Sunday, April 5, 2009

Ya, I'm a Slacker!!!







So yes, it has been forever since I have written and updated my blog. But I do have a good excuse. I was in the hospital for about a month. The reason goes as follows: I had Meningitis twice, then for some odd reason I started having seizures. My mom was there with me and said I had about 7 of them. Crazy. I don't remember it at all but my mom said it was awful. So I was back in ICU for that for a while. Next I was back up on the floor. Then Dr. Hunter (one of my doctors) did surgery on me, yes to try and stop the leak, so I was in the hospital another week recovering from that! Whew! He went clear up my nose by my brain to patch a spot.
So I had packing up there for a while. It is pretty crazy when they pull packing out of your nose that is packed up so far is it by your eyes! It feels like they are pulling your brains out of your nose! AHHHH!!! So it was quite the journey. More so for Tony and my mom, because I don't remember very much of it, but I sure wasn't feeling my best and it took quite a while to recover. The seizures really messed with my brain and memory. In the hospital it was hard for me to do things mentally that a third grader could do. It was different exercises that were really simple, like simple math, comparing 2 pictures and finding the differences, or finding things that came next in a sequence. It was crazy, and frustrating. But a lot of it has come back to me. When I got home I had to be reintroduced to my home, I didn't remember any of it. I would ask Tony the day or the date about 20 times a day. I am sure he got sick of it. Anyway, I am doing a lot better now. Not 100%, but better. I have already started leaking again since the surgery, so no it didn't work. But really, who thought surgery number 59 was going to be the winner?!?!?! Just kidding, I don't have a bad attitude about it. One of these times it will work. I actually am sitting here with a tissue stuffed up my nose so that I can do something with out dripping everywhere. My mom got the great idea of getting those cotton rolls from the dentist (thanks Bruce) that they put in your cheek and they fit perfectly up my nose and can hold me over for a little while. So they are nice. They look pretty funny, so I usually just use them when I am home.
Anyway, while I was in the hospital, they put a PICC line in. (I have the picture, it is the long purple tube with two ports on the end) It is basically a glorified IV. It goes in your arm in a vein, but they actually thread the catheter all the way up your arm and around to your heart. It is a nifty invention. They are wonderful for me because I don't have any veins left. IV's only last a couple of days, but PICC lines can be in for over a year the guy told me. So since I had a PICC in, they let me go home and give myself the antibiotics I needed for another 4 weeks. It was a pain but I did it. I had to give myself 2 different medicines, so about every 4 hours I was shooting up with one of the two. It was a pain during the night having to wake up and do it. But I did it, and now the PICC line is out and we are moving on. I have been going to doctors already to see what surgery they are going to do next. Not sure what it will be, but I will let you all know. Here are some pictures of me giving myself medicine and also with a roll of cotton up my nose.


8 comments:

Christina said...

Oh yeah, such a slacker! Seriously, you have the best attitude of anyone I know. I don't know how you do it. Hope you are feeling better.

Annie said...

Bergen - YOU ARE MY HERO! And, no, drug addicts usually aren't my heros :-) I just want to sing you a little inspirational song: "Noitons now come together, Noitons now and forever!"

By the way, LOVE the pic of the cotton up your nose (the other pics freak me out - I am a total wuss!) And, I noticed that brown flowered box in the background next to your fridge - I have the same one!!! I will call you to do lunch!

Jon and Melissa said...

Bergen-Bergen, you are seriousely amazing! I don't know how you do what you do and still stay so darn cool. The level of a third grader huh? Well you always were too smart for your own good-maybe now you will be on a level closer to everyone around you. J.K. It will all come back and you will be the brilliant Bergen we all know. You are superwoman!

Unknown said...

You are absolutely amazing!!! I feel so bad that I didn't even know you were in the hospital the entire time!! Life gets crazy but I swear we will get together before we move. Hang in there.

Karren Family said...

Hey Bergen,
Hope things are going a little bit better now! I know it is a little different but I had to do the same for my youngest son Easten, PICC line and all, antibiotics, meds, it was a crazy mess, and I know more is to come, but he is still here with us, so it makes it all worth it. It seems that is how you feel too! Keep up the great attitude. The way I look at it is you can wallow or you can make the best of what life you have been given and find the sunshine!
See ya,
HollyJo

Melissa Hernandez said...

Yeah for an update! I am just so thankful you are finally home so you can update, and that you are feeling so much better! I love your little nose stuffers, you still look just as cute! Thanks for a fun weekend, can't wait for next weekend, it's going to be sooo fun!

Calder Family said...

Bergen you are such a trooper! You have such a great attitude and are such a great example to me! I'm glad you are feeling better and hope you continue to progress!Even though I'm a nurse it looks like you handle PICC lines better than me! Keep us updated! I'll be thinking about ya!

The Bucks said...

That sounds so scary! Your pictures were great. I'm glad that you still retained your sense of humor through your whole ordeal.