TheBanyanTree: I Made It

[Margaret R. Kramer]

The temperatures plummeted this week in Minnesota.  We went from 80 degrees
and warm, wonderful spring weather to 13, 14, or 15 degrees and January-like
weather.  The northern tier of the state had a bit of a snowstorm, while,
luckily, we got just a dusting in the Cities.

But I barely noticed all this weather drama, as my week spiraled out of
control.  I worked from home on Monday, because I didn’t want to leave Ray
by himself.  We went to bed at 6:30 pm on Sunday evening, unheard of for us,
and I snuggled with him as he battled intestinal gas and a small fever.  He
hadn’t eaten for almost three days and he taken in virtually no fluids
either.  The diarrhea wasn’t so bad by Sunday, but he didn’t have much in
his digestive system to come out.

The cats and the dog and I slept with him through the night.  I called the
doctor first thing in the morning and got an appointment for him.  I was
able to work from home, so while Ray was sleeping, I kept working on my
project.

We were at the doctor’s for two hours.  They took an x-ray to see if there
was a bowel obstruction, but didn’t see anything.  They referred us to the
emergency room for further tests.  I stopped off at home first, because I
know from experience what the emergency room is like – time doesn’t exist.
I packed my laptop, books, magazines, water, and some crackers.

We got in relatively quickly.  They took a couple of x-rays, saw the doctor,
who said there didn’t seem to be a bowel obstruction, but wanted Ray to have
a CT scan to be sure.  They put him on an IV and gave him a pain killer
drug, because his cramps were terrible.

Ray had to drink a bunch of fluid over a period of two hours before he could
have the CT scan.  Ray had the CT scan and then we waited two more hours
before the doctor told us the results, which once again showed no blockage.
The doctor wanted Ray to have a rectal tube inserted to relieve the gas, but
the nurse didn’t know how to insert it and neither did the doctor.
Actually, the doctor was better than the goofy nurse, who just wanted to sit
at the front desk and gossip.  She never checked up on Ray and dragged her
feet getting him admitted.  The head nurse took over and got things moving.
If it wasn’t for her, we would have been still sitting in the emergency
room.   We were in the emergency room for a total of seven hours and 15
minutes!

There is wireless internet everywhere and it’s even in the hospital.  I was
able to check my work email while I was waiting in the emergency room with
Ray.  No matter what happens in my personal life – I can always keep
working!

I left the hospital around midnight.  I was so jazzed up, I couldn’t get to
sleep right away, so I slept in as long as I could.  I went to work the rest
of the week, but I didn’t workout.  I was always jazzed up when I got home
at night from the hospital, so I couldn’t get up early enough to go to the
club.  I couldn’t go to the club after work, because I needed that time to
spend with Ray.  I’ll have to find a way to workout this week.  I’m
irritable, edgy, depressed, and upset, and some of that is due to not
working out.  I need my endorphins.

I kept working at the hospital Tuesday and Wednesday nights.  I’m sure Ray
loved it that I was visiting him while working on my stupid laptop.
Finally, I was done, and I had Thursday night free to order groceries online
and have them delivered.  Boy, that was wonderful!  My groceries were
waiting for me on my doorstep yesterday and all I had to do was put them
away.  Ordering groceries online saved me from doing a big chore this
weekend.

Last night was bad.  Ray had a scope done on his bowel earlier in the
morning.  They think he has colitis or Crohn’s disease or ischemic something
or another.  Then he had a catheter inserted to help suck out the gas.  Ray
looked like he was pregnant, because the large amount of gas being retained
in his abdomen.  They took out the rectal tube.

Ray wasn’t feeling well and I was depressed, not a good combination.  I
overreact to anything that happens to him, but the nurse told me he was
doing OK.  He was nauseous and tired and in pain.  He was nice to the nurses
and he’s only like that when he’s sick.  He’s usually yelling at them if he’
s feeling OK.  They cancelled the Twins game, because it was too cold to
play ball in Chicago, so we had nothing to watch on TV.  I brought some
magazines and a book to read, but I quickly got through them.

I’ve been through this before with Ray.  I know how to deal with the
hospital thing.  In fact, this time doesn’t seem as serious as when he was
in the hospital with the lung problem.  Ray is not as sick.  He doesn’t have
cancer.  I think the doctor has a better handle on what is wrong and seems
to have a found a way to treat it.  The catheter looked like it was working,
because Ray’s abdomen was not as distended last night when I left as it has
been.

I’m going to clean up a bit around here.  I’ll get the laundry started.  I’
ll pay some bills.  I’m going to Barnes and Noble and buy some books.  Susan
and I are going to run together later this afternoon – I have to do
something physical or I’m going to go crazy.  Then I’ll go to the hospital
and spend another evening with Ray.  Hopefully, we’ll both be feeling
better.

Margaret R. Kramer
margaretkramer at comcast.net
margaret.kramer at polarispublications.com

Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life.
~S.D. Gordon