Health

Archive for "Health"

Brian and I Visited Jan Today

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Ching under Health, Life.

Brian and I went to visit Jan, who we hadn’t seen since Friday night, over lunch today. She had her surgery on Monday and was released from the hospital on Tuesday. She is currently recovering in the comfort of her own home. Here’s a picture of the location of her four stents. What a trooper!

No Comments

Ching’s First Biopsy Experience

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Ching under Health.

I had my first (and hopefully last) biopsy experience yesterday. Brian lied to me and told me that I would get stuck with a needle only once. Dr. Zayour actually stuck me a total of five times to get enough samples. Brian said he used the same hole, though. As if that’s supposed to make me feel better. =P

I think Brian lied to me on purpose so as not to freak me out because I have this irrational fear of needles. I can’t watch whenever I get blood drawn. Even my annual flu shot freaks me out.

The doctor used a sonogram machine to see where he was going, but he dug around there quite a bit. Getting stuck with the needles wasn’t too bad, but the pressure I felt from him rooting around my thyroid was quite uncomfortable. It’s a good thing that I couldn’t turn my head to watch the sonogram screen. Brian said he felt uncomfortable watching the needle moving around inside my thyroid and couldn’t imagine what it must have felt like. I told him it wasn’t painful, but it was really uncomfortable. I felt like something kept pushing on my neck. Up until then, I’d never really felt any pain or discomfort from my super enlarged thyroid.

I didn’t know how many times I would get stuck with a needle so after the third time I was like, “How many more times are you going to stick me?” The doctor said he needed to take a couple more samples. Brian said he was going to joke by telling me, “The good news is we’re done with all those needles… The bad news is we’re moving to bigger ones.” However, no sooner than he thought that, the doctor really did ask the nurse for a larger gauge needle. Oops!

I was so relieved when it was all over. Going through a thyroid biopsy wasn’t too bad, but it wasn’t fun. I’m glad that I have a good doctor with a great sense of humor. I don’t know how I could have managed otherwise.

This is what my neck looked like after. The doctor sent me off with an ice pack to keep my neck from swelling. I’m glad that I wore a scarf that day because it actually came in handy. Not only did it hide the band aid, but it also kept the ice pack in place. This way I didn’t have to hold it next to my neck for the next half hour.

I left the ice pack on longer than the doctor recommended. I pretty much kept it in place until it was no longer cold. My neck was little sore, but not bruised.

Overall I thought that the biopsy procedure went well. The doctor said he will contact me with the results on Wednesday. I will keep you guys posted.

No Comments

Ching Needs to Stretch More

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Ching under Health.

Brian and I skipped the gym today because we were going to go to Swing lessons, but the left side of my back (up by my ribs) was hurting. It had been sore the last couple of days, but it really bothered me today. Brian thinks it’s because I don’t stretch enough.

Anyway, we ended up going to Dillons to pick up a heating pad. Instead of going to Swing, we just stayed home and watched Bad Teacher. It was pretty funny. It made me forget about my back for a while. It’s still hurting, though. Hopefully, it will feel better by tomorrow.

I’d been holding off getting a massage since I just had one last month, but I may not be able to put it off any longer. I would totally get a massage this weekend if we weren’t going to be out of town. Maybe they can squeeze me in at Sveta’s next weekend.

No Comments

New Eye Doctor

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Ching under Health.

Brian and I switched eye doctors again. We wanted a place that’s open on Saturdays that’s also close to where we live. That way we don’t have to miss work for appointments. We went in for our first eye check up at the new place yesterday. That meant filling out paperwork. For the first time in my life, I actually got to mark “yes” on something.

It was like, no, no, no, no, no… Thyroid problems? Yes. LOL.

Our new eye doctor, Dr. Marchant seems nice. They let Brian and I do our appointments together. It worked out great. Instead of sitting in the room being bored by yourself, which is usually what happens to me; Brian and I got to hang out and keep each other company while we waited.

I hated having to miss Gina Ann’s Zumba class yesterday, but it’s better than having to take some time off work. I love that our dentist and eye doctor are both within walking distance from place. And I love that they’re both open Saturdays. Well, the dental office is only open two Saturdays a month so I had to set my next appointment (Invisalign check up) for Friday afternoon, December 16, instead. Oh, well.