On August 10th 2014 I came in from haying with a sore throat and very red red eyes. We believed I was suffering allergies due to the extreme ragweed this season. The next morning I lost my voice for two days. I saw my local physician whom gave me an antibiotic and referred me to an ear, nose & throat doctor. I had been doctoring some for soreness in my wrists which was diagnosed as hyperextended. The ear nose and throat doctor told me to see my eye doctor. I saw my optician whom on learning I was a vet; told us to see the VA hospital's opthamologist. We could not get an appointment for six weeks. Meanwhile, on August 21st my foot became completely numb whereas I could barely walk on it. The pain was extreme in the form of burning and stinging. I began taking large doses of ibprophen for the pain. Nothing touched it. I lost sleep. I lost my appetite. I went to the emergency room for an x-ray thinking I had sprained it or something worse. The x-ray was clear. Within a week I went into the VA for another x-ray. The vet doctor said there were some hairline fractures. He would not give me anything for the pain. Remember, my eyes are bloody red; and we think it is an eye infection. We got into a local opthamologist referred to us by the first emergency room visit. He diagnosed it as iridis. Meanwhile I had developed a huge cold sore on my mouth. The opthamologist also gave me a strong prescription to clear this up. The first emergency room doc also gave me a prescription for the cough I have always had. Do note that early this year I had an lung x-ray that showed my lungs to be clear. So again we think the cough is due to allergies and the work I do haying and mowing. I am not eating. I am staying off my foot which is killing me. I am weak. We make a decision to try one more emergency room to try and get a pain pill for the foot pain. I cannot bring my foot back toward my shin. We later learn this is peripheral neurapathy and it was my major symptom to renal failure. The third emergency room hospital gives me a pain prescription of hydrocodone/aceteminaphin and refers us to the sports medicine doctor. We miraculously get in to see him the next day. He looks at me and says readily that this dropped foot has absolutely nothing to do with a broken or sprained foot. He believes I have had a stroke and sends me into the emergency room for tests. These test determine my heart and lungs are very healthy; but I only have 7% kidney function and need immediate dialysis. After an ambulance ride to the nearest kidney dialysis hospital we are told I have Wegeners disease. This was determined through a kidney biopsy. I have been getting dialysis now for six months. I originally had a port into my neck. That was exchanged out for one in my chest. That had to be surgically moved over after six weeks because, it too, was not allowing my blood to clean well. Then I undergo a temporary tubular graft fistula. The idea is to remove the chest port a.s.a.p. Then once the temporary fistula in my left arm is working well; a permanent fistula in my right arm can be put in and allowed the two month maturation. But the temporary tubular graft keeps clogging up. The surgeon opens it twice more going way up under my arm pit and into my neck and chest area. It is extremely painful. It too clogs up. We ask for a new doctor. April 3rd we see a private practice surgeon for an mri to determine what to do next. Six months of dialysis without a good clean reading. I am so depressed and tired of all of this. Prior to last August I was physically working in a grain mill and ranching. I have always been known for my physical strength in working and sports. I cannot continue like this. It is truly killing my spirit. I am so use to being so physically capable and active. I don't know how to cope with this crippled me. The peripheral neuropathy in my right leg makes walking difficult without my brace. I am not in a good place.
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