*S*I*G*H . . .

Wow, what a couple of weeks! Seems like I've been sick forever. This crud does not give up easily at all. It's attacked everyone in our house, the latest casualty being Miss Priss - which I really hate, because the Fiance is due back really, really soon.

It got my sweet husband too. It manifested itself in his body in the worst way possible. He's a heavy smoker to begin with and this stuff really does a number on you between head and chest congestion. So it really made his coughing much, much worse. He actually blacked-out during a late night coughing episode and scared the bejeesus out of me. I have never been overcome with such a complete fear and total loss of control. I thought I was witnessing his last breath.

Once he regained consciousness, we convinced him to go to the ER, where following the typical unnecessary waiting period and several tests, he was admitted for overnight observation. That turned into a two night stay with many more tests and a diagnosis of Cough-Syncope.

Cough-Syncope: The temporary loss of consciousness upon coughing. Syncope is the temporary loss of consciousness or, in plain English, fainting.

Syncope (pronounced “sin ko pea”) is the temporary loss of consciousness and posture caused by a temporary decrease in blood flow to the brain. Syncope may be associated with a sudden fall in blood pressure, a decrease in heart rate or changes in blood volume or distribution. The person usually regains consciousness and becomes alert right away but experiences a brief period of confusion. Cough-Syncope is the temporary loss of consciousness upon coughing and the most common symptoms include:

Blacking out
Light-headedness
Falling for no reason
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Grogginess
Fainting - following severe coughing
Feeling unsteady or weak upon standing

Treatment consists of determining the triggers and alleviating them. So now the uphill battle of not-smoking begins. This is something he has attempted more times than I can count. He's tried everything possible, including medication that resulted in horrific nightmares. Nicotine addiction is a serious matter, as anyone who has ever smoked can attest. And for those who have not, it's harder to understand. I liken a non-smoker's advice to someone who doesn't have children. Until you've walked in their shoes, you not only don't understand - you aren't the least bit qualified to offer advice on the situation or the solution. So prayers are definitely needed as he takes this journey to kick this addictive habit.

So that being said, our family could use your prayers for his journey to kick this addictive habit, as well as a really l-o-n-g stretch of good health, no more viruses, cysts, surgeries or hospitalizations. We have a very exciting Spring coming up and have lots and lots to do! :)