Reg's AAU team plays in Arizona this weekend. Coach arranged his teaching schedule to teach in AZ the same weekend, so hotel room paid for.
Great, fun, let's do this.
In this story the we'll call Reg's coach, Toad, because:
1. There's a strong resemblance, you'll have to trust me on this.
2. It's confusing to talk about yet ANOTHER coach.
BTW: The high school coach, Mr. Ego, has raised the stakes a notch, even though the high school season is over. He teaches Reg's AP history class. His latest antics are literally hard to fathom. Don't think I'm taking it sitting down. I'm on it. More later.
Why more later: Because I told Coach, who could be renamed Saint as compared to the other coaches we're dealing with at the moment, that I was bound and determined to go to bed early and THEN we had ANOTHER heart to heart with Lad and THEN I announced that I had to write my post. Coach might unplug my desktop if I don't go to bed soon.
Why must I get some ZZZ's: Because of the last 6 nights, I've had my 'issues' for four of them. I wake up and then my body refuses to rest until, well - it seems to be a gut thing. This morning at 4:30 am, I was ravenous. RAVENOUS. I had to eat. It's stupid, but maybe it's just my constant companion, also known as . . . SIBO.
YEP, I FOUND OUT THRU MY FRIENDLY
NEIGHBORHOOD PORTAL
THAT I TESTED POSITIVE FOR SIBO.
Aunt Leprechaun texted me to say she wanted to say GREAT NEWS, but that felt weird. It is great news to FINALLY know.
Did you know that it's now the law that test results must go into the portal, even if the doctor isn't ready to explain them? I saw the results Tuesday at 7 am, called my doctor on Wednesday morning, and STILL don't have any instructions or prescriptions to fight this nonsense. I'm convinced I've had it for YEARS.
Things to thank SIBO for: (I think) my messed up pinkies that literally feel broken. My occasional screwy sleep. Weight loss. I also think that I've carried an extra 10 lbs because of SIBO. It makes me REALLY hungry at times, like I've just finished a meal and I NEED to eat. True story.
Back to our non-GI related story: Toad added 4 new players to Reg's AAU team, total of 12 players. Two too many, in my estimation. The new guys have a ton of talent. Unfortunately, this isn't a high school team trying to win a championship. Of course, the coach wants to win, so he can advertise his AAU team aka his 'business' as a great draw to college coaches. That's not how he sells his team to kids/families though. His pitch is LOVE YOUR KID, WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THE BOYS, WANNA GET THEM LOOKS FROM SCHOOLS. I'M NOT IN IT FOR THE MONEY, etc.
A kid on the bench is not getting looks from colleges. Duh. Plus, yo Toad - I know what you are charging us and I can count how many teams and how many kids you carry on your roster. You're definitely in this for a HUGE profit.
I cancelled my flight. Not gonna use 60K frequent flyer miles to watch other kids play basketball. Nope. Also, how much outside/pool time would I get if I was inside staring at my kid warm the bench?
The bench.
Coach is gonna be there. He'll be teaching and can only go to a few games. Reg will have to bum rides from other players/parents to the games from the hotel, but that shouldn't be a problem.
Besides, Curly plays in Milwaukee. I thought her Windy City Classic was local and she could ask teammates for rides. I cancelled my flight to take her to Milwaukee - is this the new windy city? I'll be hoping that Reg texts that he got lots of minutes and scored a record number of points. If he texts to say that Toad ate some stale flies by accident, I won't be sad.
At Reg's last two tournaments I paid $45 and $35 respectively to get in the gym, 2 nights in a Milwaukee hotel, and hours WASTED . . . and my kid BARELY played. I don't trust myself - this coach is begging for me to get in his face and scream about how he's messed with my kid. I'm Irish. I have a temper. *you do know, I won't get in his face, but man does this situation steam me. I've had enough of coaches messing with my kid.
