Hospitalization, and the Loss of Legends…

Well, I will not be able to do everything at once here, so I will promise to write some pieces on two musical legends who left the stage for the final time in recent days. I’m saddened by both their leaving, and yet for one we knew the bell would toll.

Speaking of which, I honestly thought the bell was going to toll on me last week. On Thursday, I was preparing for my annual trip to Maine, to see my sister and bro-in-law and engage in a few days of writing, editing, resting and eating and stuff.

So much for that.

I was hit full in the chest Thursday afternoon with something. Pressure, pain; I thought it was heartburn and I tried to make it through work. After about five rounds of Tums and as much water as I could take, I began to realize this was not going away, and now I’m having trouble breathing.

I do what I have to, get in the car and cross the bridge to Holy Spirit Hospital. Now I’m not Catholic, but I was there was year for my cellulitis, and I have a friend/colleague who works there. They also have topnotch ER.

My friend Ella (and the designer of this website) offered to come hang with me, and another dear friend, Alice immediately said she’d look after Kao.

You made certain of my well-being, did you, human? That’s very good…for you.

Kao is her usual self as you can see.

Anyway, a long afternoon and night in the ER is not to be liked. Triage, the inevitable repeating of information. the ultrasound, eventually a CAT scan they figured it out. I was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis; thankfully not septic or dangerous like that.

I was taken many floors up into the labyrinth—that hospital is really large, if you’ve never been there. But it is well-appointed, and the best of care is there.

Before dawn Friday I’m brought to a room. The window seat (heh) was occupied by a nice gentleman who’d suffered a stroke, but was perfectly lucid. I’m sorry I didn’t get to talk to him more, but as he said, “You were pretty out of it when they brought you up.”

Even more a few hours later. Sleepless, in a lot of pain, and also dealing with chills and increased blood pressure, I’m clearly worried as fuck right about now. It’s like indigestion times 100, but you’re not throwing up, or that, but you can’t breathe deep.

I was zoomed down a few hours later to another center of some kind. Got the endoscopy, where a stent was placed in my gall bladder.

Basically, I had gallstones. That sounds old as dirt, but I do. Apparently I have several of them in my GB, and one tried to break out, causing inflammation, and issues with the bile duct, and something started leaking into my small intestine.

This is getting interesting, eh?

Well I was given lots more drugs, plus antibiotics, and then more drugs for the pain of the incoming migraine…so you can imagine what I was like. Alice popped in with something to wear and that Kao was doing just fine.

Yes…Miss Alice is much more liberal with the treats, you know…I am merely making a point…

Right. I’ll remember that.

Needless to say I spent a lot of time staring at the Weather Channel. I did watch stuff on my phone and also saw a lot of football, and for once no need to feel guilty that I should be “doing something.”

I managed to get through the night okay. I’m not drinking or eating anything…all the meds are strictly IV. That’s a weird thing. I went through several days without food when I was in hospital when my UC flared badly, and I was hallucinating by the time I could actually eat food.

The staff, doctors, nurses, all of them…total professionals and I can’t say a negative thing about them all. They took care of me. I didn’t have a new roommate either after that fellow was retrieved by his family. So I could zone out to stuff without anyone saying shit about it.

I was also taken off IV fluids Saturday night, so I could recon the floor. I didn’t see much of my floormates but you could hear some of them. I also was really hopeful I could go home…Xmas in a hospital must be about as bad as Xmas in jail. I feel sad for those who had to stay, but the hospital did a nice job of looking out for the holidays, but of course they would. I’m sure everyone will feel some comfort.

Sunday morning heralded some kind of gospel-fest music blasting from someone’s room. Didn’t sound particularly religious or even spiritual, just a lot of, “Hallejujah,” and “We gotta party going on here” and whatever else…okay…but fortunately they toned it down. Anyway, more blood work, “stat,” the tech told me, and maybe just maybe…

The GI specialist was first one in and he said things were looking good and the doc would be around. She did arrive later after seeing the blood work. My inflammation of the GB and pancreas were down, the blood numbers were good and I can go home.

So I got the hell out of there fast. This week is now a stay-cation, but that is okay by me.

I am really tired, and feel like hell. My insides keep twitching a little bit, but nothing bad. I’m on a low-fat diet, but to be honest, I’m eating very little. I just do not feel up to it, but I do eat some. And I am making sure I get water.

I did go out this morning to do errands. Things you find out: I ran into Senators broadcaster Frankie Vernouski at the coffee place near my house. He lives in the neighborhood—who knew? I gave him the rundown, but I’ll be ready for April.

Now…this all has left me a lot of time to think. I have to make some life changes. I am thinking about altering my diet, which is vegetarian, but could use some tweaks. I’m thinking about once I can start eating properly again, what to do so I’m a sight healthier. This hasn’t been exactly a wakeup call, but it’s been the kick in the ass I’ve needed.

I faced down Death 31 years ago, when no one thought I’d make it. This is nothing of the sort; this was comparatively easier. Still, my mortality is a reminder of how little time I have in the body.

I did receive the draft edit of “Legend of the Black Swan,” my new book—I’m thrilled, and eventually I will be getting into it.

I’m reading Baldwin: A Love Story, which is extremly long, and more of a biography, but there is to be an emphasis on the loves in his life. It is very well documented and written. I have a stack of others, podcast guest offerings, and also I gifted myself the new Murakami. I don’t know when I’ll start reading it, but eventually.

And two more great musicians have left us. Joe Ely and Chris Rea. It does not end…I have great memories of both men, some more personal. I’ll write about them as times goes on this week. So much to say, so much to think about here.

All right, I must get to bed. Oh, if you want a good podcast, other than the offerings of the BookSpeak Network (please do check us out), Bill Nighy does a fun and restrained one, “Ill-Advised.” I advise you check it out.

Until the morrow, Peace, Out and I hope your Yule was joyous, and you are in better health, where I eventually will get.