Bad luck

[beth22]

Honestly, I think someone put a curse on me or my family. As if things weren't bad enough, the tap water has this bad smell to it - like wet earth. It has happened in the past and usually it has been an overgrowth of algae in the reservoir. Years ago, when it used to happen my Golden Retriever used to get bad D and we had to give her bottled water until it cleared. I have had D from it too. So, I called the DWP and sure enough, there is another overgrowth of algae because of the hot humid weather we have had. They are "treating" it, but expect the smell to last at least another 2 weeks. My husband, who never really gets GI symptoms, is complaining today too. I spent the morning in the bathroom. Both my GI and internist are gone, but the doctor on call gave us each an Rx to check for: Ova and Parasites, WBCs, cryptosporidia, Giardia, culture and sensitivity, and of course, c diff toxin because of my history. Good thing we met our deductible!

I guess there is one bright spot here - if my husband checks out ok with all of these, he can be my back-up donor in case my daughter can't be. We aren't running this many tests on her - hers is a complete parasitology, which includes bacterial culture as well and also checking for yeast and doing a good bacteria count. And of course c diff. Good thing she lives out of the area. Her water is not affected. You'd think a big city like this could control the algae growth a little better!!! I start back to school next week with meetings and classes right after Labor Day. I REALLY need to get well. I am so fed up by all the c diff has caused. I really wonder if my GI tract will ever be the same.

Oh, I forgot to add - my insurance will not authorize the capsule endoscopy that the GI wanted me to have, so I guess I will just go ahead with the home enemas after my donor gets tested. The test kit hasn't even arrived for my daughter. Will see if I can get hubby to bring these specimens in this week - not an easy task. He rarely goes to the doctor. I guess the curse is not on him :)lol.

[Kathy George]

We live out in the country and many years ago our land was a cow pasture; end result is that many wells have animal fecal bacteria. Quite common in this area. Our well is contaminated, but within legal limits. None-the-less, we had an ultra violet light installed which solves the problem. (I still drink bottle water) Take care!!!
Kathy

[Nancy1]

Gosh, Beth, if it weren't for bad luck, you wouldn't have any at all! I surely hope that they clear up the problem ASAP and that you don't have any lingering effects from it. Hang in there.

[getwellsoon]

Beth, YOu needed this like a hole in the head. I hope it clears up soon, using all bottled water can get expensive. Hang in there and we are here for you. I hope soon you begin to feel better. Carol

[Bobbie]

Leaving tomorrow for Charlotte. Busy packing all my 9,000 meds. My husband is house/dog sitting so I am on my own. Yippee!

Had a coffee for 20 women last week. One fell - her own fault - she was OK but said (as I helped her out after the meeting much later) "You'd better hope I'm alright or I'm going to sue you." Today she emailed me she'd been to the doctor for tests but didn't have the results back yet. What are friends for?????

"No good deed goes unpunished."

Some of us on this site do seem to have more than our share of bad luck, including reoccurent C. diff. Is there a correlation. "Only the Shadow knows."

Take care of yourselves.

[getwellsoon]

Boy Bobbie, what a great friend. I don't think I could ever sue a friend unless they had done something so dangerous it caused me harm. I have fallen in friends houses and I wouldn't think of suing. Makes you want to not invite anyone over but I don't think I would invite her anymore. Have a good trip and enjoy the me time. Carol

[Fire2]

That sounds just about right...risk you life to get them out of a life threatening scenario that was due to their own stupidity, and they threaten to sue you because you either took to long to get them out or were too rough moving them. I finally told a especially out of hand woman that I would be more that happy to put her back into her wrecked $60.000 SUV and take my crew and leave. Now that had some interesting results...

Fire

[Kathy George]

Fire, Great to hear from you!!!!! I've been missing youR unique posts!!!!!! Evidently life is good!!!!!! Same on this front!!!! Take care!!!!
KATHY

[AThurston]

Beth, What a bummer, one thing after another... I pray you can get your H20 normal soon.. I'm sorry you are not able to get the capsule study. I would get the home enema's if I were you, I questioned my GI about toppers, bcause I seemed to feel better when getting them, she said no that she doesn't want me or her to do anything, not even probiotics, doesn't want to mess w/ the war zone going on in there (exactly what it feels like), she said no doubt SIBO going on but leery to try to treat it. I'm going to post my visit, back to work so kinda hectic right now...
I would never get invited anywhere, I'm such a klutz, I fall,trip, all the time. Fire is right being in the healthcare field I've heard and seen it all.. I'm appalled a friend would be like that, pull up the Welcome mat.......

