Up till now I've managed to see the positives in everything that's happened this year - but after the last couple of days I'm starting to struggle a bit...
Last February I went to the Doctor and finally did something about the depression I had been feeling (denying really) since my early teens. This was a massive step for me and really positive, Dr prescribed counselling which was very helpful, and antidepressants. Just as well really because in March DH was diagnosed with mouth cancer.
Unfairly, he is not a drinker, is fit and active, has never smoked and visits the dentist on a fairly regular basis. To cut a very long story short in May he had a partial glossectomy (nearly 1/2 his tongue removed) which was rebuilt with a chunk from his arm, including nerves and arteries which were grafted into his tongue. He also had a graft taken from his stomach to cover the bit missing from his arm! He had a tracheostomy for a few days and spent 2 weeks in hospital, but made an amazing recovery.
Oh, nearly forget - a week before DH was due to go in I was made redundant - on my birthday!! Yes, really - you couldn't write it!
Two weeks after DH came home, we became concerned about DS2 (5). He had started bed wetting and becoming irritable and prone to tantrums - he is generally the most laid back, happy child I have ever come across (I am/was a teacher). Anyway, we thought this was all down to DH being ill but then DH's Mum came for the weekend and mentioned that DS2 seemed to be drinking an awful lot.....can you guess what it is yet??
So on the Monday morning we took a urine sample to the Dr and yes, you've guessed it - Type 1 diabetes. Cue 3 days in hospital and insulin injections for life.
At this point, although upset and worried we were still remarkably positive about everything. The cancer had brought us closer together and we'd realised how strong we were and the DS2 was feeling better than he had for a long time. It could have been so much worse - you only have to read some of the stories on here to realise that.
All settled down for a bit then, until DH started having breathing problems and was readmitted. Of course we thought the worse, but after investigations it turned out that scar tissue from the trachy was obstructing his trachea. He then had another op to sort that out and since that, has gone from strength to strength - we have been SO lucky in SO many ways.
But I'm a bit fed up today - DS2 has been having tummy aches fairly regularly which intially was thought to be constipation (although I knew it wasn't). We saw his diabetes team yesterday and has now been screened for coeliac disease which apparently has links to diabetes. It would make sense as my cousin has CD and I guess I've always been a bit IBS-y IYKWIM!
And then - and this was the final straw - as we went to get in the car to take DS2 to clinic yesterday we noticed that someone has keyed our relatively new (to us) car, all along the back in lovely triangle shape carvings, and down the passenger side from the rear light to the front indicator - and I think I've just lost my positivity for a bit.
Sorry, I know it's long and I'm not looking for sympathy or any answers, but that is a bit of a crap year as far as crap years go, don't you think?