December 17, 2009

A Week Without the Computer

I knew I was in trouble when all the red lights started flashing on the computer. I thought it was my computer security, but it was a fake and stuff started downloading like crazy.

Anyway, it's back and clean as a whistle inside and out, just like I will be by tomorrow. Yep, have to have a colonoscopy and endoscopy tomorrow. I think my new purpose in life is to confound doctors. After the upper GI, I was sent to a gastroenterologist. The ENT doctor thinks the pressure in my throat is acid reflux but the gastroenterologist disagrees. He thinks I may have an ulcer on my esophagus. He also thinks the upper GI is a waste of time, money, and radiation since scoping is always done afterward anyway. Great.

He also doesn't think I have candida, or at least he doesn't think it can be diagnosed with just a symptoms questionaire, so the colonoscopy should answer the question as to why I have such a digestive problem.

Oh, and get this. The doctor's office called this morning and said my insurance company (BCBS) has a limit of $500 for preventative procedures and since I already had a mammogram this year, they were going to pay almost nothing. The doctor's office was submitting the colonoscopy as a preventative until I discussed my issues with them. Now it is classified to diagnostic. It's a shame that insurance companies will spend more to fix a problem (if possible) than to prevent one.

Talking to this doctor, I realized why I gained so much weight since this summer. I have been blaming it on the cortizone shot and inactivity, but it's actually this pressure in my throat. When it gets really uncomfortable, eating something makes it better temporarily, so I am always eating something. Doing this diet and making an effort NOT to graze all day made me aware of when and why the feeling of a lump in my throat is worse, even though it has gotten better since I quit the protein shakes and all the supplements. Once the doctors finally figure out what it is and treat it, the urge to eat something to ease the pressure should go away, and sticking to the diet should be easier.

Saving the good news for last, Tuesday evening I got a call to do a day's work, and once I got the computer back yesterday, I spent all day online researching. I get paid by the day for this whether it is an eight hour day or a twelve hour day and this turned in to just over a ten hour job, but I love doing the work, and it's a nice bonus this time of year. There was also a hint that there could be more work next week.

More good news is that I have lost another two pounds, just eating low carb. That brings my total to seven pounds lost. I have quit wearing my size 16 jeans and am comfortably in a 14. Unfortunately, I only have one pair of size 14 jeans and I'm not going to go buy anymore. I'll either have to wear droopy 16's or cropped jeans. Eeek! Baby, it's cold outside!

Until next time, may you have blessings and no confounded problems,
Marti

5 comments:

  1. I hope all goes well. Insurance companies are really frustrating!

    Congratulations on the weight loss though. That's great.

    How wonderful to be cleaned out - just like your computer. Not many of us go to such lengths (LOL!!),

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  2. You, like me, obviously have several different size jeans. Right now I am into 18's, but after the low carb diet I am going on in January, I hope to get into my 16's again. Being able to get back into the 14's I wore five years ago would be heavenly :-) Hope they can find what is wrong. My cousin has that "lump in her throat" often. She has to go in and have her esophogus stretched--nothing else wrong with her digestive system.

    Have fun tomorrow--you are sure to lose another pound or two.

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  3. LOL Grandma K! Believe me, I didn't go to such lengths willingly. Hubby has been bugging me about it for a couple of years and now this doctor.

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  4. At least you have a sense of humor about it! :-) I hope they can find the problem and fix it. I don't know where I'm going to hand my chalk board mirror. Maybe over the computer.

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  5. Marti - for some reason I didn't pick up an email link for you. College Girl shares a bath with one other girl. It is as roomie as the room. Separate shower area - vanity area and toilet area so there is some privacy. The bathroom is between the two rooms.

    Those ornaments are clearance Christmas balls. We hung them from bead wire and tiny command hooks. The ones on the bottom are disco balls and the little prisms will be very pretty with the sunlight coming in. I am excited for her.

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