Ups and Downs

In recent posts I've shared Rocky’s ailments and brief hospitalizations. Last time we visited this topic I think he had been in the ER on Easter morning. Four hours later he was much improved. We had shared our confusion about diagnosis. The previous visit to ER 10 days earlier had been chest pains which were tested for cardiac and stroke conditions; none found. Actually his symptoms were almost exactly the same as for a gall bladder attack but his gall bladder had been removed last October! So that was not the problem.

On Easter Rocky was exhausted and scared and be begged me to take him to ER again after I was done with early morning church duties. I had him in ER by 8:15 am. This time they continued down the diagnostic path building on what they learned on the first visit. [I should break here to comment: Rocky is a patient of the professional physicians team of the hospital and his entire medical chart is on their computer system for immediate access. This is a blessing. We make comments, they look up the pertinent facts, and they continue a more targeted diagnostic analysis.

They found he was dehydrated and plugged him with an IV saline solution. He felt better in one hour. By noon he was good to go and we came home.

We had a follow up doctor’s appointment on Monday (next day) and he was pronounced fit. On Wednesday we had another doctor follow up (different team member) and she walked in the examining room and commented that he looked horrible. He agreed and off to the hospital again, this time an arranged admission.

The ER doctor ordered a CT scan and learned Rocky’s colon was inflamed, enlarged and infected. No idea how that happened but several causes are possible. They fought the infection with IV meds and he felt better within four hours. Some of the meds he was sensitive to, perhaps an allergy, so they experimented a bit. They hit on a good solution and he improved. He remained in hospital until Friday noon, 26 hours after admission.

Weak but feeling better, Rocky is home and doing better than I am.  During the first day of Rocky’s last hospital stay I came down with bronchitis. With my lung history I know to go to the pulmonologist quickly. I did and now I’m laid up, at home, pooped out!

The ups and downs of life. Often unimagined or unprepared for. But they are there nonethesame. And we deal with it.

Afterwards we feel blessed for good health. We take it for granted. Yes we do!

When healthy, life is so pleasant and exciting. Possibilities explode. Horizons extend. Better to be healthy than not.

By the way, I knew I was getting sick because my hair hurt! Laugh if you must but this symptom tells me I have a sinus infection that will soon change the shape of my skull or sinus cavity and then my vision will blur a bit. Fighting the blur gives me a headache and nausea. Then the chest tightens and bronchitis is on rampage.  Pretty simple, huh? Hair that hurts. 

Perhaps you will find this ailment a helpful one for quick diagnosis?

April 28, 2014