Still Can't Believe This Happened To Me....right after Shriners Part One

Daniel’s story is basically up to date – except I forgot to mention that after his massive back surgery, he was told not to do anything strenuous for 8 months.  That meant no sports, no biking, not even jumping on a trampoline.  He handled the restrictions well.  But every year our whole family goes on a bike trip through the San Juan Islands with our church youth group, and it was looking in 2010 like Daniel would not be able to ride his bike.  But at his 5 month check-up, the surgeon was so pleased by Daniel’s recovery, that he gave him permission to start riding!  So Daniel was able to ride his bike on the bike trip.  And in fact, he kept up with just about all the other kids, even though it almost did him in.  Throughout the trip, he experienced tremendously painful foot and leg cramps that woke him up at night.  But he was determined to keep riding the whole trip through and he never gave up.  We were, and are, so very proud of him!

The rest of this post is about me.  J A few months after our Shriners experience, Wes had a business trip in Nashville, and as usual, he took me along.  We had previously gone together on business trips to Orlando, Montana, Sun Valley, ID, San Antonio, and Nashville.  But this Nashville trip turned out much differently than we had anticipated.  On the first day of our trip (it was on a Sunday), we arrived in Nashville, and immediately started walking all over the city.  It was a great day.  On the second day, Wes left in the morning for his meetings, and I slept in.  Upon waking up and getting ready, I started feeling achy.  It got progressively worse through the day, and so I walked to a drug store for some Tylenol and Ibuprofen.  The medicine helped, and when Wes was finished that evening, we both wanted to continue exploring the city.  We walked ALL over – for miles.  I started to feel achy again.  When we settled in for the evening, every square inch of my body was so achy, I could hardly lie still that night.  The next day the fever started, and I couldn’t stop shaking.  As soon as the pain reliever/fever reducer would wear off, I started shaking uncontrollably again.  So, I ended up spending the next 3 days in bed, with the exception of being brave long enough to go out to dinner. 

We were scheduled to fly home on Friday.  We both just wanted to get home.  But when I woke up Friday morning, I felt 10 times worse.  Every time I got up, I was extremely nauseous.  I also noticed, for the first time, an ache in the area of my lower right abdomen.  I told Wes this, and we both suspected perhaps I had appendicitis.  Still, we drove to the airport, and as we were pulling into the rental car area, we both knew I would not be able to make this flight.  Wes immediately called his sister, Karen, a nurse, who had already been apprised of my situation throughout the week.  Wes told her how I was feeling, and she confirmed what we were both suspecting.  Something was really wrong with me, and we had better stay in Nashville.

Wes ran into the airport and cancelled our flight.  Then he immediately took me to the nearest hospital.  I was so nauseous and in so much discomfort.  I told the nurses there that my opinion was I had appendicitis.  As soon as the hospital staff brought me in to a regular ER room, I met with a  doctor who gave me medication for my nausea and pain.  He told me the first step would be to get a CT scan to see what was going on in my abdomen.  They gave me some kind of medicine which I immediately threw up, but eventually I was able to keep enough down for the test.  As the pain and nausea medication kicked in, for the first time in a week, I felt better, and I admit I was a little euphoric.  

The ER doctor came in next to visit with me about the test.  Wes had stepped out of the room and was not present at this time. What he proceeded to tell me was such a shock.  It was a good thing I was so drugged up!  He said, there is definitely something going on in your lower right abdomen.  It looks as if your ovary is surrounded by infection.  I don’t think your appendix is the issue.  What you have more than likely, is a bad case of venereal disease.  WHHHAAAAT?  I assured him that was not possible; it must be something else.  He assured me that it is quite possible – for if I hadn’t had any partners, then I must have contracted it from my husband.  The implication was that my husband had been fooling around on me and had not told me.  When Wes walked back in, the ER doctor had left.  Now remember, I was pretty drugged up, and feeling pretty calm.  So I casually told Wes what the ER doctor had just told me.  He was irate!  I didn’t ask him any questions or express any suspicion.  I knew my husband almost as well as I knew myself.  Wes was understandably very angry.  He found the ER doctor.  I am not sure of the words that were spoken, but it was not a friendly exchange. 

Regardless, I was sick and needed to be admitted to the hospital.  The hospital staff immediately started pumping me full of antibiotics and lots of fluids.  The next day was Saturday, and I was still not getting any better.  I FELT somewhat better from the medication, but in reality I was getting sicker and sicker.  Wes was very concerned, he was still upset and confused by my diagnosis, and at a loss for what to do.  I was out of it most of the time, and didn’t realize how sick I was.  And I also didn’t realize that I was starting to show symptoms of pneumonia.  All the fluids I had been drinking over the previous week as well as all the fluids being given me in the IV, well some of it had settled into my lungs. But the hospital continued to treat me for a venereal disease.  By the time Sunday rolled around, my health situation had become critical.

To be cont'd......