Bunn’s Prairie

Hmmm. I’m not sure slow and steady wins the race if it takes the tortoise a half hour just to put one shoe on. Then again, as I’m sitting here typing a blog, and just returned from a fantastic production of “Hairspray” at the Orpheum Theater…I guess I really DID win!

Today was a crawl. Every little “up and at ‘em” activity somehow lead me right back to the couch. I’d swear it has some sort of magnetic attraction! I took it hour by hour, cracker by cracker this afternoon. I knew that if I wanted to have a fighting chance to make it to the show tonight, I needed to get some calories in. My energy-o-meter was flashing EMPTY at me. Luckily, starting with a little juice and water to rehydrate, followed by some all-so-familiar RitzBitz crackers seemed to be okay with my stomach. I still haven’t eaten much, but I’m going to keep trying.

I wish I knew why I got so sick this time around. I am so glad Andy went to the Neurologist with me — I’ve been quizzing him about the little pieces I don’t remember. I do know that I would up with an appointment at a MAPS clinic for next week…but don’t remember that at all. I found it in my appointment book later today. ??? My Dad goes to one for pain in his hands, so I’m assuming it is to help with managing the headaches.

Ugghh…nausea is back….and his friend “Seeing-dinner-again” is right at his heels. I better be off.

This morning is a wee bit better. So far, I have kept some juice down and half a piece of toast — best yet since Monday night. Don’t really know the culprit, but it hasn’t been much fun. I’m still rather nauseous and pretty groggy, so this is going to be short. So far, no emergency room. I’m still trying with every “super fiber” in my body. We’ll see how it goes.

Kaley made it to her neurology appointment on Tuesday, unfortunately it was scheduled for 10am as that was the soonest they could see her. That appointment was followed up by an OB-GYN appointment for her first follow up since her LEAP procedure in February. I took some time off from work to make sure she got to these appointments, as I think they are important (obviously), unfortunately she couldn’t get a taxi ride home in a reasonable time and I ended up getting a call from a very upset Kaley in the late afternoon. By the time I got her home, she was in the throws of one of her nausea episodes and all I could do was treat the symptoms. She’ s been going on like that since, although it seems like it’s getting a little better (I’ve been giving her less meds and still getting the same effect).

The appointments went well, at least.  Her OB-GYN thought things looked good (although we won’t know for sure until until the pap results come back.  The neurologist prescribed a preventative med that should help with the migraines.   We’ll see if Kaley gets hit by the side effects.  If  she dos there’s  a second med we can try.

Anyhoo, if Kaley doesn’t pop out of this by the morning, I’m going to bring her in.  She needs fluids if nothing else.  We’ll see how this effects the rest of the week and weekend.

I’m afraid I have not left my faithful readers with much to read this past week. In a nutshell, (as I may have mentioned to you), I have been feeling a little fragile. Add in two more “Fs” with fear and frustration, and I simply have not been able to both live life and have a chance to retell the tale at the same time. When it seems as though the world is spinning faster than I can make sense of, I hide. As an adult, I’ve learned to recognize my retreat as my own personal “survival” tactic.

Gosh darn it anyway.

It’s almost May, and I’ve decided it just isn’t seasonal to hide in my igloo any more. Throughout the last week — and with a solid weekend, I’m beginning to feel a bit more sure-footed.

The headaches are still crashing in and out, but their intensity has been more tide-like, versus Tsunami-ish. Honestly, maybe I’m just “getting used to them”. Might be a bit like the nausea in that as long as a rhythmic pattern develops, I can learn how to adapt. I still cannot say that this is a known entity, but at long last, the Neurological specialist will have a go at my noggin on Tuesday. I think I’ve staved off spontaneous combustion on my own quite successfully, but it’s simply time to know what is going on “upstairs”.

Of course, (though I may fancy that the ENTIRE medical world revolves around me), it just wouldn’t be a quality weekend without a brief stop at the Emergency Room. Andy had developed pain along the front of his right calf muscles in December (committing valiant, heroic acts of romance around the city for our anniversary…). I guess, it was pretty intense at the time, but seemed to heal itself. Today, he went for his first “outdoor” run of the season, but even with warm-up time, stretching, and a training program of mostly walking, the pain halted his workout early. It has nagged at him throughout the evening, and “since we were in the neighborhood”, we both thought an x-ray was in order. In that respect, the “snapshots” were A-Okay. No stress-fracture is apparent. As Andy thought, shin splints are the probable culprit. He was given some information on area-specific stretches, and has a referral to a sports medicine facility. From what I’ve learned, “shin splints” is another broad-umbrella phrase, and encompasses several types of injury to the muscles of the Tibia. I always LOVE terms like that — descriptions of symptoms - NOT a diagnosis. Maybe it’s just me, but I can sure as heck describe my symptoms myself. I’d rather have a term that qualifies as a diagnosis and can tell we WHY I have these symptoms and HOW they can be “fixed”. Hmmppphhh.

Lookey-that. I’m all up in arms on Andy’s behalf. I’m much more used to being the patient, and don’t make a “patient” family member at all. Guess it doesn’t take long before the “good cop” “bad cop” roles are reversed, does it? Hee.

IB-profin and ice should help for now, and applying heat is recommended to help with future exercise. From knowing of my Dad’s experience of work-related injury over the years, I’m betting the sport-med folks will prescribe some molded orthodics for his shoes. In my opinion (yeah I know — it’s really not worth a lot), a new pair of running shoes is in order, as well!! At least, at the “end of the day”, we both feel as though we had a nice “date” tonight. The movie we saw at the Mpls/StPaul Film Festival was fabulous. It’s not unusual for us to stop at the baseball game on our way to the ER, now is it? Andy didn’t even get a brat delivered to him, poor boy!

Andy’s sleeping, the kitties are quiet, and I should call it a wrap, as well. Glad to get a message posted. As the beloved Green Been Queen mentioned once, I have an easy time writing about everything except what I really need to write about. I think those green beens make her smart. I have been a bit shaky since the initial neural incident happened last month. My protective shield has been up, and I’ve had that continual fear that everything around me is about to shatter. If the brain shuts down, so does the body, and my spirit’s going to be left in the rubble wondering what just happened. Luckily, a lot of love and many, many prayers offered in my name have reminded me that my soul doesn’t have to worry. Faith will show it the way.

Glad to end the week on a positive note.

If I’d been dreaming of a “B & B experience” tonight, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t of the “Bucket and Bathroom” variety.

Mom says she thinks I have developed a whole new level of bathroom humor. I think I should feel proud.

Tonight has not been overly unusual…just overly unpleasant. Don’t worry, I’ll avoid asking anyone to “pull my finger”. I should probably just go to bed.

Will attempt a more news-worthy post after my day of appts. tomorrow.