Hospitalized...was so scared!
In the ambulance, they took my temp 3 times.. it went from 101, to 102, to 103, then by the time I got to the hospital, it was 101.5. The Dr. took a chest X-Ray, he wanted to make sure the infection wasn't in the port, and lungs..but I did have a small infection that did spread to my lungs, he said though that 95% of it was from my tooth. This was on Thursday morning...
They tried to call the James Cancer Center but their beds were full, and would not be able to take me till Friday morning, or Saturday, I didn't want to wait that long, so they said they would keep in touch with The James, and would treat me, with antibiotics, which they did, and even kept up on the other meds I was on..I let the local hospital treat me, since I just wanted the infection out (O'Bleness at Ohio University which is also a good hospital) and have been there since...my blood counts were getting low, and my shaking was caused because my immune system was so low it couldn't fight off the infection..but they gave me some strong antibiotics through the IV, and it worked..
The James Center called there wanting to get me transferred there, but I didn't see the need too, since they'd do the same the other hospital was doing, and they were also doing a good job taking care of me. I also received 2 units of blood in a blood transfusion, and my blood counts went up nicely, and I feel really good now.
I just got out of the hospital today after fighting off my first infection, I'm glad I got my wisdom teeth out, the oral surgeon who even took them out came to see me, and see how I was doing in the hospital, I told him it wasn't his fault I was there, that my teeth were getting infected, and he had no choice but to pull them anyway, at least I won't have any problem with my wisdom teeth anymore!
But, I'm just glad to be home, and I tell ya, shaking like that, scared the crap out of me, I didn't know what was happening, but if you all know you going to be getting chemo soon, I suggest to get your wisdom teeth out first!
Hope everyones been well, I see my doctor for my 3rd treatment on Wednesday, I hope she still lets me have it after this... man, if it's not one thing it's another this whole year has been with me.. getting diagnosed, chemo, wisdom teeth infections, now what else can go wrong! sheesh!
Huggsss to all!
~Donna
Comments
-
Wow!
Sheesh, Donna! You are really having a go of it, aren't you?? I guess this was a pre-warning that your body and system are obviously very prone to infection and so you have to be doubly cautious about taking good care of yourself. It's good to know that your local hospital is very good with dealing with this sort of care so you can feel some relief that if you need hospital attention you have a good one close by.
I'm glad you are out of the hospital though... and I'll keep my fingers crossed that you can go ahead with your next treatment on Wednesday.
Hugggggs,
Cheryl0 -
glad your feeling betterCherylHutch said:Wow!
Sheesh, Donna! You are really having a go of it, aren't you?? I guess this was a pre-warning that your body and system are obviously very prone to infection and so you have to be doubly cautious about taking good care of yourself. It's good to know that your local hospital is very good with dealing with this sort of care so you can feel some relief that if you need hospital attention you have a good one close by.
I'm glad you are out of the hospital though... and I'll keep my fingers crossed that you can go ahead with your next treatment on Wednesday.
Hugggggs,
Cheryl
hate to hear your having it rough.i had to have a tooth pulled right before my iliostomy reversal.it had decayed all the way to the root.im glad i did it before i started this chemo.good luck with #3and Godbless....johnnybegood0 -
glad you're home
Donna,
Yikes! So glad that you are home. I bet that was scary shaking like that. It sound like you were in good hands at your local hospital. I'm so sorry you went through that but I agree with Cheryl that it is a message that your immune system is working hard and you need to be extra careful. Will your doctor let you take anything to pump up your immune system? I'm praying for you right now.
Rest, take care, enjoy being at home.
With aloha,
Kathleen0 -
Whew! What a ride!!!!!
It sounds just awful! But, it seemed like you kept your head, and did the things necessary...Hurrah for YOU!!!
It's experiences like yours that have oncologists telling their patients not to have dental work done (yes, yours WAS and emergency!) unless it's an emergency. Infection is the major threat to us during treatment, because our immune system is under attack!
Please keep us posted, and hugs to you!
