by Sojourner » June 21st, 2007, 2:09 am
Thank you all so much for the blind expressions of caring and concern...not to mention the hugs!!
I'm not really worried about myself at all ~ the shoulder pain is, well, a pain...and both it and the anemia have caused a little spike in my blood pressure, but at least I know what the cause of that is now and it can be remedied. I feel just fine, though a little drained. I thought it was because of the family issues with which I've been dealing, and that's still likely a large part of it...
Okay, so here's my stuff ~ grab your water bottle, ‘cause this will prolly be a pretty long post. I really need to just unload before I burst.
First of all, my BIL (dh’s sister’s dh of 26 years) was recently diagnosed with 4th-stage pancreatic cancer. It was estimated that he has 4-6 months to live. He is only 48-years-old. This diagnosis was delivered in April, and we have since “come to terms” with it ~ as much as is possible, anyway.
Traditional medicine offers pretty much nothing in the way of therapeutic intervention at this stage, so he has gone the way of holistic healing...which has actually been of some benefit, thus far. In fact, the latest sonogram of his cancer shows no further advancement or growth ~ which, for pancreatic cancer, and at this stage, is amazing. He’s been feeling pretty good, his color is better than it’s been in months, he seems more vibrant, etc. He is obviously declining though, because he is so very thin now, and that’s really hard to see because he has always been so healthy-looking and robust. He weighed about 220 lbs…a lean and very muscular 6’2”. Not so now. He currently weighs just under 160 lbs.
There is not much real hope that this very aggressive cancer will be “cured,” but his remaining time will hopefully be of a better quality than it would be otherwise. All of Albert’s friends and family have completely rallied around him and have shown such support and love. Dh’s family is remarkable in normal circumstances, but they really step up to the plate in times like this. I’m so proud to be a part of this family ~ y’all have no idea.
The other situation that is threatening to send me reeling out of control has to do with my 16-year-old nephew/godson that I introduced to y’all in a recent post. Remember Jerod, my champion wrestler?
Well, week-before-last he was at a wrestling camp in Phoenix—kind of a preparatory training for the upcoming national competition. During an exercise, he experienced what they thought was a severe asthma attack. He’s had asthma since he was a bitty thing, and so this was not so unusual…it’s happened before on the mat. This time, however, it was really bad. To the point that he briefly lost consciousness. One of the parents that was there assisting thought that Jerod actually stopped breathing at one point, but couldn’t be sure in all of the commotion and scariness of the moment. His doctor is extremely concerned that he might have stopped breathing, and doesn’t believe that it was an asthma attack at all.
Jerod has undergone several tests since then (CT scan, EEG, electrocardiogram, etc.). They were all abnormal. The doc has referred him to a cardiac specialist for further evaluation. They’re throwing around really frightening diagnoses like Brugada syndrome and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy ~ both of which can cause lethal arrhythmias and sudden cardiac arrest. These are the cardiac conditions behind those stories that you hear about where a young athlete just suddenly dies of a heart attack on the court or playing field.
How scary is that? I’m completely terrified and feel absolutely helpless. What in the world am I gonna’ do? I know, I know…don’t get ahead of myself. There has been no definite diagnosis yet. Cross that bridge…blah, blah, blah. I know all of that, but this is my boy, y’know? And my poor sister…she’s already completely stressed out with her eldest son being an Army medic in Baghdad. How much worrying can one person handle??
So, please……keep my two guys in your thoughts and close to your hearts—actually, my whole family. It is SO very appreciated.
~*~*~*Sojourner*~*~*~
Shake it gone, babeee!!!
on having family 'stuff' happening, of course you'll be in my thoughts and prayers. I hope everything works out as you wish or need it to be.
For my SOJI!
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