Day 2 and beyond

We heard late Wednesday before we left that our son in law was in the hospital with heart failure, bicuspid aorta value, cardiomyopathy and an enlarged heart. What everyone thought was pneumonia for the last 5 weeks was much much more.
It  began while he was in Mexico City for work. He went to the ER and that helped somewhat. When he got home he went to his primary care and he too gave him more antibiotics to help the "pneumonia" But all the fluid around his lungs was something else. In fact it was around his heart too. 

He went to the ER and got the right diagnosis and was immediately admitted to the cardiac care ICU.  He lost 20lbs of fluid that was around his lungs and heart. He got home on Friday. We told them we wanted him to rest so we would not be coming. He insisted, in fact, he used guilt like a good Italian mother I told him. 

So we got to their home at 4ish on Saturday and regularly planned. We had made my grandmothers famous meatballs and brought provolone cheese and hoagies rolls to have meatball sandwiches for dinner along with a salad. I brought ooey gooey butter bars for dessert and of course their big Easter basket filled with goodies. The grandchildren were at their moms for the weekend so it was just we adults. (oh and of course I brought wine)

When we arrived at their beautiful new home it took my breath away. Not their gorgeous home but the looks of my son in law. He was so thin and gray looking. He looked like a ghost of himself. Amanda kept saying he was doing better but if this is better...

He would go off and lie down which was just fine to us. He ate 3/4 of a meatball and went back to bed. We just felt we shouldn't be there but they kept saying to stay. It was weird.
So later in the evening while he was with us having a second wind so to speak we told them we were leaving in the morning. There was just no way we could stay. He needed rest and he would continue to try to be around us and not rest if we were there. We'll come back in summer. 

So after breakfast we loaded up our car and told him to get to bed. 
We all hugged and said our goodbyes. 

Rick and I looked at each other like, "now what?"as we sat in the car.
We had taken off Monday. Our voicemail reflected the company being closed. The dog was boarded until Monday. If we go home, we'll work. That is the issue with having your own business. There are always things to do and that is why you never get time off.
So we went to a coffee shop and just sat and discussed. It was 10:30am.

We decided to get a hotel room where we stayed for the wedding. 
It was a great location with all kinds of restaurants and shopping etc. 
So off we went to the hotel that I called from the coffee shop. 
There was a movie theatre behind it. We saw a movie. We went out to dinner. We drank wine in our room, ate popcorn we got from the lobby and honestly we had a ball. 
Who knew this was going to happen? 
It was truly a fun and relaxing day. 
We left first thing in the morning.

When we were leaving our daughter and son in laws place I saw him throw something in our cooler. I looked and saw a red toy bird in there. We had just been talking about how they have an object that goes back and forth to friends and family and how funny it is. I told the story about my family doing that too. So I let it go.

While driving to the hotel Rick kept saying, "Do you hear chirping?  it's rhythmic. chirp chirp then 3 quick chirp chirp chirps"  
I was laughing because I hear nothing at all.
He kept turning off the radio and asked me to turn off my phone. 
It was driving him bonkers.
I kept laughing. I guess it's good to be a bit deaf.

When we were at the hotel in the lobby he again says, "you really don't hear that?"
"Nope" and I laugh.
In the elevator he said, "OMG is this in my head?"
I tell him he has a brain tumor and it is in his head and laugh. Bad wife!

We decide to stop at the ice machine before going to our room. 
We needed ice for our cooler on wheels.
He says, "You don't hear this seriously? as he bends down to unzip the cooler.
I lean in and I say, "YEAH I hear it now very faintly." 
But as I pull away I say, 'I don't hear it now"
Then I lean in against his head, "I hear it!"
Now we are laughing because I only hear it when I am up against his head.

He finally opens the cooler and there is this damn bird. And there is the chirping.
He was about to kill his son in law!
I only heard it because I would bend towards the cooler when I would touch Rick's head with mine.

When we get to the room he takes it apart, but like a smoke alarm without the battery, it still chirps.  OMG. Rick threw it on the floor to make it stop.
It finally stopped. But not before poor Rick thought he was losing it.

I text our son in law and told him that it is a good thing he is sick right now because Rick is about ready to come over and smack you upside the head for doing this to him. He thought that was pretty funny. But I told him paybacks are a bitch. Beware. :-)

I don't have a prognosis per say on him either. It was all so vague. He is on medication and a restricted diet of low sodium. He will be returning to see the doctor. Since they now discovered all this they say it's hereditary and his children will be checked etc. I don't know where they go next and honestly I asked so many questions to only be met with I'm on medication and it will be fine in 6 - 8 weeks. 

Rick and I don't think it could be like that after seeing him.
Truly he looked like death. It was scary and we tried to not show our fear when they were acting so cavalier. When he wasn't around I asked her about this and she too gave me the same spiel. So they believe or else they were doing this for us. Either way we don't believe it.
Is it because we are old and we know all that could go wrong? Is it because they are so young and they think they are invincible? He is only 37 and she will be 33 shortly.

All scary stuff and not the Easter dinner we thought we would be having. 
But a very nice Sunday none the less.