We want Reg to switch teams. He's drinking the Kool Aid. He argues that he continues to play against some great talent during practice, which is a valid point. Why doesn't Toad have a practice squad that doesn't travel?
Coach and I wish that the coach had shared with us (and the other 2 or 3 impacted players whose parents are equally frustrated- their kids are at least getting in for a few minutes. Reg sometimes NEVER even gets in the game) that his vision changed since he acquired some new players.
In order not to be a toad - he should say: "Hey, I think the world of your kid, but I want to be clear he's not going to play a lot in games. I'm happy to have him stay, but if he wants to work with another team, I think XYZ team might be a good fit. I think highly of their program."
In the meantime, I reached out to a shooting coach. Reg's tendinopathy in his knee has thrown off his stance/body mechanics and his shot is inconsistent. Coach pointed out to him that he's practicing SO much, but if he's practicing a shot that's messed up, his body is remembering or favoring that posture/position or whatever.
Oh, it was 82 degrees in Chicago when I cancelled my AZ flight. Two days later, it was 30 degrees and snowing. Anyone else as surprised as I am that I have SIBO? The symptoms state diarrhea, which almost never happens to me. Weird.
Good night. I'm hoping for 8 hours. Maybe I'll dream of squashing toads.
24 comments:
I’m glad you finally got a diagnosis and hopefully you’ve heard from the doctor’s office by now. Do you know how long it takes to be cured of the bacteria? Are there diet issues going forward?
I’m with you on not wasting a plane ticket to see other kids play ball.
So you do have SIBO! It's good to have a diagnosis, and now you can make a plan for going forward. What happens now, do you need to go on antibiotics?
I need to research SIBO now, I don't know anything about it. I hope it helps you find answers and relief though :) I can't believe your teams travel so far! Maggie travelled 35 minutes each way last weekend for a 2 day volleyball tournament and I had to pay $20 to watch and $30 to park (on top of the $750 we paid for her to play in this league) and I thought THAT was such a ripoff. I can't imagine adding flights and hotel rooms on top of all of that. Your kids must be really good to play at that level. But yeah I can get your frustration on watching them ride the pine.
Thank goodness you have answers now. And with a diagnosis/result, you can at least do a little research on Dr. Google and know what you can eat for a start. PROGRESS!
Organized/competitive sports for kids always put me off, to be honest. There's so much downside, and it's so hard as a parent to watch your kid be disappointed and frustrated. And it's hard not to get involved in it all.
I'm glad you got an answer, it's a starting point to work from.
I wouldn't want to spend money on a plane ticket to watch other peoples kid's play basketball either. I'm not a sports person and I don't have kids, but if I were ever so lucky to have a child, I'd like to imagine that he or she would say things like "I want to take piano lessons" and "I can't wait until I'm big enough to play in community band with you" and not " I want to play t-ball, soccer, hockey, football, basketball, and join the cheerleading squad!"
Weather is weird. In the past week I've ran both the furnace and the AC. Slept onto of the covers and then under the electric blanket. Mowed the grass and hoped the frost would kill off the grass so I didn't have to mow!
GREAT NEWS! I mean, obviously never great news when you are dealing with a medical issue, but hooray for KNOWING and hopefully being able to treat it! I am quite ecstatic that you have this information and that you will soon have a treatment plan. Hopefully all of this health nonsense will be resolved soon!
The whole basketball debacle sounds SO frustrating. And you are completely right that Toad should just be forthright if his plans for Reg have changed! Clear communication can help so many situations!
I've never heard of SIBO, but am happy you have something tangible to deal with going forward. It's the not understanding the problem that can drive you the craziest. Take care, live better, eh?
I had to google SIBO. I'm happy you have an answer. Does it go away after taking a course of antibiotics, or is this a lifelong condition?
A podcaster I listen to recently got diagnosed with SIBO. And she talks a lot about FODMAP diets and really not being able to eat dairy, onions or garlic. At least you have an answer and can get treatment! I hope your guts get better.
