I am sorry

I guess I am in trouble for not keeping up with the blog. I apologize to those of you who like to read it, but I couldn't get myself to write anything this whole week while I was in the hospital and honestly I am not really in the mood right now either, but since I have been alerted by several people as to the importance in their lives of reading my blog, I will try. I will start with the hospital info and then talk about a couple of other things.

Last weekend. I was having some concerns about my breathing and also some chest pains that were more than normal or at least different. So Sunday morning, after trying to drain again with only minimal success Julie again felt that we should go into the ER. So early in the afternoon we tested our theory again. Normally when you go into the ER and you could have a bone sticking out someplace and they make you fill out registration stuff and sit out in the open area for at least an hour. But we found the trick. You look sickly (not to hard for me), walk in hunched over and tell them you are having chest pains and a hard time breathing. Every time we do that , they immediately put me in a wheelchair and call for an open room. I was back in a bed laying down within 5 minutes and the registration lady came back and got the information from Julie while she was in the room with me. So now you know how to beat the system. I think the people who were in the waiting room were ticked off pretty good.

After several tests and an x-ray and a cat-scan, Dr. Te was called and he agreed that I should be checked in. A good part of that was because my blood thinning was out of control again. It is supposed to be aound 2.x and this time it was even higher than the last time. IT was just over 6.0. We said hi to all our friends on the way (we know about half the people there now) and when we got onto the third floor, about half the nurses said welcomed us back again too. Then they started doing a lot of different tests and eventually a lung specialist come in and start looking into my situation. I did some lung tests, they had me on antibiotics, and lots of other drugs. The best thing was that all I had to do was tell them the pain was coming back and they would bring in a desert tray full of pain killers and say "what kind would you like today?". I could choose between fentynil sticks or IV, or a couple others that I didn't go for or my drug of choice...... morphine. With my port-a-cath accessed, drawing blood and injecting drugs is quick and easy. It is going to be tough to going back to having to wait.

After the results came back from some of the tests for the lung specialist they found a second infection they didn't know about and finally got my blood back to the thinness is was supposed to be at. I guess cumedin is not an art. It is sometimes tricky to get it right. The worst thing about this trip to the hospital was my attitude and how tired I was. Several people came to visit and I didn't even stir (which is very unusual for me) and I slept a lot. I mean a lot. This made me very frustrated bacause I could not spend much time awake with Julie. I told her she might as well go home and take care of the kids at home. Unfortunately, this happened to be one of those times when I found I really needed her. I feel like a wimp at those times, but I don't care anymore. I really missed her and spent one night crying most of the time I was awake. Luckily I slept more than I cried. The next night she stayed with me later and only went home after I fell asleep. I love her so much and I now hate the hospital even more. After several days, lots of test, x-rays, and about every nurse in that place checking my breathing, taking my vitals, and 15 bazillion pills they let me go home. Just before I left, I started to feel quite naseaus again, but I took an anti pill and waited till I could sit up enough to get in the car and made a break for it. Got home ok but went straight to bed and fell asleep immediately.

End result: It was a tough way to find it, but I think it was critical that we went in and Dr. Te called in the Lung specialist because he found the second infection that needed a different anti-biotic and they also re-verified several things that had been a concern to me like the fluid in the heart area and lung area. I was happy about that.

I do have to compliment the people at the DRMC also know as the IHC Hospital here in St. George. The doctors and nurses were very good and very friendly. They get an A for service.

When I got home and finally turned the computer on and checked mail and things, I read my friend Megan's update on her surgery and realized that I was pretty blessed to get in and out with the little bit I went through and again I immediately said another prayer for her. Bless her soul, she is a great inspiration to me. She has a great spirit and and a great husband. Like me, if we didn't have the great spouses we do, we would never make it and I know it. God bless you Josh H. and thanks to my lovely wife Julie. Megan our prayers are with you and hopefully you will be out soon too.

I will write more in a bit, but for now, I am too exhausted.

Be back soon I hope. At least the weather is nice and oh hey I almost forgot..... Brittany drove down for the weekend. It is so great to see her. I think I will go give her another hug. Love her a lot.