Crazy week

This week is crazy busy, but is starting off on the right foot. Yesterday, I made it to church (always a toss-up), Purdue won, and some friends from small group dropped by with some yummy meals for us! Tonight, the board meeting for my school district voted on the $15 million in cuts. It is hard to fathom how much this will affect the district, and I'd heard they could eliminate teachers as high as 4th year seniority, which would include me. Granted, I'm not working right now, but I am considered "employed" and my job is being held until next March. Losing my job would have been devastating to our finances, but at this point it looks like I should be safe. God has heard our prayers, literally cries for help, and has chosen to answer them. I also have not needed the percocet last night or tonight, a big relief as I don't like taking pain meds when I don't know what's wrong.
Tomorrow, Scott's mom and I will head up to their camp for the night, then leave at 5AM Wednesday for Cleveland. As of right now, I only have a consultation with the gastric motility doctor but he may order tests yet.
Thursday I'm sure I will be on the couch recuperating from the trip, as I do after each trip to CC (movie day for the kids, they will be SO happy!), and Friday is the BEST!
FRIDAY: I see the endocrinologist, Scott's younger sister, Amanda and boyfriend Eddie will be in town for the day from DC, so we will get to see them most of the day, PLUS Scott's older sister and fam; also, I get to babysit for my four nephews for two hours (don't worry, two will be sleeping while the older kids watch a movie in their jammies). Whew! Like I said, crazy week, but full of some great things!

Whoops!

I called what I thought was the new dr at CC this morning and spoke to his nurse, who told me she would need to talk to him and call me back. Several hours later, she called me and told me that he was not the doctor I was supposed to see in a few weeks, that somehow I was transferred to the wrong doctor back in February when the appointment was made. Whoops! She was able to help me get transferred to the appointment scheduler for the correct doctor, who informed me the first available appointment was May 2. When I explained my situation to her, she was great and transferred me to the new/correct doctor's nurse who was appalled to hear that I was previously on lidocaine to numb my stomach so I could eat/drink and now was on percocet to eat/drink. She could not get me in to see him during my April 5/6 visit, but I now have an appointment for next Wednesday. In the meantime, I will just have to bear the pain as much as possible and take the percocet when I absolutely have to. The pain today has been worse and I finally took my first dose of percocet. It must be a low dose (or I have a high tolerance) because it only made me a little sleepy and I coped pretty well. It also didn't take the pain away completely, but enough that I can function. It's not an ideal situation, but at least he can see me sooner rather than later. Now I just need to find a fax machine so I can fax him my medical records. He wants to review them before I get there, so he can order tests, etc ahead of time, which I think is just wonderful! So if anyone has a fax machine handy, please let me know! Thanks!

Out of the ER, off to the Dr

After Ry's kindergarten round-up, my MIL dropped me off at the ER like my doctor requested. I was pretty sure nothing would come of the trip, but I went anyway. While I was there, the pain shot up to a 10 out of 10 after drinking some water to take one of my meds. They gave me two shots of strong pain meds (don't remember the name) and zofran, but they didn't help at all, at which point I asked them to call my dad (Scott was home with the kids, so I knew he couldn't come). By that point, I was in so much pain I was crying and shaking (ladies, imagine the pain of labor, without the contractions ever easing up). They did a CT scan, which came back fine so they released me after giving me a shot of benedryl and Demerol. I had an allergic reaction to the Demerol, so I took more benedryl when I got home, so I was pretty loopy! They also sent me home with a script for percocet, which I filled but haven't taken yet. I just find it hard to take percocet just to eat/drink so I am trying to do without. I DO need to eat and drink in order to take my heart meds, though, so we will see how the day progresses. I am following up with my internist, Dr. Agnihotri, today at 1:15 and I have no idea what he will say. He's already ordered and completed several tests, so I'm not sure what is left to do. On top of all of that, Ryan is home today with reactions from his immunizations yesterday, and Scott has his interview this afternoon so my mom is taking a half-day off of work to help us out, then Scott's mom is taking over in the evening. What a blessing to have family in town! Please pray for all of us today.

Heading to the ER

I talked to the gastro dr. at Cleveland Clinic that I will be seeing in a few weeks (he personally called me back, when does that ever happen??) and he wants me to go to the ER. So, that is where I will be heading, after I take Ryan to kindergarten round-up. Priorities, right? Besides, my stomach isn't that bad right now, since I haven't had anything to eat or drink in 3 hours. I figure, I will take him, then eat a little so I can take my meds, then be nice and in pain by the time I arrive at the hospital. I'm dragging my feet as I don't think anything will come of the trip, but I will be a good, obedient patient (this time!). I'll update later...

Spring Break/Anniversary/Update

Sorry for the long delay in posts, but last week was a blissful week of having Scott home all week, wonderful weather, and our 9th anniversary! It was so great to have him home and actually get to spend time as a four-some.
I'd planned on writing a long blog about all of the wonderful things we did together last week, but I am in so much pain right now that I can't really remember what we did last week. The extreme stomach pain that happens when I eat or drink anything (including water) came back yesterday. I thought I was just not feeling well due to a migraine Sunday night, but I realized last night that the pain only came after eating and it is continuing today. Once again, I feel pretty good until I eat or drink anything, then I am doubled over in pain. Please, God, take this pain away.
Please pray for Scott as he searches for a summer internship. He has an interview tomorrow in Van Wert, and has applied for a few here in town as well. Obviously, we would prefer one here, but we will be thankful for any he can get, especially if it helps lead to a job when he graduates. Thanks.

Mr. Sandman

Thank you all for your words of encouragement and prayers. I am doing better emotionally overall, and my stomach is much better now (miraculously, no one else in the family got sick, praise God!). The problems sleeping have gotten worse over the last month, to the point where the Ambien does nothing. I sleep about 3-4 hours each night, but Scott says I toss and turn even in my sleep so I don't know that I am getting any quality sleep. I am seeing the neurologist today and hopefully she will be able to help me out with that. This week it has been so bad I can barely take care of the kids, but they are so compassionate and willing to help. God has truly blessed us with great kids.

Today is the one-year anniversary of being sick. It is fitting, I suppose, that it's been a pretty lousy day all the way around. It's very isolating to be in a sitauation like this; even when people try to understand, how can I possibly put into words all that I think and feel and what exactly this is like?? There's no way to tell someone what it is like to not be able to tuck your kids in for an entire year, or be a loving and helpful wife, or not be able to go to work, or not be able to make solid plans to volunteer or go somewhere or do something because you don't know how you will feel that day. How do you describe what it is like to lay on the couch most days and feel like you have absolutely no purpose in life right now? It stinks, that's how it feels.