HOME FROM 5 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL

Well, where do I start? I am still in some pain and can't really sit long in this chair, so this will be a very condensed version. I am asplenic (no spleen due to ITP - low blood platelets/autoimmune disorder). Wednesday night I came down with EXTREME chills and fever, called off sick Thursday, slept half the day, had to force myself to get up, by 5:00 p.m. I had the worst back pains of my entire life. At 3:00 a.m. I was in so much agony I could not stand, sit, or lie down. Went to the ER via ambulance. Turns out I had STREP PNEUMONIA, which is a bacterial infection in the bloodstream. Your spleen produces the antibodies which fight off these infections. Well, since I have no spleen, I could not fight it. Thank G-d I got to the hospital when I did or it would have resulted in sepsis when it started attacking my organs. So, 3 CT scans, an MRI, chest x-ray, echocardiogram, etc. etc. later here I am. Worst of all, I am allergic to Dilaudid and can only take morphine. It did NOTHING for me. So I was NEVER pain-free. The back pain is still there, just not as severe. It has been chalked up to a back injury. I am thankful to be alive. My health has gone downhill since my splenectomy in January 2003. Okay, so I weighed myself just now and I'm at 156. Uh, OMG, hello, as I'm typing this I realize I JUST MADE THE CENTURY CLUB! OMG! 101 lbs. gone. I cannot believe it. Thankful to be alive, Christine 257 / 156 / 137 -101 lbs. 19 lbs. to goal

Oh Christine, what a horrible group of days for you. Glad that you are on the mend. Dangerous stuff happened to you Christine. So typical that you just kept living away trying to deal with the pain and function. Good that you went to the hospital when you did. Be good to yourself and recover. Hugh congradulations on the weight loss, century club indeed. Monica

Christine, I'm so sorry that you went through all of this. Sounds like God was taking care of you. I hope that you are on the road to recovery and get to feeling better really soon. Congratulations on making the century club, Girl that is awesome. You must be so thrilled with making it to the 100 lbs mark Take care, Loni 237/148.5/115 33.5 lbs. to goal

First off congratulations on making it to the century club . Secondly, I am glad that you went to the ER and found out what the problem was. Please take it easy and get plenty of . God is awesome all the time. Fran

You poor thing {hugging you close } I'm sorry you had to go through such an awful ordeal. WAY TO GO ON THE WEIGHT GONE!! Donna 338/198 -140

Awwwww.... Christine..... you have really been through it. Sorry to hear you have had such a rough time, but also glad you are feeling better. Congrats on the century club... maybe soon I can join you there! PS.... I am another one who gets absolutely no response from Dilaudid or Morphine. Ask for Demerol next time... I love that stuff!!! Keep Getting Better!!!! Susan

Christine, I am glad to hear you are back at home. You Poor Poor thing. What is that doctors going to do with you? You are in my prayer. Brenda

Christine, Sorry to hear you have been sick. I hope you get to feeling better real soon. Congradulations on reaching the Century Club. Deana

Dear Chris I am so sorry to hear that you have been in pain I so have been in pain bad back pain for the last 2 weeks found out they needed to take my gallbladder out! This was 10 times worse then GB! So I understand! I hope that you will feal better soon I had my surgery 2 days after you and we weigh the same 156 and started the same! And both had to have another surgery at the same time? Kinda Freaky lets hope that this is the end of the pain Because I don't think I can handle anymore! LOL Take care! Hope you feal better soon! P.S It is so amazing to be in a size 10!!!! WOOO HOOO ! Heather Sizemore

{{{Christine}}} I am so sorry that you went through all of that.. I pray that your pain will ease up some. Thank goodness you went in when you did! CONGRATS on the 101 pounds gone! WOW WOW WOW Work it girl! WOW Kathy