wife – Living, Loving, Laughing….

Four days married + six days in the hospital = ten days married.

We ~~should~~ will be going home today.

We have a diagnosis tentatively for Lupus. I say tentatively because, it was positive on a blood test, but only a rheumatologist can confirm diagnosis. It is possible it’s not Lupus but one of fifteen other connective tissue disorders. That’s a fancy way of saying your own body attacks your own body and causes inflammation out the wazoo that leads to ALL KINDS of problems.

I should be a redneck medical interpreter, I know..

Steroids calm it down (and did), but Jason can’t tolerate steroids (for long anyway) because of his diabetes. It messes with his sugar levels. We have been PROMISED a doctor of rheumatology that can run blood tests and release him tonight after he sees him at six (this after a patient advocate was called and some VP names were dropped. Yeah. I don’t play. Six days is enough). Then, we can blow this joint. I’m not crossing any fingers, because I will unhook him and walk him out MYself. I already cleared this with the admitting doctor. Heh.

Jason’s ex brought the girls to visit this week. It wasn’t what the doctor ordered, but by far the best medicine.

Blended families working together for the best of everyone’s benefit (and health) – that is a great accomplishment. Healing in more ways than medicinal.

When I told her we were family now – I meant it.

A big part of what has kept me going the last six days through hospital gown modeling. Camping on a chair cot. Crappy nurse care. Not eating right. Frequent back pain. And watching Jason endure and endure and endure has been the many memories of our beautiful wedding.

My friend and new sister Kellene has posted the wedding pictures during our stay in the hospital honeymoon suite.

kelleneandme — My brilliant photographer and me.

The photographs have given us warmth and love across the miles to see her talent and see her love for us through the camera lens. I never questioned my decision to hire a photographer for the wedding and I certainly never questioned it being her. Take a look and see why for yourself.

There are more pictures on her blog and website – Bella Lucia Photography and Blog. Please visit her and share our joy with us and her incredible talent.

Also, celebrate that Jason’s illness is manageable and we praise God for that. Thanks to all the friends and family that prayed for us during this time.

We are deeply touched and grateful. Our love abounds and grows stronger through these trails.

This post edited to be part of….

Using prompt…
5.) “Keep your face to the sunshine and you can not see the shadow” – Helen Keller
In what ways are you able to stay positive about something that sometimes brings you down?

I commented to Mama Kat I had written so many posts during our pre-wedding and post-wedding that kept us positive through it all and she said to link one up. It was hard to choose. There are posts before and after on the story of Jason’s Mom entering ICU two weeks before our wedding date with a brain aneurysm then a stroke. We managed to pull the wedding off then end up in the hospital too. Despite it all, we kept our face to the sun and we still are. I don’t see any shadows here. Not one.

Day 1-

ER is so cool! I feel like I’m in a TV show. Any minute a crash cart will go flying by and a miraculous life will be saved. Gosh, Jason sure looks uncomfortable on that stretcher bed. Maybe, I should hold his hand. It’s so neat when he calls me his wife. That’s me! Now they are admitting him for a night. Oh boy, that sounds scary. But how bad could ONE night be? Surely, they will have it all figured out by tomorrow. This will be fun! I’ll make it fun. Ohhhhh, look at our room. It’s nice. It has three windows with nice wood blinds and we have a tree view. Cool! The nurse gave me pillows and blankets for my fold out chair bed. I’m such a good wife to sleep next my hubby even in the hospital. My poor honey. What a crazy honeymoon, we will always remember this.

Day 2-

Luckily someone came by to bring me hot food. Every time I leave the room to pee or get coffee a doctor comes by and I miss what they say. I’m determined to never leave or shower again. That bed was hard and makes terrible sounds when I turn over. Someone must have turned on the lights and came in the room almost every hour. Uuuggh. My poor husband. I am so glad we are married so I can be by his side. They call us the newlyweds and tease that they have to knock before they enter our room. Isn’t that cute? The dumb doctors still don’t know anything. It’s Friday and they are ready for the weekend. They can’t even tell us when we might be able to leave. Another night camping for us, I should pick up some more trail mix the next vending machine run. I’ll have to hurry so I don’t miss a doctor or a nurse. Why don’t they know what’s wrong yet? Maybe the test Monday will give us answers. I can totally do this wait it out thing. We took vows people.

Day 3-

Jason was up all night going to the bathroom. Looks like the diuretics kicked in. I totally slept through the whole thing on my chair bed. I only woke up twice when they took vitals and turned on the lights. I’m getting really good about being able to sleep through those. He said I was snoring. I guess he is a little grumpy from not having a lot of sleep. Gee. At least he is looking better and is not as puffy. I was afraid they’d have to cut the new wedding ring off. Now, that would be sad. I am really ready for him to be better. I was looking forward to the movies this weekend. I guess he wasn’t faking it last week when he was complaining of feeling bad. Heck, we just didn’t have time to be sick in the middle of wedding planning. My sister and her husband came back up and I sure had a nice visit away from the hospital. I didn’t even miss anything. How cool is that? I loved being treated to lunch and dinner. Jason has been feeling nauseated. I’m not sure if it’s his mystery illness or the hospital food. I think that hospital food is real awful. Sure looks it. The doctors still know NOTHING. What a waste of medical school. So glad I said I DO before we got here. I just love being his wife.

Day 4 –

Holy crap, my back huuurts. Ow that &*(@# bed. That’s not a bed, it’s a back twisting torture device. And how many times do they have to check him at night? I mean really? Don’t they have monitors they can watch? And do they have to be so loud in the hall? It sounded like a party. Gah. I haven’t had a decent cup of coffee in four days. FOUR. I stole some of the bath baby wipes to “freshen” up. I don’t think anyone will notice. I wish I could have warmed them up like they did for him. Today is the day Jason has to get up and walk the hall. We are calling it our honeymoon stroll. Aww. Just like the beach (sorta).

My new husband in all his hospital gown hotness.

It’s Sunday, so of course, no one knows what is wrong with him yet. The fill-in doctors come by to check-in. They just mark their visit in the books. They don’t do anything. Jason’s feet touch the end of the bed. I think he is too big for it. It sure doesn’t look comfortable. Not looking forward to laying in the torture device tonight. I have a permanent crick in my lower back left side now. Supposedly, there are tests in the morning but they can’t say for sure since the doc did not order them before he was off for the weekend. What kind of hospital is this? I am soooo ready to go home. This wifely thing is hard.

Day 5-

I have to sit down like an old person. My back is cracked. I must leave here and get Tylenol soon. Ouch. Maybe they will do the test and we can go home. Jason looks worse. I think this hospital made him sicker. I held his hand and knocked his IV astray. It caused bleeding. Oh gee. I didn’t mean to. This is sooo not fun anymore. I cried and felt very selfish. I am just soooo tired of not doing anything. It’s like there is no time here. It’s the same time every day. The only change is the nurses. I found the cafeteria. I am afraid to eat there after seeing Jason’s food and stuck with the vending machines again. Everyone is working so I ran out for hot food while Jason was taken for a CT scan on his head.The doctors decided not to do the heart cath test they prepared us for. Apparently, they made Jason dehydrated with all the diuretics. He lost 11 liters of fluid and dried out his kidneys. Now, he can’t tolerate the dye. Two days ago it was a must do. Now, he doesn’t need it. I hate this place! They can just say whatever they want and they STILL don’t know what is wrong with him. Looks like an extended honeymoon for us. Woo! I cleaned the room and organized our belongings. I used a bath wipe to clean my phone and wipe off his rolling tray. This place is making me ~~weird~~ crazy. But we are making newlywed memories. P.S. I might be committed soon…….