Friday, June 13, 2014
My heart is all jumpy right now and my body is weary. I hate it when it gets this way. Despite being exhausted, I am still unable to fall asleep before 1am all week, which really sucks. You know that your life needs a huge change when your preschooler asks you, "why are you always tired, Mom?" *sigh* I wish I knew. But I am getting my bloodwork checked again this weekend. Surely it must be my thyroid. Please let it be my thyroid. Then my doctor can change my medications and I can hopefully, maybe, feel the slightest bit more energetic. (and when I say "energetic", I mean not having to take a nap or two or three a day.)
I saw my doctor this past week, but she is still suggesting that my pain and fatigue are from having "so many children" and the stress that brings. I am willing to admit that I have some things happening in my life that could be considered stress. But I am not going to say that mine is more than anyone else'. Don't we all worry about finances and the house being a mess and having to plan three birthdays, a baby shower, teacher's gifts, father's day, and end-of-the-school-year events in two weeks? Oh, maybe not. Well, this month is a bit more crazier than typical, I guess! June starts our busy family time and it carries on until September. Tons of birthdays and things to plan and figure out!
As for having many children. To be honest, I've said this before and I will say it again, once you have three children it really isn't that much of a change adding another. By the time you have five, you start to get into a rhythm of things. Yes, our house is loud, and yes it is messy, and yes it can get busy, but it really isn't that hard. But it's one of those things that you have to be in to understand. There are many things that I don't "get" and couldn't imagine living through, but if it's your life, it's what you do and you somehow manage. I have a friend who is a single mom to two girls. How does she do it? I can't imagine being that patient all.of.the.time, or never getting a break (I love it when my Hunny can come and help take over when I need a breather or two, because I often need those. I'm not that patient after all.). And having to carry the weight of the finances? Wow. Now, that is stressful in my mind! Don't talk to me about how my fatigue is due to many kids....there are so many out there with it harder than me! (although, my friend may not think it is a big deal since she is used to doing it all alone for a few years now.)
My doctor says that I "need to find a week of nothing to do." I asked her how do I do that. She suggested a "Staycation." Are you kidding me? I'm a stay-at-home-mom. I"m not too sure how staying home (something I already do) would reach those parameters of "finding nothing to do." There is always something to do in this house! (I just may not do it sometimes, haha, looking at the state of my house right now)
My chest aches and my body is weary and I can hardly stay awake and my heart is racing and jumping around like a fish. I am starting to see how it could all be related, though. The more tired my body is, the more my heart will feel 'jumpy" and the more likely I am to get chest pains. I just don't know what is causing that fatigue. Just when I think I have found a possible solution, I find it just adds to the list in the end. It turns out that fatigue can be a symptom of many different things!
Remember me having to see the Cardiologist in December? He had booked me in for a Stress Test and an Echocardiogram, just to make me feel better. The Stress Test went okay, and the Echo was booked for January but I had to cancel it since it fell on the same day that I was going away for the weekend. The idea of making a drive all the way in to Vancouver General Hospital that afternoon and then driving all the way in the opposite direction to Harrison Hot Springs didn't appeal to me! I got a new date for that appointment for May.
In the end, the Echocardiogram was easier than I anticipated! I had seen Kai have them done yearly for 8 years, so I knew what to expect, but I was a bit self conscious. As much as I tell myself that these specialists have seen several breasts, that they don't actually pay attention to them at all, I still felt nervous being disrobed in front of a stranger. (in the end, the radiologist had me covered up with a towel and didn't even look at me! He stared at his screen the whole time and was very professional. Silly me and my worries!)
My follow up appointment with the Cardiologist was to be expected. He said that my Stress test was Normal. My 24 Hour Holter was Normal. My Echo was Normal. Everything is good and fine. But oh, the Echo discovered that I have Mitral Valve Prolapse.
What? How is that "normal"?
According to the Echo, the Prolapse is tiny and hardly noticeable. The doctor said that he wouldn't know I have one if it didn't say so on the report, since he can't hear it on the stethoscope. So I guess that's a good thing. He wasn't concerned about it and said that I shouldn't either, so I chose to believe him! I go back in a year for another Echo to see if there is any change.
Of course, when I got home, I suddenly had questions (why do I never think of them in his office?) and I had to Google what a Prolapse was! I found out some interesting stuff. Such as this, from the Mayoclinic website:
It blew my mind! Are you kidding me? This could totally explain so much! I was actually giddy at the idea and I felt that I had my answers! Hooray.
Except when my own doctor said that my "leaky valve" is so insignificant that I wouldn't even feel any symptoms. Oh. Well, that's good, I suppose. But I liked having some answers!
So we're back to "stress of having many children."
Please let it be my thyroid.
***another interesting thing that I was reminded of when I was telling my mom of my cardiologist appointment. My Opa has MVP. He has had it for years and had the valve replaced at the age of 70 with a pig's valve. They usually only last for 10 years, but his has been going for 15!
