Just here to confirm that I made it safely into 2025 and survived at least one whole day, and on-track to complete my 2nd day of the year alive!
When I have time and energy, I'll definitely be writing more posts to feed your mind!
Thursday, January 02, 2025
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Final 2024 blog post (health updates, etc)
Usually, at the end of the year, I write a blog post reflecting on the whole year, also write blog posts on the "notable deaths of ______" , or a commentary on the world events, music, sports, etc for the year.
Sadly, due to my ongoing health issues, I don't really have the time or energy to do all that this year! But I'll definitely write about my current health issues on this blog posts.
Here are my previous blog posts documenting my recent health issues
https://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2024/10/my-experience-with-jaundice-and.html
https://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2024/10/coming-home-from-hospital-and-road-to.html
https://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2024/11/more-health-drama-in-late-october.html
https://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2024/11/nausea-drama-for-early-november.html
https://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2024/11/wish-me-luck-this-black-friday.html
That last link was published on December 17. So now's the time to pick up where I left off.
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In the first 2 weeks of December, the daily vomiting was intense and frequent.
For the 2 weeks after, the vomiting has become less intense and less frequent. But still daily.
Well, on Friday 12/27/2024, I had another scheduled hospital visit. Again at Pali Momi Medical Center, where I had 3 previous procedures using ERCP and EUS methods. Those methods used tubes down my esophagus to get down to my stomach, pancreas and other nearby organs.
As mentioned in previous posts, in November, I had a fluid mass (called a pseudocyst) growing outside my pancreas and was pushing against my stomach, which caused much of my vomiting.
On 11/29/2024, the doctors started draining the pseudocyst by attaching stents from that to my stomach. On 12/12/2024, the doctors that said that the pseudocyst is draining into my stomach. the stuff coming out from the pseudocyst is being drained into my stomach and that stuff being drained out was now contributing to my vomiting.
So far the 12/27/2024 procedure, they noted that the pseudocyst had shrunk significantly. Very small to the point of near-nonexistence. But there's another problem. One of the stents that the doctors previously attached was too close to the stomach's exit, making it hard for the stomach to drain down, and therefore have to drain upward (vomit). So that stent got removed. The other stent got replaced.
Also during the procedure, the doctors found a fungus infection. So I have to take daily meds for that.
After the procedure, Dr Small (who was in charge of the team) felt it was safe enough for me to go home the same day.
Though lucky thing I had the folding cane in my bag just in case, because I was still too disoriented to walk without it. The hospital staff did have me ride the wheelchair to my dad's car, where he took me to Kaiser Moanalua Hospital to use their pharmacy to get my anti-fungus meds. (note: Kaiser Permanente doesn't cover meds bought at Pali Momi, so that's why I had to ride to Kaiser Moanalua Hospital to get my meds). I had to use my cane while walking to my pharmacy! I survived :)
That evening, I was able to finish one Ensure protein shake without vomiting afterwards. A win!
The next day (12/28/2024) was also a no vomit day. Still with just one liquid diet!
12/29 ..... just one vomit, that's it!
12/30 .... I had a soup, went smoothly. Just when I thought it was safe to get a 2nd liquid meal (an Ensure protein drink), I ended up vomiting half-hour later.
12/31 ..... today, so far, no vomit (cross my fingers).
So little wins here and there.
But still, HUGE GIGANTIC CHALLENGES exist!
After all these weeks of nausea, I experienced significant weight loss.
On 09/26/2024, I weighed in at 224 pounds.
On 12/27/2024, it was down to 160 pounds.
An extreme drop in such a short time.
And because the decreased appetite and extreme nausea were making it hard for me to eat like usual, that means my body has been deprived of much-needed nutrients.
So that means a loss of strength, stamina, energy.
Lots of fatigue!
Takes longer to do tasks!
Need longer breaks between tasks!
I've been basically homebound for weeks!
I only leave my home when it's time to go hospital, and I need a ride with my dad to do so!
I've become a shell of my former self!
My mind is still intact enough to write this blog post, as well as to continue to read the newspaper, emails, articles, and more!
But it's going to take a while for my body to recover!
To develop an appetite again without worrying about more vomiting.
To have enough energy to do things without getting tired easily.
To be able to work again. To be able to really live again!
So that's what I want to address when I have my next appointment with a doctor later this week.
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So now that I'm finished writing about my health issues, I'll just leave this blog post with a list of what I feel are the greatest songs released in 2024.
Beyonce - "Texas Hold Em"
Olivia Rodrigo - "So American"
Ariana Grande - "The Boy is Mine"
Iron & Wine w/ Fiona Apple -"All in Good Time"
Lady Gaga w/Bruno Mars - "Die with a Smile"
Tinashe - "Nasty"
Billie Eilish - "Birds of a Feather"
Billie Eilish - "Lunch"
Sabrina Carpenter - "Espresso"
Sabrina Carpenter - "Please Please Please"
Sabrina Carpenter - "Bad Chem"
Charli XCX w/ Lorde - "Girl, So Confusing"
Charli XCX w/ Billie Eilish - "Guess"
Chappel Roan - "Good Luck Babe"
Tommy Richman - "Million Dollar Baby"
Tommy Richman - "Devil is a Lie"
Tyla w/ Gunna & Skillibeng "Jump"
Megan Thee Stallion w/Yuki Chiba "Mamushi"
Megan Thee Stallion - "Otaku Hot Girl"
Megan Thee Stallion w/ RM " Neva Play"
The Baseball Project - "Oh Oh Ohtani"
Zico w/Jennie - "Spot"
Snoop Dogg w/Jhene Aiko - "Gorgeous"
Eminem "Houdini - abracadabra"
Djo - "End of Beginning"
Taimane - "Gotta Get It"
and of course, the star of the year.......Kendrick Lamar
with "They Not Like Us" (sorry Drake, it's over)
and also "Squabble Up" (which sampled Debbie Deb's 80's classic "When I Hear Music")
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