Another -itis

It’s autumn, and time for harvest.  My plan for today involved trees, apples, and lots of canning jars.  Once again, though, medical issues have interfered with my plans.

I’d been working with the assumption that since my doctor hadn’t phoned about my test results, that things were okay.  Instead, when I arrived for my appointment to discuss the test results, they couldn’t find the report.  The radiologist couldn’t find it, either.  Only after I gave them the date and time of my test were they able to find the results.  Results that say a biopsy is recommended.

My stomach started aching, and it surprised me.  I thought it was a strange time for nerves to be making an appearance.  The biopsy was scheduled for Friday, and I told myself to suck it up and deal with it.

Things got worse, though, and after I got home I started vomiting blood.  That isn’t nerves, just coincidental timing.  A phone call to my doctor’s office led to instructions that I should lay down and rest, and if I continued to vomit blood, should go to the ER.  After two hours, I arranged for my husband to come home early.  He drove me to the hospital, pulled up to emergency, and I was quickly put in a room.

I can now tell you from personal experience that an NG tube hurts going in.  It is not at all comfortable having a tube up your nose and running down your throat to your stomach.

Lavage is the process by which they inject water through that tube, then suck it back out until the contents are relatively clear and the stomach is empty.  They then hooked a vacuum to the tubing in order to keep my stomach empty.

Once again I found myself thinking that all this would be really cool if I wasn’t learning about it first-hand.  I got an x-ray and an EKG and a CT scan.  The CT scan showed that I have pancreatitis.  This is very painful, and I don’t recommend it.

Other things I don’t recommend are expecting to get any sleep if you’re admitted to the hospital, and trying to think clearly when you’re taking morphine.

Thanks for reading.  I hope you are doing well.

Never Forget

Where were you?

It was a beautiful day.  Not a cloud in the sky.  I was home with four young children, and I had another on the way.  My oldest was seven, and excited as can be because the roofers were coming.

Usually punctual and boisterous, that day the roofers were both tardy and subdued.  “Turn on your television” was all they would say.  In disbelief, I learned that our country had been attacked.  I watched in horror as a plane plowed through the second tower.  My children were too young to understand, but I gazed at my growing belly and wondered what kind of world I was bringing my child into.

Recognizing that if those planes were hijacked and used as flying bombs, there could be others in the air at that very moment,  I gathered my children around me and we prayed.  We prayed for those trying to escape the inferno in New York.  We prayed for any hijackers who hadn’t yet made their move, that they would have a change of heart.  We prayed for those who might be, at that very moment, about to become part of another strike.  We prayed that the passengers and crew of any plane still under attack would be able to resist and overcome their hijackers.

Shortly after that we heard that a third plane had crashed – this one into the Pentagon.  The wrong side.  Was that an answer to prayer?

How many more planes would there be?

Certain that there were others up there somewhere, we continued praying.  And while I mourned those who died in the crash in Pennsylvania, I was (and continue to be) profoundly grateful to the passengers and flight attendants who stood up to the hijackers and gave their lives in defense of our country.

We never know how much time we have

Last night my grand-uncle went to sleep for the last time.

First thing this morning I took my son shopping.  We came out of the store about 6:45 to find medics near my car, administering CPR to someone.  Although I’ve held a first aid/CPR card since junior high (thus practiced on a mannequin for many years), this was the first time I’ve seen it done for real.  It would be fine with me if it’s also the last time I ever need to see it.  Truth be told, I was more concerned with the guy’s friend than seeing what they were doing.  She looked so distraught.  Can you imagine having to go through something like that alone?  I went over and gave her a shoulder to cry on.  It’s so sad that more people don’t know that heart attacks sometimes present with throat problems instead of chest pain.  I learned a little about our local EMS – they’re allowed to stop and call the coroner if it’s futile, and don’t have to transport to the hospital when a doctor won’t be able to help.

Uncle had a good, long life.  We will miss him.  The guy this morning didn’t look nearly old enough for his life to be over.  We just never know.

A friend recently gave me a book.  It was excellent, and seems particularly appropriate to recent events.

 

Here’s hoping you’re having a better day.