As I have mentioned, over and over, on social media, my stomach pain has been astronomical. I had a scope a couple weeks ago and was beyond frustrated with the results. I went to my next doctor appointment with a big helping of attitude. Big.
I have to tell you. That doctor is very patient and compassionate. He told me when I was in the hospital over a month ago that he didn’t think I was making this up, and he would find an answer. After the scope I was pretty sure he had lied. The names of stuff he gave me seemed to be minimizing what has been a very big, ongoing issue. But talking to him in the office, he assured me it was not the simple issue the internet plays it off to be. He threw a bunch more meds at me, which wasn’t thrilling, but I could buy his explanation that the meds are there to protect my stomach so it can eventually heal itself. And I’ll tell you some of what he is doing is counter intuitive, but I have decided to trust him.
Five days later I got some dividends for my trust. I ate a very forbidden fruit…and lived. I dialed it back over the weekend, but was able to continue to eat very mild foods. Food people. That requires chewing and a fork. Food.
Yesterday, my stomach rebelled. It decided I had pushed the envelope enough. I am paying for it today. I’m back to my protein shake diet. But I’m okay with it. I’m not in the promise land, but I have hope, so much hope. I am satisfied and encouraged.
In the midst of the good week, my brain decided to join the party, and I went slightly manic. I am very blessed that my mania is so mild. It basically entails a very clean house, LOTS of cooking and not much sleep. I do have to check myself a great deal to make sure I am not going overboard in shopping or getting too frantic, but I have great friend who rides the wild train ride with me. She is a great tour guide through the land of UP. I did find it to be a little distracting with homeschooling, as I was headed in a million directions and so tempted to pull the girls off what they should be doing, but thankfully we have that flexibility and no lessons were missed that weren’t later caught up. This was my longest wild ride, at two days, and it can be disconcerting, but man the clean house and cooked food is awesome!!!!! I am a little too outspoken while on the wild ride, but I don’t think I lost any friends this week. I guess time will tell.
There’s always concern that off the wild ride will come a big fat downturn, but I seem to be okay. I wasn’t able to tolerate my lithium for a couple weeks but I did down it this week and that’s probably helping. I can’t get my stomach to tolerate the other medication, but I know if push comes to shove it is there and works pretty well.
All and all, I’m in a great head space. I am loving homeschooling. I am so excited about the projects we can do, the co-op we’ve joined, the flexibility to run errands when needed and come back and finish the day later–or today, get our lessons finished up and declare the day over so everyone can get outside in the lovely weather.
Rock coloring was the name of the game at school one day.
And attaining the long-awaited skill of crossing the monkey bars is what happens when mama declares, “school is over. Everybody out to play!”
