So it was very interesting at the ER yesterday.
Crunchy Husband is the best person to have with you. He is very capable and takes on everything and is so great at knowing just when I need him to speak for me or that I need something. This is why I love the guy.
This is despite the fact that he never wants to see the inside of a hospital again...he has had his fill between his dad and his mom's ongoing illnesses.
We were quiet when we felt like it and we chit chatted and joked around when we felt like that. He made the time go by as nicely as possible. Despite he too being exhausted and frightened. It didn't help that our doc sounded like David Caruso on CSI Miami.
How terrifying to find your wife on the bathroom floor moaning and crying (naked), soaked in sweat and having difficulty breathing. He did what any sane man would do..called my mom. But not before getting me a cold cloth and a towel and help clean me up. All in a calming soothing tone.
So when it became clear that the doctors were a bit mystified by my symptoms we were both fascinated to see what would happen next. What did they do? Pass me onto another doctor....one we were told, was a 'internal medicine' specialist.
He casually dropped in the conversation that he was actually an 'Oncologist'....we all know what that is. Both of us at once knew that they had all been treading verrry carefully around us about what they THOUGHT I might have. Nobody was going to say the "C" word.
What actually did my darling husband in was the mention of a 'hear murmur'...a very faint one. His dad had a quadruple bypass. I watched his face crumple at the mention and could see his pain and worry written all over his face.
It actually didn't surprise me, my old doc had always said I had a funny hiccup in my blood pressure and that was what it was ..this little murmur. No biggie. My mom has one too.
But it was just one more worry for my husband.
I could feel his fierce love for me right there. It was like a warm blanket wrapped around my soul.
The fear of the bad reminded us of all the good. We fight. We bicker. We have good times and bad times. We have ongoing issues....but we love one another. We have loved one another since pretty much the moment we met. Nobody knows or will ever know how close a bond the two of us have. Nobody can feel what we feel. They only see the surface stuff. We will always be together...no matter what.
Anyway....back to the murmur. The only thing the murmur did was push the doctors more toward this one diagnosis. This Carcinoid Syndrome which appears to be a non fatal tumour that has different affects depending where it settles (or where they settle) as it gives out some sort of hormone. They think my symptoms point to this.
We are still skeptical, but are happy to have all the tests in the world to figure it out.
We still think it is more to do with the Welbutrin...which can have bizarre side effects.
Today is back to the real world. Errands to run, chores to do. Children who didn't want to show they were worried to be comforted. Caity is a funny thing. Oh and I have to save all my pee for the next 24 hours in a jug to be kept in the fridge. Beside the dead fish that has yet to be buried.
My life is weird.
Oh and terrified mom to comfort. My mom who has held back and kept away apart from leaping in to help us with the kids. I can only imagine how scared she is. She will get a big hug today.
So the good from the bad? I guess the reminder of how precious we are to each other. To remember to always show how much we care. To remember why we all love each other.
Think of all the good.
19 comments:
Ain't it the truth? I just wish it didn't take illnesses to remind us to be loving to each other.
I hope you're feeling better.
that was beautiful Crunchie
very worried about you K! I have to admit when you mentioned carcinoid syndrome the CARCIN in it freaked me right out.....that C word is scary stuff! Sure hoping that it's the Wellbutrin that is causing this and nothing more serious! Did your doc have you stop taking it while you're collecting your 24 hour urine sample? There's a list of foods and drugs you have to avoid while collecting....they include:
bananas, pineapple and its juice, red plums, avocado, walnuts, kiwi fruit, tomatoes,cough medicines, muscle-relaxants, acetaminophen, caffeine (ACK! no tea for you!), fluorouracil, iodine solutions, phenacetin, MAO inhibitors (certain anti-depressant drugs), isoniazid, and phenothiazine drugs (Compazine, Thorazine)
keep us updated! good luck!
L..see that is the weird thing..I was given NO instructions about NOT taking anything....just about the 'gathering and containment' of the 'specimen'...they didn't say anything about things to NOT take!
