Oct 29: Working & Breaking up a Marriage

Meant to post last night, but needed to get to bed. I take energy when it comes, so don't always get to stick to my initial plans. Fairly boring last week and weekend, although the pain is lessening: Thank God!! Still present, still very restricted, but now doesn't hurt constantly. Still hurts with deep breathing, coughing, sneezing, laughing, etc. By early afternoon there is a discomfort, and by mid-afternoon has progressed to pain, but now have mornings without pain. Still tired, exhausted when come home and go straight to the couch after feeding the complaining kitties.

My friend Chrissy (from work) came over yesterday to help with changing the bed and laundry, which are things that are still very difficult. Last time I changed the sheets I was in pretty bad pain for hours and needed to take a pain pill, which I rarely do. She was here for several hours, we were chatting away while the laundry was running. Changed over to my "winter" bedspread, which meant changing the dustruffle, etc, washing the quilt, switching sheets around. Four loads of laundry (or was it five?) because I was trying to hold out until someone could help me.

Chrissy's son Patrick called at one point, and she asked him to remind his father that she was over at my house helping me with laundry and stuff. About an hour later her husband, Michael, started calling her. And calling her. And calling her. Every 15 minutes or so with really petty stuff. This isn't like Michael. He is one of those truly evolved men who cooks and does the housekeeping, great guy. He just adores her. But after multiple stupid phone calls Chrissy was getting pretty ticked off. So when she left my house, she called him at her daughter's to yell at him. Her daughter answered the phone, here is the conversation:

Chrissy: Hi. Put your father on the phone.

Daughter: Mom, he's really upset.

Chrissy: Why? Did he forget I had a meeting to go to tonight?

Daughter: No, he thinks you're having an affair.

Chrissy: WHAT? Who does he think I'm having an affair with?

Daughter: He doesn't know, he just knows you're lying to him about where you are.

Chrissy: WHAT!! I've been over at Laurie's doing her laundry for her!

Daughter: Mom--you, doing laundry? No one believes that. That's why he's sure you're covering something up.

Just another example that you never know how your illness is going to affect those around you....

Thanks for checking, Laurie