THE PSYCHIC WAS RIGHT

 Shut down's over.  Back to business as usual.  Here's the latest:

When you (and by you, I mean me) have too many questions and not enough answers, you (I)will, out of total desperation, absolutely listen to (and believe) any random stranger who has even the most tangential, obscure, outlandish advice.  During the course of our ordeal with Nate, I put huge stock in any medical anecdote with a happy ending. (I also trolled the internet hourly for any even semi-related medical symptoms, searching for clues or answers to what ailed Nate--but instead of answers, I just scared the ever living crap out of myself,  and eventually--at the request of one of Nate's doctors-- I just had to just stop)..

Over orientation weekend at Notre Dame, a time when Nate could barely walk and had trouble moving his head, I met a lovely woman from Connecticut at a dinner at Howard Hall (Little aside—Annie is the Assistant Rector of Howard Hall. It’s a great gig--free room and board, a bit of a salary and all the goofy, undergrad hi-jinks she could ever want.  Nate was too sick to do any of the manly things that his dorm was doing, --like move his arms and legs--so Annie graciously included us in many of her dorms' frosho activities) This woman had a son who had Lyme's disease several years before,  and, of course, Connecticut IS the birthplace of Lyme's disease, AND her son was treated at Yale, so to me, she was an absolute font of infectious disease wisdom. a veritable expert.  Dr. Quinn Connecticut woman not only described her experience with her son, but she also told a story about an eleven year old  girl she met in the airport who had undiagnosed Lyme’s disease for four years, with her only symptoms being crazy behavior and outrageous swearing  (shit…maybe I have Lyme’s disease…) And for some reason, this convinced me that Nate could easily have Lyme's disease. Not because he was swearing or acting crazy, but because he had a mysterious illness that defied diagnosis--so, the more bizarre someone else's symptoms, stories, ailments were, the more pertinent they seemed to be to me. I know...Seriously?  I am believing a woman I don’t know, who is telling me a story about a girl she doesn’t know, about a disease I don’t even know if my kid has, with symptoms he totally does NOT have and I am eating it up with a spoon. Somehow, her stories validated or verified that Nate indeed has an infectious disease.  Delusionally crazy on my part. Hey, I'm not saying it makes sense,  I'm just telling the facts.  And this, my friends, is the point of this whole post.  We (okay, maybe just me) will believe anything and anyone if it confirms, reaffirms or even gives a glimmer of explanation for something we have no answer for...

Back during the worst of Nate's days, my dearest friend Nancy, who has known and loved Nate since the day he was born, called me and said she had a friend who was a Reiki specialist, a medical professional and a bit of a psychic.  She asked if she could bring Nate’s mystery illness to her friend. I said—sure. I would chew on crystals with a big old stick of lit incense stuck in my ear, while projecting and protecting my aura if I thought it could make Nate feel better.  And honestly, traditional medicine wasn't really giving us much relief, so bring it on. Nancy took a photo of Nate to the psychic/doctor along with a few other momentos of him, and put me on speaker phone while she asked questions and did a reading of sorts.  The specialist didn't say anything any weirder than the other medical professionals we'd seen, she asked some very good questions, gave some insights, but the one thing that really stood out was that she was emphatic that Nate would be much better in two months. She wasn't exactly sure what was wrong with him (she was in real good company there) but she was very sure that he would be feeling much better in two months.  Well guess what?? The psychic was right.

A few weeks ago, approximately two months after the psychic did her reading of Nate, he started feeling better. After kind of plateauing at about 65% for three weeks, Nate began relapsing toward the end of September. He was managing pretty well during the day, but by night time, he just couldn't move.  He kept getting stuck places--He'd head to the library in the early evening, but by night time, he couldn't get back to his dorm. And he was in so much pain at night he couldn't sleep. His siblings and cousins at Notre Dame were really worried. Even Nate finally admitted that he wasn't getting any better.  Without any other solutions in sight, I made an appointment at the Mayo Clinic for Oct. 22. And, because we had no answers, our prayers increased. People began a novena on his behalf. Nate met and was blessed by Fr. Ted Hesburgh on September 29. (Thanks, JR for setting that up) AND his good friend Jeff Collins offered up massive prayers for Nate at St Peter's Cathedral in Vatican City. (and the doctor put him on a new drug methotrexate--but that drug takes three weeks to kick in). And freakishly, wonderfully, Nate started feeling remarkably better.  He could sleep. He could move. His sed rate and CRP were almost back to normal. The scooter was kicked to the curb, medically unnecessary, but real fun for a scoot around campus before studying.

