The Top10 Things You Should Do If You Test Positive For Alpha1

  • Have A List Of Questions When You See a Doctor About Your Alpha1(If you try to remember the questions you want to ask you may forget half of them)
  • Learn To Breathe Effectively
  • Limit Or Eliminate Your Alcohol Consumption
  • Don't Be Afraid To Be Proactive About Your Alpha1
  • Get Plenty Of Rest(You will likely have a higher oxygenation level)
  • Avoid Sick People(You have a lower immune system than most people)
  • Drink Plenty Of Water
  • Eat Healthy/Avoid Processed Food(Carbonated beverages)
  • Start A Careful Exercise Program/Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program(Your muscles will become more efficient so they won't use as much oxygen and if you have surgery you will likely recover quicker as well)
  • Stop Smoking

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Augmentation, Work & an Orphan

Well, I am on my third nurse from the homecare outfit. I handed her the procedure sheet for Zamaira and she didn't even look at it. She said "Let's get started mixing it!" Can you hear me groan? Given my record of blown veins. I told her "No, you get that started(my IV) and then we mix. The mix goes bad after 3 hrs!" She didn't follow procedure. She asked me when I switched from Prolastin to Zamaira. I had to tell her I've always been on Zamaira. My sister uses Prolastin. I called Accredo afterwards to speak to the top boss. I told her what had happened and she didn't sound any happier than me. She didn't know that they were changing my nurses. I then asked her "How much trouble will I get in if I do my own IV?" She said "Sue felt you were capable of doing your own just make sure you soak your hands in as hot a water as you can stand 10 minutes before you try to start your IV." I also happen to know that a hot shower before hand helps equally as well(that's my sisters preference).

Now on to work. I worked 55hrs last week. We lost power for 1.5hrs tonight so, I expect to work 55hrs this week. I may even be working 50hrs a week well into the new year. They just introduced a new window product line that has been well received but, we have bugs to iron out and production to catch up on. I am hoping for a non-windy & non-rainy day to do the brakes on my pick-up....but, I may have to pay my mechanic to do them at the rate I'm working!

The orphan was a 3 -4 week old kitten. It was the cutest most lovable little guy. Some people should never be allowed to have animals...what a cruel thing to do to a kitten not weaned yet!!

I came home last Thursday and I heard this horrible meow. I thought "Oh, NO! I've accidently run over one of my cats." It turns out that it was an orphan kitten but, I couldn't get close to it till Sunday. Once I could it clearly had eaten food that didn't agree w/ it's system. I was able to grab the kitten and bring it inside. I had bought premium milk replacer from the vet earlier in the summer to feed 5 kittens of one of my cats who was killed. I was able to save 4 of the 5 kittens.

I started feeding the orphan milk replacer w/ a syringe. That didn't seem to sit well w/ it so, then I had gotten a free can of cat food in a bag of dry cat food and I decided to try that. Yesterday morning I realized that wasn't the ticket either. I then gave it pepto bismo. Now to some of you that might sound outrageous but, I have friends who dairy farm and they keep that on hand for their cows w/ upset stomachs. No farmer wants a milk cow to get a DA. The kitten spit out most of it. I went back to feeding it milk replacer and I thought as I left for work he'll probably be dead when I get home from work....If he isn't I'm going to call him "Lucky". To my surprise he was still alive and felt stronger when I picked him up. I thought we've got this licked. By the time I left for work this afternoon I thought he wasn't long for the world so, I tried to make him as comfortable as I could. When I came home he had crossed the rainbow bridge. I do wish I had tried to feed him pepto bismo again but, I didn't think I had gotten much if any down him. Though I didn't save him...at least I know for next time.

Although, I accept I can't save every animal it's never something that doesn't still bum me out. I worked for a guy named Duane 20yrs ago out in OK. As we were gathering cows for milking he said to me as we were walking, "It took me the longest time Katie, to realize I couldn't save every animal. You have to accept there will always be some no matter what you try you will lose. I always used to think I could save every one of em."

So, I'm a busy little beaver, who's a little bummed, very tired and a little bit cranky!

No comments: