About two weeks ago Dave was bitten by a tick while up in Gualala. Everyone knows that ticks can carry Lyme disease, so it is always worrisome when you are bitten by a tick. Of course, sometimes people can get the disease without realizing they've ever been bitten by a tick in the first place. Some people get the trademark "bullseye" rash but don't end up having Lyme. Other people find no tick OR rash, and only discover they have the disease because of all the icky symptoms that emerge later.Poor Dave fell into this last category of Lyme victims when he was a little kid. It took too long for the doctors to diagnose Lyme since most of the tests kept showing false negatives. His wise Mama knew what was wrong and kept persisting until someone did a different test that confirmed it (gotta be your own health advocate!). Years of antibiotics and pain followed. He seems fine now, but is eager not to repeat the experience. So his parents mailed the dug-out tick to a lab to be tested. Of course, they discovered too late that they had mailed it to an outdated address and weren't sure it'd get tested at all. So Dave went on a round of the only antibiotic he's not allergic to (thanks to Lyme he ended up allergic to most). Lucky for us, the tick was tested after all and was negative for Lyme. Woo!
Since the Lyme buggies never really leave your system, the possibility of a "flare up" of Lyme symptoms always haunts us. Fingers crossed that he'll be spared!
Moving on to mini-Dave: Eddie's left testicle never dropped on its own so he's scheduled for surgery in the middle of March. The doctor said there is a 10% chance that the testicle will atrophy (die) once it is pulled down into the correct position in the scrotum--all these lovely words on my blog today...aren't you glad you tuned in? ;) And yes, I'm sure that when Eddie is a teenager he'll be thrilled to know I wrote all about his package on the family blog. (You're welcome, Bumkin! I give you permission to write about me when I have hot flashes during menopause!)
So there is a small chance that he'll have to live as a One Nut Wonder. Our keen doctor was quick to assure me that I don't need to worry about my future grandbabies because the loss of one testicle doesn't actually decrease fertility that much. The biggest concern will be the increased chance of testicular cancer since that one testicle has spent too much time up in his abdomen where it is a lot warmer than the tissue prefers. Isn't it crazy that the increased temperature can lead to cancer?Since this is a "manly" health update post I won't report on my own superb health. =)
6 comments:
There are worse things in the world than only having one ball :D Although, I know men are very sensitive about that sort of thing and I have known quite a few who refused to neuter their dogs because of it! Silly boys :D As a woman, I really couldn't care less about them (other than there reproductive function, of course), and I'm pretty sure that most women in the world would agree!!
It sucks that little Eddie has to have surgery though! I would be scared out of my mind if my baby had to go under the knife. I know you have a much more level head than that though Julie, but good luck. I'm sure everything will go perfectly!!
And I will knock on some wood and cross my fingers so that Dave never has another lyme disease symptom!!!
Penis/scrat problems nofun. I think its crazy that all these normal parts of people and one little thing can make a big difference. I guess it is a 'duh' but still
Sending good, positive, healthy thoughts your way! (Eddie is the handsomest.)
Oh I enjoyed this post — mostly for imagining Eddie reading it in 15 years! Here's hoping that all Lyme and Ball things go as they should... :D xoxox
i love that pic of your boys.
a one nut wonder hahahaha
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