Day 20: Complexity

So all those other operations and stuff, were they for Lupus? — A few people by PM

Short answer is no, but more complicated answer is yes. 😉

As most of you know, I’ve had fairly significant health problems crop up at least once a year since I was 16. This does coincide with the Lupus onset, and some of the health issues were later explained to be part of Lupus. But most weren’t and aren’t.

Starting in July 2007, I had 8 major surgical procedures within a 6 year span, ending in January 2013. Of these, none of them were directly addressing a problem created by Lupus. However, my having Lupus made the procedures more necessary than if I hadn’t had Lupus. For instance, I might not have needed a tonsillectomy if I hadn’t had Lupus, because I might not have caught as many infections, nor developed a resistance to some antibiotics. And in turn, if I hadn’t had Lupus, I probably would have had a normal recovery from my tonsillectomy, rather than getting post-operative infections and taking 4-5 months to recover.

Also, once someone has one autoimmune disorder, it’s much more likely for them to develop further health problems, including other autoimmune disorders. I have at least 6 other significant diagnosed permanent chronic illnesses. So my body is super complicated at this point, and treating me takes a lot of coordination between doctors.

Today, I’m going to a pre-op appointment with a podiatrist for a minor nail issue. The nail itself is no big deal. However, I’ve seen 4 doctors about it already. I was referred to minor ops, but because I have something called Reynaud’s Phenomenon, they can’t support me in theatre and I need to be in theatre in a fully equipped hospital. However, the hospital needs to get this done before I am put on immunosuppressants, because then the toe operation would be too dangerous. (My GP believes it is likely the rheumatologist will put me on immunosuppressive therapy.) I’ll let you know how it all goes– it’s bound to be complicated!

Ah, the dance. Nothing here has really changed. My hospitalisation in Vancouver in November was due to simply catching a virus, the doctors think, and I was so sick I was in hospital for four days. It took me months to fully recover. The hospitalisation in January and subsequent minor operation in February was also unrelated to Lupus, but the question of what exactly was going on was made more complicated by the Lupus. In the human body, everything is ultimately interconnected, and everything affects everything else.

Wondering what’s going on with these posts? Check out my explanation HERE!