Kathi0 -
aughhhh!
So sorry you wound up in the hospital; the last place any of us want to be after all we've been through! Glad to hear you are home and pray you will continue to strengthen and will be able to continue treatments without much ado. Take care of yourself!
mary0 -
Awwwwwww
Awwww so sorry Donna that you had to go through that. It was a wise decision on your part to get the ambulance to get you to the hospital safely. The infection sure did a number on your body. Did they not give you any antibiotics to take after taking the wisdom teeth out. Or maybe they couldn't because of the chemo you are on. Not sure, but I know with an abscessed tooth I usually always get an antibiotic. But hey you are dealing with a whole different set of circumstances now.
Glad you are home and that you aren't shaking anymore. That had to be scary and scared at what you should actually do.
Good luck with treatment #3 and hope you get to feeling better soon.
Kim0 -
Yes..Annabelle41415 said:Awwwwwww
Awwww so sorry Donna that you had to go through that. It was a wise decision on your part to get the ambulance to get you to the hospital safely. The infection sure did a number on your body. Did they not give you any antibiotics to take after taking the wisdom teeth out. Or maybe they couldn't because of the chemo you are on. Not sure, but I know with an abscessed tooth I usually always get an antibiotic. But hey you are dealing with a whole different set of circumstances now.
Glad you are home and that you aren't shaking anymore. That had to be scary and scared at what you should actually do.
Good luck with treatment #3 and hope you get to feeling better soon.
Kim
...The first dentist I went to put me on 500 mg of Amoxycillin double each dose twice a day, on a Friday, wanted to pull the tooth on Monday, saw he couldn't get way back there, that I would need the oral surgeon, called and got it pulled by the oral surgeon on Wednesday, all that time I was taking the antibiotics, and Percocets for the tooth pain, and that Thursday morning is when the shakes started, my god, I thought I was having a seizure, but it calmed down once hubby put a comforter over me while waiting on the ambulance, it's a scary thing to get an infection, my teeth don't usually bother me, I have good teeth, but the timing of this wisdom tooth just sucked, here I am on chemo, and NOW it wanted to give me problems..I'm glad I had him take out the other tooth as well so that wouldn't give me any future problems, yeah everyone, be careful of infections, they sure are scary when you get one.
I also got 2 more units of blood, since my hemoglobin was down to 8, and my WBC was down to 2.6, so they did also give me a blood transfusion which made me feel better, and did well for me, where I was able to be released, with more antibiotics I have to take once a day for 10 days. The hospital did well with me, I actually can't wait to see my doctor to see what she says about it all and how I am doing on Wednesday. Thanks everyone!
Hugssss!
~Donna0 -
Not sure...Kathleen808 said:glad you're home
Donna,
Yikes! So glad that you are home. I bet that was scary shaking like that. It sound like you were in good hands at your local hospital. I'm so sorry you went through that but I agree with Cheryl that it is a message that your immune system is working hard and you need to be extra careful. Will your doctor let you take anything to pump up your immune system? I'm praying for you right now.
Rest, take care, enjoy being at home.
With aloha,
Kathleen
...the doctor sent me home with a new antibiotics, but I wonder if there is something someone can take out to help out the immune system alittle more when something like this happens..I'll ask my onc about that on Wednesday, that's for sure!
I am definitely glad I'm home, my 13 year old stayed over for 2 nights with me in the hospital, it was good having company there too
Hugss!
~Donna0 -
WOWShayenne said:Yes..
...The first dentist I went to put me on 500 mg of Amoxycillin double each dose twice a day, on a Friday, wanted to pull the tooth on Monday, saw he couldn't get way back there, that I would need the oral surgeon, called and got it pulled by the oral surgeon on Wednesday, all that time I was taking the antibiotics, and Percocets for the tooth pain, and that Thursday morning is when the shakes started, my god, I thought I was having a seizure, but it calmed down once hubby put a comforter over me while waiting on the ambulance, it's a scary thing to get an infection, my teeth don't usually bother me, I have good teeth, but the timing of this wisdom tooth just sucked, here I am on chemo, and NOW it wanted to give me problems..I'm glad I had him take out the other tooth as well so that wouldn't give me any future problems, yeah everyone, be careful of infections, they sure are scary when you get one.
