Family

Was it or wasn’t it number 8? Oh well who’s counting.

Originally posted 2015-11-27 15:29:33.

You know some days I wish I had magical powers and I was able to solve all or at least most problems like Elizabeth Montgomery on Bewitched BUT then again you wouldn’t be able to learn from situations and gain a different perspective from the experience. We are who we are because of the life we live and the things we’ve gone through. Can you imagine the person you are without the experiences getting there? Nah, didn’t think so.

I try to enjoy life. Embrace having the issues we do. I’m always in a fight of some kind. Not in a physical sense but more figuratively speaking. I want my family to enjoy what we’ve been given even if it is harder to grasp the reality of it.

I spent my day in the Emergency room recently…again for the billionth time. My ailment? I woke up that morning not able to see out of my right eye like I do normally. I had that laser vision surgery back in 2003 so I have been lucky to remain a 20/20 exam with a little bit of astigmatism in both eyes since then. I only need glasses at night and/or when it’s really pouring down. My vision was so blurry in my right eye it was like both my eyes were fighting each other trying to gain the dominant position. Needless to say neither really won. I rinsed my eye best I could to see if it was a filmy substance that just needed to be washed away, tried crying to rid it..nothing worked. I didn’t have any pain or symptoms that led me to believe it was something else so I didn’t pay that much attention to the bigger picture. Until I got on the Internet trying to see what may be causing it or a solution. Then as my search continued I saw TIA/mini stroke. By the way, TIA is transient ischemic attack. – It is like a stroke, producing similar symptoms, but usually lasting only a few minutes and causing no permanent damage. It’s often called a mini stroke, a transient ischemic attack may be a warning. About 1 in 3 people who have a TIA will eventually have a stroke, with about half occurring within a year after the TIA. It can serve both as a warning and an opportunity a warning of an impending stroke and an opportunity to take steps to prevent it.

Considering I’ve had 7 of them the past 20 years adding another wasn’t on my list of accomplishments. I feel I’ve been damn lucky to have had them and only had one stroke. They’ve tried different meds on me in the past but none really making a significant difference to warrant their continuance. Because of certain diagnoses this one adds to the list of obstacles, hurdles I deal with and have to somehow regulate my life to try to ward off anymore. I guess in some ways I’ve prevented some or at least lessened my chances. But the combination of ailments makes it a bit hard to manage a diet. I’m hypotensive, which means I needs the salt. I also have neurocardiogenic syncope.
It’s simply put like this – it is a miscommunication between the heart, the blood vessels in the lower extremities, and the brain. Then to add being a diabetic…can make eating a “well-balanced meal” more challenging at times.

But you know, I grateful I’m not perfect. I’m grateful I live with challenges. It keeps you on your toes among other body parts 😉 .

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My vision is 95% back to normal in my right eye. They did a CT (cat scan), MRI and MRI with dye to see more defined areas of the brain. None showed anything jumping out as a definite diagnosis of TIA BUT….doesn’t necessarily rule it completely out considering they don’t normally leave flashing signs telling you what it was. It’s it bigger relative that is the showboat.

I hope everyone had or is still having a Blessed Thanksgiving. Even if you don’t celebrate it…celebrate being thankful for giving. We do everyday.

We are so grateful for the life we were given and continue to live. Kayla goes off to boot camp (basic training) in January. The mom in me is so nervous for her yet couldn’t be more proud she’s chosen to challenge herself in order to gain the knowledge she needs to become her goal of being an MD.

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