Uffda!

I'm afraid there really aren't many pictures to go with this post because things have been hectic around here as a few lives have been changed in recent weeks. 

The Saturday after our anniversary, Rich (aka Hubbyman) and I decided to go on a roadtrip to the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Alabama to see what treasures we might find.  He was also in need of a new suitcase so figured he could get a good deal on one there.

On our way out of town, I received a text from a girl I will refer to as Z saying my best friend (her boyfriend) Andy (who is only 35, btw) was just admitted into the ER for a heart attack.  My first instinct was to go to the ER and be there but she told me "no."  Part of that was from him not wanting to interfere with my and Rich's anniversary plans but a lot of that was her.  She said not to cancel the road trip and she would keep me updated.  Which she did.

I was pretty much in tears the whole time and most of the trip was blur.  The UBC was okay if you are small and looking for clothes.  I think I walked away with a shirt and Rich did indeed get a suitcase.  Here I am as part of the unclaimed baggage with his newly claimed baggage.



I'm sad because I was unclaimed baggage. :P

By the time I got back into town, Andy was getting settled into a room.  Z would not tell me which room, though, and said to wait until the next day to go see him.

I did not sleep AT ALL that night until after 4:30am when I finally got a text message from HIM.  He said he was okay and would let me know when his parents got there which room he was in.  A bit later in the morning, Z texted and said she was going home because he had snapped at her in front of his parents and she needed to get some rest.  At the same time, he told me his room number in the CCU so I rushed there to see him.

As it turns out, his heart is not in good shape due to heart disease and he had to have 4 stents put in.  He seemed to be in pretty good spirits overall, though, and his family seemed really nice.  They gave us a bit of privacy and, even though I tried not to, I started to cry because of how worried I was and seeing him was such a huge relief.  My visit with him was short, but I did spend a good 90 minutes talking with Z in the front lobby about some issues they were having.

The next morning I got a text from both of them saying she had broken up with him....while he was still in the Cardiac Care Unit after his massive heart attack.  Yep.

I called Rich right away and verified that our guest room was still on the table for Andy if he wanted it.  (This is something we had discussed quite a while ago.)  As soon as I got off work that day, I went back to the hospital and extended the offer which he accepted.  That night, Rich and I went to Z's place and got Andy's computer, clothes, a few books and a few other things.  The bigger stuff had to wait as my minivan only holds so much and I am not able to haul heavy things down stairs.

Throughout the rest of the week, I did what I could to get the house ready and, finally, a week and a half ago, he was discharged from the hospital and moved in with Rich and I.  We love having him there with us!  I get to have my fellow foodie cook with me (who is a much more skilled cook than I am so I am learning stuff as we go), Rich gets someone he can geek out and talk "man stuff" with, and we have a 3rd for playing board games!  And since I already cook in a healthy way, it's easy for him to follow his low fat, low sodium diet. :)

He has to wear a device called a "lifevest" pretty much 24/7 (except showers) for a while.  It is constantly monitoring his heart and is also a defibrillator in case his heart stops again.  He *hates* wearing it but he has been very good about keeping it on. 

image source

Things seemed to be very good until Monday when I went home at lunch to pick him up for his doctor's appointment.  When I pulled into the driveway, he was kneeling and staring in one spot which was weird.  I rolled my window down and asked if he was okay.  He said he felt like he was going to throw up then stood up.  I asked if he could make to the seat in the van and he leaned on the hood and said "Give me just a minute."  Then he passed out and fell face first into the concrete!  :(  Since he was blocking my door, I quickly got out through the passenger side and touched him, calling his name.  He almost immediately responded with "I'm okay. I'm okay. ... What happened?"  After a few moments, we got him up and into the van and I rushed him to the ER. 

Here is his poor face after his fall. :(  I have *never* been so scared in my life.

They think it was a sudden drop in his blood pressure that caused the black out like that.  They ran all sorts of tests and couldn't find anything wrong.  He somehow managed to injure his side during the fall, likely from landing on his battery pack for the lifevest and his urine is really dark which is common if you bruise your kidneys, etc.  The hospital did not seem concerned about that, though, so I'm trying to not be.

He is home now, though.  :)

So, here are a couple of things that are important, but I wasn't sure how to incorporate them into the story.  This is probably the most personal information I will ever give in this blog, but I know that the few who read this tend to be cool, open-minded people and not very judgemental.

• If you don't know me in person, you are probably not aware that my husband and I don't have a traditional marriage.  MOST we know in person are aware of this and have alternative lifestyles themselves.  Our way is not for everyone, obviously, but it works for us!
• Unbeknownst to Z, Andy and I have been more than just best friends for a number of months.  She figured it out after she broke up with him, so I was not the reason for the break-up.  I am not proud of the way things transpired, but it was not a decision either of us made or took lightly and I do not regret it for even a moment.  How this all came to be is another story.
• I love, love, love having the 2 men I love under the same roof with me. :)