Half-stoned and drowsy for two weeks

It looks like I will be pretty messed up for the next two weeks, until the Friday, August 31, procedure to remove the 5 mm uric acid kidney stone lodged half way down my right-side ureter.

I just got off the phone with a urology nurse AND the doctor that installed the ureter stent and Foley catheter. I called in to Hershey this morning about my ongoing severe pain and discomfort at the bladder since the procedure on Friday and they both said the same thing: Take the Vicadin and suck it up! Not what I wanted to hear. I am also taking Ditropan to relieve bladder spasms. Also antibiotic and FloMax. As you can surmise I have generated quite an array of pill bottles. I am somewhat anti-pill and this takes me out of my comfort zone. I took only straight acetaminophen before bed last night and woke up with pain of .... oh .... I'd say a "7" on the pain scale. Not pleasant, so the call to Hershey was made.

So... here are the trade-offs of Pills vs. Pain (no pills)

Vicadin: altered mental state — Whoopee! So now I'm half-stoned.
               dizziness — I can't drive the car or operate machinery.
               dry mouth — Yup, got that.
               dizziness — Yah, that too.

Ditropan: drowsiness — Oh yeh! I might as well sleep through most of the next 12 days.
                blurred vision — at first I thought my eyeglass prescription needed to be updated.
                dry mouth — This is not fun.
                dizziness — Double my fun.

[One would think that with all those characteristics I am now fully qualified to work in the billing office at Smilebuilderz as most of my billing department colleagues exhibit these traits!!!!!]  (Just kidding.)

That's enough to deal with for now; along with taking care of the Foley catheter and urine bags: Measuring, straining, cleaning, sanitizing.

So, unless I can get off these pills, I will not be able to perform my duties at work. Work has been an important part of my life since the cancer diagnosis. It give me a sense of purpose and well-being. This hanging around home blazed and blitzed is depressing.

In fact, I am falling asleep in front the computer RIGHT NOWWWWWWWwwwwwwwwwwww.

It's an absolutely gorgeous day here in PA. Temp 79°F and low humidity. Windows and doors are open and the air is clean. My enjoyment of the nice air is not impaired by the fact that I am half-wasted.

I'm going to lay down .... again. Later.....