Tuesday, June 21, 2011

When internal organs go astray.



I got the following e-mail yesterday:

Brandi,
I'm a long time reader and I'm coming out of lurker status because I'm worried. You usually post several times a week but lately it's only once or twice a week. Is everything O.K.? Is your husband O.K.? Did anything happen? Sorry for sounding like a stalker or a creeper. I've been reading for years and I feel like we're friends and if one of my friends suddenly stops talking to me as often as usual, I get worried. Hope everything's O.K.


Creepy-stalker Janey



Dear Creepy-stalker Janey,

Thanks for being concerned. Everything is O.K., and my husband is fine.

Do you remember about a year ago when I was whining about my thyroid because it was acting all crazy, and I had to ingest radioactive iodine to find out what was wrong and almost had to forgo the tummy tuck over it? No? I'd link to the posts but my thyroid is making me so tired I don't have the energy to look for it. Long story short: My thyroid inexplicably went haywire and I felt like crap. But it went haywire in such a way (hyperthyroidism) that I lost an extra 20 pounds and got down to a size four. So, as far as medical maladies go, it wasn't so bad.

It finally stabilized and they told me to expect to gain back a few pounds. They also warned me that often it over corrects itself and goes crazy the other way (hypothyroidism). I did gain a few pounds, but for nearly a year my thyroid remained stable.

And then last month it decided to up and quit. Suddenly my thyroid had become about as useful as a college drop out living in his mom's basement laying around smoking pot all day (which would totally explain my constant munchies).

I gained 15 pounds in two weeks (which makes 30 pounds in the past year for those of you keeping score, and I know some of you are). Two weeks. And it's not going away.

I'm living in stretchy pants and constantly praying that my tummy tuck scars don't burst open.

And I'm tired. Like, eight months pregnant in the dead of summer kind of tired.

I've stepped up my workouts to try to combat any further weight gain, but when I get home I'm so exhausted that I really just want to sleep all day. But there are kids to feed and laundry to wash and toilets to clean, so napping doesn't happen as much as I'd like.

Oh, and my hair is falling out by the handful. I have to buy Draino at least once a week.

I'm waiting on a referral to an endocrinologist and hopefully we can figure something out.

So, that's why I haven't been writing as much lately. Not just here but in general--texts and e-mails and notes included.

And Janey? Thanks again for asking. I wanted to whine about it but couldn't find a good excuse.

~Brandi

No comments:

Post a Comment

Be nice or I'll punch you in the taco.

LinkWithin