BackCaddy Review!

Anyone who doesn't know about the CaddyWraps line yet should. Not just people in chronic pain (like me lately) but anyone who has a pulse. Last month I introduced you to the FaceCaddy, which has been a godsend for helping me cope with intense TMJD headaches. Anyone who goes to the dentist should own one!

The BackCaddy utlizes the same time-tested insulated ice/heat technology to provide lasting warmth or cold therapy to relieve sore muscles and joints. The BackCaddy helped me get through a particularly painful period this month: I strapped it around my waist to help relieve menstrual cramps. Normally I wear a ThermaCare Heat Wrap but those are a bit pricey and add up since they are a one-time use product. I also have a trusty hot water bottle but it sometimes leaks and I have actually burnt myself with it before because I filled it up with too hot of water.

The BackCaddy on the other hand, is foolproof. Comfortable, portable and powerful. I popped the large gel pack into the microwave for less than 2 minutes, placed it in the insulated BackCaddy and strapped it on for several hours. To my pleasant surprise it stayed warm until I removed it! I REALLY REALLY wish I would've owned one of these right after my appendectomy earlier this year. The hospital sent me home with an awkward, rock hard ice pack that leaked. The BackCaddy would have saved me from extra aggravation and suffering for sure.

I recommend the BackCaddy without reservation for anyone suffering from EDS, back problems, menstrual cramps or even abdominal surgery recovery. It is available in two different adjustable sizes. At 5'3" and 115 pounds I am far from a giant, but I was able to wrap the BackCaddy taut around my waist to fit perfectly and comfortably.

Also, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the BackCaddy features gentle compression which is GREAT for POTS patients, especially in the abdominal area where our blood tends to pool following meals. Would work well with the gel icepack (included) in the summertime as a more affordable alternative to a cooling vest and the extra compression the BackCaddy provides is an added bonus for any potsy.

You can purchase a BackCaddy and the entire CaddyWraps line at CaddyWraps.com or Amazon.com.

Top Ten Trader Joe's Products!

Although my tummy has given me considerable trouble the last few months both before and after the emergency appendectomy, I can still find things to eat at Trader Joes. The other evening it dawned on me that I could barely survive without a Trader Joes nearby. For one thing, it is much smaller than the Safeways and Albertsons of the world and therefore more manageable and less of an energy drain to shop there. Our local Trader Joes also has benches in the store even though it is small. Much appreciated during all those potsy shopping trips.

If I go at night the lines are typically short and the aisles uncrowded so I can read labels if need be. I also like Trader Joes because their products are typically less processed and contain more natural ingredients with names I can actually pronounce. They also have a nice selection of organic products at competitive prices. It is a great place to shop if you have issues with food allergies or intolerances. I am allergic to sulphur dioxide, often used to preserve dried fruits with. Trader Joe's products are clearly marked with the allergens so I don't have to hunt through the whole ingredient list to figure out if I may be allergic to something or not.

Here's a list of my favorite Trader Joes products, in no particular order. If you try a product you don't like from Trader Joes, they will gladly take it back, no questions asked. So your purchases are essentially risk free. A nice way to try new things without having to worry about wasting money on something you may not like. That said, you wont need to return any of the items on my list! I recommend the following without reservation:

Emergency Surgery!

A few nights ago, one of my biggest fears came true: that I would have to have surgery. After I had my wisdom teeth pulled in '07 and fell sick with POTS, I hoped to never go through another surgery, especially not an emergency one! My stomach has been bothering me big time since a few weeks before Christmas but I figured it was just from finishing up a round of antibiotics for a sinus infection mid-December. The doctor agreed that the antibiotics had simply gotten rid of all the good bacteria in my gut and put me on prilosec and probiotics (neither of which seemed to help at all).

After about a month of eating mild foods and still feeling awful, Thursday morning it got to the point where I couldn't eat or drink anything so I went to Urgent Care where the doctor poked around my stomach and sent me to the hospital for a CT scan of my appendix. The ER doc however, was skeptical of my appendix and thought it might be my gallbladder instead so they did a bunch of bloodwork, an ultrasound of my insides, then an x-ray, and last but not least the CT scan which revealed the problem: my appendix was inflamed and had a stone called a fecolith inside of it.

