Saturday, December 19, 2009

Mistaken identity can be dangerous

This is funny but I have to set the scene up!
So I finally got into the Neuroligist (seizure specialist) on Tues of this week. He is very good and has been highly recommended by many people. He wanted me to be hooked up to a take home monitor for 3 days so they could find out if these "episodes" were seizures or something else. So I came home with this funky nylon cap over my head that covered electrodes that were GLUED to my head. I had a main cord that came down the back of my head and I had a few EKG wires on my chest as well and all of those were then attached to a box that sat in a fanny pack that sat on my hip. Then there was another wire that went from the box to a little monitor that watched me all the time. So when I would have an episode a button was pushed and then it would monitor what was happening and then my family would talk into the monitor giving more information. Anyway it was interesting to say the least and the Doctors office gave me a choice of which cute little bandana that I wanted to wear to cover all the cords and nylon cap up. So now that you have a visual of me with a funky wrap on my head and a cute little fanny pack on my hip, and my friend the monitor sitting beside me at all times you can hear "the rest of the story".

Celeste is here with her baby to stay with me and I am laying on the couch. There is a knock at the door. Celeste goes to the door and a lady dressed as a nurse walks in the house. I don't have my glasses on so I can't see her face. The lady walked up to me and sat down at the end of the couch that I was sitting on. I said hi to her. I looked at Celeste, she looked at me and we were both confused. (we both thought the other one knew who she was) She was nice and friendly and asked how old the baby was. Then she opens up her notebook and says I need to check on you and check your pump. She continued "Crystal was here earlier this week to put your pump in and I need to look at it" I said, "Crystal? I don't know what you are talking about, I don't have a pump? She then said "yes, Crystal was here and put in your pump and I need to check it. I said "Who are you? She stopped and looked at me and said I am from Home Healthcare and I am here to check your pump. Celeste and I gave a blank stare, Celeste said "She doesn't have a pump and no one by the name of Crystal came by this week". She said, Are you Ms. Edwards. No! She pulled out her phone and called her office. She said to the person on the phone, "I am at the house (verified my address which was correct) but this lady says she is not the right person and then she asked me to tell her my name (several times), conversation continues... well she clearly has a medical condition but she says she does not have a pump". Well they finally figured that they were at the wrong house and were supposed to be at another house on our street. Well the poor lady got off the phone and said, "let me explain, then I will leave and we will pretend this never happened". She drove from Jacksonville to get to Conway, called the house that she was supposed to be at, it is our neighbors sister that is staying with her that has cancer and they put in a pump a few days ago. When they verified that they were coming out to check the pump our neighbor told her that her sister wasn't doing well and was very delirous and didn't really know what was going on. (She didn't verify the address though). So when she came to our house, Celeste opened the door, she saw me sitting on the couch with a bandana on my head, and something on my hip that looked like a pump and I didn't know who she was and I denied having the pump cause I was confused... she thought it all made sense until Celeste cleared up who I was and that I in fact did not have a pump and was not the lady she was looking for.

Celeste and I were laughing so hard... she wasn't! She said she was really going to let her office have it for sending her to the wrong house. I pity that poor person that gave the wrong address! She said that in 30 years that she has been doing home health that had never happened.

The more I thought about it the more serious it became. If Celeste wouldn't have been here she would have hooked me up to a pump with some Chemotherapy or something because I looked like a cancer patient and was confused and delirious!
And I got it all on my monitor! LOL
I needed a good laugh just glad it turned out the way it did.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Thanks

When life gets hard then there is one thing to count on... the Lord blesses you with people around you to bouy you up and give you strength.

Every morning I wake up i tell myself that I am going to try very hard to have a normal day, just like it used to be. Get up and shower, get ready for the day... drive to work, put in 8 or more hours at work, come home make dinner, spend time with hubby and family and read, do hobbies and just be normal again. As soon as I put my feet to the ground I know I Can't MAKE that happen. I have to be careful just walking, have to have someone there to shower, can't drive or work etc... and now Doug is on crutches too so it has made it a little bit more of a challenge for both of us. So we are really a sight to behold. But here is what we have been blessed with.

Gospel... to know the whole plan of happiness and what it is all about

Family... our adult children have flown across the country or driven hours to get here and have helped with every need, they have done things that I thought would have to be done when I am much older and they have been absolutely wonderful! Celeste has come to the house with her 3 month old baby every morning and stayed all day until after 10 pm to help take care of us. Our boys have done all kinds of chores around the house (inside and out) to get our house ready to sell, our kids just rallied around and decided what had to be done and they call daily to check on the progress. My parents call every single day to check in, they have their own health problems and this is when I need to be helping them.

Friends...have visited, called, brought in meals, sent cards and packages, and taken on my responsiblity at church and work. A few of my Institute students came by a couple of nights ago just to hang out and it was some of the best medicine ever. I haven't been much fun to be around lately but it is nice to have people around to bring a smile and help forget your cares. You know how people mention that you are in their prayers. Well, I think that this is how I am being blessed. I can't say that my health is better but having people in my life that care, makes all the difference in the world. I know that this is the time of year where everyone is busy trying to get everything ready for Christmas and yet extra time is given to lift someone elses burden. You know that you are being blessed when you spent the day crying and the mailman knocks and waits at the door until you answer and he hands you a care package from a friend. How did she know? How did any of them know what was needed and when?

Christmas will be different this year. I don't care about the shopping cause I can't do it this year and it isn't important anymore. Christmas will be better because it will be centered around the most important blessings I have and that is family and friends not things that can be bought at any store. I just want to feel the love of the season and have it Christ centered, lots of Christmas music and the "real reason for the season".

I am truly blessed with angels for family and friends. So, thanks to Heavenly Father for placing all of you in my life! All of you have been my blessing and a answer to prayers.