3 week call... very discouraging.

[Colleen SHIP-13 DIV -309]

My SR called me about 30 minutes ago... From the second I answered the phone I knew something wasn't right,.....

He stated he has to go for an Asthma test on the 29th and if they feel he has it, he will be sent home immediately.... He was almost in tears and my heart is breaking for him. The Navy has been his dream since he was a kid......

He had some minor wheezing as a small child, outgrew it, never really had a Dx from the Dr, but on occasion (maybe once a year)  he wheezes with strenuous exertion and it passes after a few minutes....

We were upfront and honest with the recruiter about this and he was sent to a pulmonologist prior to being accepted in to DEPS and he was given a clean bill of health.. and this was MY Dr.. not the Military Dr. He was put through several different exams, and studies, asthma was ruled out....

So, now it's a waiting game..

this last three weeks has just (Sorry) sucked...

My baby left for boot camp, I had to have emergency neck surgery that has me laid up for 8 weeks, my daughter left for college 3 states away today and now the dreaded phone call that I have been waiting for that was supposed to be a good call!.. UGH

I think there is a country song in there somewhere...

I'm just venting. I hope all of your calls were better than mine.

Colleen

[MomSeanEM2]

Colleen, My son had asthma as a young child and he told the recruiter also. When he went to MEPS they tested him and said he does not have asthma. I know it was not severe but our pediatrician sent us to Philly to have him checked further.

I know what you mean about the navy being a life long dream because when my son turned 18 and graduated high school we sent him off to college and after that he worked for a large corporation in PA as an electrician. We thought he passed the I want to join the navy but no. He came home one day asked to speak to the family at the kitchen table and we didn't know what he was going to tell us. We were nervous. He told us I joined the navy and I was at MEPS today for my physical and I leave........We were all relieved and so happy and proud of him.

My heart and prayers go out to you and hope your son passes his asthma test with flying colors.

It sounds like you have a lot on your plate right now with going for surgery and your children leaving for college and BC.

I hope you have a speedy recovery and your son gets to fulfill his dream with the navy.

[Colleen SHIP-13 DIV -309]

thank you so much!!!

[suebal MM3 USS California SSN781]

Colleen...first, prayers for a speedy recovery for you. I'm so sorry that your phone call was not what you had hoped for and that your sailor is so worried/upset. Those are the phone calls that just rip your heart right out. My son's best friend was sent home for an EXTREMELY minor case of asthma, but I can also see the Navy's point. It's kind of like Murphy's law, if you're going to have an attack it will happen at absolutely the WORST possible time.  However, if you have the test results and paperwork showing that your sailor does not have asthma, I would get them to the top of your pile and maybe get in touch with the recruiter (?) to see if they can "intervene" on your behalf. I just heard of a case in Goose Creek where the doctor actually told a young woman that she might have cancer in her jaw, which, as you can imagine, sent her entire family into a frenzy. She had to live with that statement for several days before she got more testing and found out it was NOT cancer. I have never understood how doctors can be so stupid to do stuff like that! I realize they have to "cover their behinds" but c'mon...you don't do that to people. I will have you and your sailor in my prayers. I really really really really hope this works out for your sailor!!!!

[bethr311]

Hugs, Colleen. Most of us carry stress in our neck and that's a place that if it hurts, your whole body can ache from moving differently to ease the neck pain. So take care of you first. Keep up with your meds, if pain gets away from you it's a lot harder to relieve.
That must be hard to separate from two kids at once. I only have one and I still have boo hoo days.
I've read on here that exercise induced asthma may not be the one way ticket home that chronic asthma can be. I hope some of the veteran moms will chime in on this.
I pray every night that all our SRs will be protected from illness and injury!

[princess89 ship 3 div 430]

Hang in there. He will make it through it just fine.Stay strong he is almost half way there. My prayers go out to you and your SR.

[Stephanie (S-PACT/Yokosuka,JP)]

Oh, Colleen I'm so sorry your dealing with so much. I will keep you and your family in my prayers. Hopefully with all of the medical exams he had and such, they will decide to let him stay? I'm surprised that could be a "your going home immediately" situation if you have those medical records for them to review. Maybe they will take those records into consideration. 

I got my first letters (there were 3 in one envelope) from my SR Monday. He sounds pretty stressed and down. Probably questioning whether this was the right thing for him to do. The only real positive I could glean from his words was that he likes the food really well (and he grew up a really really picky eater). Everything else was pretty much awful. :( 

[bethr311]

Navyknit22, how close is your son to being returned to training?

I keep the kids (I know, they're young men and women but I'm a mom and they're somebody's kids) in RCU and ship 5 in my prayers also. I can't even read much in those groups without my chest tightening in anxiety. That's a long haul for you to support him. Would you be allowed to visit, if you even could?

[FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW]

navyknit22 - He will be finishing BC in RCU then? Continued prayer for him and you...How's that grandbaby? I replied back to your PM :-) You're a trooper and a sweetie-pie!

[bethr311]

Stephanie, my son's first letters were pretty bad too. And I missed his three week call - I know it's not guaranteed but I feel we really need to talk up the idea that it could happen - and I could tell it tore him up and about killed me. It's hard for us and harder for them, but as my son said if you just take each day as it comes you can make it. Keep the faith mom.

[Stephanie (S-PACT/Yokosuka,JP)]

bethr311 - Thanks for the encouragment. One of the things I told him in the 5 page letter I sent praising, encouraging and loving him was for him to just take it one day at a time, do his best everyday, and to make sure to take advantage of bedtime and let his mind and body heal overnight. The 3rd letter in the envelope was dated 8/12 and I didn't get the letters until 8/20 so I feel that is a pretty good stretch of time - 8 days between him sending and my receiving and I've no phone calls so that's a good thing. It's about time for them to get a call home, and I almost don't want one now. I'll be afraid to answer not knowing which type of call I'm getting. Hopefully it will be a call telling me he's doing better and settling in. 

[Colleen SHIP-13 DIV -309]

He has never had anything close to an asthma *attack*.. just a slight barely audible wheeze now and then.....

I'm an old ICU nurse, I have always watched both kids closely for anything..LOL...

Ugh- his letter that I got today was such a heart breaker....he's sorry for letting us down, he;s sorry we won't be proud, he thinks he's going to be a "nothing"......

I hate this......

and thank you for the advice, I am as we speak having the recruiter fax over his PFT's from the pulmonologist that declared him as having no Dx of asthma.....

wish us luck....

I'll be waiting for the phone call on the 29th....

xoxo

colleen

[suebal MM3 USS California SSN781]

Colleen, you and your sailor have been on my mind since this started. I have been praying for him. I think that's what gets us the most, that they're worried about letting US down, about disappointing US. Please, tell him (from another Mom obviously) that he should be proud of himself because NO MATTER WHAT he has the desire to serve and I can tell you that is a very very precious thing! So many are concerned only with themselves, but our sailors have chosen to put themselves on the back burners for the duration of their length of service--not a lot of people would do that. He is a wonderful young man no matter what happens!