[beth22]

Just want to update. My husband and I both had the stool tested because of the water problem and both of us were fine according to the tests. Whatever symptoms he had are gone and I have my usual, rumbling, gurgling, gas, etc. after eating. I wrote a letter to my insurance company appealing their decision about not authorizing the capsule endoscopy. I don't know if it will work or not - am sending it off tomorrow and they have 30 days to respond.

My daugher finished her stool testing for Genova and will mail that off tomorrow. I have never done a c diff test with Genova, but they supposedly tell you if it is +1, +2, etc or NG (no growth). She always tested negative on the lab tests at standard labs.

Meanwhile, classes start on Wednesday and I am a nervous wreck and more fatigued than I can remember being in a long, long time. I guess all the stress of taking my mom's house apart, which is still in process, dealing with the bank, mom's health issues ( she did not recognize me for the first time this week - two days in a row ) has taken its toll on me. My GI prescribed Elavil (amitriptyline), but said it would not correct the root of my problem, just maybe calm down my intestines. I haven't tried yet. It seems like when I can't have a "productive" bm, I feel worse - more gas, bloating, etc. Seems to be more symtoms of SIBO, but can also be Crohn's, but I'm hoping not. Don't want the Elavil to stop me up either.

So, for now, I'm trying to keep my chin up and stay hopeful and praying a lot for some help. I have an appt with the SIBO specialist on the 26th and another with a different GI on the20th - one that specializes in pacreatic & biliary problems and read my capsule endoscopy in 2009 and did an endoscopic ultrasound to check my pancreas. I'm hoping they may have some insight into what is going on. I also wil make an appt with a rheumatologist as the joint pains and muscle aches have gotten really bad and all I've been told so far is that low vitamin D can cause muscle pains - well not THIS bad. I've had lower vitamin D levels before and did not have that. Right now it is in normal range anyway. It started last year when I had campylobacter and I know SIBO as well as c diff can cause fibromyalgia. My fingers all hurt and even walking on the bottoms of my feet hurts sometimes.

Anyway, that's my update. Hopefully I will have some answers soon and a plan for what to do. If my daughter checks out as a donor, the FT enemas will be the next step.

Thanks to the people keeping me in their prayers. I think it is the only thing that has kept me sane.

[Bobbie]

"Friends" are sometimes not friends. Everyone with C. diff. has found that out - the hard way. We don't look sick (usually) - thus we are OK.

No word from the "fallen woman." Guess she is OK. Will see her in a week and practice "Silence is golden." (Hard for me - but great proverb.)

Good luck to all, esp. you, Beth, at the beginning of your school year.

[Fire2]

Beth:

It's so easy for us to fall into the holes that other folks have dug. Seems like the harder we try to dig ourselves out the deeper we go in. Try ignoring the whole picture and focus on what's directly in front of you right now, one thing only and deal with it one task at a time. ....just like climbing stairs, you don't worry about how far you've gone, or how far you have to go... just the next step. You and I both know that being stressed out to the max is like throwing gas on a fire and we pay the price.

Fire

[Bobbie]

Fire is right. Many years ago, I watched a "soap" about the Ryan family when I fed my oldest son his bottle - he is now 45 years old. One of the main characters (some-thing-or other Ryan ) said, "Don't trouble trouble unless trouble troubles you." So hard to not worry if you are a worrier - which I am. From now on, I am going to be a happy, fun-loving person who doesn't worry - until I wake up in the middle of the night and can't sleep. Hard to be fun-loving then.

One step at a time.

[beth22]

I've been doing the one step at a time or else I really would not have made it, but right now, I feel so physically exhausted that I feel I can't put one foot in front of the other anymore. Just want to climb into bed and sleep for as long as I can, until I wake up in the middle of the night and can't, like Bobbie said. I will ask the doctor to test my vitamin levels. This amount of fatigue has to have a reason and my limited diet certainly doesn't help to gain strength.

I will keep trying Fire, not much else I can do except give up and I suppose it is not in my nature or I would have done so by now. Thank you.

[gm37]

Liz,
You are in my prayers.
I so understand your fatigue. The beginning of each school year was harder on me. Such stress and such long days....parent meetings, orientations,ice cream socials. Working 7 am until 9 pm wore me out. I so miss teaching, but when I am reminded or the fatigue, I am relieved not to have to face that.
I hope your doctor finds some way to help you with everything.
Anne