Just One Woman's Perception!: February 2011

Interesting how in one day lives can be changed. The truth is in seconds lives can be changed. Now, that can be viewed as a great thing, and, or sometimes it might be seen and feel like the rug is being pulled out from under you. It is all based upon a person’s perception in that moment. I am choosing to look at this as a new door and an opportunity for exciting new changes. Did I freak out in the beginning no; I chose not to go into reaction right away. Later when it all came to a head and became reality, for that moment, I had a big freak out!

January 26^th things in our life quickly changed. The day started out as it normally did. The kids went to school and my husband went to work. I was getting ready take a shower but, decided to call my husband first. He sounded strange and told me he would call me back later. I got in the shower and while in there I thought I heard my cell ring. I hurried out and there was a missed call. I knew my husband was the one who called without even looking at it. I called him back, and things did not feel right nor did he sound right. The first tip was that the place he was in had an echo. I had never heard that on a phone call with him.

I proceeded to ask him where he was and he told me the ER. He then told me that he had not been feeling well for a few days but, had never let on about it. He had arrived at work, which is on an MRI truck. At that particular time they had been parked outside of the hospital located near us. He said he was feeling very strange and decided to go in and speak to his doctor. His doctor then ordered blood work. When he got the results back from the tests he personally walked my husband to the emergency room. His blood sugar levels were off the charts and the doctor was quite concerned.

After my husband returned from his deployment in Kosovo he was diagnosed with diabetes. He was placed on two different prescriptions for diabetes as well as a few for high cholesterol. He had not been placed on insulin before this time; he was managing his blood sugar levels through the medicine and a change of diet. Apparently this was not enough to keep his levels down.

When he called I was very concerned and asked him if he would like me to come down to the ER to be with him. He said not yet but he would give me a call and let me know. He would probably need me to drive him home. A couple of hours later he called and said he was ready for me to come down there with him. My thinking is that he wanted to be stabilized before I arrived so I would not see him in the state he had been in previously. This was not my first time seeing him in the emergency room he has been hospitalized a few times during our marriage but, that did not make it any easier.

When I walked in and saw him lying on that bed in a weakened condition with an IV in his arm, a blood pressure cuff and not to mention a heart monitor I got a little nervous. The first thing I said to him was “what the hell”. Not the sweetest thing to say mind you but, that was my first reaction. I proceeded to walk over to him touch his arm and ask him what happened. He then explained the story to me. All total he was in that ER for 5 hours. The nurses were very kind to him. He knows most of them because he was a previous employee of the hospital. My husband is trained as an LPN. He left the hospital because he could make better money for our family driving the MRI truck and helping with the patients who came for scans.

We were allowed to leave when they were finally able to get his blood sugar down to a manageable level. His doctor then prescribed Lantis (insulin shots) to take at home for a bit to try and get his blood sugar balanced. He decided he was going to walk over to the MRI truck and get his things; he was done for the day. He told me to just go ahead and return home and he would meet me there in a few minutes. I drove the car home and awaited his return. On arrival he told me the story of what had happened on the truck.

His supervisor had been on the truck and she had called the company and let them know what had happened. The very next day my husband received a phone call his driving privileges had been revoked. This all happened without the chance to follow up with his doctor. In one day my husband no longer had a job, a means to support our family. Then, after speaking with my husband and his doctor the company realized that they may have been a bit hasty. They said that the only option would be to go to a DOT certified doctor and get a full exam. The thing is before my husband even arrived the doctor had decided not to let him drive. He then proceeded to tell my husband he does not give hand outs.

We did make the most of the day in Kansas City though, we vowed that after lunch we would take a break from talking about the situation and just enjoy each others company. His Boss gave him a call while we were at lunch; it was a conference call with a few of the people in charge. They agreed that the action had been hasty and wanted my husband to file for an exemption. This meant that he would have to go see 3 more doctors in Kansas City. This could take up to 12 weeks with no pay and no guarantee of reinstating his job. I am not going to tell you that it wasn’t a bit of a shock because, it was.

Tuesday, this was the day after the appointment; we sat down and wrote down what our options were. We could chance trying for the exemption but, we did not know how we would pay our bills. The next option was to be let go and file for unemployment. Over much deliberation we chose to have them let him go and file for unemployment. We felt that was the best option. I have a deep understanding and compassion for all of those people out there on unemployment! I am not sure how they think anyone can pay their bills on unemployment.

We are not rolling over and playing dead though. There are too many opportunities out there for us. One of which, is that my husband wants to go and finish his nursing degree, in 2 1/2 years he will be an RN with a BSN. In the meantime we are looking for a little seed money to start a small business to support our family along with a few other options. I know that everything will work out. I am not going to beat myself up about freaking out on Friday. My emotions got the better of me but my heart knows that everything will be okay. It is so awesome the way things work out when you look at them with a different perspective. If one door closes many more open and they are even better than that first door. I am truly Grateful for all of my life experiences, my amazing husband, beautiful inspiring family, the awesome loving people that are coming into my life, and this new and Joy filled path. This is my journey, my healing and One Woman’s Perception!