Roller Coaster Ride, Anyone?

Ok, it is 3:38 am.  I have been wondering for a while if I would have the umph to write a post. 

A friend on msn messenger asked me a while ago if I was going to post tonight. I said that I wasn't sure. I didn't know what I would write about. He said call it 'Roller Coaster Ride, Anyone?'  He was referring to the one my husband and I had just been through this evening. It made me also think about another 'ride' I went on about 15 years ago or so. Well, here goes.....

My husband has had health problems since I have known him, about 10 1/2  years. He is diabetic and has gone from trying to control it (his blood sugar) with insulin then pills and back to insulin again.  We have had many low blood sugar times. It is scary. And it always happens at night, which always makes it scarier for me.

Up until this past May he has taken care of himself. Like set up his meds, done is own blood sugar checks etc. Then that all changed.  The first week of May he had a series of mini strokes.  He was in the hospital for a few days then sent home. The strokes didn't seem to cause any physical problems, just mental.  His brain was not working well, he would say the wrong words. But it wasn't too bad.  Then a month later it happened again. We were getting ready for church, he had been having huge headaches for days. Which by the way is not a normal symptom of a stroke. We had come into the bedroom hand on his head and in pain. I had to leave the room for something and came right back and found that we had thrown himself on the bed and was pounding on it. His headache was excruciating. So needless to say, instead of going to church we went to the ER.  

The CT scan showed that more mini strokes had happened. That the main artery on one side of his head was completely blocked. So my non expert opinion was that the horrible pain he was having was from the blood flow being stopped and built up and it put pressure on the artery wall.  And it had to go somewhere so it pushed its way through somewhere and rerouted itself. :(  Part of this side of his brain is atrophied. Meaning dead. And it effected his memory and his speech.  He spoke fine and understandable but would say the wrong words more than before. This time he was in the hospital for a week or so and then in a nursing home for a month.

The doctor ordered a speech therapist and she came and did 'think' therapy.  He had to learn to think with a different part of his brain. Thinking is more complex than we can imagine.  He has problems also with telling time and reading and knowing the days and things like that. He is frustrated alot when he can't tell me what he is thinking or what he wants.  He knows what he wants to say but when it comes out it's wrong. :( Sometimes he is ok and says everything correctly. That is good. :)

The 'ride' though is that his blood sugar to day went from 391 way too high, to 59 way too low in just a couple hours. Too much to deal with sometimes. :(

I am taking care of his meds now and doing his blood sugar checks and injections. It has been a very trying time.  But we are getting along. I do need a break. Writing here and visiting with you all helps me a lot. I am glad you are here.

Ok the other 'ride'...

When my son and I lived in Utah we went to a place called Lagoon. It is just north of Salt Lake City.  There are rides, games, places to eat. And an Old West area where you can ride horse and wagon and get your picture taken wearing clothes from the 1800's.  This year a new ride was opened. The Colosses. I don't know if I spelled that right. It is a giant roller coaster. My son and I got in. I felt that there should have been more cushioning around the neck and head. I held on to him as best I could so that he wouldn't get whiplash. It was a great ride. I have not been on one since though. This ol gal  ended it there. lol

As you are riding around and come to a certain place a camera takes a picture of you.  I was thinking that would be a nice memory to keep. Well, when the ride was over and we went to get our picture I was just sick. :( Not from the ride but from the fact that the boys who sat behind us obviously knew where the camera was and decided to put their middle fingers up in the air as we went by. So it spoiled our picture. I had to mark it out. Oh well... life  goes on. 

Anyway, those are my two 'rides' to remember. I think I have written a book here. lol My goodness, took me about 50 mins to write this. Wow!

Hope you are having a great Friday. Take care ((HUGS))