Well Ernie, I'm so happy you have a diagnosis. Just having an answer helps. I'd wonder if you would consider seeing a Naturopathic Doctor and asking about this? In Canada we don't pay for medical care & do pay for alternatives (like Naturopath) however I have found with things like gut health it may be worth it. Pretty sure the medical community treats it with antiobiotics, whereas a Naturopath also looks at the source to discover why it happens. I do hope you get some relief soon! (I hear you on wanting your food - I am halfway through fasting to prep for some tests tomorrow -- so hungry!)
That TOAD Coach - grrrrr. So frustrating.
Bijoux - I STILL do not have any answers. Tomorrow morning will mark three days of me knowing what I have, but not knowing what we are gonna do about it. Hpmf. It is good to know, but knowing what is next would also be amazing.
I prefer throw-back basketball to what we do now. When we were kids, it was attend some camps, pratice on the driveway, and attend tryouts at your school.
Nicole - It IS good to have answers. It would be great to have a plan. I called the doctor's office yesterday and haven't gotten any info yet. According to google, antibiotics is the next step.
Colleen - There are many different symptoms that relate to SIBO. I don't usually have diarreha, but I've had a few episodes - the worst one warranted going to the ER when I thought I had diverticulitis. It causes weight loss, but I have also read that it causes weight gain. I definitely think it caused me to lose weight this last year. I also feel like it caused me to carry extra weight for YEARS. I was often starving an hour after a meal. Wacky as all get out, right down to breathing into a bag to take the test. I'm ready for the doc to call me and tell me what we do next.
Our b-ball fees for AAU are about double what you pay for Maggie's team. The hotels and flights are crazy pricey. Curly's team doesn't travel as much or as far. I can handle Milwaukee. She plays at 7:15 pm tomorrow night and then not again until Sat. at 2:50. That bites. I debated driving all the way home (less than 2 hours) and then driving back up there on Saturday, but I think we will just stay there.
Nance - I had really started to believe that I'd never get answers, and I don't have issues ALL the time so I really was convinced it wasn't this. Sometimes Dr. Google can be a slippery slope. It'd be nice if my doc would get in touch with me and let me know how to proceed.
We hate travel sports. We put it off for SO long. It really is unavoidable, unfortunately, if your kid wants to compete then that's where they head. We tried to just do local park district sports, but becaue EVERYONE does travel there weren't enough kids left to play at the park district or the kids that were there were learning the sport, like how to bounce a ball and it wasn't going to cause our kids to progress.
Jenny - Your comment made me laugh out loud. You hoping for a kid who wanted to play piano vs a kid who was interested in kicking a ball, etc. So funny.
Also, using the electric blanket just a day after having the AC on - exactly. I needed to get up and put socks on in order to get back to sleep after one of my wakeful nights. Hey spring, make up your mind already. ;)
Suzanne - It is a weird thing to celebrate, but I felt like I'd won the lottery when I got the positive test. Hooray for answers. I would also vote for information on how to proceed, as I sit and wait for what to do next. Most of the time, I feel fine - but I did have an icky strecth with lots of lost sleep, so please call me back doc.
You said it - clear communication, that's the answer to so many things. How dare this man try to sell us on how he cares so much for the boys and wants to get them looks from colleges. Decent human being imposter. I'm so fed up.
Kari - Very few people have heard of it, even my nurse friend and my physician assistant SIL had no idea. It is supposed to be treated with antibiotics and in some cases surgery, but it has a high chance of recurring. *insert eye roll*
Ally - Yes, I agree. I was starting to think that I was losing my mind. Pretty sure Coach never wants to here me describe my bathroom issues or my appetite problems EVER again. And I'd like to not NEED to discuss those things again either. I really do suspect that I've had it for YEARS. I had a colonscopy in '18 or '19 because of the strange pain in my side that woke me up. Imagine? What a waste of money and what a proceedure to go through just because a doctor wasn't tuned in to all that I was saying. I believe knowing will improve my situation. I did enjoy having my clothes fit me better, but I've already put on some lbs. ;)
Kara - My last doc was big on FODMAP. He kept telling me I had IBS. I sure hope I don't have to give up dairy or onions. Garlic I can live without. I'm hoping that I can go back to eating corn again. I'm interested to hear what my doc has to say. Thanks. Like I say, I often feel fine. I think I feel fine a lot because I am SO particular about what I eat. I must eat my apple. My salad. My Greek yogurt. My oatmeal. I'm a lot of fun.
