Tuesday, June 24, 2008

He's Home from the Hospital

He's feeling 'mostly better'. He had not asked for any pain relief in about 48 hours, and the last scope (the super-fun scope of the lower intestine) came back 'clear'. So, he's home. If the pain comes back there are some other tests they can do - but, as of right now, they are diagnosing this a "viral". (Complicated by the start of two ulcers which they are now treating with Prilosec and will treat with antibiotics if the biopsy of the ulcers comes back as positive for something called H. Pillori (sp?). They have also diagnosed him with IBS, but, I guess they think there was something viral involved to make this awful pain last for two weeks and be so severe.)

I am so very relieved that the tests for many of the very, very awful things came back as negative. We are actually still waiting on a test for e.coli and a test for something called Acute Intermittent Prophyia, which I found on the Internet by googling "acute abdominal pain" and "nausea" and "hot bath". (Husband kept saying the only place he felt better was in a really hot bath, which, if you know Husband, you know is CRAZY TALK for him. That's why I googled it.) Evidently, they are only testing because I asked about it (well, and the GI doc said "it's not an insane idea, only extremely unlikely.") But, basically, they are only testing because I asked about it, I suspect that there are probably notes all over his file that say, "wife is insane and paranoid and a LAWYER." Doctors hate a paranoid attorney, right?)

I am just hoping and praying that he is getting over what ever awful thing this was. He was so sick, and it was very, very scary.

Nothing in my life has felt normal for two weeks. There are so many things I don't know how to take care of - the pool, the lawn, myself (I think I put food in my mouth mostly only if my mom or aunt or grandmother put it in front of me and said, "eat this.") (I did, at my mother's direction, drive to the Thai takeout place and pickup Pad Thai for us, but, it was under her marching orders, you know?). I couldn't even figure out how to make coffee in the coffee pot I bought Husband for Father's Day LAST YEAR. (The man has made coffee for me every morning for 13 years...and the absence of that bit of normalcy really hit me hard, and deeply. I don't know why, but, with so many things not feeling right or normal, the fact that I didn't have coffee, not just coffee, but, HUSBAND'S coffee, made by HIM, for US, made me despondent. Does that make sense?)

Anyway, Husband is home, the kids are back (my brothers and sisters took them camping in Indiana, thank you very very much, life-saving brothers and sisters), and I'm hoping for an uneventful week.

LM

15 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh I'm so glad he's home. And that it wasn't any of the many awful things it could have been. But dang a real diagnosis would have been nice. And I sure wish I were an attorney so I could make doctors do tests... :-)
Praying that all will truly return to normal now.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 10:41:00 AM  
Blogger KelleyO said...

Oh I am so relieved! Big hugs to you!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:02:00 AM  
Blogger La Turista said...

That's great news - here's to a speedy recovery, for everyone!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:41:00 AM  
Blogger niobe said...

Phew.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 12:23:00 PM  
Blogger thecurryseven said...

I'm so glad he's home and doing better. I completely understand about the coffee. My dh has also made the coffee for us nearly every morning and about half the time brings it to me in bed. I hope life can return to normalcy now...though after a scare like that I'm sure normal will look a little different. I hope he continues to improve.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 1:59:00 PM  
Blogger mam said...

Whew. What a relief. I hope you all get some good rest together.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 2:07:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm glad he's home. I got a salad at a restaurant yesterday and it had tomatoes on it. I thought of the pain your husband was in, and even though you said it wasn't salmonella, the thought of what he was going through made me decide not to eat them.

I hope he comes to a full recovery very quickly.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 3:15:00 PM  
Blogger kate said...

I'm very glad he's better! Hope you can get a real diagnosis...and take some time to relax, if you can.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 3:41:00 PM  
Blogger Terynn said...

SO glad your husband is home. Praying for B O R E D O M this week (and husband's coffee).

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 7:47:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

OMG I totally burst into tears over the coffee bit. I guess I really get it. I am so glad he's home and that your security blanket and normalcy will be returning. Sniff.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 10:08:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm glad he's home and feeling better. I hope they are right about the viral thing so that it will just go away and leave you all alone. You need some time AWAY from the hospital -- a long, long time.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 10:31:00 PM  
Blogger Laura said...

I'm so glad he is home and is doing well. I'm sorry your life was turned upside down and hope things get back to normal very, very soon.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008 1:17:00 AM  
Blogger maxhelcal said...

What a relief that he's okay. I do wonder if you'll ever know what the cause was though.

Gretchen, I can so identify with you about the coffee and the house and everything. I am quite an independent person actually but have somehow allowed myself to become dependant with my husband. I realized this a lot when he was working (and living) out of state for 4 months before we actually moved. I felt lost without him and I started thinking about what if something ever happened to him. It was so strange to be taking care of everything....BUT, I did it and it worked out. I still prefer to be taken care of but it was nice to know I could still handle things if I have to.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008 11:01:00 AM  
Blogger Melissia said...

I am so glad your husband is home. Please tell him he is not alone with the hot bath to relieve the pain and nausea. Water is called nature's epidural and when I was ill with my gallbladder, even before I knew I was ill, for months every night I found myself getting in and out of very hot tubs of hot water all night long. It was crazy, as I wasn't even sure why I was doing it, as I have a very high pain tolerance, so no pain, just nausea. The heat blocks nerve receptors limiting pain, so the attraction.
Again, just so pleased he is doing so much beter!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008 1:36:00 PM  
Blogger Jo said...

So glad to hear he is home. I think milk the crazy wife/attorney card for all you can!!!!!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008 9:12:00 PM  

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