Back In The Hospital

Pneumonia. At least they can TREAT, pneumonia.

When I went home last Thursday, I had a vague feeling that everything wasn't right.  But, hey, I was out of the hospital.  So I pushed that feeling back.  Didn't feel that great on Friday.  Same with Saturday.  But hey, I was out of the hospital.

Then came bed time on Saturday night.  And it came early.  I was exhausted.  So I went to turn in about eight o'clock.  After all, Cajun Justice was a rerun.

And it hit me.  I couldn't breath.  I was shivering so bad, that all my muscles were cramping.  And it was getting worse, not better.  I finally told Deb that she needed to call an ambulance. 

Now, I know my loving wife was just trying to be helpful.  I know she only had my comfort in mind.  But she really had no idea how sick I was.  She said, "Are you sure you don't want Meagan to take you to the Emergency Room?"

Well, unless she's done something I don't know about then no, I don't.  Cause Meagan doesn't have any OXYGEN in her car!  And the issue here, is that I can't BREATH!  So I'm thinking the ambulance is the better choice of the two.

The paramedics were great, gave me a breathing treatment at the house.  It didn't do any good, but it's the thought that counts.

All last week in the hospital, they kept telling me what MIGHT be wrong with me.  MIGHT be because of the heart disease.  MIGHT be your liver.  MIGHT be your kidneys.  MIGHT be residual effects of the bacteria you picked up in the tropics.  Even the day I left, they had no final diagnosis for me.  Here are some new prescriptions, good by, and good luck.

Well, I was in the ER less than an hour when a doctor told me that I had pneumonia, and they were going to admit me, put me on mass quantities of antibiotics, and they would run a bunch of tests on Sunday to see what else I needed.

OK, then.  That's that.

Sunday might have been the worst day of my life.  Well, until today, but more on that later.  The oxygen was drying my nose out, which caused it to bleed.  I was getting a fever, so they wouldn't give me a warm blanket, which left me shivering most of the day.  You would be surprised the pain this can cause in your large muscle groups.  Test after test, blood draw after blood draw, the day wore on.  Turns out I had fluid in my right lung on top of pneumonia.  Great, one more thing to worry about.

Of course, all of this combined to keep me awake most of Sunday night.  But if you are up early enough on Monday morning, you can watch the ballet that is the merging of Frontrunner, Traxx and the buses coming to move a LOT of people in a very short time.

Monday wasn't so great.  I went to take a shower, and nothing but cold water.  This is not some Third World Clinic.  This is the most advanced, and if you watch PBS, efficient hospital in the whole country!  And I can't get a hot shower?

At least they took the fluid off my lung.  I feel a lot better.  Now I guess I just sit in here and wait for them to tell me I can go home again.  But at least this time, I know why I was here.  So I got THAT going for me.