Where I've Been..... (Serious about my mom and me)

[Mitchell]

I;m not sure if anyone has noticed, but I've been gone for eight days, for very serious reasons.

Last Thursday, my mom started coughing a lot of blood, and the Dr told us to get up to NJ immediately. We left here at about 10pm Thursday night by cab, and got to Denville at 1am. The Drs had my mom in the ER all night, and then admitted her as an inpatient. The Xrays taken, showed that the cancer hasnt gotten any worse, thank God, but, it was cause for concern. We were at the hospital for six days, as the Drs tested, probed, etc, and the worst was yet to come.

The rest of what I'm about to post was told to me by my mom, as I was unconscious when it happened.

On Friday night, as I was sleeping, I became unresponsive. My mom tried to wake me up, and I would not wake up. I was rushed into the ER, and given a brain scan. The Drs told my mom that I had suffered a severe seizure, and they aren't sure whether I had a mild stroke. I'm not paralyzed, but my tongue has felt weird since the incident. I have to see a neurologist next week, when we go up to NJ for treatment.

The schedule for now is as follows. The hospital told us we had to check out on Wednesday, due to insurance. We moved into a hotel, where we will be staying. The Drs have begun radiation, and will be continuing chemo once a week.

I'm home now until Monday, a much needed rest. After that, we will likely be coming home every two weeks.

I dont have a laptop there, but I'm going to try and get a smartphone.

Anyhow, thats the situation. If anyone wants to contact me, please pm this weekend.

Thanks.
Mitch

 

[texastickler]

Take care of yourself brother. Wishing you the best.

 

[Bugman]

I am at a loss for words, beyond this; I hope your problem is nothing serious, and that your mother will be well. I literally don't know what else to say.

 

[Mitchell]

Thanks, texas, I appreciate it, pal.

Mitch

 

[Mitchell]

Bug, I appreciate your support.

What upset me most about my seizure, was the affect it had on my mom. She had one very sweet nurse stay up all night with her, while I was in the ER. My mom seems even more concerned about me, than herself.

I wanted to talk to the Dr who wrote on the ER report about the possible stroke, but was told it is against protocol. I'm going to talk to the neruologist. I know for sure that I had a seizure. That is definite. As for the stroke, I'm going to discuss with the Drs, about the incident, and how I'm feeling, and try to get to the bottom of it.

Thanks again, my friends, for your support. You rock!

Mitch

 

[unclebill]

This is shocking to read, my friend. I`ll keep you in my prayers. Hopefully, you had some sort of stress related seizure and not a mild stroke. You may have to be medicated for a while to keep calm. I can only imagine what kind of stress your under the last several months.

 

[kurchatovium]

Oh my. I am so very sorry. Please take care of yourself my friend. I will say extra prayers for you and your mom. If you need me shoot me a pm or an email anytime.

 

[Mitchell]

bill, thanks for your prayers.

I have been taking Xanax for over a year, at night, to help me sleep. When I had the incident, I had fallen assleep before taking my pill. The DR in the ER wrote as part of his report "narcotic withdrawal", which is incorrect, because I dont drink, smoke, or take any drugs, except my perscribed BP meds and Xanax.

My feeling is that I probably didnt have a stroke. The tounge feeling weird is a concern. I'm not paralyzed, and my speech isnt slurred. My maternal grandmother, when she was much older, had similar symptoms, and the Drs said she had a "technical stroke", without the full blown symptoms of one. Perhaps that is what happened to me.

Thanks for your prayers, kurch, my friend. I will try to take care of myself. I think I'm most upset this week, because Dr B, and Dr C, my mom's wonderful cancer Drs, seem to be as concerned about me, as they are about my mom. My mom sternly told Dr B that she wants me to see a nerurologist, the best one he knows, and Dr B agreed.

I'm hoping that except for my nerological visit next week, the discussion and treatment when I get back to NJ on Monday with Dr B and Dr C, will be about my mom. If I start feeling sick again, I'll go back to the ER, and of course will see what the nerologist has to say.

Thanks again for all the support and prayers. It means more than words can express.

Mitch

 

[Jagermeistered]

Oh my goodness, Mitch...

I sincerely wish you and your mom the best! We are all here for you!