I also got 2 more units of blood, since my hemoglobin was down to 8, and my WBC was down to 2.6, so they did also give me a blood transfusion which made me feel better, and did well for me, where I was able to be released, with more antibiotics I have to take once a day for 10 days. The hospital did well with me, I actually can't wait to see my doctor to see what she says about it all and how I am doing on Wednesday. Thanks everyone!
Hugssss!
~Donna
Girl you have been through so much the last week. I am glad that they did give you antibiotics but I bet because you had to wait for the oral surgeon is the reason it probably spread so fast. No expert here, but I have had cysts that if I let go even while on antibiotics I would end up with a high fever and sick to my stomach. I needed to have them lanced and most ER or doctors won't do it until it was like the size of a half dollar (ahh well it ain't big enough yet). So yes, the fevers, chills. Sorry, hun, you had to go through this but you are going to feel so much better sleeping in your own bed with your own surroundings.
I'm glad the transfusions worked wonders for you too. Obviously, you needed that and they could see that so it sounds like the local hospital is a pretty top notch place to go when you need to.
Keep up your great spirit.
Kim0 -
damShayenne said:Yes..
...The first dentist I went to put me on 500 mg of Amoxycillin double each dose twice a day, on a Friday, wanted to pull the tooth on Monday, saw he couldn't get way back there, that I would need the oral surgeon, called and got it pulled by the oral surgeon on Wednesday, all that time I was taking the antibiotics, and Percocets for the tooth pain, and that Thursday morning is when the shakes started, my god, I thought I was having a seizure, but it calmed down once hubby put a comforter over me while waiting on the ambulance, it's a scary thing to get an infection, my teeth don't usually bother me, I have good teeth, but the timing of this wisdom tooth just sucked, here I am on chemo, and NOW it wanted to give me problems..I'm glad I had him take out the other tooth as well so that wouldn't give me any future problems, yeah everyone, be careful of infections, they sure are scary when you get one.
I also got 2 more units of blood, since my hemoglobin was down to 8, and my WBC was down to 2.6, so they did also give me a blood transfusion which made me feel better, and did well for me, where I was able to be released, with more antibiotics I have to take once a day for 10 days. The hospital did well with me, I actually can't wait to see my doctor to see what she says about it all and how I am doing on Wednesday. Thanks everyone!
Hugssss!
~Donna
holy moly!!! im glad your ok!!!!! get your rest ill talk at ya soon Tommy0 -
The thing is....glinka65 said:dam
holy moly!!! im glad your ok!!!!! get your rest ill talk at ya soon Tommy
....is that now, I am petrified of going anywhere or touching anything, or going out and doing anything with my family, thinking I'm going to pick up a germ now and get another infections, I am so scared to go outside to a store now, it's not funny...this just gave me some kind of phobia now where I just want to stay indoors now.0 -
Talk to your doctor but....Shayenne said:The thing is....
....is that now, I am petrified of going anywhere or touching anything, or going out and doing anything with my family, thinking I'm going to pick up a germ now and get another infections, I am so scared to go outside to a store now, it's not funny...this just gave me some kind of phobia now where I just want to stay indoors now.
The type infection found inside of gums is a different type infection that you'd get from touching a cart at the grocery store or a knob at the mall. They even use special antibiotics MOST of the time. Clindomycin is one. Horrible med but works on those infections that live where there is no air.
Glad you're okay and sure pray you can go through with treatment on Wednesday. I'm having my blood tests tomorrow, instead of Wednesday, to check my liver enzymes in case one of the meds needs to be adjusted.
God bless and sweet dreams!
