Tag: Addison’s

We decided that we needed a 2nd opinion on Vic’s arm.  We had a 10:45 orthopod appointment with her own Orthopod!  (She was treated by the trauma orthopaedic surgeon in hospital)

 Well, the orthopedic appointment did not go well at all.  Firstly, her original orthopaedic guy would not look at her arm.  He is not the treating doctor and it is unethical.  Blah, blah, blah.  If I had gotten a 2nd opinion on her back Vic may have been spared 10 years of absolute hell!!!!!!!!

 Eventually he looked at her knee, which is hurting like hell, and I slipped the humerus X-Rays into the other X-Rays…

 We sometimes forget how every tablet Vic takes, affects something else.  Vic was diagnosed with Addison’s two or three years ago…

 “Addison’s disease

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia

Addison’s disease (also chronic adrenal insufficiency, hypocortisolism, and hypoadrenalism) is a rare, chronic endocrine disorder in which the adrenal glands do not produce sufficient steroid hormones(glucocorticoids and often mineralocorticoids). It is characterised by a number of relatively nonspecific symptoms, such as abdominal pain and weakness, but under certain circumstances, these may progress to Addisonian crisis, a severe illness which may include very low blood pressure and coma.

The condition arises from problems with the adrenal gland itself, a state referred to as “primary adrenal insufficiency”, and can be caused by damage by the body’s own immune system, certain infections or various rarer causes. Addison’s disease is also known as chronic primary adrenocortical insufficiency, to distinguish it from acute primary adrenocortical insufficiency, most often caused by Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome. “

So, part of Vic’s medicinal regime is Cortisone twice per day.  One of the side effects of cortisone is  “osteoporosis or other changes in bone which can result in an increased chance of fractures due to brittleness or softening of the bone”.  Hello???  Osteogenesis Imperfecta + Addison’s + cortisone = disaster!!!

Yesterday, we were coldly and clinically informed by the Orthopaedic Surgeon that there was no way that the bone would ever mend properly.  The humerus cannot be pinned due to the danger of sepsis and the fracture is complicated by severe comminution and poor bone quality.  The surgeon said that when her arm is X-rayed in 3 weeks or even in 6 weeks, the fracture will progressively look worse until eventually there will be some callus formation.  Another dismal prognosis!  I wonder if there will be nerve damage and whether she will ever regain full use of her arm.  From the sounds of it she will only be able to come out of the cast and sling in approximately three months’ time.

Today I took Vic to the hairdresser and she had a Brazilian blow-dry treatment.  Now, for those of you who are as ignorant as I was, this is a “hair straightening” process.  Four hours!!  Shame Vic was sleeping in the chair…poor baby!  She is exhausted but it will make her life so much easier for many months ahead.  Vic will not wash and leave her hair – it has to be sleek…Now with this Brazilian blow-dry thing we can wash her hair and leave it!  Bliss!! 

I never saw my late Mom not immaculately dressed with her hair beautifully done.  No matter how ill she was, Mom went to the hairdresser three times a week.  Her nails were always immaculate and Mom would get very annoyed with me if I wasn’t wearing make-up and had my hair in a ponytail.  “Always the lady” was her motto.  As it is Vic’s.  I find it absolutely amazing that she insists on getting dressed most days.  Well, certainly before the boys get home from school.  She does not want the boys to see her in pyjamas. When we wash her hair it must be blow dried…She will not scrunch it or put it up in a ponytail, plait or pin…Vic’s hair has to be sleek…No matter how ill she is.

Her little body is so swollen from the cortisone.  Her face looks like a little chipmunk’s!  It happens from time to time.  What is worrying is that Vic’s blood pressure is steadily increasing.  Addison’s symptoms include low blood pressure…so why is Vic all of a sudden developing high blood pressure?  And Madam will not see a doctor!  What to do?

Vic does look so beautiful after her hairdressing marathon.  She is passed out and I know it will take her a week to recover from this outing.  But, it is well worth it!