Thursday
Dear Elsie,
I’m really hoping by the time you are old enough to read this, it will just be a distant memory of a difficult time. Today I called it adversity.
Last night I slept really badly and woke up feeling anxious. What I haven’t written about is what has happened to David. He has given me permission to relate it, because word is getting out in his circle. It all began on 15th February when he went to the running club and had a 5km run on an empty stomach. As he finished the run, he almost collapsed and late that night, he had weird pressure on his chest and some palpitations. By the next day he still hadn’t recovered. He had terrible ongoing fatigue on most days running up to 20th February which is when he went to the GP. There was a locum on that day who reassured him and did an ECG which was normal. He also sent him off to have blood tests the next day. The day after, all those came back normal – they were for heart attack and heart damage. He was so relieved and so were we.
There was then a good day or two followed by a difficult day and then more good days. That pattern went on until last Sunday. Monday this week, everything changed. He became close to an invalid. He had no energy. Coming up the stairs from his unit to ours was slow and laboured. He didn’t have difficulty in breathing but he had no energy & that has been the nature of the week. Yesterday, he went back to our GP who referred him to a physician. When he got back from South East Asia last year, he didn’t get on a medical aid because he was leaving for China and would have health insurance. So now there’s no medical aid. The GP mentioned it ‘could be’ viral myocarditis. We were all shattered. David cancelled tomorrow’s flight to Johannesburg to go to the Chinese embassy. He has to realign his plans for the future and focus on his health. Today, he woke up and had a meeting with his manager who was very sympathetic. David has proven himself over the last 3 years & Neil is happy to allow him leeway to work the easiest hours. China may still happen, but there will be no visa visit tomorrow.
Today he decided to try out False Bay hospital but we made the mistake of going to the emergency department. That’s what we were told to do. His vitals were fine, the staff didn’t read the referral letter and the local gangsters arrived to usurp the queue and take over the ‘triage’ system. David found it somewhat entertaining, but at 5pm, we decided he wouldn’t be seen today. The poor staff were bellowing for ‘male security to come immediately’. It was quite a circus. The positive outcome was he did nothing the entire day and when we arrived home, he was actually feeling as if he had more energy. His left calf is sore, but apart from pain, it doesn’t have any of the other signs of a clot. I gave him a couple of baby disprins just in case. Giving it a stretch…
This evening we are all a little more positive. We all took our blood pressures. Mine was 157/92 at one stage but after lying on the recliner it came down nicely.
It doesn’t matter how old children get, Moms and Dads carry them in their hearts. I pray for better and better.
There was an absolute ray of joy and light in today. This special little beauty came home.
Waking up…peek a boo.
Psalm 68:19
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens.
The best is yet to come – we are only passing through.
Keep the smile going.
God bless you.
In His Grip,
Gran xx 🙂