Monday, April 6, 2009

Nipping the EOS in the Bud

I wrote last week about my misbehaving EOS. These are the same devious little culprits that infiltrated my lungs and GI tract last year and made me very, very sick.

I was originally scheduled to retest my blood a week from today, but I got a little nervous about waiting. Each day, I can tell that I am becoming incrementally sicker. A little more coughing. A little more fatigue. A little more short of breath. I don't think you can tell by looking at me or talking to me (except for the cough) that I'm not feeling up to par, but I am all too familiar with the mild symptoms that once turned into a three-month nightmare.

I finally emailed my doctor today and reported the progression. He scheduled me for bloodwork, a chest x-ray and pulmonary testing tomorrow and a consult on Thursday. He said that it's likely that I'll be put back on prednisone, the drug that's like Phen Phen for my lean body. To keep from losing weight, I'll have to start consuming 3,000 to 3,500 calories a day. Woe is me!

Actually, the timing couldn't be better. I'm planning to make biscuits and sausage gravy on Saturday morning and a calorie-laden Easter dinner on Sunday. (I think a serving of the scalloped potatoes alone has 2,500 calories.)

8 comments:

susiegb said...

You did the right thing Susan! No point in waiting till your next appointment ...

Re the calories - just take it as an excuse to really pig out! Make sure you add cream to everything (cereal, soup, dessert, you name it!) Go fo the most fattening cakes and butter-laden mashed potatoes! Sounds ideal to me ... :)

Nelle said...

OH I am so jealous that you can eat all those calories and carbs!
Hoping that your EOS gets under control soon.

Ronni Gordon said...

Good luck with the EOS. I need to gain weight back too but I hardly have an appetite. Glad you found things you want to eat.

Susan C said...

Susie, Nelle & Ronni, Yes, I'm glad I finally decided to email my doctor.

And I hate to gloat, but, this time around, I have an appetite and I know how to use it. : )

Ronni, I hope yours returns soon. I remember the pure torture of force feeding myself. At least you don't have to contend with hospital food any more.

Nancy said...

The high EOS counts and the accompanying symptoms suck. But, the calorie requirement does not. I'm trying to lose weight before I turn 50 at the end of the year! I'm so jealous that you can eat anything and everything. But, I must say, I realize that you are not eating by choice...

Take care of yourself and let me know about the results from today's testing. Say hello to Dr. Forman for me.

Mrs. Duck said...

Sorry to hear that the EOS is acting up again, and I hope that by taking action early you can stop it in its tracks. Good luck tomorrow and Thursday.

Didn't the Ali McGraw character in Love Story have cancer (both in the book and the movie)? And I've always assumed that Ivan Ilyich (in the Tolstoy long story/novella) had cancer.

Trish said...

good for you to drop the doc a niggle email. I've done it plenty of times and every single time it was a good idea.

Suffer through the minimum 3500 calorie days---you ought to start off with a Passover supper---that'll take care of the first 2 days of calories.

I think I see an eclair in your future, every single afternoon.

And just think, that's *only* 35 of those little baggies of 100 calorie treats...c'mon, start now, you can dooo it! ;-)

Pat yourself on the back for being on top of stuff.

pasadenapio said...

I was concerned about you at the picnic. Keep us posted, please!