never found out what exactly. We did end up talking a little bit, and it turned out some random gunman shot his 14 year old son in the head. So I can only assume he did something to retaliate against the person, or persons, that did that.

Anyhow, I had several doctors come in and out of my room throught the next 24 hours. It turned out that my case of sleep aptnia wasn't as harmless as I thought. See I had a sleep study done when I was 11 years old because I wet the bed. Well at that sleep study they found out that at times I would stop breathing, but then my leg would start shaking to wake me up. At that time they said it was no big deal, but apparently it was. The doctors explained to me that even if my body is getting sleep, that if my brain has to stay awake to keep me alive, I don't get a full nights rest, which would explain my sleeping problems. They said that when my breathing stops, my heart can go into heart failure, so there are a lot of things wrong with that. So I am going to go back to the hospital tomorrow to set up a sleep study.

So things are now in motion. I still have to talk to a social worked to see about getting public aid, to see if I can get some kind of weight reduction surgery. I never knew this kind of help was available for people who didn't have insurance, or in my case, can't get insurance. My spirits had been so low, because it seemed that no matter where I posted for a job, no one would give me a chance. It then turns into a vicious cycle, which I think I might start to be able to chip away at.

They ended up giving me some medication to lower my blood pressure, which has made me feel kind crappy, but I am sure it is just that I am getting used to it.

I now know things are going to work out, just have to go one day at a time.

My variation of Naomi for ~Illusion-Alchemist