Isn't life exciting? Every new day, week, and month brings new changes and new adventures for you to embark on. There are never any two days or weeks or months precisely alike.
The new week brought more recovering and my first orthopedics appointment for my osteoporosis. I was diagnosed with severe osteoporosis after my first DEXA scan in August of this year. Due to the state of my health the last year and a half and an extensive family history, we pushed for the DEXA scan to be done even though most people do not have their first scan until at least age 60. The results that came back were shocking, as they surpassed even the levels of my grandma. At 23 years old, I have the bone density of someone 60 or older with severe osteoporosis.
Due to my complex history of illness, surgeries, and my altered digestive system, both my primary care doctor and local GI were hesitant to make a decision on how to proceed with my treatment. Nevertheless, I was referred to an orthopedic specialist to develop a treatment plan.
My mom and I left bright and early on a very chilly Tuesday morning and made our way to the appointment a little over an hour away. We arrived right on time and were taken straight back for vitals and to wait for the doctor. I am always a little nervous when it comes to meeting a new doctor. Are they going to be friendly? Will they understand my condition? Are they going to listen to my concerns? Thankfully, my new orthopedic specialist is absolutely wonderful. She was thorough and listened to my "brief" outline of the last year and a half intently.
After hearing my history, she took her time explaining the options for treatment to me. For more mild cases of osteopenia, supplements and light strength training can be reasonable treatment options, however, due to the severity of my condition at such a young age and my current inability to do any weight-baring exercise, a treatment plan did need to be put into place to stabilize my levels.
I am going to be honest: the thought of having to take more medication after finally ridding myself of medicines after my j-pouch removal is frustrating, but very necessary. Having very low bone density can pose serious dangers if I were to fall or be in an accident. Once again, I had to take my current and future health into consideration when making a decision and all I want is the best for my body.
I will be receiving a once-yearly IV infusion of a medication to halt my bone density loss for two years before then re-checking my levels and deciding on a new treatment plan. This option was not only the safest, but the most logical given my altered digestive system and trouble absorbing nutrients and even medicines at times. Time to get my good bones back!
Sometimes my life can feel like a circle of appointment after appointment, but that is not always the case! After my appointment on Tuesday my mom and I stopped by Peace, Love, and Little Donuts, an absolutely delicious little donut shop. We celebrated Fall with a pumpkin spice donut and a pumpkin cheesecake donut- can you say delicious?
Also in the spirit of Fall, my sister and I set out to the local pumpkin patch on Wednesday to find some pumpkins to carve and paint. It is so important to take a break from classes and work and appointments to embrace the season and do something stress-free and fun. Getting out of the house and taking in some fresh air and sunshine was such a wonderful feeling.
It is truly hard to believe that October is almost over. Where has time gone? The leaves have begun to change and the mornings have become frosty and before we know it, we will be waking up to a blanket of fresh snow. Time flies when you are busy, which is why it is important to take some time to do things that make you forget about the stress. Even just going outside for a walk or to sit in the sun will do wonders to melt away your stress and refresh your mind.
I have taken advantage of the cooler, beautiful temperatures to take the dogs for a walk. Little Iden loves the sunshine and fresh air just as much as I do!
Thursday brings a visit from my at-home nurse for weekly blood work and to change my Hickman dressing and then we will welcome a quiet, relaxing weekend of pumpkin carving, time with my fur babies, and Halloween movies.
Friday will mark 3 weeks post-op and I cannot even begin to express how thankful I am. At first, having to have my j-pouch removed felt like a loss. I felt like I had failed in some way- that it was my fault. Why did something that works for so many people end so wrong for me? But as my incisions have began to heal and the pain has started to fade, it has become clear that the loss of my j-pouch was actually a blessing. Losing my j-pouch and having to receive a permanent ileostomy has given me my life back. It was a hard decision and one that I am still adapting to, but it was exactly what my body needed.
Often times what feels like an ending is actually a new, amazing beginning.
Kristen