Pat - I totally agree - it is great to have answers. I felt so much lighter the other day when I found out. Then I slept like crap and was like OH YEAH, I STILL HAVE THIS THING. So a plan would be helpful. Our health insurance is ridiculous. It's very frustrating. I'm hoping that this doctor has some good ideas. She seems very knowledgable. I really like her, but I'd like her a lot better if she got back to me with a plan. I guess I'm not opposed to natra-pathic, but I'll give her directions (whenever they arrive) a try first.
Toad. Oh, this man. I'm so annoyed. Don't tell us you aren't in this for the money. You charge an arm and a leg to be on your team and for WHAT? Ugh.
Hi Ernie! I found your blog thru Colleen and Suzanne, and what a ride it has been both for your GI issues as well as the basketball drama! That is so frustrating for your son. My oldest is 9 and loved her rec basketball season this year -- it makes me so sad to think about the drama and politics that often emerge at the high school level. I'm very intrigued to find out the "more" and hope there's a good solution for Reg.
I'm a primary care PA and have several patients who have been treated for SIBO and felt SO much better. All of their care was directed by the GI specialists so I don't have much direct knowledge of various treatment protocols, but I'm glad you at least have an answer - and hopefully a plan soon. It KILLS me that test results are released to the patient at the same time they are released to us. It's even worse when results get released over the weekend, since we work standard office hours. There used to be a delay between when results were sent to providers and then when they were released to the portal (3 days for lab results and 7 days for imaging or procedure results). I thought that was the perfect balance of transparency and common sense. Even if it's not a life-threatening diagnosis, I'd much rather have the chance to review and contact someone myself before they see it. Sadly, I have had patients that had a notification pop up on their phone with a CT result showing cancer, before I even have a chance to view their result myself (as I'm in a room seeing other patients). I just don't think it's good patient care, but... I don't make the rules.
Kate - Thanks for visiting. Great to hear from you. Youth sports are so fun. Glad your daughter had a good experience. Poor Reg cannot catch a break. The next chapter of his basketball situation, on the high school level, is truly mind blowing and incredibly frustrating. I'm a fighter, or a sticker-upper, I guess. I think it comes from being a middle child. I spent my childhood claiming things weren't fair AND THEY REALLY WEREN'T, but my prespective was constantly disregarded. So, here we are. I'm afraid what we are up against is not a winnable battle.
I agree 100% about the terrible practice about putting info on the portal before a medical professional gets to review it. I am anxious to get started with treating SIBO. I still can't believe I have an answer. I had started to lose hope.
I WILL dream of smashing that particular toad. I can't even imagine the frustration you guys are feeling. *sigh* When will Reg get his time in the limelight? Hopefully the shooting coach will help him, but still, he needs time to actually SHOW he can shoot.
I'm SOOOOOO happy you have a diagnosis. Like Aunt Leprechaun, it feels weird to be happy about that, but you know.
Who knew life would revolve around a Portal that didn't take up to another planet?
Suz - I've gotten word from Reg that he's gotten to play a bit and has not turned the ball over. Has made 2 three pointers. Thank heaven for small favors. When they lost a game, I hoped that Toad remembered afterwards that he has a great defender sitting on the bench.
It was weird to celebrate the positive result, but so happy that the questions are answered. I've been taking lots of melatonin and have been sleeping at least, but it'd be great if the doc let me know how to proceed.
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