Just an update...

This is me at the Med Wives Girls Night Out.  

We ate at Racanelli's New York Pizza and 

Silly Jilly made me a lady bug balloon 

to cheer me up.  

9/24/2008

Things around here have been pretty crazy this past week.  I had several exams and was constantly studying while trying to keep up with housework.  It's not as easy as it sounds.  David has also been studying pretty hard core for the neurology exams that he'll take this Thursday and Friday.

I recently found a new family doctor out here in St. Louis.  She is amazing and is genuinely concerned about her patients.  My last couple of lab results didn't turn out how I would have liked them to.  So, I've been sorta down in the dumps this past week.  It's really not that big of a deal, but I've been avoiding something for the past 5 years and I might not be able to avoid it any longer.  

Here's the scoop....... Right before David and I were married, I was in and out of the doctor.  My calcium and PTH levels were higher than normal.  I went to an endocrinologist and they were ready to schedule a surgery.  I felt I needed a second opinion and I really didn't want to walk down the aisle with a scar or pile of bandages on my neck.  So, I just put everything on hold.

I've had more testing done recently and my levels are even higher than before.  I'm really not looking forward to dealing with this and am actually hoping it will all just go away.  I have another doctor appointment coming up and she'll refer me to an endocrinologist.  We'll go from there.  

At least I may have a real medical excuse and can justify some of my problems.  = )

Here are some of the symptoms of hyperparathyroidism:

	Loss of energy. Don't feel like doing much. Tired all the time.
	Just don't feel well; don't quite feel normal. Hard to explain but just feel kind of bad.
	Feel old. Don't have the interest in things that you used to.
	Can't concentrate, or can't keep your concentration like in the past.
	Depression.
	Osteoporosis and Osteopenia.
	Bones hurt; typically it's bones in the legs and arms but can be most bones.
	Don't sleep like you used to. Wake up in middle of night. Trouble getting to sleep.
	Tired during the day and frequently feel like you want a nap.
	Spouse claims you are more irritable and harder to get along with (cranky, bitchy).
	Forget simple things that you used to remember very easily.
	Gastric acid reflux; heartburn; GERD.
	Decrease in sex drive.
	Thinning hair (predominately in older females).
	Kidney Stones.
	High Blood Pressure (sometimes mild, sometimes quite severe; up and down a lot).
	Recurrent Headaches (usually patients under the age of 40).
	Heart Palpitations (arrhythmias). Typically atrial arrhythmias.

Most people with hyperparathyroidism will have 4 - 6 of these symptoms. Some will have lots of them. A few people will say they don't have any... but after an operation they will often say otherwise. 95% of people with hyperparathyroidism will have 3 or more of these symptoms. In general, the longer you have hyperparathyroidism, the more symptoms you will develop.

Ethan with his bulls eye beef round that Grandma and Grandpa mailed him.  He was in Heaven!