Sunday, June 03, 2007

God, what are you thinking?

This is one of those times when my patience is tested. I think as a family we've been through quite a lot in the past few years. But, no, there's still more. Dear Husband has recurrent sinus infections, which landed him at the ENT. The ENT found polyps and a deviated septum, but he also referred Dear Husband to an immunologist, because he has stopped responding to oral antibiotics. The immunologist took 6 vials of blood and ran every test imaginable.

The upshot is that Dear Husband has some sort of auto-immune disease, the exact nature of which is still to be determined. He's not making enough IGg or some such. The treatment for this is monthly IVs of gammaglobulin or whatever the stuff is.

He also has celiac disease. We've been kind of wondering about that possibility for a while, and his primary care doctor had a test run that came up negative. The immunologist, however, found several indicators (anemia and other nutritional deficits, IBS, lactose intolerance and other measures)and said the best indicator of all is how Dear Husband feels when he eats wheat.

Could life get any more complicated? Our family looks like this:

Me:
ductal carcinoma in situ, mastectomy and reconstruction, possible tamoxifin therapy for 5 years.
bipolar II

Firecracker:
Hypothyroidism
Epilepsy
Asthma
Reflux
learning delays

Dear Husband:
Interstitial Cystitis
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Primary immunodeficiency
Celiac disease

The only healthy person in this family is DramaQueen.

But, hey, I found out that Outback has a gluten-free menu, and we have a gift card. I guess some provision has been made.

So, God, enough already.

Oh, did I mention that having primary immunodeficiency completely destroys Dear Husband's dreams of becoming a nurse, a career he has set his sights on for the past few years?

18 comments:

  1. chin up. Keep on smiling, the end will be better than the road that gets you there. You have had some serious trauma's, as have your family. Inside you have the strength to move forward. Believe me, I know, I have been there too.

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  2. Thanks, Dale. I think a lot of people have had traumas. I just tend to blather on about mine. I paid a visit to your blogs--yowsa. I'm kind of afraid to ask how you ran across mine. Peace be with you.

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  3. WOW! You have had your plate full and it looks like it will remain that way a while. All I can say is that God does give strength and healing and there is usually light at the end of the tunnel. God Bless.

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  4. it certainly does suck. you all are in my prayers.

    enjoy your visit to Outback. :)

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  5. ouch.

    Re Jeff's dream. I see him as a teacher - why not in nursing school?

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  6. I'm so sorry to hear that, Alice. Have they nailed down the auto-immune yet?

    I do know an incredibly gifted rheumatologist there in Atlanta if you need his name.

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  7. Thanks, everyone, for stopping by with encouragement and prayers.

    Rosie, I think it's an IGg subclass, or that's the suspicion. I don't think he would see a rheumatologist for that, but as it happens, my boss (she has lupus) is looking for a good rheumatologist, so send on the name. Thanks!

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  8. Wow. That's a really full list. I'm sorry you're having to go through so many trials, especially all at once. It almost makes me wonder if there's some sort of environmental toxin or something that's affecting everybody's health, for there to be that many problems in one family. I hope things improve for you soon.

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  9. Wow you really have enough going on for several families. Glad there is treatment for your husband. Sounds like he has felt poorly for some time. Hope you are getting along okay.
    Thinking of you.

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  10. Alice, I'm way late, but this does indeed sound like too many burdens to carry. May you find the source of the strength you need.

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  11. Celiac could be THE cause -- I had to get the shots for a while. They made me grumpy for a while and then the next day much better.

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  12. I only just recently found your blog and have about three more years worth of your blog posts to catch up on, but reading your blog always makes me feel so hopeless. I mean, here is a woman who has been through so much, and yet she's still going strong. So insightful and witty. So full of love for her husband and children despite it all.

    And then there's me, a pitiful girl whose only problems consist of a fear of driving and depression. Yes, I've had some very bad experiences. But I'm older now; I should get with the program. Yet I can't function by myself.

    In any case, your blog makes me think, for which I am grateful.

    G-d's blessings on you,
    Jennifer

    P.S. I feel like such a creeper for babbling like this.

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  13. Jennifer: I don’t know if you will end up seeing this, but I hope so. I hate to think that what you are reading makes you feel hopeless. “Getting with the program” sounds like the voice of the outside world. People always want to tell those who are depressed that they can just think positive or just get on with it. I don’t know what you are dealing with right now, but if you can’t function (by that I mean you can’t get up in the morning, get dressed, go to work or school, make sure you eat, and so forth), I hope you are getting help. I often feel that without my husband I would never get anything done – the car would fall apart, the doctor appointments would be forgot, the bills would pile up, and I would suffer from chronic indecision about everything.

    By the way, I have a fear of driving, too. I do it, since I have to drive to get to work, but I dread going into downtown or driving in unfamiliar areas. Once I get familiar with a route, it’s not so bad. If I ever had to drive some place like LA, I would have a panic attack. At one point I moved from NYC, where I never drove, to Phoenix. It took me at least a year to approach driving there without deep anxiety, and frankly I never did feel very comfortable.

    You aren't pitiful, and depression is an enormous struggle to face. To say your "only" problem is depression makes it out to be something small and superficial, but it isn't at all. You have a whole interior world that is important.

    I like reading your comments and don't consider them babbling. I'm really curious to know more about you. Do you have a blog? How did you come across mine?

    May God give you grace to meet the needs of the day.

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