Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joann Sueing on August 30, 2017 at 5:53am

Hi Kaela,
My husband and I had been together for 10 years and married for 2 years and almost 2 months when I came home from a seemingly normal day from work to find him on the floor where he had died from a cardiac arrest.

The world that I had known before was over. I was devastated, in shock, and wondered why someone would not awaken me from this horrific nightmare.

Permalink Reply by Joann Sueing on August 30, 2017 at 6:01am

That was 18 months ago. I was feeling as you were. I did a lot of walking, because I couldn't bear to stay in my home. The walls would feel as if they were caving in. I had to quit my stressful job, because no way could I function. After three months, I started working part time, and had just started full-time with the same company on Monday.
This group will lend a lot of support. There is a great group of people who have and is going through this terrible nightmare.
I did get counseling. But it was just time and being in support groups that has gotten me to a place of acceptance for my new normal, which still doesn't feel normal, but things are much better.
Know that we are all here for you, and will lend as much support as needed. I am in the parking lot deck at work, so I have to go now.
I will chat with you later.

Joann

Permalink Reply by Kaela Roster Federle on September 1, 2017 at 6:47pm

Thank you for sharing that with me. That gives me hope. I also do a lot of waking and I am not in a place where I can work full-time but it sounds like in time I will get there as you did. I haven't been very active on her up until this point but it sounds like I should be as support groups are instrumental to the healing process. I will say it's so comforting to talk to people who are going through the same thing. Thank you for your wonderful support and advice. <3

Permalink Reply by Kaela Roster Federle on September 1, 2017 at 6:44pm

Hi Joann,

That is terrible. Sounds basically exactly like my situation. I am so sorry that you went through that. Did you experience any PTSD stuff about finding him? I continue to have nightmares and panic attacks when I think about that morning, but they are getting much better with therapy. 

Permalink Reply by deborah peck on August 30, 2017 at 10:27am

Hi Kaela, I too am new to this group, my 1sr husband passed when I was 31, he was 36, I never went thru being tired but from what Ive read its normal and it will pass, when I don't know, I guess I was lucky that I had 3 little girls I had to care for so they kept me going and got me motivated. I have now lost my 2nd husband inn May and while I'm not tired I cant get motivated to do anything so maybe along the same lines you are dealing with, maybe meds could help. it sounds like you are very depressed.  hope it gets easier for you,  debby

Permalink Reply by Kaela Roster Federle on September 21, 2017 at 5:49pm

Thank you Deborah. That is so terrible to lose 2 husbands. I admire you for being able to stand upright and are still having the courage to move forward despite tremendous loss. That is so comforting to me.

- Kaela

Permalink Reply by Mary. Jane on August 30, 2017 at 1:39pm

Hi, and welcome Kaela.
I am sorry your husband Died so soon, and so uddenly. You will be getting a lot of replies, but right now, I want to address your fatigue. OF COURSE you feel fatigued! This is the most major trauma you can experience..and right now, nothing seems worth the energy it takes to accomplish..even the tinyest things take a huge amount of energy. Let yourself rest whenever you can. Don,t feel guilty about this..it is your body's way of trying to slow you down.
I would also like to ask you if you ever got these tired spells before your husband died?
I have something called Epstein Barr Virus..which is akin to Chronic Fatigue syndrome, which doesn't help the grieving process. Some days are fine, others I can barely get out of bed, so you might ask your Dr for a blood test to see if you have this.
Sometimes it helps me to know that some of my symptoms are medically related, and not all grief, and that my EBV is exasperating my body and enhancing my grief.
I wish you all the best, and welcome again to Legacy.

Permalink Reply by Kaela Roster Federle on September 21, 2017 at 5:52pm

Hi Mary Jane,

Thank you so much for validating the way I feel. I did not get tired spells to this extent before this happened. I'd get the normal, tired after a long day at work on my feet all day (preschool teacher) tired, but nothing like this. After I go to this psychiatrist I'll go to the doctor In October and get some blood work done. I did get epstein Barr virus when I was little and I also had mono. Does epstein barr stay in your system for years? hmm

I am sorry you are dealing with that. Thanks for the welcome :-)