Diane0 -
That is scary
Donna that would be scary I think it would be a nightmare . Glad you are home and doing better now. Hopefully you will be getting good news soon ,it should be gettting close to time for you to get your marker done to see if th ca is shrinking you are a few weeks behind me on that one hope you get good news on that one. You deserve some good news
Hugs Sheri220 -
ParanoiaShayenne said:The thing is....
....is that now, I am petrified of going anywhere or touching anything, or going out and doing anything with my family, thinking I'm going to pick up a germ now and get another infections, I am so scared to go outside to a store now, it's not funny...this just gave me some kind of phobia now where I just want to stay indoors now.
Donna... don't talk yourself into a fear that has no place being there. If you turn into a hermit and not leave the house, then you are doing exactly what will cause you to catch a bug outside the home as soon as you are exposed to it. You have 6 months or more to go to complete these treatments. That is going to take you through the summer. If you stay inside between now and when the treatments are over... your immune system will go in shock just going outside, let alone being exposed to even the kindest of germs.
Besides the exercise value, that is also one of the reasons they WANT you to get outside, to continue doing normal activities while on treatments. Yes, you want to take care and obviously you aren't going to sit side-by-side with someone who has an infections disease/illness... on the other hand, locking yourself up is going to do just as much (if not more) damage to your system, not to say what wear and tear it will have on your family
This was one of those flukey things... your tooth got abscessed and the timing just happened to suck because you are getting chemo treatments. But had you not been getting chemo treatments or had you not been DX'd with cancer, you would have still gotten an abscessed tooth and gone through the same thing. The only difference would be you would not have gotten paranoid... you would have just thought that the tooth adventure was a lot more involved than you ever thought a sore tooth could be
Hugggggggs,
Cheryl0 -
Thanks Everyone...tootsie1 said:whoa
Donna,
That sounds like a scary experience, but the good news is that you passed the what to do test with flying colors! That was smart to call the ambulance.
Please take care of yourself and get lots of rest.
*hugs*
Gail
Thanks Cheryl, I had no idea even going outside would also be good for the immune system, you're right, I'm letting this beast scare me now, and can't let it, I don't know if I could stay indoors anyway, I think psychologically it would drive me insane! I know sometimes I'm going to get infections, and get sick, but I guess the feeling of it happening and shaking like that really scared me, and wow, It will always be in the back of my mind what can happen now...I won't stay in, but I really have to help my immune system get up there.
And yeah Sheri, another scary thing..the scans, I guess when I see her on Wednesday she will want to schedule some scans, since I'm coming up on my 3rd treatment, another worrying, I would love to have good news for a change, that's for sure, after you go through all these bad things, within a few months of each other, you wonder if you'll ever hear any good news, I swear I have this big black cloud over me that must just follow me, I was crying so bad in the ER room to a nurse, she felt so bad, telling me to let it out, sometimes we just need a good cry, and after all I been through, you need to just cry, so I did, and I felt better, she was a gem. I just pray now for something GOOD to happen!
I figure the way my hubby drives (like Farmer Brown on a tractor) the ambulance would definitely get me there faster, and if I shakes and spasms that could have led me passing out or something (like if hubby was driving) he wouldn't know what to do with me or stabilize me or anything, he would have panicked..they got me there quick and were able to keep an eye on me, I'd probably always do that if I had too.
Thanks for your comments everyone, I guess my immune system will never be what it was now, but after treatments, does it get better? or does anything in the immune system ever appear even during treatments to fight off anything? I hope I can do more to boost it.
Hugssss,
Donna0 -
keep positiveShayenne said:Thanks Everyone...
Thanks Cheryl, I had no idea even going outside would also be good for the immune system, you're right, I'm letting this beast scare me now, and can't let it, I don't know if I could stay indoors anyway, I think psychologically it would drive me insane! I know sometimes I'm going to get infections, and get sick, but I guess the feeling of it happening and shaking like that really scared me, and wow, It will always be in the back of my mind what can happen now...I won't stay in, but I really have to help my immune system get up there.
