I’m Still Alive [UPDATE]

20Feb/1030

I’m Still Alive [UPDATE]

Darn it.

Nice to be home. Thanks to all for the very many well-wishes and to two readers for their generous donations. I'm still tired, so going to bed, but will write about it more tomorrow morning.

Hope all of you are well and happy, too.

In comments to Enoch's post about my latest hospital stay, La Diana breaks out some awesome nurse-fu and asks a series of good questions about my diagnosis. Most of the questions can be answered by the following: at intake, my BP was 50/70, and my heart rate low. Normally, if one's blood pressure were as low as that, the heart rate would be high, he'd be sweaty, etc. So, once again, it seems likely that I accidentally ingested one of Aidan's propanolol, which he takes to deal with one of the side effects of clozapine, namely akithesia (feeling uncomfortable in his own skin).

The previous time, 6 weeks ago, I'd gotten a CT-scan of the brain, which showed it is as normal as one might be willing to expect. In fact, because Aidan's in an NIH study group for childhood onset schizophrenia and gets follow-ups every other year, I already have a larger collection of such scans than most people have the chance to accumulate. Bloodwork shows no sign of infection, and my internal organs all seem to have tolerated the low blood pressure well.

Mornings, when I wake up---and the cats make sure I'm the first person to wake up, prior to 6 am---I have to get Aidan his meds (he arises when he hears me), feed the cats, make the coffee, start the lunches, smoke my cigarette, and so forth, so it's entirely possible for me to mistake one of Aidan's pills for one of mine. In the wake of this latest, we've gone back to the practice of filling Aidan's pill tray for the week, so that ought to eliminate the possibility of such a mistake.

Last time, at a different local hospital, they drew blood for a gas chromatography reading to find out whether a foreign substance such as one of Aidan's meds would have caused the problem, but misplaced the blood. So, I should find out soon, though once again the samples have to go to Mayo. On the plus side, I've become much more tolerant of needles than ever before, having been turned into a pin-cushion. Dad, who's a pathologist, suggested that it might have been an adrenal issue, but it's not, so that's one thing eliminated. Depending on the results, though I myself think it likely that I mistook medications, I may have a date with an endocrinologist.

I want to thank you all for your fretting and your prayers on my behalf. I can never get too much of the latter, though I'm sorry about the former. I want to thank Stephen N. and happyfeet for their very kind donations. I promise that I'll use them in good health. ;-)

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

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Comments (30) Trackbacks (2) ( subscribe to comments on this post )

The Sanity Inspector
February 20th, 2010 - 21:05

Glad to hear you’re okay.

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Mr. Bingley
February 20th, 2010 - 21:07

great to hear, amigo.

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Jill Elswick
February 20th, 2010 - 21:14

Good night!

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HeatherRadish
February 20th, 2010 - 21:16

Yes, very glad to hear you are OK.

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Lori Ziganto
February 20th, 2010 - 21:20

So glad to hear you are feeling well and are home!

Be well, Dan.

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Cassandra Yorgey
February 20th, 2010 - 21:39

YAY! Glad you’re OK!

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Mike LaRoche
February 20th, 2010 - 21:43

Glad you’re back home and resting. Take care.

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jpenaz
February 20th, 2010 - 21:46

Glad you’re home Dan, rest up and be well!

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Joe
February 20th, 2010 - 22:13

Get well soon.

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Jim Treacher
February 21st, 2010 - 05:54

Good to hear it, man. Scary situation. Be careful!

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mossberg
February 21st, 2010 - 07:33

Glad to hear that you’re doing alright. Don’t dismiss your Dad’s concerns regarding the adrenal glands. There are conditions that may be cyclical, and may not be detected by a 24 hour urine analysis, or even the ACTH stimulation hormone test.

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Jackie AUS
February 21st, 2010 - 07:38

GOD bless you as you get completely healed :)

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serr8d
February 21st, 2010 - 08:45

Yes, good to see you back in the saddle.

One troubling phrase in your narrative: “smoke my cigarette”. That’s so ’70′s!

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KillTruck
February 21st, 2010 - 08:54

Good! You had mother worried sick.

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Enoch_Root
February 21st, 2010 - 09:20

Dan – how can we be expected to save you from yourself, when you refuse to live in the moment. Slooooow down, my brother, the future will come in its own good time.

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BJTex
February 21st, 2010 - 09:24

Look what happens. I get all worried, go off to work, and you have the unmitigated gall to get better. What about me, my need to fret and angst over your condition? You’re so selfish!

Seriously, great news. Take it slow and steady.

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SarahW
February 21st, 2010 - 10:35

Thanks to nurse-fu person and Dad, for addressing and you for sharing, some details to shed more light on what happened. If there was no med mistake, though, listen to Dad and commenter above, and me, a neg. adrenal test is good but not completely dispositive.

I have such a happee that you are doing better! And that you are out of danger. Mostly.

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SarahW
February 21st, 2010 - 10:38

Dear Dan I think I told you onece the reason I live in Richmond is my Dad came here to be a Chemist for Phillip Morris. Shortly after that he quit smoking. I have some of his old papers, too. You have no idea and had better get some of those e-cigs.

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- Dan Collins
  February 21st, 2010 - 10:46
  
  Thanks, Sarah. Maybe I’ll try the Chantix again. It worked, I believe, for happyfeets.
  
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darleen click
February 21st, 2010 - 10:46

yea, you’re home!

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- Dan Collins
  February 21st, 2010 - 10:46
  
  Thanks, Darleen.
  
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Joe
February 21st, 2010 - 12:18

I hope Aidan is doing okay too.

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Jay
February 21st, 2010 - 12:38

Glad to hear you’re doing OK, Dan.

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- Dan Collins
  February 21st, 2010 - 12:42
  
  Thanks very much, Jay.
  
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happyfeet
February 21st, 2010 - 13:41

Chantix is amazing… but I combined it with wellbutrin and that was key… it goes like this – I quit coffee. It was a big “trigger” so it had to go first. Then you go on the Chantix and the wellbutrin for a couple months and just keep smoking… if the Chantix is working you’ll taper down automatically cause cigarettes become very quixotic… then when you have a quit date just keep taking both for another couple months… then drop the Chantix… my almost-mistake was going off the wellbutrin too soon – three days after I quit the wellbutrin I was smacked with big huge cravings… but after I got over that I felt much better – I let myself eat whatever the hell I wanted throughout and that helped too.

So it’ll be a year next month.

It was all relatively painless as far as losing your best friend in the whole world ever can be said to be painless.

Glad you’re well Mr. Dan.

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happyfeet
February 21st, 2010 - 13:41

also I was determined not to pay a dime of the dirty socialist SCHIP tax hike… that was very very helpful really

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Patrick
February 21st, 2010 - 16:18

Damn… Glad to see you’re doing okay. Hang in there man. :)

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Fausta
February 21st, 2010 - 16:20

Glad you’re well, Dan. Take care.

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