 

[Mitchell]

Thanks, nv. I appreciate the support. My TMF friends mean everything to me. I dont know that I could have gotten through the past 15 months, without the support I've received here.

Mitch

 

[happydarwin]

I'm pulling for you buddy.

 

[Babbles]

Hopefully just your body telling you, only once, you need to rest...

Wow, Mitch, hope you can relax and that this isn't any sort of stroke. I agree the natural question is (is it stress related?) I'd guess, that's probably obvious.
I don't understand why you couldn't communicate with the Dr. in the ER, that sounds odd but he might already be a bit off with that diagnosis of "narcotics withdrawal" anyway, guessing with regard to the xanax?
I don't know if that's a narcotic but it's probably strong to allow you to sleep, you know better about that --
Hope the doctors get to the bottom of this & fix it really fast, along with your mother, so you can both rest and recuperate fully!!

 

[Mitchell]

Thanks, happy, I appreciate it, my friend.

Thanks for the good wishes, Babbles, I appreciate it.

Mitch

 

[Angel_2]

My Goodness Mitchell, I'm deeply sorry to hear about what happened to you. I'm glad your doing alright now I'm hoping things keep getting better for you and your mother. Take Care of yourself, your health is just as important as your mothers.

 

[Mitchell]

Thanks for your good wishes, Angel, and yes, I know that my own health is just as important as my mom's. At times I become so consumed with her, that I tend to be a bit lax about myself.

I weighed myself this morning, and I'm happy to say, that the horrible hospital food caused me to lose six lbs this week. Considering that I was 10 lbs overweight before we went to the hospital, I know I still have work to do, and with me being home for the weekend, its pig out time, lol.

Mitch

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

Healing and supportive prayers coming your way, Mitch. I'm right there with you in focusing more on other things than on my own health. I'm paying for it as well. We both need to start paying more attention to ourselves. If we let ourselves get flattened, we aren't any good for anyone else! Hang in there!

 

[Mitchell]

Ann, thanks for your prayers and support. You know that you have been one of my biggest support systems since this whole thing happened with my mom. You are a great friend to me, and I appreciate it sincerely.

I understand what you said about us both needing to take care of ourselves more. I hope and pray that you begin to feel better soon. As for me, I know I have to do my best not to be at fever pitch during this whole radiation process. My mom having cancer is bad enough, but the whole idea of having to move, and live in a hotel for six weeks, is unsettling.

I'm just going to try and focus on the next day and a half at home, being with my friends, and watching the Mets and Braves. I'll deal with Monday, when Monday comes.

Take care, Ann, and thanks again.

Mitch

 

[Mitchell]

One other thing that I forgot to post. This was just as scary as my mom's blood coughing, and my seizure/possible stroke.

As is probably protocol, the hospital took my mom's blood for analysis at the lab each morning, on orders of Dr B. One morning, we were told that her kidneys were at a slightly abnormal level, which freaked us out, because kidney disease runs in my family, as my maternal grandmother, and maternal great grandmother, both died of kidney failure.

One evening, a very kind kidney specialist came by the room, and said that while the kidney levels were slightly abnormal, they were not in the "To worry about": range. This Dr told us that chemo can cause kidney levels to be off. Thankfully, within 2 days, the kidney function went back to normal, but, because of the cancer, chemo, and family history, Dr B told us that he is still going to keep a close eye on this.

Needless to say, we had just about everything under the sun happen to us during that hospital stay.

Mitch

 

[Homer28]

Wow! I hope you and your mom feel better!!

 

[Mitchell]

Thanks, Homer. I appreciate it.

Mitch

 

[GEORGIATKLER]

When it rains, it pours. Best wishes and prayers for you and your mom. Y'all are so lucky to have each other to care for one another. I hope you both can get on the road to recovery soon.

 

[Mitchell]

Georgia, you are so right about it pouring when it rains.

Thanks for your good wishes. Yes, my mom and I are very blessed to have each other, and I'm also blessed to have friends like you, and my other friends here at TMF, to support me through this difficult time.

Mitch

 

[DianaBanana88]

Hope you and your mom continue to feel better! Stay strong and keep us updated

 

[Mitchell]

Thanks for your good wishes, Diana. I'm definitely trying to stay strong. I will keep everyone updated.

Mitch