And yeah Sheri, another scary thing..the scans, I guess when I see her on Wednesday she will want to schedule some scans, since I'm coming up on my 3rd treatment, another worrying, I would love to have good news for a change, that's for sure, after you go through all these bad things, within a few months of each other, you wonder if you'll ever hear any good news, I swear I have this big black cloud over me that must just follow me, I was crying so bad in the ER room to a nurse, she felt so bad, telling me to let it out, sometimes we just need a good cry, and after all I been through, you need to just cry, so I did, and I felt better, she was a gem. I just pray now for something GOOD to happen!
I figure the way my hubby drives (like Farmer Brown on a tractor) the ambulance would definitely get me there faster, and if I shakes and spasms that could have led me passing out or something (like if hubby was driving) he wouldn't know what to do with me or stabilize me or anything, he would have panicked..they got me there quick and were able to keep an eye on me, I'd probably always do that if I had too.
Thanks for your comments everyone, I guess my immune system will never be what it was now, but after treatments, does it get better? or does anything in the immune system ever appear even during treatments to fight off anything? I hope I can do more to boost it.
Hugssss,
Donna
Donna try to stay positive, sounds easier said then done with what you have been thru lately but if this will help you my friends aunt has stage 4 ca a few years ago and has been NED for 6 months now, I heard this yesterday and it really helped my husband and I to have more hope, I hope your scans give you good news , Thurs I find out my results. Just between
us I am scared .You know the feeling I just pray it is shrinking , and try to stay positive
anyways you hang in there Donna
Hugs Sheri220 -
Good News!sheri22 said:keep positive
Donna try to stay positive, sounds easier said then done with what you have been thru lately but if this will help you my friends aunt has stage 4 ca a few years ago and has been NED for 6 months now, I heard this yesterday and it really helped my husband and I to have more hope, I hope your scans give you good news , Thurs I find out my results. Just between
us I am scared .You know the feeling I just pray it is shrinking , and try to stay positive
anyways you hang in there Donna
Hugs Sheri22
That certainly is encouraging news, glad she's been NED! good for her, I am trying to stay positive, and pray all the time, I actually talk to God like he's just a good friend sitting with me through everything..he got me through the hospital, and he'll get me through the scans, I hope your scans come out spotless, and hope it's shrinking as well, I hope mine is as well, we will always hope and stay positive, no matter what, you can keep knocking me down only for so long before I come out swinging
Good luck to you, you hang in there too, my prayers are with you as well!
Hugsss!
~Donna0 -
scared to go outShayenne said:The thing is....
....is that now, I am petrified of going anywhere or touching anything, or going out and doing anything with my family, thinking I'm going to pick up a germ now and get another infections, I am so scared to go outside to a store now, it's not funny...this just gave me some kind of phobia now where I just want to stay indoors now.
I'm with everyone else here, you don't want to give cancer that kind of power to control your life! You definitely have to be more careful about keeping on top of infections now, but we're talking infections not normal everyday bugs. I learned this when I let a UTI go too long and it got very bad. But, it's not like I pick up every bug that comes my way, I just know that if I do find myself with something I go into the doc right away and get some meds to control it, rather than waiting a while to see if it will work itself out like I used to. But as far as colds and stuff, as long as I'm diligent about washing my hands, staying away from public coughers and using my saline nose spray, I do pretty good at avoiding those normal bugs! You will too, and soon enough that awful experience with the abcessed tooth will be just a memory, like everything else! You are strong, you are a fighter, and you WILL kick cancer's a$$!
mary0 -
Winner
so sorry to hear you went through that, Shayenne, but you really kept your
cool to call an ambulance....shows you were thinking all the while...even
tho you were scared.....that is actually a winning state of mind. I agree
with continuing to go outside mentioned in other posts and yes I do think
there is a shot or something they can give to help with the immune system,
you need to ask your oncologist. A little suggestion would be to carry
in your purse a small bottle of hand sanitizer to use at the grocery store,
going into public bathroom after you leave...just read that there are lots
of germs on the bathroom door handle, yuk.....and that would help. Hope
your next treatments go ok and you will soon be done with them.
Barbara0
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