Day 222

Weird day and it isn't even noon yet.


Primary care provider messaged me last night with my lab work: parathyroid hormone and ionized calcium elevated, total calcium high normal. Serum protein electrophoresis normal. Today she repeated the parathyroid hormone and the calcium but added on a Vitamin D level (which was slightly below normal a couple months ago.)


The TL;DR version of the above?  Might need neck surgery.


All this from "hey can we stop a minute? I think I've got a cramp" on November 13th.


Ten days after we switched to a high-deductible healthcare plan for 2017; doesn't that just figure?


As I said: weird.


I'm facing all this weirdness as a sober person and I cannot tell you just how much relief that provides.  No drinking out of worry, no vague "occasionally" or "a few nights a week" if asked, no wondering "can they tell?" and no irritability from not having my usual coping mechanism. No worries that somehow alcohol is the root cause of my current health problems, either: I've been continuously sober almost 8 months and sober 15 of the past 18 months. This is surprisingly reassuring and comforting because it's SO much less to think about.

=Many hours later=

Came home, took a nap. Even now nine days past the painkillers I'm just so tired all the time and it isn't like I'm doing anything to -get- tired. Fatigue goes with hyperparathyroidism though so that might be it. When I go through the list most of the symptoms fit so maybe if it gets fixed I will feel better. I sure hope so because upon reflection I feel overall worse than I did this time a year ago when I'd been for five months solid. Need to get this sorted out.

Meanwhile the dog is sick - vomited, off his feed, multiple bowel movements - he has a tendency to eat deer and barn-cat and possibly rabbit poop - has had worms several times from it - so I'm hoping that's all it is. He isn't acting -particularly- worrisome.

Kind of a downer day. Hope tomorrow is better.