Friday, October 03, 2008

Oh life.

It has been a kind of crappy week here. It has not been terrible, at one point we struck upon a genius idea, which I can't possibly publish here in case someone nicks it and makes a small fortune (it's not that profitable an idea, but it still a very good one).

However, AJ has been ill. He has chronic digestive problems which were so under control as to be unnoticeable for years and years, but have become increasingly worse over the last ten months. This last week he's been in great pain and vomiting all night on three thankfully non-consecutive occasions. He has more effective medication now, but he has to it investigated. Which starts with an endoscopy. Which is gruesome.

So that's completely wrecked our sleep as well as being most unpleasant. AJ's problem is very unlikely to be anything too sinister, although I'd be lying if I said that all the morbid possibilities hadn't occurred to me. And it is going to be a rather stressful; I think I may be more upset at the thought of someone putting a tube down his throat than he is.

Meanwhile, my pain has edged up whilst I've been moving about more, trying to look after AJ. This is really depressing on the tablets I'm taking, which made me feel invincible over the summer (I acquired both sunburn and nettle-rash and didn't feel more than a tingle). One leg is so bad just now that if it hasn't improved by the afternoon I will cut it off with a bread-knife*. I know it would hurt so much less.

However, all this does read somewhat grimmer than it really is. We remain in good spirits, if rather fragile and weary. And now we're both going back to bed.

* I probably won't though; I don't think I have the strength.

5 comments:

Optistatic said...

I have heard that the endoscopy is not so bad insofar as the drugs they give one to get through it mean that one is quite placid while it is going on and remembers nothing afterwards. I hope that this is the case for AJ.

Also, I hope that things improve soon for both of you.

Jess said...

I'm sorry to hear it's been such a rough week. I hope things soon get a bit better for you both, too.

Hooray for genius ideas, though! Fire up that gravy train. :)

seahorse said...

Oh much sympathy both. Digestive problems are very wearying. AJ good luck with the endoscopy and let's keep fingers crossed that treatment works quickly for you. I vomited myself inside out in 2005, and it was only when I was inside out that they noticed a bloody great stomach infection as my organs dangled around in the wind. Thankfully I am now the right way in again. Goldfish, perhaps devise some new games for whilst you have a regular day-bedfellow. Who can groan the best whilst perfecting the most sickly hue? It gives voice to your independent sufferings and expelling a really good "Uuuuuugh" "Aaaaagh" or whatever is just very satisfying.

Katie said...

Boo!

And breadknife: can you get direct payments to help with that?

D Phoenix said...

I agree with Abi - just make sure AJ is well drugged up and the procedure goes by in a haze. There might be some tenderness in the esophagus afterward, but the cameras are so small now that it ought to be minimal. I had to swallow a garden hose back in the 80's, but my most recent one went quite well. That's just the mechanical part of it. I do hope that they find something simple like an ulcer or something very manageable.

It's hard when sleep is interrupted and you're pushing in order to help someone. Mind the bread knives! Be good to yourself.