Alien Invasion!

[JennyWho]

So. We already decided I've been swallowed by an alien. But my husband has been dealing with an alien invasion, and the little monster is trying to kill him.

 

In July of 2003 he was in a car accident, and he was told by doctors at that time that he had a tumor which was going to cost him his sight if he didn't have it removed, so in September, that was what they did. We thought all was good with the world. Then in 2008 he had his first grand mal seizure. Then there was another one two weeks later. But then they got further and further apart, so we thought it might have just been that he slipped and fell, hitting his head on the sink right in the place where he'd had his surgery. It made sense to everyone, and nothing showed up on the CT.

 

A year later he had another one. After a while, since they couldn't figure out what was wrong, we stopped going to the ER. No one ever prescribed an anti-seizure medicine, not after his surgery, and not once he started having seizures. I treated him at home as best I could. For a while they seemed to be getting further apart, and we thought they'd stop eventually. He had one in November of 2015, and it had been two years before that since he'd had one.

 

Meanwhile I had changed jobs from fast food to desk jockey, and jumped from the 275 I had held onto for 10 years to 300, and I was introduced to Nerd Fitness by my sister. I fell off the wagon because it was hard to find food, but I was ready to try again to escape from this Slitheen suit. Until Nick started having smaller and intermediate seizures a couple of months ago.

 

Suddenly all focus shifted to him. I couldn't pay attention to my alien problem, not when his cold war was heating up so quickly. He was sent in for another CT and that's when they saw the beast. They needed a better picture, so they sent him in for an MRI. I took the morning off to help him through that, then went to work for the rest of the day. That night, he had another grand mal, so we took him to the ER, only this time we chose a different one. This time, we found the Doctor.

 

He put him on an anti-seizure drug, took a full history, actually listened to our concerns. So has his companion (nurse practitioner) at the Family Health Center. And between them, they're helping us to find a neurosurgeon who can help him deal with this tumor. The little monster's species is called glioma, and it's got it's little tentacles into his orbital sinus, around his optic nerve, and most worryingly, around his cranial carotid artery, as well as invading the brain itself. The seizures are actually not being caused by the part in his brain, but by the constriction of his carotid. And that's the part that could kill him.

 

I want to respawn, but it's hard to focus on my food and get back to exercising when I know he's got this alien bomb in his head, and whether we'll be able to pay for his medical needs and all the coming interplanetary travel (Dallas to Amarillo).

 

I honestly don't know what to do. The Doctor can help with the aliens, but he can't help with my life.

[porchcricket13]

First, I am so sorry for what your family is going through. I truly understand how hard it can be to find the right neurosurgeon, especially when finances are a concern. I'm dealing with that myself, though mine isn't an alien...my own body is a mutant. The one thing I can tell you is that I am seeing results for myself with simply changing my diet. Cutting out all fast food and soft drinks, cooking 90% of my meals and eating 3 small meals and 2-3 snacks a day. I track all my calories, and have been losing 2-3lbs a week consistently without exercise. I know that eventually I will need to start moving more, but right now my body won't let me. Maybe, just starting there will get you on the right track. 

[Evicious]

I concur with porchcricket13, you make the changes you can and stick with them. Keep them small and be consistent, and remember - the care you are able to give your husband is only equal to the care you take of yourself. So drink a water for every soft drink you have; buy the steam-in-bag veggies you can cook in the microwave (or just use canned, if you need food to be cheaper); don't order the meal option at the drive-thru, just get the grilled chicken sandwich instead; get enough sleep - tell friends and family that your curfew is 8pm, and that you won't be answering texts or the phone until morning. And remember to ask for help when you need it!