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Share your quitting journey

Good News, Bad News, Good News

TW517
Member
5 5 93

The Good News:

I’ve been dealing with an extremely painful condition called myositis for the last 8 days.  I won’t go into the details other than to say it is caused by elevated secretions of an enzyme called CPK from your muscles that cause severe pain and potential kidney damage.  A high level is 300.  Mine got over 13,000 at one point.  I had my 6th blood test in 8 days this morning, and a follow up consult with doc that I just got home from.  The good news is that my levels finally started coming down, and should start feeling better in a week or so!

 

The Bad News:

The day before I became afflicted with myositis, I went in for a Doppler and several other vascular tests on my right leg and foot because my right foot kept getting numb.  My doc just got those results and called me.  As soon as I am recovered from the myositis, she wants me to go see a vascular surgeon.  I have pretty severe cartilage blockage in my right femoral artery from where they inserted an angio scope several years ago, and damaged the artery with this new “port” they were using back then.  I will need surgery to clean out the blockage.

 

The Good News:

I was pretty upset when I got this news.  My first thought was to go pig out on something sugary.  But I’m doing Weight Watchers with my wife, and don’t want to slip and disappoint her.  Then I thought, I’ll go have a scotch even though it’s only 3:30pm.  But then I remembered the nurses last words to me as I left my myositis consult were to stay off alcohol until this clears up.  Then I thought I will splurge by purchasing a new computer monitor I’ve wanted for awhile.  Then I remembered all these medical bills need to be covered by our very large deductible.   I finally decided I’m not going back to work this afternoon, and I’m gonna drink a really strong cup of coffee instead of the weak half-caff I usually have!  And that’s exactly what I’m doing.  The really good news , I just realized, is that the thought of smoking to ease the “woe is me” I was feeling never entered my mind!

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