On a good day, parenting will test the integrity of your character. On a bad day, parenting will test your will to live. Parenting children with trauma histories will cause you to test the integrity of everything and everyone you thought you knew, for the rest of your life.
~J. Skrobisz

Friday, August 26, 2011

Ooo Eee Oo Ah Ah

I called the witch doctor and this is what he said:


He also said STRESS.
Yep. Long term exposure to stress has depleted my immune system so much that a minor infection that didn't even show up in blood tests made me sick. The nausea? More stress-related illness. Now I'm on a z-pack and ph.enegren for the nausea. Holy crap if I don't feel as manic as the video images! Still, nice to be on the mend finally after weeks of bed rest.

I had always wondered why the level of stress we were under hadn't caught up with me. No need to wonder, it did. Ooo Eee Oo Ah Ah ting tang walla walla bing bang.

Here's hoping that when I've finished this round of antibiotics I stay on my feet. And here's to hoping that when the review board goes over Sissy's case she isn't discharged in the next two weeks because it will surely undo my recovery. I going to have to take it all so slowly. I may be feeling better, keeping food and fluids in but I'm still dizzy, sluggish and beaten down.

I've thought of having my doctor write a letter to explain how significantly Sissy's level of needs has impacted my health specifically in addition to the rest of us. I doubt it would do any good.

Did a phone therapy session with Sissy yesterday since I couldn't make the trip on Wednesday. 50% of the session was silence from Sissy who seemed either incredibly bored and disinterested or completely incapable of processing the questions being asked of her. Probably both. Whatever. We knew she wouldn't receive treatment, she's not willing or able to recognize the need in herself to change. We're just hoping her stay lasts longer than a month.

Ooo eee ooo ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang

6 comments:

FosterAbba said...

That video is scary...

Seriously.

As for stress-induced illness, I completely understand where you are coming from. The stress we've been under for the past few years is clearly making me sick as well.

Do what you can to take care of yourself. It's hard. I know.

Sammie said...

Glad to know what is wrong, and not suprised. How have you held out this long is amazing. Could you doctor write something to say you are seriously ill and cannot have this child in your home. Heck it would be worth a try. (not that I think our mental health system would even consider taking into consideration if a parent has the energy to parent or not.) Just know I understand and am sending you some positive energy. Interestingly I got really sick for a couple of days about a month after my son moved to his group home. I think when you are the main one holding everything together, we don't have the luxury to get sick, there is no room for that and we just have to hold it together no matter the tole. Then when the child is out of the home, and we let down a bit, we can feel some of those stored up feelings and our body can let down and we get sick.

Ranger said...

I'm not surprised either, chronic stress is an awful thing and it's been relentless for you. Lots of vitamins, I have a recipe for an amazing chicken broth too if you'd like it, might be something easier for you to keep down and that's stuffed with the infection and fatigue fighting vitamins too. Hugs, wishing you lots of rest and feeling better soon.

Minttu said...

Curse you :( I now have that song stuck in my head!

Becky said...

Hugs to you!

Stress can do phenomenal things to a body. I believe that is what contributed to my ex-husbands heart attacks in his early 40's.

Praying that you are feeling better soon!

Anonymous said...

stress. yeah. played a major factor in my wonder-illness that cost about 24k for my insurance company and a 3 day hospital stay for me. and i don't live with what you live with.

bless your heart--meant in the BEST southern way possible. you deserve all the blessings you can get!