I've not posted in over a month, but I have been trying to keep up with everyone's lives. I was gone last week for our annual trip to Florida (where I unfortunately had no internet), but other than that have been working and running kids hither and thither.
I've seen OotP now twice (once on opening morning - 12:01 - and yesteray at the IMAX) and have read the book through once and have started my second readthrough. I'll save my thoughts for another day when I'm more coherent and not so worried and scared.
As I said, we just got back from our annual trip to Florida on Saturday and vacation didn't end well - I ended up in the Emergency Room of their local hospital on Friday morning. I woke up with a terrible pain in my chest that radiated to my back. I got up at around 3 (I woke at 2:30) and walked around the condo a bit. I went to the hospital about 4:15 - drove myself. Was there about 5 hours. They checked me for both cardiac and gastric problems, and the only thing they found was that my Lipase level was elevated, which indicates probable pancreatitis. They gave me meds, including one for nausea and vomiting and pain (I had started vomiting after they gave me the "GI cocktail" - not sure what all was in it but it was pretty horrible. Then I couldn't stop vomiting). I drove myself back to the condo at 9:30 and went to sleep for a couple hours. Then I did salvage the day by going to the beach with the boys.
I followed up yesterday with my doctor, and he has scheduled a CAT scan for Thursday.
If you could keep me and my family in your prayers, I'd appreciate it. I'm currently pretty scared about the whole thing. I'm worried it's pancreatic cancer - which is hard to treat and usually kills in a year. I was even afraid to read on the 'net for fear my worst fears would be confirmed. It turned out that actually there's a low chance it is cancer, so while that's helped, I'm still worried. It could be my gallbladder, it could be my Hormone Replacement Therapy. It could be high cholesterol. The Lipase level wasn't too elevated, but it was above normal. The three most common causes are gallbladder, high cholesterol and alcoholism. I've never had an issue with alcohol, my cholesterol is on the high side, but last it was checked, it was the good cholesterol. The gallbladder makes the most sense to me, but the enzymes for that were fine. Mike and I found that pancreatitis can be caused by estrogen and also cancer, but they're not common causes. I'm on a fairly high dose of estrogen, so that could be the culprit.
The doctor has tried to reassure me that he doesn't think it's cancer - he thinks I ate too many rich foods while vacationing that flared up the gall bladder and that's the culprit. I try to take reassurance from his words, but it's been a rough few days.
This has really rocked me to the core - I am terribly frightened and any ache or pain I have I worry that there's something brewing that is serious and life-threatening. I am trying to remain positive, but it's been hard. I've got four kids to raise, and I'm having a hard time because I'm scared I'm not going to be here to raise them.
If you all could keep me in your thoughts and/or prayers I'd appreciate it. I'll keep you posted of what they find out on Thursday.
Thanks so much. Much Love to my FList *huggles you*
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