I made Tom go to the doctor.

So Tom had been having some lingering effects from his time with the stomach bug, so I finally convinced him go to the damn doctor. Well…

Long VA medical care story short, he ended up in the ER getting fluids because he was really dehydrated. They ran a bunch of tests and bloodwork but he just came home with anti-diarrheal and anti-cramping meds. Turns out his stomach was just still not happy and was creating problems.

I’m just gonna say this could have started to be resolved a week ago…but men.

You’re staying… No you’re being discharged.

Tom texted me in the morning to say they were holding him another day… So I went to visit after the kids for on the bus…and while I was there they decided he was being discharged! After waiting since 7am to get the MRI results, the doc said it’s a torn nerve (and of course the doc came in during the five minutes I ran too check on another appointment). They said he doesn’t need IV drugs so they’re sending him home since there’s not much else they can do at the hospital. It is what it is. The meds will help with inflammation and pain and he gets an appointment with a pain clinic for a steroid shot. But that’s it. If it rips more it’s serious—like they told him if his lower extremities get numb to come in immediately. 😳🥺

Of course, it took about two hours to get discharged and then an unplanned 45 minutes to get the meds at the pharmacy, so I had to scurry to find friends to get the kids off the bus. But all ended well and he’s home now.

Let’s just say we don’t have good backs in our house.

I threw my back out last week and Tom threw his out yesterday (reaching for something he dropped). He managed to hold out overnight until the kids went to school before going to the ER…

The typical drug routine didn’t work this time so long story short about five hours in (when his pain level was still at a 10) they ended up admitting him so they could do an MRI (the ER couldn’t administer it on their own for whatever reason).

I had to go home to eat lunch, pack his overnight bag, get the kids off the bus, and then we all went back for a picnic dinner and some cuddles.

He seemed a little better, but then he wasn’t moving. He said his pain was about a 3 laying there but any time he tried to move or stand it was a 10. He has an MRI scheduled for the morning so hopefully we will know more then.

The third time was the charm.

Today was take 3 on Tom’s colonoscopy. The previous two times failed because he wasn’t appropriately cleaned out. After the second time we talked to the doctor about a different cleanout method because OBVIOUSLY the disgusting drink they had prescribed wasn’t working. And we suggested what we knew worked and the old cranky doc said no. We did what we wanted anyway and—SURPRISE!!—it was a success!

It took much less time than I anticipated so I only got to sit in the caregiver suite (yes, in the comfy heated massage chair again) for about an hour.

His second sleep study.

So Tom had his first sleep study a few weeks ago. His results?

You have tested positive for sleep apnea with an AHI of 17. The AHI is the average number of times per hour you stopped breathing during your sleep. A 5 or more is clinically significant; a 30 or more is severe. You are in a moderate category, so we would like to get you treated as soon as possible.

So he had to go back again. And he took a picture this time. 🙂

So now we wait for his machine to arrive. 🙂

Tom’s turn for back issues

This happened a few days ago on April 23.

So, Tom hurt his back way back in 2012 when he was at Quantico for Advanced Comm School. He got X-rays taken but was told nothing was wrong.

Fast forward to today when he hurt his back working out and went to the doctor. His X-rays had been digitized and attached to his account and as soon as the doctor saw them he told Tom he had degenerative disc disease! He was clueless how any previous doc could have missed it!

So, that sucks. But! He is now allowed to go to a chiropractor at no cost! He will have another appointment to determine the extent of the issue, but in the meantime, he’s taking drugs.

Off to the ER again.

Tom woke up this morning in pain and told me he was staying home from work. He said he had major stomach cramps, couldn’t stay out of the bathroom, and couldn’t keep anything down. We thought it might be food poisoning (although we ate most of the same stuff) or the flu…so he tried to sleep it off. He came down a few hours later and said he was going to the hospital because he was STILL in major pain—and now it felt like his kidneys hurt.

I told him I could take him, but he said he was okay to drive himself—and I had to stay home with Owen.

Turns out he had kidney stones. Or, well, a major kidney stone. He was on major drugs and got a cat scan and the doc said the stone was 4-5mm. That is huge. He said they were going to keep him until it passed…and as the day wore on, he said they were keeping him overnight and if he didn’t pass it, they would have to use a stent.

Owen and I went and visited him for about an hour (and took him his phone charger) and that perked him up. He is indeed spending the night, and now we’re just waiting to see what happens.

I am taking full advantage of the house being totally quiet and going to bed early, and hopefully Tom will be released first thing in the morning (if all goes well).