Deep doo-doo time for baby cobra

[piebaldpython]

BABY COBRA (26 yrs old) IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING INPATIENT KETAMINE INFUSIONS IN THE ICU. PLEASE KEEP HER IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AS SHE GOES THROUGH THIS FIVE DAY TREATMENT IN THE HOPES OF REMISSION FROM RSD. THANK YOU!

Long-time Fretters may remember that we went to Germany in 2008 and she went into a medically induced coma with a massive ketamine infusion to get rid of her RSD. At a cost of roughly 65K (USA insurance doesn't work in Europe), it worked and we/she had 4 years of bliss until this past April when a jack-*** doctor did a lumbar puncture (to see if she had viral meningitis) and didn't follow her instructions and the RSD came back. She is almost bed-ridden and back into a wheelchair for the past month.

Hopefully, this will work. Thanks for prayers and mojo.

 

[Tig]

Mojo and prayers for your girl, PBP. I hate hearing that everything returned.
RSD sounds like hell on Earth.

 

[Bookkeeper's Son]

Hoping for the best!

 

[poodlesrule]

Maybe we can all join and visuallze her in good heath and spirits, throughout the day, together, like on top of the hour, to pool efforts..?

 

[Robert]

Sad to hear. Hoping for a full and speedy recovery.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Sending warm wishes, prayers, and positive thoughts right now!

 

[tjcurtin1]

Oh, man, Piebald - I am so sorry to hear about that. We'll be thinking of you all - hold the picture of her well in your mind and remember she can get back to that place.

 

[Katastrophe]

Prayers sent, man. I hope Baby Cobra goes into remission again, and soon!

 

[poodlesrule]

I wanted to do a bump-of-the-day for Baby Cobra but Mr. Kat took care of that.
Wishing for another successful therapy day.

How are Papa Python and family, friends coping...?

 

[deeaa]

All the best. I hope the dumb*** doc has to cover for the mistake too...

 

[helliott]

So sorry to hear about this piebaldpython. Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

 

[Katastrophe]

Any updates so far in the treatment?

Continued prayers for Baby Cobra and the rest of the Piebaldpython family, for strength, comfort, and quick recovery.

 

[piebaldpython]

She's still in ICU undergoing Ketamine infusions 24/7 for her RSD. They take lots of vials of blood a day to make sure all her levels (blood gases, liver, etc.) are okay. Her arms are full of bruises from the needles. They also had problems with the IV line yesterday. It took 4 tries to get it back in. Phew!

ICU gave us permission to stay overnight with her. We have someone in her room 24/7 so that she can relax as best she can under the circumstances & feel safe so that the ketamine can do its job.

Ketamine is a powerful drug that can cause hallucinations.........while she isn't having an LSD trip.....she is on edge a bit and having some anxiety issues. They are giving her drugs to combat that. Supposedly, this ends on Monday.

 

[R_of_G]

I'll keep your family in my thoughts PBP.

 

[NWBasser]

I'll be wishing for a full recovery for her.

I very much hope that everything turns out well for her.

 

[piebaldpython]

What a mess....infusion didn't work and she's essentially just as bad now as when she went in. She was very depressed and then the doc turned around after not seeing her at discharge and wanted her to have Psyche evaluation. $450 later, the Psyche doc says there's nothing wrong with her. We see the RSD doc Monday.

She also has GI issues from the RSD and we know a great GI doc and will probably at least get X-rays/MRI of the intestinal area to make sure there are no blockages/stenoses/or "dead" areas. This happened to an RSD friend of ours.

On a good note.....we've contacted the RSD guru in Germany and we may road-trip there for a final shot at this thing.

Prayers and mojo appreciated.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Continuing prayers and warm wishes.

 

[Tig]

Keeping fingers crossed.

 

[Robert]

Thinking about your family and hoping this will resolved soon, in a GOOD way.

 

[kidsmoke]

Craziness PBP. I am so sorry that you're going through this. I'm sure on some level you're flippin' out, but I can hear the resolve, and the levelheadedness of having a job to get done in your posts. What a blessing you are to her. Keep it up, brother.

Your family will remain in the forefront of my thoughts and prayers for the foreseeable future.


,

 

[Katastrophe]

Man, I hope Baby Cobra gets well soon.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Jeez Steve I just saw this. Mojo and prayers. Take care.

 

[NWBasser]

$450 later, the Psyche doc says there's nothing wrong with her.

Criminy, what a load of hooey. Going through what she's experiencing, I don't think it would take a psych doc to figure out that she's depressed about her situation.

For $450 I would expect that said psych doc help her with her depression.

 

[mrmudcat]

Pie give your girl a big hug from me brother and assure her I do know how she feels. Peace & Luv FO-SHO

 

[mrmudcat]

Bless you and yours brother!

 

[piebaldpython]

The update is that the ketamine did help a little bit after all the needles were taken out of her. She mostly uses a wheelchair.......sometimes she can use a walker but not too much as it bothers her right shoulder. From time to time she can stumble around the house by leaning on the walls. The cold, rainy/snowy weather that we had the past week was tough on her. Her spirits are great though and her boyfriend is a gem and sticking by her side.

She goes for outpatient ketamine infusions next Wed-Fri (01/09-01/11). Waiting to hear back from Germany on a possible road-trip.

The wife and I went to Las Vegas for a week (12/22-12/29). We weren't home 12 hours when my Dad (87) was taken to the ER with congestive heart failure. He's stable at the moment.

Never a dull moment in Philly.

 

[Tig]

Rotten news all over again. Hopefully both your girl and your dad can get treated and back on the road to good health.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Rotten news all over again. Hopefully both your girl and your dad can get treated and back on the road to good health.

Ditto. All the best to you and yours.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Man! Prayers continue.

 

[piebaldpython]

My daughter is still scuffling with her RSD/CRPS. She has to use a walker outside the house and depending on situation, she sometimes has to use a wheelchair. Had to withdraw from college last August with no plan to return due to her health. Physically, she is in pain the vast majority of the time....as though she is burning from the inside-out.

Mentally, her spirits are good but she can't concentrate or pay attention for very long due to pain. She tries to stay off pain meds as the side effects are worse than what she has to deal with.

Despite all of that, she just got engaged.....one could call it a "show of committment". He's a great guy and maybe one day she can get married....if she goes back into remission.

Because she is disabled, she can remain on my health insurance. If she marries, she terminates. Her fiance' works for a small company and his insurance can't compare to mine.

Roughly 90% of "bad" RSD patients who can't get relief eventually commit suicide......so the "prospect of marriage" is something for her to "look forward" to.

Outpatient ketamine boosters scheduled for mid-March.

Nothing promising on the horizon for a remission, treatment-wise anyway.