June 27: Take Two

It was going to be a quiet day and I looked forward to sneaking in some tasks like going through the growing piles of stuff that kept depositing themselves in my sewing room. The kids were tired from many late June nights and I left them all in bed, with the exception of Micah who had a field trip to look forward to. I got up early, and wrote a post about my brother since it was not only his birthday, but the first anniversary of his diagnosis. I was relieved that the writing of it made me cry, as I sometimes questioned my grieving process.

At 10:00 oclock I heard Sammy fussing and moaning in his bed. We'd had him at the doctor a few weeks back, discussing the possibility of him having a seizure disorder; so his moaning made me wonder if it had been that kind of a night for him. His bed was wet and he was holding his stomach, crying and moaning. He threw up once but his stomach was empty. He'd been fine the day before and this nausea made me wonder again about some elevated liver enzymes that were discovered accidentally during the investigation of his seizure activity. It was best checked out, I decided and the paper trail would be beneficial as I was sure I could not be counted on to rely on my memory.

Its very unsettling to hear one's physician say... "This is beyond the scope of a family physician, I would advise you to go to children's hospital emergency as soon as possible."

But on this first anniverary of the liver-that-killed-my-brother; that's where we celebrated our family line of dysfunctional livers. (Actually, it was bile ducts for Ken, but that's details).

Sam's repeat blood tests came back in the normal range, so he may not actually have been given that family torch to carry. Three doctors and a nurse or two breezed in and out during our five hour visit but then released us with a shrug and the usual warnings.

I bet it was the liver fairy come to visit. Just a reminder that we best not forget the way to the Health Science Centre. Just a very thoughtful visit to remind us that the summer sun does shine on William Avenue the same as it does at Caribou Lake.

Maybe its even some sort of bundle package: Two livers, one stroke, and a seizure for a family rate?