This actually came as quite a surprise to me because after 7 hours of tests and no food and drink in the ER, a nurse, (the same nurse who told me I had anxiety this summer after my blood pressure was 190/130 from the birth control pill) came in and told me that all my tests looked great but my heart rate was a little high so the doctor would probably come in to talk to me about possible anxiety (she obviously doesn't have a clue about what dysautonomia is!) So boy was I surprised when the doctor came in ten minutes later and told me that he was very concerned about my CT scan and that they needed to operate on my appendix that night and the surgeon would be arriving shortly. My first question was, "Are you kidding? The nurse just told me it was just anxiety!" And then I promptly started crying like a baby and confessed that I was so afraid of surgery because I had been sick ever since having my wisdom teeth pulled.

They did a bit more bloodwork and then whisked me off to meet with my surgeon who seemed very caring and competent. He knew a bit about EDS and realized that he would have to take extra precautions and that the incisions might not heal as quickly as they would in a typical patient. He and the anesthesiologist also asked about my autonomic dysfunction before the procedure. The anesthesiologist joked that she was more nervous than I was so maybe she should knock herself out instead! When I woke up in the OR my abdomen ached a bit but it was my throat that was really burning from the breathing tube they had inserted during the surgery and I was coughing and coughing. Apparently the anesthesiologist didn't give me very much of the drug that dries up secretions because it would have also elevated my heart rate so I was left with a lot of extra phlegm. They gave me three shots of fentanyl before taking me up to my room. Once I got into my bed I felt a little better until I threw up clear liquid all over everyone and all over myself. But my stomach felt way better after that!

My nurses were all very nice and caring and the first nurse I had was especially nice. I received a ton of IV fluids before and after the procedure and a few shots of morphine which didn't help very much and made me feel terrible. The morphine made me hot all over and made my shoulders and joints ache so I didn't take any more of it. I had one vicodin after that and it made me sleepy but didn't take away the pain either. I slept less than an hour total in the hospital after my surgery because of the pain.

Since I've been home I've slept a total of twelve hours though! My body had to catch up on its sleep deficit I guess. I have taken two tylenol since I've been home and think I will be able to get by with the pain okay on just the tylenol. They joked around in the hospital that I must have a pretty high pain tolerance to put up with appendicitis for that long before coming in.

I counted up all the different drugs they gave me in the ER, OR and in my room and added up a total of 12 that I know of. I am a person who hardly takes any pills because I am either allergic to or sensitive to just about everything. Here is the list of things they gave me and their purposes:

-IV Saline for dehyration
-IV Potassium for low blood potassium levels
-IV Protronics for upset stomach
-Oral GI cocktail for upset stomach
-IV Contrast Dye to see appendix in CT Scan
-IV Flagyl antibiotic as a pre-surgery precaution
-IV Fentanyl for immediate post-surgery pain
-IV Morphine for pain during and after surgery
-IV Anxiety right before getting wheeled into OR
-IV drug to dry up secretions before surgery
-General Anesthesia
-Oral Vicodin for pain

So far that's all I am aware of them giving me. I may have received more drugs during surgery that I wasn't aware of but when I get my medical records back for this I will find out.

I am so glad to be back home again. They warned me that the recovery may be slow and painful and to try my best to keep hydrated and keep eating, breathe deep and walk around a little every now and then to keep from getting things like pneumonia during recovery.

They performed the surgery laproscopically so I have three small incisions in my abdomen and they did not use stitches or staples but rather dermabond glue and I am expected to heal normally. I had some bruising the second day but he said that was normal. My abdomen really only hurts badly if I move around or walk. I am supposed to hold a pillow against it for now.

I am really not thrilled that I had to have surgery but I am very lucky that it hadn't ruptured yet or things would be much worse right now. I am lucky that my surgical team was fairly competent and didn't dismiss my existing health issues, in fact they seemed to take them very seriously. I am lucky I had a support system there to help me through it and a nice team of nurses. And I am certainly glad I listened to my body and went to the doctor when I did! For over a month I tried to tough it out at home but doing that any longer would have been a big mistake!

As I go through the recovery process, I hope to get stronger and stronger. What are your experiences with surgery and recovery? How long did it take you to recover? If you have any tips or advice to share it would be much appreciated!