keeping informed

Texting with the ex about medical issues and memories, catching up in the mid-afternoon, 25 August:

me: When are you next scheduled with the doc?
the ex: 6 months for the g p, 1 year for the urologist. Endoscopy on the 10th of September. Colonoscopy tbd.
me: Ok. Your slate seems to be filling up. I will make a note of the endoscopy date. Why the urologist?
me: Prostate issues?
the ex: I was noticing a little blood where I shouldn't have been noticing a little blood. Urine sample gave precancerous material. All tests since have been - but the CAT scan showed possible signs of cystic activity in the pancreas. That's why the endoscopy has been ordered. No prostate issues BTW.
me: That's good about the prostate. Bad about the blood. GREAT that you went to the doc.
the ex: * have been negative
me: Still, I would think kidney before pancreas. I will do some research on that.
the ex: Well, I'll be due for a kidney profile soon, since I'm taking meds again.
me: Just the blood pressure?
the ex: 2 now for that, plus a cholesterol one.
me: oh, joy. :-)
the ex: Doctors have learned a good lesson from preachers nowadays. If all you do is talk shit about fire and brimstone, people stop coming to church. The GP counseled me on the effect of extra weight on overall health but didn't go all Hardigan on me and suggest bariatric..
me: Have you spoken to Arlene? She and Michelle expressed how surprised they are to hear more from me than from you. They did confess that they don't call either.
the ex: I just spoke to Auntie the other day. Brian texted me a bit from Metro Airport but I was still at work.
me: That's good on both counts!
the ex: I've texted Stephanie and Christopher a bit from the bar. :-)
me: :-) heard yet about his roles thing?
the ex: Roles?
me: Poker. Stupid word choice thing. grumble grumble.
the ex: He may have changed numbers. I send messages but don't hear back. I hear from Steph.
me: Def possibility. I will check with her later and find out.
the ex: I didn't wanna mention health thing to Auntie or anyone really until I had a little more information.
me: Heard. Just don't do like your mom and not tell anyone about surgery until you are already in the hospital. Okay?
the ex: Did she not tell us until after they had resected her intestine? Well, now that you mention it, I do remember that.
me: I don't think I will ever forget that.
me: She called us, at Arlene's insistence, the day before the surgery.
the ex: All I remember is thinking of her on the couch during that year of chemo. And the argument Auntie and I had afterward about the validity of that decision.
me: Yeah, I know. Hard time.
the ex: F**k. Now I'm upset. That whole f**ked up Christmas trip.
me: My apologies, Jeff.
the ex: Not your fault.
the ex: I was the one arguing with her in the car, not you. Those car keys lodged in the innards of the couch probably because they fell out of my pocket not yours.
me: Still, maybe I shouldn't have said it. I just wanted to make sure you tell us about any med issues you have.
the ex: I will.
me: Thank you for keeping me informed. I do appreciate that.
***** ***** *****

During the endoscopy, he stopped breathing.
Not like "dying on the operating table" stopped breathing, but "just because he was sleeping hard" stopped breathing. Truly alarmed the operating team.
As good fortune would have it, his episode was very early in the procedure, so they woke him back up and informed him he needed to have a sleep test done before anything surgical could proceed.
That's when he was first faced with the words "C-PAP machine".
To which he said "C RAP."
So, time went into limbo mode while that test was being scheduled.
Here he is, at the end of September, shooting me a photo of him lifting a tall glass of dark, frothy, beverage and our conversation resumed, including an inside joke:

the ex: Look at this son of a bitch! I mean the beer, not me. Ha. It's a coconut stout.
me: You are so funny! Hope it was not as sweet as it sounds.
the ex: Well it was somewhat sweet, as you might imagine. Also thick, creamy, with loads of coconut flavor. Served at room temperature. It was tasty but it was oh so hard to drink.
me: Maybe you should have had a cake back with it. :-)
the ex: Cake back!
me: Or maybe a nice slice of pie would have complemented the beverage.
the ex: Just finished with a doctor's appointment. Sleep test in a month or so. On the upside, 140 over 90 b_p.
me: Good! I am a bit surprised the sleep test is not sooner, though.
the ex: Well, the doctor said a month or so. When the clinic calls me may be a different matter.
the ex: People are making jelly out of Mountain Dew! That's just crazy ... enough to try.
me: THAT is def crazy. Silly sweet jam to offset your coffee - may as well be speed.
the ex: Yeah!! Speaking of which, I just read that caffeine has a half life of 5 hours. I'm back to 2 cups a day, and *none* after noon. That may have helped the bp.
me: How large are the cups? ba BOOM! :) But good that you are cutting back.
the ex: Haha. They're the dumbass Keurig servings... 6 oz each.
***** ***** *****

Then, at last, an update with some meat on it, on the Ides of October:

the ex: They tell me I need a CPAP machine.
me: I am so sorry to hear that. On the plus side, you will get better sleep.
the ex: My school was a lot lower than, but still outside of the range of not needing it. Grrr.
the ex: * score
me: Got it. I have lab now, so must go. Will talk tomorrow?
the ex: Early. Call with Bob at 7

Well, we didn't actually talk - I mean talk, too, not texting - until that Sunday night, talking for over an hour. That gave us a chance to really catch up, you know?
As I keep trying to tell the bfe, talking beats texting EVERY TIME.
EVERY time.
***** ***** *****

So, we were waiting on a second sleep test to be scheduled, to confirm the first results.
Here's the conversation on the 30th of October:

the ex: Getting my CPAP machine Monday.
me: You already had the second sleep test?i>
the ex: Day before yesterday. They said it would be 7 to 10 days before a company called me. Well, they called me thirty minutes ago.
me: Wow. It must be pretty serious then, Jeff.
the ex: Ok, the guy's not looking for a serious. He just acted like they were a really good company that was on their toes! To sleep text said it would be good if I had this thing retested/ recalibrated every 2 years or so, or if I ganined/ lost significant weight.
me: Will someone be there to make sure you use it properly? Will you be retested periodically?
the ex: Oh yeah, he is going to take 40 minutes to make sure I know how to use this thing, clean this thing, et cetera.
me: So, a preemptive strike. Kind of. Gotta go. Film Festival. :-)
the ex: Oh cool.

And tonight will be his first time with the machine at his bedside.
I'll have to give him a call tomorrow, see how it went.