What a week that was!!!

Who would have thought that a week that started out so exciting (planning our trip to Taiwan) would have resulted in such a mess!! When I came home after Curves last Wednesday and having lunch with my friend, Bev, I started feeling like I had a case of very bad indigestion. I tried Tums, laying down and rubbing my tummy (don't laugh, that worked two weeks ago), but nothing seemed to help. By 9:00 p.m., I was in so much pain, I was throwing up. Bern called the emergency department at the hospital and told them what was going on. They said bring her in.

And, thus started my journey! They hooked me up to IV, did blood work, and everything they had to before they started pumping morphine through the IV for the pain. After they'd run some tests, they decided I wasn't going home for awhile and that it looked like an inflamed pancreas or gall bladder attack. I spent the night in the emergency department - an experience in itself! Between emergencies, I got to listen to a rousing game of poker being played somewhere (maybe I was dreaming?)

The next day, I was assigned a room - still hooked up to the IV pumping in antibiotics, morphine and gravol, I basically faded in and out of consciousness with Bern constantly at the foot of my bed, just wanting to help. The doctor came in to tell us that my pancreas was infected and that my gall bladder looked like a rock quarry! They couldn't do anything about the gall bladder until the infection was under control, so it was just a waiting game. All I was allowed for meals were clear liquids - YUK! I couldn't even look at the trays after a couple of days. I did try the "jello" a couple of times - but even though it's called jello - no way! James, I humbly apologize to you when you tried to tell me about that stuff when you were in the hospital. It's just gross!

The first night I had my room, I was blessed with a roommate. She was quiet during the day, but that night she started talking in her sleep. At first it was just mumbling, then increased in volume to shouting and then to screaming for her husband. I rang the nurse to ask if the lady might have something a little stronger for sleep because she was making so much noise. She said she couldn't give her anything else and that she was sitting right around the corner and she didn't hear anything...I said, well thanks a lot! They came in later to move the lady into another area. On the way out, the nurse said to me now you can get your rest so you can get better and go home. Needless to say, nurse Ratchet and I had lots of makin' up to do over the next week!! We did - she even made me a "happy birthday" sign to hang on my IV pole the day I left the hospital.

Fran and Mike picked James up Sunday afternoon and came by for a visit. It was so, so good to see them. James just hugged and hugged me. I think he was a little scared (like the rest of us). Bern got hold of our Pastor on Monday or Tuesday (I think - the timing of events are still fuzzy), he prayed with Bern over the phone and asked if he could visit me in the hospital - he and his family were leaving for Florida the next day for two weeks. Bern said it was okay - he would explain to me about the vacation. But sure enough, Pastor Rene popped by the next day and visited with us and prayed for my recovery. We had so many friends from the church stop by to visit and pray - it was quite overwhelming! I am so grateful.

I've decided I'm not a fan of drugs - I don't know how people can take them for fun! When my IV monitor started talking to me, I knew it was time to get out of there. The pain relief was great, but the added stuff - no.

Penny and Howard came by Wednesday for a visit and stayed overnight at our house. They took Bern out for dinner. Bern, very kindly, ate all the food I would have ordered in honor of my birthday. What a trooper! They all came back to say a quick prayer the next day right before my surgery.

The doctor who made the diagnosis came to tell us he was going on vacation and was turning my case over to another doctor. Dr. Coziar turned out to be a kind of rock star, shiny jeans and T-shirt, Scandinavian - so cute! He came by a few times to check the progress of the antibiotics and my pancreas. When the time was right, he asked me if I preferred to go home for a couple of weeks and book the surgery then? I think the panicked look on my face answered his question. I told him I NEVER want to go through that again. Right, I'll see if I can set it up for today - OK? I called Bern to let him know and then all the pre-op stuff started...blood work, blood pressure, ecg, etc. The nurse had just hooked me up to the ecg machine when the phone rang - it was my cousin, Bev. What a nice surprise and what a calming effect it had on me. Thanks, Bev. God's hand was in that because I had only hooked up the phone that morning so I could call Bern to let him know the surgery was scheduled.

When they rolled me into the operating room, the '60's classic "Everybody Must Get Stoned" was playing. I asked Dr. Coziar if that was his favourite music - he said he thought it was appropo. I said it's appropo if it's only ME getting high. He just laughed. The next thing I knew I was waking up in the recovery room. You may or may not believe this, but I felt like something ugly had just been taken out of me. The pain I was now feeling was a healing pain - it was awesome!

When Dr. Coziar walked into my room the next morning, I said, "My hero!" He said would you like to go home for your birthday? Do you mean it, I said? Sure, just make an appointment to see me in two weeks. So, here I am safe at home once again!

I need to say something about prayer here. Being a person who is hardly ever ill, this was a real eye opener for me. I discovered that when you are sick and in pain, you really don't have the energy or strength to pray for yourself. When you know there are people who love and care for you out there praying on your behalf - it's huge! It's so important for us to let our loved ones know when we're in trouble so they can pray for us. We're not meant to be "brave" and "self reliant". God gave us each other so we can support each other!

I'm starting to get tired, so I'll end here with a couple of prayer requests. These are very important, too. Our niece, Karen, who has prayed a young daughter through cancer, who continues to pray another daughter through life-long colitis problems, who is also the mother of two wonderful sons, has been ill for two months herself. They've discovered she has a peritonital disease (inflamation around her heart). It's taken so long to diagnose and Karen has been suffering for a long time now. Please keep her in your prayers.

I was told (after my crisis) that my mother has a crushed vertibrae that's causing her so much agony. Please pray for her comfort and peace. I love you, Mom.

Also, our friend Judy Poel went for tests last week and has been diagnosed with inoperable colon cancer and kidney disease. I'm still in shock and they're going for more tests. Judy and Herman are our friends from cottage country who are building the gorgeous log cabin down the road from ours. Please ask God to send healing their way. Thank you so, so much!