Plus one of the test I am supposed to drink one of those dye things and nothing was given to me about that either!
So yeah...I am not taking the wellbutrin..but I am drinking my bloody coffee and so on and they will have to deal with that.
Oh and it would be good if nurses actually talked to one another.
One nurse phoned the lab for info..i could hear her asking about storage.....the other nurse who gave me the stuff did not know abou this call and went with the written instructions....which told a different story....
Sigh.
Our medical system.
Peace and here's hoping you will feel better.
Sorry about the last couple of days with you, and hope some rest has rstored some balance. About western medicine: they don't know all the answers either, so keep asking whatever it is you want to know and if you arrive at the point where they admit they don't know...well, then, at least you're all in this together.
I will say my food allergies did much the same to me ten years ago, and I regretfully left the nightshades behind. May it be something so benign, yet annoying, for you. My SO is a cancer researcher, so I'll pick that little brain as well, if it would help as things develop. If the "c" word it too much, I won't say anything more!
Cronz....yeah the funniest part was the doc asking why I was on Wellbutrin. I explained that the other types of common antideppresants did nothing to make you normal but deaden ALL emotion and I did not want that. He looks at me and says 'So it was your idea and not the doctors?'
'Yep.' I said. My choice.
He was very quiet after that.
They must hate the internet when we are reading all this shit.
But please pic brains..I would be interested to hear all.
I now recall that I have been sick 3 times with this thing...
Right before Christmas I came home from a party and upchucked for NO reason at all.
I don't upchuck.
I will keep everyone posted on the 'tests'!
Fun stuff I am sure!
And yeah, now that the inlaws are out of my house..I can rest!
I'm so sorry. I hope you are feeling much better. One thing is for sure you have a great attitude and that helps a lot.
oh...wow. how terrifying. and how wonderful to be supported, but my god, how terrifying.
keep us posted, you.
Everyone has a different love language: gifts, words, acts of service. But I'd take a facial expression like that one any day - it says it all.
well honey thank goodness for the hubby, huh? i am so glad you have him. my thoughts have been with you all day and i am sorry i got here so late. long story.... sorry anyway. hugs and prayers, bee
It is always when the fear of losing a loved one arises that we come to the realization of how just how much their presence means to us.
We know that we love them. Even when we fight and argue...
It is the presence of him/her that we take for granted.
It is why we always feel justified in holding on to our little Grievances.
After all, there is always tomorrow...
And that is why illness brings us together and makes us realize what is truly important.
This moment, right now.
When you cherish the moment you have right now, you cherish everything that is a part of it.
And that is as important as love.
Keep us posted?
Get well.
Scarey Kerry...I do hope that what ever it is that is making you feel so crappy is able to be turned around. My best to you doll.
Oh dear sorry your having a worrying time at the mo! and your mom had to look after the kids for all the wrong reasons(referring to previous post,lol).
could it be side effects of the wellbrutin? maybe thats why doc was asking?
Hope your feeling better soon.
Cheers
Claire
Keeripes, Kerry. What a scare!
I hope it's just the Wellbutrin. Get yourself on the mend soon. I'll be thinking about you.
Peace,
Jo
I'm so sorry that I've been distracted with my own problems that I didn't even know this was going on.
Love and prayers go out to you. It seems both our hubbies are wonderful men.
Oh, sweet friend! I'm so sorry you've gone through this! Hope they find all the answers soon so you can get back to normal ... but with that newly enforced recognition of what is precious and rare!
I've been missing your blog! Didn't know about the name change & thought you were having some kind of technical glitches. Dirk put me right after I postd a distress call on my blog, lol! I'm going to go change my link right now!
Yes, do keep us posted Crunchy - SO glad to hear that you're feeling better!
I'm glad you are doing alright. Just remember when you take your sample to make sure you dont take in the dead fish. they may panic if they think you are peeing dead fish.
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