Permalink Reply by Mary. Jane on September 22, 2017 at 2:39pm

Yup..it stays in your system your entire life. About 95% of the human race has it in them, but it mostly goes unnoticed with noroblems. It is the Hepetitus D virus. My guess is you had chicken pox as a kid,which most of us do...and then it usually goes away for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, some people get Mono in their teens..which is the same virus, but contagious while Epstein Barr is Not....another little gift from the same Hepetitus D is Shingles...I had all three...I got shingles 12 years ago, then in 2014 I started feeling so tired I could barely function. I thought it was from being bitten by a brown recluse that summer...but it just DIDN,t go away. One day I was fine, the next barely functioning...it took me 6 months of complaining to finally get my Dr to give me an intense blood test which conformed it.
There is no cure...it is sometimes called adult mono...and stress can bring it on...there is no greater stress than loosing a loved one. My stress was the spider bite,as I've had a life long terror of spiders
Some people try every OTC remedy and homeopathic thing they can get their hands on, but what might work for some doesn,t work for others.
Luckily, mine seems to get better in cooler weather. Ironically, I Am in a very bad episode right now..I went to bed at 7pm last night and slept until 9amthis morning..and I am about to take a nap.
AMAZINGLY! When I need to be in remission, it doesn,t come. I spent 2 months with Bob in and out of the hospital, and 4 days with him at home in hospice...I DIDN,t have the TIME to be sick, so I wasn,t. I know that sounds weird, but you can0power through it when you need to. And after he passed,I DIDN,t get it because somehow my body knew I needed to be strong for all the arrangements etc..and also it was winter.
So this is what I know works for everyone..mostly YOU right now..ready? Don,t physically fight it. Tell yourself u don,t have time for this right now...BUT... Get as much rest as you can. I know you have to work..but in between, , don,t do anything you don,t have to..REST!!!! sleep as much as you can or want to...and DRINK WATER!!!!!! TONS OF IT. There are a few groups on ;Facebook, one is public, the other private...that is up to you. They get kind of confusing...so I would wait a bit till you see how your body reacts.
The sucky part, is if you do have it...which I think u do, people tend to downplay it. You mean you're tired? We are all tired they say...there's not a whole lot of sympathy from others....you beat it once, you can do it again. But you need to,take care of yourself. Sometimes if I am feeling REALLY bad, I can verify it by taking my temperature. If it is a low grade, like 99.5 it confirms it. But sometimes I don,t WANT to confirm it, so I don,t..and I have actually lowered my temp to normal by drinking 3 bottles of water.
Ok I know I have rambled on way too much...but I know it will get better. I,promise you.
Mary Jane

Permalink Reply by Kaela Roster Federle on September 23, 2017 at 1:21am

Hmmm, that definitely sounds like something to keep and mind and get tested for should my fatigue not improve with meds and more time to grieve. I have had low grade fevers like that several times throughout these 6 months. It is also interesting you mention the heat, because my therapist was saying mental health and stuff in general is triggered by heat. It was basically been hot since Brian had died. He died in March and it's essentially been in the 90s and 100s every single day since May up until the last week. And I feel a lot better this week. Also, when you are having one of your episodes do you feel dizzy or light headed? I get that when I am having my episodes but I also attribute that to the panic attacks. It sucks. I am not  able to sleep that much in one go but when I was working after a stressful day I would fall asleep by 7 and sleep through the night. 

- Kaela

Permalink Reply by Mary. Jane on September 23, 2017 at 1:46pm

Hi Kaela
I don,t feel so much dizzy or lightheaded..but just "off" my normal self..I can also notice, if I look in the mirror, my eyes are smaller, and glassy. The last two days have been REALLY bad...worse episode in over a year. Usually, an episode lasts about a day, but this time I had two very hard days that knocked me off my a$$. I feel better today, but I don,t have a lot of energy, but I am NOT going to take my temperature cuz if I don,t validate it, I can usually power through it. One more thing..which is hard to tell if it is a symptom, or actual grief, is when I am Having an episode, I get EXTRA "weepy" and sad..even commercials will start my crying...so really high emotional feelings that are not about BOb, have become a sign that I am having Epstein Barr...which is hard to differentiate between my real grief...but as time goes by, I am learning that these can be a sign, and learning how to tell the difference. If I start to,cry because a little bug is stuck on his back wiggling his little legs, and can,t turn over, and I burst into tears (which has really happened) it'S a pretty good sign it is EBV and not My missing BOb...I hope your blood test comes back negative and your symptoms are Grief...to have BOTH EBV as well as grief is really horrible. So drink lots of water, and rest as much as you can.
BTW?..I just noticed where you live...at this very moment I am packing one of Bobs pieces of artwork to send to a good friend in Pacifica!! I just realized there could be a Pacifica in a different state...so I will be vague here, for your privacy, but I am from Burlingame!! WE moved to Tulsa 14 years ago, but I plan to return to my home town as soon as I can get my "stuff" together which is taking me ALOT longer than I ever expected. In a sense, I want to move back "home" but what if I move from here, and Bob can,t find me? Yes, I know how irrational but the day I lost BOb, I also lost my rationality
I Hope today brings you some energy and some happiness.
Sincerely
Mary Jane

Permalink Reply by Alicia Lele on August 30, 2017 at 10:54pm

Hi Kaela,

I just wanted to give you emotional and spiritual comfort. My heart really goes out to you. Losing someone you love is not something you can just wake up the next day and be okay about. You need time to heal. While you're healing, I want to bring you comfort and hope that helped me. The main one I have to share is that you will see your love one again. Whether, you are unfamiliar with the Bible or know about it, it offers promises to mankind that many people are not aware of. If you have your Bible, You'll see at Isaiah 26:19 states that "Thy dead shall live... and the earth shall cast forth the dead." How can we know that it would be right here on earth? Acts 24:15 states "there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust." Seeing that unjust ones will be resurrected, this can't be taking place in heaven. Lastly, I want you to know that this is not God's plan;  for us to die and just be resurrected. He views it as an enemy and soon will do away with it. 1 Cor. 15:26 states " The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you for reading.

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