***The cardiologist said that I likely had this since birth. Well, THAT would explain a LOT of things too in my life. If only it could....
I saw my doctor this past week, but she is still suggesting that my pain and fatigue are from having "so many children" and the stress that brings. I am willing to admit that I have some things happening in my life that could be considered stress. But I am not going to say that mine is more than anyone else'. Don't we all worry about finances and the house being a mess and having to plan three birthdays, a baby shower, teacher's gifts, father's day, and end-of-the-school-year events in two weeks? Oh, maybe not. Well, this month is a bit more crazier than typical, I guess! June starts our busy family time and it carries on until September. Tons of birthdays and things to plan and figure out!
As for having many children. To be honest, I've said this before and I will say it again, once you have three children it really isn't that much of a change adding another. By the time you have five, you start to get into a rhythm of things. Yes, our house is loud, and yes it is messy, and yes it can get busy, but it really isn't that hard. But it's one of those things that you have to be in to understand. There are many things that I don't "get" and couldn't imagine living through, but if it's your life, it's what you do and you somehow manage. I have a friend who is a single mom to two girls. How does she do it? I can't imagine being that patient all.of.the.time, or never getting a break (I love it when my Hunny can come and help take over when I need a breather or two, because I often need those. I'm not that patient after all.). And having to carry the weight of the finances? Wow. Now, that is stressful in my mind! Don't talk to me about how my fatigue is due to many kids....there are so many out there with it harder than me! (although, my friend may not think it is a big deal since she is used to doing it all alone for a few years now.)
My doctor says that I "need to find a week of nothing to do." I asked her how do I do that. She suggested a "Staycation." Are you kidding me? I'm a stay-at-home-mom. I"m not too sure how staying home (something I already do) would reach those parameters of "finding nothing to do." There is always something to do in this house! (I just may not do it sometimes, haha, looking at the state of my house right now)
My chest aches and my body is weary and I can hardly stay awake and my heart is racing and jumping around like a fish. I am starting to see how it could all be related, though. The more tired my body is, the more my heart will feel 'jumpy" and the more likely I am to get chest pains. I just don't know what is causing that fatigue. Just when I think I have found a possible solution, I find it just adds to the list in the end. It turns out that fatigue can be a symptom of many different things!
Remember me having to see the Cardiologist in December? He had booked me in for a Stress Test and an Echocardiogram, just to make me feel better. The Stress Test went okay, and the Echo was booked for January but I had to cancel it since it fell on the same day that I was going away for the weekend. The idea of making a drive all the way in to Vancouver General Hospital that afternoon and then driving all the way in the opposite direction to Harrison Hot Springs didn't appeal to me! I got a new date for that appointment for May.
In the end, the Echocardiogram was easier than I anticipated! I had seen Kai have them done yearly for 8 years, so I knew what to expect, but I was a bit self conscious. As much as I tell myself that these specialists have seen several breasts, that they don't actually pay attention to them at all, I still felt nervous being disrobed in front of a stranger. (in the end, the radiologist had me covered up with a towel and didn't even look at me! He stared at his screen the whole time and was very professional. Silly me and my worries!)
My follow up appointment with the Cardiologist was to be expected. He said that my Stress test was Normal. My 24 Hour Holter was Normal. My Echo was Normal. Everything is good and fine. But oh, the Echo discovered that I have Mitral Valve Prolapse.
What? How is that "normal"?
According to the Echo, the Prolapse is tiny and hardly noticeable. The doctor said that he wouldn't know I have one if it didn't say so on the report, since he can't hear it on the stethoscope. So I guess that's a good thing. He wasn't concerned about it and said that I shouldn't either, so I chose to believe him! I go back in a year for another Echo to see if there is any change.
Of course, when I got home, I suddenly had questions (why do I never think of them in his office?) and I had to Google what a Prolapse was! I found out some interesting stuff. Such as this, from the Mayoclinic website:
When signs and symptoms do occur, it may be because blood is leaking
backward through the valve (regurgitation). Mitral valve prolapse
symptoms can vary widely from one person to another. They tend to be
mild and develop gradually. Symptoms may include:
- A racing or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, often when lying flat or during physical activity
- Fatigue
- Chest pain that's not caused by a heart attack or coronary artery disease
It blew my mind! Are you kidding me? This could totally explain so much! I was actually giddy at the idea and I felt that I had my answers! Hooray.
Except when my own doctor said that my "leaky valve" is so insignificant that I wouldn't even feel any symptoms. Oh. Well, that's good, I suppose. But I liked having some answers!
So we're back to "stress of having many children."
Please let it be my thyroid.
***another interesting thing that I was reminded of when I was telling my mom of my cardiologist appointment. My Opa has MVP. He has had it for years and had the valve replaced at the age of 70 with a pig's valve. They usually only last for 10 years, but his has been going for 15!
***The cardiologist said that I likely had this since birth. Well, THAT would explain a LOT of things too in my life. If only it could....
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