Saturday morning
I've been working a lot of overtime for the last month, and since my vacation starts today, I was looking forward to the time off. Overtime money is nice, especially at Christmas, but spending all my time at work was getting very, very old.
This morning, I started work at 5AM in order to get out at 1:30PM. I finished a computer mod at the end of the shift yesterday, so it ran on the test setup while I began another mod. I didn't expect to finish today's mod and get the unit out the door, but the first one would definitely go.
My cell phone rang at about 10:30. It was my daughter. "Hi, dad, I'm taking mom to the hospital. She's in a lot of pain."
"What? Where? What hospital?" My brain tried vainly to shift gears, cog teeth flying in all directions.
We quickly established which hospital. She hung up and I quickly shut down my bench. Within a few minutes, I was out the door.
When a few gallons of adrenaline surge through your system, red lights are an eternity. Speed limits are merely advisory. I think I could have picked the car up, tucked it under my arm, and ran with it.
At the emergency room, Mary was in tremendous pain. I was there when the kids were born. Trust me, this was worse. She grasped her abdomen and doubled over vomiting. The pain when through her mid section. Her blood pressure was very high. A nurse started an IV. She took three doses of anti-nausea meds and another three doses of pain killers before she could rest comfortably. They took urine, blood, and did a CAT scan. What I just wrote in this paragraph took three hours.
The good news: She didn't have an intestinal blockage, pancreas, liver, or gall bladder problems. The ER doctor said it appears to be severe gastritis or even an ulcer. He wanted to admit her to monitor the pain meds, but she declined. She just wanted to go home.
Lyndsay brought her home while I went to the pharmacy for an armload of pills. Giving her the meds will see that I don't get much sleep tonight because the times are staggered. I've set alarms and I made a spreadsheet to make it easier to keep track of what medications go at what time.
Still, if she has an ulcer, the pain will return. Let's hope that's not the case.
So the family curse strikes again. Oh, you say, it's not a holiday yet? I beg to differ. Tomorrow is my birthday. The rest of you will have to celebrate without me.
This morning, I started work at 5AM in order to get out at 1:30PM. I finished a computer mod at the end of the shift yesterday, so it ran on the test setup while I began another mod. I didn't expect to finish today's mod and get the unit out the door, but the first one would definitely go.
My cell phone rang at about 10:30. It was my daughter. "Hi, dad, I'm taking mom to the hospital. She's in a lot of pain."
"What? Where? What hospital?" My brain tried vainly to shift gears, cog teeth flying in all directions.
We quickly established which hospital. She hung up and I quickly shut down my bench. Within a few minutes, I was out the door.
When a few gallons of adrenaline surge through your system, red lights are an eternity. Speed limits are merely advisory. I think I could have picked the car up, tucked it under my arm, and ran with it.
At the emergency room, Mary was in tremendous pain. I was there when the kids were born. Trust me, this was worse. She grasped her abdomen and doubled over vomiting. The pain when through her mid section. Her blood pressure was very high. A nurse started an IV. She took three doses of anti-nausea meds and another three doses of pain killers before she could rest comfortably. They took urine, blood, and did a CAT scan. What I just wrote in this paragraph took three hours.
The good news: She didn't have an intestinal blockage, pancreas, liver, or gall bladder problems. The ER doctor said it appears to be severe gastritis or even an ulcer. He wanted to admit her to monitor the pain meds, but she declined. She just wanted to go home.
Lyndsay brought her home while I went to the pharmacy for an armload of pills. Giving her the meds will see that I don't get much sleep tonight because the times are staggered. I've set alarms and I made a spreadsheet to make it easier to keep track of what medications go at what time.
Still, if she has an ulcer, the pain will return. Let's hope that's not the case.
So the family curse strikes again. Oh, you say, it's not a holiday yet? I beg to differ. Tomorrow is my birthday. The rest of you will have to celebrate without me.
posted by Ed W at 8:14 PM
3 Comments:
I vote for gastritis. Aspirin and Ibuprofin over time are both major causes.
Oh my....I hope everything goes well.
Ed, keep us updated -- I hope your wife recovers.
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