Although weak, nauseous, and still in a lot of pain, I had defeated -diff. Now I could start rebuilding my health with vitamins, exercise, and seeing my doctor for advice. It felt wonderful to have hope that I could eventually get back to really living, not just existing in bed or on my couch. Then my first hurdle to my way back presented itself. For several years my gynecologist had been keeping tabs on a cyst on my right ovary. It was small and was diagnosed as non-cancerous; however, it had to be watched carefully, especially since my mother had died of ovarian cancer. I periodically had scans to make sure that there had been no significant growth, and now that I had beaten c-diff, I managed to get to the diagnostic center to get an up-to-date scan. The news was shocking! The cyst was growing at a fast rate and had to be surgically removed immediately. Though I wasn't in good shape for surgery and was concerned about the need for antibiotics, I had no choice. My right ovary and the cyst were both removed without any problems--other than I had a bad reaction to the anesthesia and caused the staff to be afraid they were losing me. The cyst was non-malignant, and I didn't need antibiotics so I went home to recover and continue my journey toward better health. I wish I could say that the journey was easy, but the c-diff had caused me to be so rundown that it was an up and down battle. I tried to walk by holding onto the walls of rooms but I would soon tire. However, I wouldn't give up as I had won the main battle and Jesus gave me added strength. My strength might fail but not His. I got strong enough to make it to church a couple of times where I received a warm welcome. I received physical therapy which helped on the days that I was well enough to keep my appointment. There were times I still suffered from dehydration and would have to go to the hospital.
I purchased a pedal cycle so that I could sit on the sofa in the family room, watch television, and exercise my legs. This seemed to help a lot until I did something dumb. I tripped over the cycle and fell into it, plunging a pedal into my right side and then continued falling into doggie stairs for our two older dogs that my husband had made so they could climb onto the sofa. I broke one rib, bruised several others (had a nine inch round bruise) and a side that was throbbing. I was on strong pain killers for several weeks which totally messed up my already messed up digestive system. Nearly everyone who has c-diff, continues to have a messed up stomach for months or years afterward--they also have IBS. I was discouraged and depressed but God sent someone special to help me through the bad times that were ahead. Our church had a new pastor--Harriet Hutton--and she visited me several times, reminding me of God's love and praying for me. I instantly felt connected to this woman of God and thanked my Lord and Savior for sending me this angel.
A few months later I woke up extremely sick and running a high fever. I didn't even argue when my husband said we had to get to the hospital, because I knew something was really wrong. As it turned out I had severe diverticulitis so was admitted for treatment. After the tests were completed, a surgeon came into my room and repeated the diverticulitis diagnosis but also added that I had a tumor and c-diff. All I heard were the words c-diff...nothing else registered, and I felt like I had entered into a darkness that was trapping me forever. The c-diff reoccurred because I had been given powerful antibiotics to fight the diverticulitis, something I had to have to save my life. I was put in isolation and kept in the hospital for two weeks, being told I needed surgery to remove part of my colon and the tumor. To prepare for the surgery, a picc line was inserted into my arm. The picc line caused a blood clot for which I had to be on blood thinner for several months. The good news is that the diverticulitis healed without surgery and the tumor turned out to be a shadow on the film. I want to mention that while I was in isolation, Pastor Harriet visited me, wearing a gown, mask, gloves and whatever else the hospital required for visitors. It was lonely in this room, although my husband was by my side at all times, but for Pastor Harriet to visit me was something I would always remember. Anyway, it was back home where I would begin my second battle with c-diff.
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