Some Birthdays Suck

Like you, there are plenty of reasons I haven't been here.  Thanksgiving came and went and before too long it was time to make Christmas happen.  Lugging in all the Christmas bins from the garage was, I'll admit a little challenging but we got it done.  

Our original plan was to spend Christmas with my daughter and her honey in RI.  However, as you know, all good plans don't always happen.  Sometimes life just gets in the way and for us, it did.

The morning of Livy's 2nd birthday, I wanted to treat her to something special.  Heading to a place which she seems to remember well since we walked there frequently when she was a puppy, her birthday plans came to a screeching halt even before we got there. You see, first we literally ran into several road blocks.  We had gotten very heavy rain the day before and there were reports of flooding in Eastern CT.

Adhering to the PROCEED WITH CAUTION signs, following the one lane, windy road, I kept going.  Then, there before us and across the whole road was the sign ROAD CLOSED.  Turning around and following an alternate route to our regular parking spot did us no good either...same thing...ROAD CLOSED.  In the distance I could see that the lake, fed by three rivers, was definitely over its banks, swallowing up sections of the road. 

And then, my cell phone rang.  It was the Pres.  "Hon, are you too far away to come home and take me to the Emergency Room?"  Thank goodness it was so early and only 5 1/2 miles away because I honestly don't' remember encountering any traffic.    

There he was sitting in his recliner, looking very pale and weak.  Struggling to lean forward, he told me that he was dizzy and lightheaded when he stood up, making him feel nauseous AND AS IF HE WAS GOING TO FAINT!   I told him to sit still while I got his jacket and helped him into it...not the Pres AT ALL!  I managed to get him into the car and we were off to the ER...a mere 5 miles away.  

What's going on? I asked.

I had a rough night last night.  I got up to pee, then went back to bed but a short time later I felt like I had to take a dump.  After that I got up again because I had acid indigestion (something he gets frequently). Then I was up again and took another small dump...looser, then when I got up this morning, I was dizzy, lightheaded and felt nauseous and was just able to make it back to the bed.

Minutes later, we were at the entrance to the ER.  Telling him to stay in the car while I went in, got someone and a wheelchair because I knew if he fell I wouldn't be able to hold him up.  He listened...not the Pres!

Taking him in almost immediately because I had said he has a history of heart problems, they immediately took his heart rate and blood pressure.  His skin was pale, cold and clammy to the touch.  Well, his HR was 158 and his BP was 80/55.  

There is so much to tell you about what transpired over the next 6 very long days it would take me forever.   Bottom line is after vomiting 1 liter of blood, they air lifted him to Hartford Hospital to the Critical Care Unit.  Tests, 4 pints of blood, changes to meds and more tests, he was discharged 6 days later.  Both the week of Christmas and this week we've been to follow up appointments to his PCP, a GI doctor and his Cardiologist. 

Over the next few months, he's schedule for numerous tests (both GI and heart related).  The origin of the GI bleed remains undetermined.  His heart has gotten worse in the past 6 months and hopefully with changes to meds and a few new ones, he'll hang in there.

seeing, saying, and sharing...

Some Birthdays Suck

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!