Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Helter Skelter

So Steve leaves tomorrow for 3 days out of town followed by a half day at home and 6 more days out of town. Panic has set in.
Delia screams all day long. Something is wrong but nobody knows what. I need to get her to a certain pediatrician in Fargo who will then likely suggest a GI visit. Seriously. Screams. All. Day. Long.
Eden is a one-year-old. A perfect one-year-old. Perfect one-year-olds are trouble. Crawling/Scooting everywhere. Opening every cupboard, finding every non-babyproofed area at Papa's house. Always wanting to be where she shouldn't be. Popping multiple teeth. Chasing the dogs and wanting to poke their eyes. Laughing/crying hysterically (amazing the mood swings of a toddler!).
Josiah is in crisis mode. This transition hit him harder than I could have imagined. He had an extra, unexpected week off before starting his new school, which means an extra week of no routine. He does NOT thrive with no routine.
The underlying current which makes all of this seem impossible to me is that I am currently fighting some unknown issue which doctors are trying to figure out. My family doctor thinks I may have had an onset of MS during this last pregnancy. I cannot drive without panic setting in - driving tends to be where these episodes start. I lose strength in my arms which makes me petrified to pick up my kiddos - unsure if my arms will hold them. They feel like bags of packed wet sand rather than functioning limbs. And so, during the past months, I haven't gone anywhere alone - Steve has to drop me off/pick me up. I don't stay alone with the kids because if this happens to set in, I don't know how I will make that work. It is scary. Some days I don't have the physical ability to bounce my screaming infant for hours until she  finally settles for a 15 minute nap. I can't drive her to visit a doctor. I cannot constantly be chasing/picking up my one-year-old - especially not if I have my infant in my arms because I'm constantly gripping my other hand to make sure an arm doesn't give out. How am I going to get my preK kiddo to school with my husband now starting work? How am I going to get anywhere for that matter? I feel trapped.
We visited with a neurologist in Fargo last week and I go in for a very extensive MRI tomorrow - covering three different areas with and without contrast for each. Sounds like a very nice, overdue nap to me! Another option she mentioned is that theses symptoms could be from very severe migraines even though I am not having the headache associated with them? Either way, I need an answer, I need it fixed and I need to be able to function. It is making this transition seem impossible to have this going on along with everything else. And I'm pretty sure we've had enough happen in the past couple of years - is one more crisis really necessary? What life lesson are we supposed to be learning - like we are missing it each time so we keep getting another crisis thrown at us to try again?
I KNOW I cannot win this battle on my own. I cannot handle the baby that screams every waking hour on my own strength. I cannot handle the used-to-be-precious little boy throwing ridiculous tantrums every day on my own strength. I cannot function as a mother on my own strength. The question then becomes - at what point do I excuse myself from the real life of the day to spend time with the One who can give me that strength? Where is quiet even available for that matter?! If you've found something that works, please let me know ;)

4 comments:

Brooke said...

Praying for you, that you would get some answers.

Please let me know if you need me to do anything. I have room for extra carseats in my car. Or even coming for a visit, etc.

annalise + andrew said...

prayers and hugs Tami! No answers for you, but know that you have LOTS of people loving you and praying for you!!

(I totally understand the non-stop screaming baby... that was Bjørn until he was diagnosed - by me and a confirmation from our Children's Hospital - with SILENT REFLUX). I know you are very familiar with reflux, but silent reflux can be a much more difficult and painful thing, though not as physically damaging to the baby (usually still gain weight, though not as quickly as a non-reflux baby!). HUGS!!!

Rochelle Z. said...

Stress can do wacky things to a body... Imagine having 2 babies- one tiptoeing with life, another one joining the lord, then another baby, then trying to have a career, then moving- then the body "shuts down". You are a strong woman Tami- but in your process to hold it together- your body can't. Have you spoken to the Doctor's about your mental health? This would be a conversation worth having.

Anonymous said...

I had no idea things were so rough for you and your family! Shame on you for not calling/emailing/showing up at my house in the middle of the night screaming, "I just need a freaking NAP already!" Let me know if there's absolutely anything I can do to ease your burden. (And yes, believe it or not, I'm actually pretty good at babysitting!)

Thinking of you--