I don't know why Nate feels better. Maybe it's the steroids he's still taking. Maybe the methotrexate kicked in immediately. Maybe whatever the hell that was making him sick has started to run its course. Maybe he started feeling better because I made an appointment at Mayo, just like how my car always stops making that funny noise as soon as I take it into the shop. Maybe it's a bit of a miracle. I don't know. And really, neither does anyone else--I canceled Nate's appointment at Mayo.--I know. I'm kind of kicking myself over it, but because he seemed so much better, I kind of didn't want to make the trip for nothing--. He saw a rheumatologist this week. He needs to start weaning off of the steroids and is at about 85%. He's not in perfect shape by any means, but he's cleaning the kitchen right now, so that's a real big step in the right direction.

 In real life, I am an enormous skeptic. I don’t believe in much of anything. (except for the motivating power of guilt, stress and sugar) I don't believe in ghosts or magic or or fate or even serendipity. I never believed in Santa Claus (really?? some hairy old stranger is bringing me gifts?? yeah, right. My mom used to take me Christmas shopping with her while my siblings were at school.  I totally knew where that Betty Big Girl and the Chrissy Doll came from.  I sat right next to both of them in the cart that my mom pushed thru the toy department at Sears.) Hell, some days I barely believe in gravity.

But I do know this: people are incredibly kind: they give advice, solace and offer prayers, when you need it the most. they tell you stories that give you hope, they listen, they care and they feel for your kid like he is their own. Thanks for all of your prayers. Thanks for all of your help--the doctor referrals (we may still need them yet), the research, the advice and the kindness.   And even I have to admit it--the psychic was right. 


Today's Top Ten:

1. Jeff Collins--I am giving him top billing because I think his powerful prayers did the trick.

2. The Fancy sundae at the Spot--Have you had one of these? Top shelf--And anything with Fancy in its name always tastes better.

3. We Are Water--the new book by Wally Lamb (he wrote She's Come Undone)

4. The Spode Turkey platter. I love Thanksgiving and I love this platter.

5. The Men's 14-wale 5-pocket Corduroy Jeans from Land's End Canvas in fir.  They are on sale for $19.99. Bought four pairs of them.  Merry Christmas, McKeon Brothers. (the sail cloth chinos are pretty sweet, too--on sale for $23--it's a pants-a-palooza at my house right now) 

6. The French Ephemera Paper Tape from P.O.S.H--(actually just about anything from P.O.S.H--I love this story and the website.  Those Vintage Wool blankets are killer) see: http://poshchicago.com/collections/flea-market-finds/products/bulgarian-wool-blanket

7. "Last Tango in Halifax"--have you seen this show on PBS? Wendy told me about it and now I am totally addicted. It's a mighty fine place holder until Downton Abbey comes back on.

8. Harding and Wilson bow ties--These ties are amazing.  My wonderful friend Gina sent five of these ties to my boys (her daughter's fiancee started this company)  The Pendelton wool collection is just beautiful. It's not too early to stock up on these gems for the holidays.

9. Hesburgh Heroes--The shids raised $5,000 this past weekend at our tailgate for Andean Health by selling t-shirts and shaking down fans.  A terrifically generous friend matched their efforts. That's $10,000, which pays for an x-ray machine for the Hesburgh Hospital.  Nicely done.

10.  My Halloween Mantle (again)--I really love this mantle (it is slightly different from the last time I posted it) AND having this photo will act as my memory for next year when I try to recreate this masterpiece.