Sunday morning I spoke with the nurse who said he had a good night. He calmed down. Became more lucid after moving upstairs to his room. He seemed to have a much-needed good night’s sleep. I was flooded with relief. But just as quickly, that relief vanished when the doctor called a little later in the morning. Minke was having severe pain in his lower abdomen. His pain was at a 10, the doctor said. They gave him an antibiotic and some Ativan to calm him down and soothe the pain. It worked.
But the doc was saying this case was a real head-scratcher. She couldn’t find any cause for the pain. She’s been consulting with neurology. And they plan on giving him a full workup of tests.
I went to see him and he seemed surprised, but he was back. He was my Minke again. He thought he remembered everything that had happened, but when I told him what I had seen, he couldn’t recall any of it. He was jittery, couldn’t eat, constipated, but no longer agitated. I thought my presence would calm him. I guess I think too highly of myself, because I don’t think my being there helped him feel better at all.
I did the only thing I know how to do. I brought him treats. See’s chocolates and Jolly Ranchers and Trader Joe’s Raspberry Heart shortbread cookies. Food will solve everything, won’t it? Of course, he couldn’t eat. Wouldn’t eat. While I was there, the doctor came in and spoke to both of us about the course of treatment. He would stay at least another night. Neurology wanted to do an EEG and check his brain. They ordered an MRI. This doc is amazing and extremely thorough and seems bound and determined to find the cause of all of this.
Was it ALS related? Something else? They ruled out a stroke, thank goodness, and from the tests they took, there was no bleeding in the brain. Everything looked good. Except Minke was feeling terrible.
My heart continues to break with each progression of this disease. I’m losing him a little more every day. There will be no happy ending to this story. When this journey is over, my heart will be shattered. I don’t know how I’m still standing.
Exactly ten years ago today, we met for the first time. We knew fairly early that we were meant to be together. B’Shart. Ten years. It feels like yesterday.