Good News and Better News

Here’s a news flash for you: Life doesn’t hand you one situation or problem at a time! Can you imagine how easy it would be if things worked that way? What would we do with all of our time if that happened? Many, many caregivers are either serial caregivers or caring for more than one person at a time. (According to a survey done by caregiving.com more than 26% of the respondents were currently caring for more than person at a time.).

Today, though, was a day for good news! Robert’s neurologist read his recent EEG results and said they were very similar to the results from a few years ago. Obviously, they’re not “normal” but they’re normal for him! So we know from the MRI Robert hasn’t had a stroke and we know from his EEG that his brain activity is stable. Woohoo!! This is really good news! The EEG and the MRI don’t explain why Robert’s memory and balance is worsening but I think we can safely assume that the seizures play a huge part in the decline and, in my very biased opinion, so does New Home. I can’t do anything about the seizures but we’re working on the problems with New Home by having Robert come live with us. I met with the contractor last night and so we are moving along with our garage conversion!

We found out even better news today, though, about my wonderful mother-in-law, Carol. She has been through a horrible time this past year: stroke, heart attack, speech and physical therapy, valvuloplasty, infection from the valvuloplasty and now bloody fluid on the lungs.

Uh oh.

We have been on pins and needles since last week when she was given the run around by several doctors and technicians but the final straw came on Friday when there was a mix-up with her appointments and told to return in a week – all the while not being able to breathe. My hubby – with steam understandably coming out his ears – whisked her to the nearest military base hospital (an hour away) and they have been phenomenal in helping Carol breath better and figuring out what is causing this bloody fluid.

They did not mince any words (did I tell you they were a military hospital?). They made it clear that this sort of thing usually points to cancer. The doctors were certain Carol had lung cancer and just needed to figure out if it originated there or came from another spot. 

After several other tests which were inconclusive, Carol had a PET scan today which didn’t show any signs of cancer. Woohoo!! Happy Dance!!

She’s not out of the woods yet; we still don’t know the problem and the doctor won’t say with 100% certainty that she doesn’t have cancer but says it has moved way, way down the list of possible causes.

Hurray! I am so pleased to hear this although I had already been thinking how to fit two beds in the converted garage instead of just one for Robert. I knew we would be able to do it but, at this point, it’s very premature and unnecessary.

I have learned that life doesn’t need to only hand out one problem at a time – we just have to get better at juggling and, sometimes, good news will follow!

Please join me in the happy dance!!