Pacemaker-iversary

Those of you who are friends with me on facebook or follow me on instagram know that this past Saturday marked the three year anniversary of having my pacemaker implanted. These past three years seemed to have gone by in slow-mo and fast forward all at the same time! If you would have told me all the things I have gone through in the last year would happen to me at this time last year, I would have never believed you! (Sorry that sentence was a mouthful haha) Those who have been following my blog know all of the things I have been through in the last six months. Being diagnosed with a disease that has only "existed" since 1999 is simply mind blowing. And if that is mind blowing, I don't know what acute renal failure at 20 equates to. I would like to say in the sincerest of ways, I am a medical mystery. Although someone may not want to be considered that, it is who I am. I embrace the craziness of it all and roll with it. If I didn't, life would be a trainwreck. Some may already think my life is. I know there is some greater plan for me and this is all apart of the journey. My journey may be rockier than others, but I'm okay with that and in the long run that is all that really matters.
Until next time,
A :)

What does "better" mean?

I want to start off by apologizing for my last post because it was "boring." Boring is not always a bad thing in my life, especially when it comes to medical complications. But my dad was upset that he did not get a shout out. So here it goes, "Hey Dad!" He was also upset that I did not talk about getting a new roof on my car or getting a new mattress over break. My car flooded over break and we thought it was a leak in the roof. Turns out it was not the roof, but the roof was shot so we got a new one and it looks so good! I also finally got a new mattress after 18 years. I have only slept on it 4 times but those were 4 great nights! I have been asking for a new mattress for 2 years now. You don't realize how excited I was to get a new one! It was like finding out you are going to Disney World...okay that is an exaggerating but it was definitely exciting! Now on to something else...hahah
I want to explain about how I am "getting better" because I think people are a little confused. Neither of my diseases are curable...yet. I am not cured or fixed by any means. My symptoms are being treated with medication, the pacemaker, and all of the extra things I am doing for my POTS. I am doing better though. I feel better; I have more energy than I had before the POTS diagnosis. But by no means am I cured. Both of these diseases are chronic, meaning they are long term. But there is a chance that I can "grow" out of them. The magic age seems to be between 21 and 23 for both of them. I hope that I will grow out of these diseases but I want to be realistic in knowing that it could not happen. I mean I really don't understand how my stomach could just magically start working again one day. Lance (my little brother) seems to already be growing out of POTS so I feel like it may not happen for myself with POTS because I am 3 years older than him. My gastro doctor at Shands at UF in Florida said that I could easily have the pacemaker for the rest of my life. So, although I do look and feel better, my insides still don't work the way they should. Then again, doing all the things for POTS is helping my blood flow and autonomic nervous system but my stomach is still not working (as far as we know). I hope this helps y'all understand a little bit more about what I mean when I say I am doing better!
Until next time,
A :)

Back at It

It's been over a month since I last blogged. I have been super busy getting back into the swing of things with school. I am taking 15 hours this semester and 3 of my courses have homework due each week. I feel like I am back in high school with all the work that I am doing! I also have to earn 32 hours of service for one of my classes. My health is doing pretty well. I am completely off the medication I was reducing over Christmas Break. I did have some withdrawal symptoms but they weren't as bad as some of the ones I've had in the past. My back has been bothering me for a couple of weeks (not as bad as last time) so I went to the doctor to have my blood tested again but everything came back fine. That's great and everything but my back is still hurting and I don't have an answer. I may be going to the orthopedic this week to see if they think it's anything other than "muscular pain." I am so tired of hearing that pair of words, you don't even know. Besides the back pain, I am doing very well! If I do all of the things I need to, life runs smoothly. But, if I miss something, whether it's working out or not getting enough sleep, I can definitely tell. It affects me more than I thought it would. It's a lifestyle change that is for the better.
Until next time,
A

P.S. My hope is that from here on out, I will blog once a week. It might not be all medical but it will be about my life. Blogging definitely helps relieve stress and gets your feelings out (if anyone wants to try it!)