In mid November, I went for my routine lab work to check the levels of my thyroid, and I knew that I wasn't feeling great; however, I just thought that it was because we're all very busy at this time of year! A few days after my blood work was done, my endocrinologist herself called to say that my labwork looked really terrible. My levels had gone from being too high to too low! My TSH was 0.01 (normal is .35 - 5.3), and my T3 and T4 were both too high. So after a few extra tests (ultrasounds and uptakes, which showed multiple nodules and complete non-function), the doctor decided to completely take me off of my thyroid medication altogether for six weeks...uhhh....in other words, through the end of the holidays!
So as soon as our last set of company left on January 1st, I went straight to bed! I really was having difficulty functioning! My extreme fatigue, my achiness, my lack of memory, my lack of ability to concentrate, and not to mention my weight gain! Long lasting headaches, at times just freezing, and breast pain. And throughout all of this, I've developed several food allergies/sensitivities...still trying to determine what they are! Aghhh! Thankfully, it was a good time of year (if there is one!) to be housebound....we watched lots of Little House on the Prairie, I Love Lucy, Andy Griffith, etc.! My sister (in Europe) kept me entertained with her frequent (almost hourly) phone calls on the updates with Britney Spears and Anna Nicole Smith, helped teach Macy her math, and actually taught me how to cross-stitch over the phone...which I thoroughly enjoyed!
So in the second week of January, Eric and I went back to the endocrinologist, and I had more blood work done. This time (after not having taken any thyroid medication at all for 6-7 weeks!) my levels were at the complete opposite range...my TSH level was 12.01! At least, it validated the way that I had felt! So my doctor decided to restart my thyroid medication...this time at half of the dosage that I had previously been taking! So slowly but surely, I began to come back to the land of the living! And by the middle of February, Eric came home one evening and I was madly cleaning out things deep inside cabinets, closets, etc. He said, "Well, I can see that you're beginning to feel more like yourself!" And I thankfully I was!
By the time that Valentine's Day rolled around, I was feeling so much better! So much better that the Lord felt that we needed some more excitement! So Eric and I went and enjoyed an evening out alone....only to wake up the next morning to hearing the sound that only a mom knows that something is most definitely wrong! The girls had been sweet enough to play quietly in their rooms while we slept in (7:30!), and while they were playing "bridesmaids" Annie tripped and fell on Tressie's way-too-big-for-her crinolin and split the back of her ear open. So sweet Suzy Crouch came over to get Macy and Tressie while Eric and I rushed Annie to the hospital. On the way downtown, sweet Annie asked me, "Momma, do you think that we can make a rule?" which is her way of asking for something. I of course said, "Yes, darlin'!" because I knew that I'd give her anything in the world that she wanted...as any parent would when their child is hurt! And with the bandana wrapped around her head by her daddy, she said, "When this is all over, can we have a get-well party?" Well, once again, I said, "Of course, we can!"
Annie was such a wonderful patient! She had to have 5 stitches, and she never even flinched! She is a tough, little trooper! We were so proud of her! She just held on tightly to Brownie and kept asking, "Is it almost over?!?" And when it was, she even thanked Dr. Meredith! Again, we were soooo proud of her!
A week later, we went and got her stitches taken out, and of course, we had our "Get Well Party"!
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