From December 28, 2018 to...

A little more than six months has gone by since I went to the emergency room with what I though was a stomach ache. My wife later told me the whole story since I don't remember any of it. I do remember the emergency room, being taken back to a room an made to lay on a bed and wait and wait and wait. Finally a doctor came it a poked my abdomen near where I said the pain was. He then walked out saying he was going to get a second opinion. A nurse came in and gave me a shot then she too walked out. All the while I chatted with my wife and.....

Next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery room and sort of wondering where I was, what happened, and then I blacked out again....

When I came to I was in a room, I was visiting with my wife and a nurse and they were about to wheel me to my room which turned out to be a 'football field' length away. Hen they got me there the nurse asked me one question. "Where was I at?" She had covered her name tag so she wanted to know what I might know. I gave her the name of a local hospital, then she moved her hand and told me I was in the same local hospital I came into the emergency room the other night. "The other night?" That's when my wife began to tell what had happen the previous week. "A WEEK?"

First, my own doctor, did a hernia surgery on my that emergency room night. Then he had to go back in to stop the bleeding the next day. My wife said they almost lost me that day. The nurses and doctors were all worried. But my doctor packed the wound and stopped the bleeding. The next day he had to go back in take the packing out and check the bleeding, ("I have a incision scar from 'stem to stern' to prove it.") After that, I was in ICU for nearly a week before being moved to a private room. None of this do I remember. My wife said I was talking to daughter and her husband just fine and seemed to be clear headed but I don't remember any visit.

Finally, I "woke up enough" for the nurse to wheel me to my private room where she asked me that one question and I must have been dreaming about the TV commercials about that other hospital, that's all I can guess. I stayed in that room for what seems like several days before I became more clear headed.

All of the before items took place in about a week. I had lost all track of time. It's now what I believe to be early January and OT nurses a coming in to work on rehab with me. One of my room nurse's is a former student of mine. Nurses kept coming by an asking me lots and lots of questions about OT, PT and ST and a transfer to another hospital.

I and my wife chose the hospital I used to work at years and years ago. Little did I know how long I would be there. Little did I know what would greet me there. When it was time to make the trip over the bridge to the next stop on my road to recovery, I was given an ambulance ride there. My wife followed in her car. It was a nice trip.....I guess.

I was put in a double room and told they would get into a single as soon as one came available. Good enough for me I thought. He was an old former teacher who loved his "Dr. Pepper" and was not afraid to holler at the nurses ALL NIGHT long wanting one, keeping me awake most the night. Two days later they managed to get me into a private room.

My OT, PT and ST began almost as soon as I got there. PT about killed me at first. OT was not as bad but it got tougher as the days wore on, and ST turned out to be easiest. PT made me get up walk every day, first with a walker, then with a canes, then sitting up, laying down, claim stairs, getting into a car model, walking long walks around the floor, teaching me to go to the bathroom by my self, eating again - my daily routine.

OT taught me how to use my hands again with tasks like stacking stuff, getting things out of the fridge, sitting up properly, sitting down without "plopping". more daily routins that I would need later.

ST just talked to me and made me take a few simple tests, and found that my brain was still sharp and quick. one quick 20 minute session a day.

I did not eat much because I knew "what goes in must come out" and before PT taught me how to go the bathroom 'by myself' the nurses had to come clean me daily. One of my nurses there was another former student. At least she liked me and I liked her- basically 'my in-habitations went out the window'.

When PT finally taught me to go by myself - with a nurse standing just outside the door I was much happier. OT "taught" me how to take shower/bath while she looked on documenting everything - but I passed with flying colors. She also had to document me getting dressed just to see me do it all - I again passed.

No date was given to get out of the hospital but a general date was given and I began to count my days down. Doctors came and went, checking off what they needed to see. Nurse-Practitioners came and went.  They talked about my heel wound and what they had recorded, everything.

OT, PT, ST gave their reports and finally the day came when they were going to release me. I had been in the hospital for nearly a month and finally the day arrived as the head nurse came and went over EVERY page in his/my long list of notes, list of doctors, home health nurses, etc, etc, etc. Now it is wait and wait and wait and wait and...  

Finally, another former student came to get me and wheel me down to the car. "I finally get to go home. Nearly a full month after I went to the emergency room." I said my good byes and thought about what I had been though and what laid ahead of me.

Tomorrow: Part Two of my Rehab