What's right with Katie? Not much as it happens.

So its been eventful around here....

As you know I've been struggling with something but didn't know what... well now I do.

So in January it began with Constipation

February brought Chills, Droopy Eye Bags and a sensation of a Tingle under MY right side of the nose, Charlie horse cramping in hands, feet, legs, arms, and back.

By mid-March it added Lethargy, Fatigue, Weight gain, Dry skin, Heavy limbs, Walking stability problems, Depression, Evening low oxygen breaths, Stress and finally a Numb tongue causing slurred speech (this one since just Sunday).

Brad rubbed my feet Sunday night before bed and I noted in the night that one leg felt normal while the other (he spent less time on) was still 'fat'.. so he massaged most of my body Monday and I was going to the bathroom like crazy.

A quick Google on our Dr recommended WebMD and seems the likely problem is Hypothyroid.

Monday night Brad managed to convince me to go to ER because the results of severe Hypothyroid is irreversible coma. So I went, feeling like a complete heel for dragging this poor Dr down to ER when it could have waited... she sent me home with a requisition for bloodwork to be done yesterday.

Brad also had a requisition for bloodwork he hadn't done yet so together we braved the hospital environment once again with masks on (they make you wash hands so gloves are a no go) before 8am to beat the rush (not so much - 8 people in front of us).

Once home I called our Dr as per instructions from ER Dr and arranged a phone call appointment for 1130am this (Wednesday) morning... yes, today.

After supper last night I got a call from the Director of Medical Biochemical something something from the Lab...

He asked if I was aware my thyroid had been checked -- I was.
He asked if I was under treatment for hypothyroid -- I wasn't.
Had I ever been -- no never.
He wanted me to go to ER -- but I have a phone consult tomorrow, I said...
He was clearly surprised to be having this conversation because he had not expected me to be coherant.
He wanted me to ring Dr first thing and get my phone call bumped up to asap. Okay.
He then gave me my numbers, in case the Dr couldn't access the lab work.

My FT4 which should be between 7 and 15 was at 3.
My TSH which should be between 2 and 5 was 124.

I've no idea what these numbers are or what they mean, though the meaning is clearly that I'm out of wack... my thyroid is on the fritz.

Check my pulse he says, it should be between 50-60, if it falls below 50 go to ER immediately....

Um...

So I pass this info on to Brad and he immediately insists we go to ER, I argued that the guy seemed to think I'd probably be okay until my phone call since I was still coherant.... but Brad would have none of it.... of course.... as this Director clearly thought I should be in a coma with these numbers...

So a quick grab of PJs and the iPad/charger so we could communicate since he was not allowed in to the hospital (Covid - 19 rules) and off we went, Brad waited outside in the Jeep.

Wasn't in there but half an hour.

Nurse Sam was fantastic as was Nurse Jazzy the night before. Sam called our Doctor who happened to be the one on call last night -- and he read the report online -- left instructions to give me a 125mcg dose of Levothyroxine (synthroid) and I was cleared to go home. Yay!

Doc will consult with said Director this am prior to his consult with us (he wants to go over Brad's results too) which his office already scheduled.

Biggest surprise of yesterday was that on Monday I was weighed in ER and by Tuesday (22 hours later) having drunk 6 cups of water over and above my morning French Vanilla -- I had lost 5 pounds!! All clearly water weight... Yikes but still a ways to go. Good news though is that this 5 lbs puts me in the realm of my 'normal' winter weight gain levels... Whew.

And I'm still coherant! Go Me!!

I will know more in a few hours once I speak to Doc but for now, I am relieved to be on the radar and receiving treatment... the nurse last night advised that it will be about 2 weeks of medication before everything is working properly once again and Brad claims (yesterday anyway ;) ) that I will do nothing until it is sorted...

Take note: I do require nagging -- back in 2002 I had a stroke and it took 3 days for me to acknowledge there was a problem... I don't like to bother Drs... and to be fair, if it wasn't for the Pandemic, I would have been to the Dr before this... just didn't want to risk the Covid unnecessarily.

I'm clearly going to need to take better notes and visit my Dr more often than my once yearly (at best) visit... fine, I'm getting old -- I get it already... don't rub it in.

At the end of the day, I'm still cute so to hell with it! :D