Claire is home!! :) (Long)

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

I got home from the hospital yesterday afternoon! Thank you so much for your

support and especially your prayers; I truly felt them during my stay.

The Saga....

On Tuesday I emailed Dr. R. and asked him what I could take over the counter

for Bronchitis to hold me until my Friday appt. with my Dr. Stubborn me, I'd

been sick for more than a week with Rotavirus and then the Bronchitis started

but I still didn't want to break down and see my Dr. before my scheduled

appt.!!

Dr. R. wrote back and told me I could take myself to my Dr. sooner than

later! Gotta love him! I called the next am and got an appt. for 3:15 with

my Dr's assoc. (my Dr. was out of town). I spent my day in bed or in the

bathroom heaving from my toes! Ouch! It was especially uncomfortable

because I had only eaten a cheese stick and a bite of a bagel the whole day.

I'd tried to get fluids in as best I could. Mostly I just coughed up bile

and hurt terribly. By the time I got there my temp had risen to almost 105!

I was bleary-eyed getting to the Dr., but made it. They did x-rays and

determined I had pneumonia as well as bronchitis and planned to send me home

with an antibiotic prescription (Levequin). Before they could though I

started with the dry heaves again and got to the point that I was blacking

out. The Dr. decided to send me to the hospital.

Thank God for " family " . My husband's ex-wife came and got and I and

took us to the hospital. She waited there with until they decided to

admit me and then took home so he could be with his sister. My

stepdaughter meanwhile contacted my husband Jan in TX and he left that night

to drive straight through back to FL. He got here at 9pm on Thursday. The

next am, my hubby's Ex called Dr. R. to let him know what was happening, and

he called me a little later. Definitely eased my fears! Thanks Dr. R.!

Meanwhile back at the hospital...they put me on IV fluids and antibiotics.

My fevers continued to spike to 103 and I stayed nauseous. On Thursday I

felt a little better, but the Dr. determined I should stay at least until

Fri. On Friday he said I could probably go home on Sat. and that yes, if I

felt up to it I could go on our vacation to Alaska! He told me that another

Dr. would be covering for him over the weekend.

Fri. night I had a rough night. Was nauseous and the fever returned. The

nursing staff that night was short and in two shifts, I rarely saw either

nurse assigned to me. When I finally saw my late night shift nurse, I wanted

so badly to tell her about the MGB! I'd been told about her from the other

nurses, but she was not interested in hearing anything.

For the most part, the nurses and tech's who came to see me all wanted to see

my scars and hear about how Dr. R. is using new technology with established

procedures to offer our lifesaving surgery!! Luckily I had my Patient Manual

with me too which helped tremendously with getting my meds straight!

On Sat. am I was in for a great surprise. The Dr. who was covering for my

Dr. used to be my Dr. seven years ago...the last time I was in the hospital

with pneumonia!!! We used to go to church together and he was the only Dr.

I've every had who would treat me and pray with me! It was like old home

week. How good can God possibly be? He listened to my lungs and said he

wanted me to stay another day and he added some meds (2 inhalers and

prednisone).

A friend had visited on Fri. and dropped off a Bible and some books by a

Christian music artist (Sheila Walsh) who has battled Clinical Depression.

Again how good God is...while the Dr.'s and staff ministered to my physical

needs, the Bible and books ministered to my spiritual needs. One of my

Pastors came to see me and prayed with me and left me more reading material.

I can honestly say I'm thankful for the time in the hospital because it

became a time of spiritual renewal. I left refreshed both in body and

spirit. If you'd told me on Wed. that I would be so content and at peace on

Sunday after being in the hospital, I'd have told you you were nuts!

Sunday when the Dr. came to see me he listened to my lungs and said,

" Perfect!! " A few hours later I was on my way home! Jan went back to TX

this am to finish up his assignment. He'll be home on Thursday and our trip

is a go. Now to get cracking on what to pack (drastic changes in temps!) and

making plans for our cat while we're gone! Mainly though I plan to lay low

and fully recuperate before Friday. < >

Sorry this is so long folks. I really do appreciate all your prayers and

phone calls, and offers for help and chicken soup!

I'm waiting anxiously to hear about today's surgeries!

Take care all and thanks again!

{{HUGS}}

Claire

MGB 4/10/00

300/277

15.25 inches lost forever!!

Dr. Rutledge (http:/clos.net)

" He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the

day of Christ Jesus. " - Phil. 1:6