OK so a trip to the ID (Infectious disease) Doc to start the day. Dr T just continues to monitor blood work samples drawn weekly by home care nurses and sees me about every 2 weeks. We are still on track to stop the IV Antibiotics on the 16th of March! That’s rather exciting since as we have been doing since the first week of December I continue to do 4 IVs three times each day. Once the IV antibiotics stop I can have the PICC removed and be able to shower like a normal person; I’ll no longer need the plastic bag over my upper arm that keeps the PICC dressing from getting wet.
After that appointment we went to see our Primary Care Physician. Thanks to any of you who lifted up Dr Q in prayer as well. What a trooper he is! He had kidney stone(s) surgery on Friday and is back in action first thing Monday morning. He said he was feeling a bit tired but overall pretty good. Q agreed that I likely had a gout flare up and prescribed colchicine . This medicine only has a singular purpose; to treat gout. He explained that it is both diagnostic and therapeutic. The initial dose is 1-2 pills. If in an hour no relief is felt, take another pill. If in an hour no relief is felt, take yet another pill. You can do this up to 5 pills by which time you will have either “relief from gout” or “raging diarrhea”. It’s therapeutic in that if you have gout it will help you and diagnostic in that if you don’t have gout it can’t help you. I likely worded that wrong but I think you get the gist. We dropped off the script this afternoon and we’ll get it picked up tonight.
I am on track to do over 5,000 steps today per my Fitbit; that’s an ok increase over my 3,300 yesterday but I have a long ways to go. It’s a bonus to be able to monitor my heart rate and this Fitbit provides that feature. It’s amazing that i can get my heart rate up in the 120 bpm range simply by walking but I’d think with more walking that will stabilize quickly and the rate will drop off with more exercise. I saw 60’s today on the thermometer and hope for two more beautiful days of this fine weather.
I can start the colchicine tonight or first thing tomorrow and hope for the best. I already feel blessed that the pain has backed down as far as it has and allowed me to move about more freely.
Wishing you all a great evening and a good night’s sleep.
God heard our prayers for relief from pain! Hallelujah!!!