The newest Rift in our River

So hmmm, where to even begin..

On Monday Julius did indeed end up calling the doctor and making an appointment (after several tries to find someone who was accepting new patients and had same day appointments). So we packed up the kids and went to the Vanc. Clinic in Fishers Landing where the kids and I ran around outside while Julius got poked and prodded. He called me afterwards (thank gosh for cells) and said "The doctor said I can take some ibuprofen or I can have an MRI done." What great options (especially considering that we don't have a regular health plan). So I told him just to have the MRI and we'll worry about the cost later... Since I don't see how a months worth of pain will be relieved by ibuprofen, and we're talking pain... My husband is so tolerant to pain, I am guessing he could cut off his own toe and then say "yea it's okay, it just bleed a little bit." So if he's willing to call a doctor and make the effort, I know it's bad.

So we come home with these directions to drink this special drink before the MRI and not eat anything, then he goes to work (can't possibly miss work, the man has awesome work ethic - I once asked why he didn't just take a sick day so we could have a three day weekend, his response: "Because I'm not sick, why would I do that anyway?")

He comes back from work to pick us up and tells me, "I think I drank that stuff too soon.." I tell him not to worry about it and that I am sure it won't disappear in a matter of a 30min difference, so we all head to the MRI. Which is at the Vanc. Clinic in Salmon Creek. Again I take the kids outside to play in the grass while dad gets his business done. He calls and says he's done and that we can go home and the doctor will call with the results.....

We head home..

Merge from 205S to 500....

Phone chimes that he has a voice message...

Message something like this, "Julius, this is your doctor, your MRI shows that you have a blood clot in your liver, please proceed to the hospital immediately, they will need to treat you there."

HOLY CRAP, so I don't handle medical things very well and I am super queasy just hearing the message and thinking of what a blood clot can do, and just really the words 'blood clot' make me turn a shade of green. So we decide to leave the kids with my aunt (I ended up staying too because I was swooning.)

He goes to the Emergency room, have you ever been there? You can have your car valet parked for you... But no, Julius decides that he is not that sick, so he parks on the other side of the FB Tower and walks back to emergency. Then continues to refuse a wheel chair stating that he's, "Fine."

Tired of reading?? It gets better... please continue...

My Aunt drives me to the hospital after a long talk from my mom about how I should be there and that I will be fine.. So we go in, he's sitting there telling me that he's bored and there isn't even a TV. He could be watching the CUBS game. Finally the surgeon comes in and says something similar to this: "You are what we call a fascinoma, that means you are very rare in the medical profession. There are only 8 reported cases of what you have, so we are reading up about it and going to give you the best treatment possible."

So basically, about 4 to 5 weeks ago he was playing soccer, when he went to block a foul type goal, that means the other team sends one guy to kick the goal while the defending team stands in the way to block the goal. So Julius got a direct his to his stomach, one which left 5 hexagon marks on his stomach. From that it caused internal swelling and bleeding which then closed his blood vein and caused the blood that was in there to clot. In addition, his pancreas is one large hematoma, basically one big bruise, which is why he has been in discomfort when he would eat and why his stomach keeps getting so bloated.

So what now.. we'll he is on his third day in the hospital. Yes I went to the zoo while he was there (it was a nice getaway). The doctors are good, and they are finally letting him eat. They are giving him blood thinners which will hopefully 'dissolve' the clot, although there is no evidence that it will actually work. The clot is not in an artery which leads to the brain or heart, so he does not have the risk of stroke of heart attack. But the clot is cutting off blood flow to some of his major organs. He however is feeling the same and finally asked for some morphine so he could sleep through the pain. He's still up and talking and doing his usual, watching sports, reading sports... pretty much what he would do at home - accept he is stuck in his little room. I've taken the kids up a few times, they are okay with it, I know they miss him though. So we've been staying with my Aunt so someone is always there to watch the kids while I am up at the hospital.

That is pretty much it. Now I have to go and do his work, and mine because we have quarterly reports that are due tomorrow! So wish us all the best and pray that the hospital will be understanding with the bill..