After a Holiday and a blissful vacation!

We went to my parent’s part and had a fantastic time and got through one more party the next day without a hitch!

Christmas Day was wonderful until that night around 11:30p. That’s right another trip to the ER.

Back in the waiting room my wife read from her new gadget – the Barnes and Nobles Nook E-Reader. She was saying by Tuesday what a great present it was and who knew it would get so much use! We were brought into the ER where the nurse talked with us about the infection. She almost waited to check it and get cultures until she saw it; she was promptly back to do this.

Well the next few hours’ doctors came in and out checking in on their new patient. The doctors were awesome and laughing with each other either from pure exhaustion or by having too much coffee. They asked who I was and my wife without missing a beat said I was some stranger that followed her in. They looked at me and I said she was cute and asked her if she would marry me. This got a great rise out of them – they got it. I was over tired and struggling to stay awake. Yes I almost fell asleep and yes I did set off the paper towel dispenser. It got a good chuckle from everyone. By 3:30a we knew she was being admitted to the hospital. The nurse then ushered me out, with instance from my wife, to go home and get some rest. So starts the week of vacation.

Sunday it snowed for the better part of the day and I was unable to get to the hospital.

Monday I was able to get over and play a few winning rounds of Gin Rummy – thank you drugs for your help! My father drove me in and I spent the afternoon with her. She slept a good portion of the time and I am sure I drifted in and out. The doctors came in and out asking the same questions. ‘How’s the infection – pain?’ My favorite was ‘How are you feeling’; I wanted to say she is fine. She wants to spend more time with her doctors than me. HA! I was able to hitch a ride home with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. After they dropped me off I found that the door was frozen a bit. I romped with door for a few moments then got in; but not before I rang the bell for my landlord to let me in. OY! That was a fun day.

Tuesday and Wednesday I was finally able to get the car out and drive in myself to see my wife. We played more card games and I had lunch/dinner with her. I walked down to the café to get food to bring up. Let me tell ya… slim pickings after 5p. The doctors were less frequent these two days because either I missed them or they were busy elsewhere trying to figure out my enigma wife.

It was quite amusing when one of the Infectious Disease (I.D.) doctors came in to question my wife about the situation for the first time. By the questions that she asked it was apparent she was not the actual ‘Dr. House’. She talked with my wife for about twenty minutes or so before leaving to talk with her boss. I promptly claimed my seat which the original I.D. doctor did not like one bit. She kind of paced shooting me looks. Oh well husband gets the chair and the doctors get to stand. This led to medication changes and time changes for my wife. They would check in several more times through the week to see how she was doing.

The nurses were pleasant at least. They introduced themselves and talked to both of us about whatever they were doing.

Thursday was another off day for me. Not only was I exhausted but I felt a cold creeping up on me and elected to stay home instead of getting her sicker. Not that it was possible with all the medicines she was on. We talked throughout the day and kept each other updated about what was going on. She was to have an MRI that was scheduled for Wednesday and got pushed back to that night around 10:30p. She called right before she was to go down to tell me and called when she got back up because of the pain. I am sure this is hard with a cellulitis infection that hurts like being burnt with a hot poker.

Friday! What can be said about it? Nothing I was in again before noon and hoping to take her home for the New Year. The resident came in and talked about discharging her but she needed to consult several other people before that could happen. Way to get someone’s hopes up! We sat and chatted for a little while then the covering doctor came in to say that she was to be discharged and the nurse would be in shortly to give us the papers. She wanted to get up and start packing everything. We got most everything together, me doing the chunk of the work but that is ok! A half hour later the nurse came in gave my wife the discharge packet and the nurse secured us a wheel chair. I don’t think we left the hospital fast enough. The nurse asked if there was anything else she could do for us before we left. Just in my fashion I asked if she could help with this insulin dependency she has. She looked at me, wife rolling eyes and me giggling she said it was possible within the next five years. We ended up talking about advances in Type I treatments like the artificial pancreas and other such devices. She did laugh after the fact though.

Well I went to grab the car and Ambulances were in the patient drop off/pick up spot. This made me rather mad because my wife can barely walk and there was snow everywhere. So that is what I complained about all the way home.

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Well, this was especially difficult for me because it was the first time that this sort of this happened while being married. It also felt like some people, as much as I appreciate the gesture, wanted to be there rather than me. I felt a like they thought I could not take care of her. It put me out a little bit and more determined that I could do this and they do not have to worry as much.

I guess I felt helpless and it made me mad; also the fact that I could not get over there every day that she was in the hospital. It was weird not having her at home for the week. I would wake up expecting her there and she was not. Another thing that she knows about is my love for the hospital and doctors – or lack thereof! Not my favorite place to be and I feel that had a part to play with me not being there every day. It made me feel bad and I was the one apologizing this time, sometimes several times during a phone call. It makes one feel a little insignificant when you don’t take part in one’s health like my wife does. But that is a choice I made and I am going to stick with it.

Last week was a tough week for both of us as it was our vacation week and let me tell you I am glad it is behind us. I feel a little more prepared for what could come next - maybe.

The Start of Two Holidays...

It started Christmas Eve of 2010 and luckily we both had the day off of work. My wife started to complain about a pain in her leg and let it go until about 3p. This is when the real fun began because we were due at Christmas Mass with my folks at 4p with party afterwards. Into the car with all the presents we go.. Next stop ER.

So we get to the ER sign in have the vitals and such checked then to the waiting room. We are taken in a about 20 minutes later and are seen by a couple of ER doctors a very pleasant patient admin. 

Now around 4:30p the on-call doctor come in and the story stays the same and my wife tells it again:

The pain started a few days ago and I have been in physical therapy so my husband said maybe the pulled something or stretched something to far. 

Thats the main part. The on-call looks at the spot and says it is slightly red and looks like cellulitis but was not going to say it was for sure. My wife looked disappointed and not extremely happy because this would be infection number 14. So her and the on-call talk about it and  decide what they are going to do. The on-call consulted the ER doctor and decided to give her Cephlax - not to be used until redness is seen - and a pain medicine.

About 5p we are out the door of the ER and on our way to my parents for the Christmas Party. 

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The story does not end here, which I will tell the tale in my next update. I want to take a moment at the end of each post and talk about what I do and how I deal.

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As a Diabetic Adjacent I can tell how much pain she is in and can not fully comprehend the infection. However, I know how deadly it can be because I know someone that has died from it. Now with that said, it is hard to think about because we are talking about someone you love and care for.  To think that a simple skin infection to have that much power is something hard to believe. 

I just rolled with this one because I have seen the medicine work before so all would be right with the world. I have to be honest I do not know how I felt about this. On one hand I want her to suck it up and deal and we will get through it. On the other if it was cellulitis it would mean a lot of bed rest with legs elevated until said infection goes away. Luckily it had not come to that… yet! (hint hint for the next post)

After I dropped her off at the ER door I parked the car and before getting out smacked the steering wheel looked up to the roof of the car and asked ‘Why? Why us? Seriously.’. Of course there was no answer but I sat for a moment, took a deep breathe and went into the ER to find her. 

We went in and I did not know what to expect. Thoughts of them keeping her over night or admitting her went through my head. Not something I wanted to do Christmas Eve. I wanted to be with family and exchange gifts. Selfish, yes… but taking care of the one I love comes first. So to cope I look at all the wonderful medical stuff that is in the bay like tape, gauze squares and other fun things! 

I think more relief came when I knew that we would not be staying the night.