My husband and I celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary on Tuesday, May 24th. It was only four days later that I was admitted to the hospital. My mother has always referred to my husband as “that poor bastard” because he seems to have the worst luck and this was no exception. Leave it to him to get married and find out one short year later that his wife has a rare chronic disease. He has been really lighthearted about it, though, and even joked around with my dad in the hospital asking what the return policy was on me or if he could extend his one-year warranty. Thankfully my husband seems to be taking all of this in stride, which is good because if he was freaking out, I would be a wreck.
delayed thank yous
To my husband, thank you for feeding me, showering me, holding my water cup, fetching towels, swiping snacks from the nurses’ station, sitting with me until I fell asleep each night, and arriving early in the mornings so I didn’t have to be alone. You are truly my rock and I wouldn’t want anyone else by my side during this mayhem. Thank you for your continued support, for carting me around to my numerous appointments, for taking care of dinner and for doing whatever possible to make me feel better when I’m having an off day. There are a million things I could write here, but none of them would truly capture the gratitude I feel. You have truly embraced our vows, “in sickness and in health”, in a way I never could have predicted.
To my mother, thank you for dropping everything on a Saturday afternoon, hopping in the car, and driving five hours to Saratoga to be by my side at the hospital. Thank you for spending the night at the hospital and still having the energy to drive five hours back home on Sunday. Even more so, thank you for getting in the car with dad Monday morning and making the five hour drive yet again because you found out I needed another blood transfusion. You sat by my side the next two days offering to get me food, fanning me, tracking down nurses, and making sure I was comfortable. Another huge thank you for staying an extra night at the hotel after I was discharged so I could relax and spend time with you. You are truly selfless and would do anything for your children. I feel blessed to have you as my mother.
To my mother-in-law, where do I even begin? You 100% treat me like you would your own daughter and I can’t thank you enough for that. You came with me to the ER and made sure to text my mother with updates so she didn’t have to worry/wonder. You graciously bought me food, helped me pick my meals each day, and even ran to the store to grab gift cards and thank you notes for the nursing staff. Every nurse in that hospital was sure to point out to me how lucky I got with my in-laws and they were absolutely right. Thank you for staying late, showing up early, and relieving others of their shifts. I only wish there was a phrase stronger than “thank you”.
To my father, thank you for driving up to Saratoga Monday morning with momma. Thank you for being the perfect distraction while in the hospital – your sense of humor and our endless Canasta games kept me from losing my mind. Also, thank you for driving to the store to grab me portable fans when my hot flashes started to get the best of me. Thank you for being you. I love you!
To my father-in-law, thank you for snagging the big fan from the nurses’ station to cool me down and for holding down the fort back at the cottage so your wife and son could focus on being at the hospital. It certainly wasn’t the Memorial Day Weekend any of us had planned, but you went above and beyond doing laundry, cleaning the cottage, and making up beds for my mother and aunt to nap in. Thank you for playing the gracious host and for keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes.
To my aunt (the Nurse Practitioner), thank you for listening to my symptoms, recognizing their severity, and referring me to the ER. Thank you for dropping everything and driving the five hours to Saratoga (and back) with my mother to be by my side. Thank you for asking all of the right questions, explaining the medical terms and lab results to me, helping me freshen up, and chasing down nurses, snacks, and toiletries for me. Thank you for fixing my hair, painting my toenails, and for FaceTiming me throughout the week, especially during the family Memorial Day Party. Your constant check ins and advice have kept me sane throughout this last month and I don’t know what I would do without you.
To my coworkers/employer, thank you for helping me understand what it is I love about our company – we’re a family. The patience, understanding, and support you have all shown me over the last month has absolutely blown me away. Thank you to my teammates who took over some of my day-to-day responsibilities so I won’t return to a huge buildup, especially my former boss. Thank you to our Founder & CEO who set aside time to talk to me about my condition and made sure I was getting the best care possible. Thank you to our HR Director for chasing down IVIG approval and making sure insurance coverage was the last thing on my mind. Thank you to our CFO who made sure my focus this last month was on healing and recovery. Thank you for caring about my continued success and for allowing me to work from home in between treatments. A huge thank you to my boss who checked in with me daily, kept HR/management informed of my treatments and condition, and allowed me to make recovery and rest my top priority without having to worry if I would still have a job when this was over. And finally, to my coworkers on other teams who have kept in touch and helped wherever/whenever possible, you are the reason I miss coming to work. You are the reason I can’t wait to get back.
A very special thank you to all of my family, friends, and coworkers who sent flowers, get well soon cards, stuffed animals, meals, and presents. For everyone that reached out to check on me, offered to donate blood, and prayed for my continued recovery, I love you.
