Postscripts & Photocards

The postscript is that for now, Caris is okay. Apparantly, the cardiologist feels that whatever is troubling her frail sensibilities right now, it isn't her heart. Yet....just "to be sure," he feels that it's "a good idea" to put her on a Holter monitor for 24 hours AND get an ultrasound of her heart. So, he said, the good news is that she could go back to school. The bad news is she probably shouldn't drive until after she gets the results from being monitored. I could tell by the look on my daughter's face that she was less than thrilled on both accounts.

I thought that they'd arrange for her to leave with the monitor attached, or installed....whatever the heck it is that they do with it...by the time we left the doctor's office. But instead, they said they'd have to call us when one became available and they couldn't get her in for that ultrasound until the middle of January. Well, okay. We do what we have to do. As the days progressed and Caris felt stronger, the urge the drive came on strong as well. Though I must give her credit; not once did she complain.

On Monday morning, now going on two weeks since we'd seen the cardiologist, and no call to have Caris come back for monitoring, I called the doctor's office. I inquired as to when we might hear from them and was told that I should count my blessings. If they felt that there was really a problem to be concerned about, Caris would have been way up on their priority list. "Wow", I thought. I was merely asking when they thought we might be getting monitored and was summarily reprimanded by a grumpy office administrator. I thanked her for her concern about whether or not I was counting my blessings and wished her a Happy Hanukkah. Then I got off the phone and said a prayer for all the people who really DO have heart problems that have to deal with Ms. Grumpbutt at the cardiologist's office.

As I said, for now Caris is doing okay. All the lab work from the day we took her in came back negative. She doesn't have any blood ailments, no anemia or mono, no diabetes, hypo or hyper, she's not dehydrated. She's recovered from her knock on the head when she fell and Charlie and I are of the opinion that she was simply overworking herself and suffering from "Triple S". Better known to last year high school students and their parents as "Senior Stress Syndrome". Burning the midnight oil for finals, stressing over college applications, not eating right, not sleeping at all...ahhhh, those were the days, huh?

Caris wants me to thank everyone for their comments of support and emails with get well wishes. Ku'uipo, you made us all laugh, especially Caris, with your special card. Charlie said he'd love to send her to you (just so that we can have a break! *wink*)

As for photocards, I did the best I could this year with trying to get the holiday greetings out, but as usual came up short. Short on time, short on money, but not short when I thought of all of you. If you'll forgive me this indulgence, for those of you that didn't get the snail mail version, the above Hello version is my attempt at reaching farther than our pocketbook was able. Much love from afar and joy in the journey...since you've all been with us all the way.