I know it's been awhile since my last post but the last month of summer is always a whirlwind of activity around our house as it is most households. Getting ready for school, savoring the last moments of unscheduled bliss, and just trying to escape the August heat absorbs most of our time and attention. So my wife and I were really looking forward to the long Labor Day Weekend to unwind. Of course, we all know how the story ends when you are planning some rest and relaxation . . .Quick background notes. Four years ago like around 4% of all Americans I had a bout with kidney stones. After six weeks of fruitless remedies and facing surgery I finally tried the beer and bathtub remedy. (I really hate the taste and smell of all beer. Why couldn't it have been Jack Daniels . . . ) But it worked! No more stone. Yea!
Fast forward four years to the Friday before the Labor Day Weekend. While driving to meet a client a familiar throbbing pain struck my side with a vengeance. I made a quick change of plans and rushed to see if my doctor could see me that afternoon. After doing the kidney stone boogie in his office for around 30 minutes I finally saw the doc and he confirmed the problem. Another kidney stone. After getting a pain killer shot and more drugs to get me through the weekend he sent me home. All weekend I alternated pain medicine and drinking. (I have spent worse weekends up to this point . . )
Monday morning I woke up shaking violently. I was turning blue and couldn't breathe properly. My temperature was over 104. An ambulance took me to the emergency room and the battery of tests began. After 4 plus hours my fever was still 102 and they were at a loss to explain my symptoms. The emergency room physician prepared to check me in the hospital for a minimum stay of three days until they could figure out what was wrong with me. At that same time an urologist on call at the hospital looked at my CRT and X-Rays and deduced that with the location of my three kidney stones I was toxic from not being able to . . . well, you know. My bloodstream was infected and my body was shutting down all optional services before moving to more serious steps to fight the infection. They rushed me into surgery and removed one of the stones and installed a stent. One down and two to go! After the surgery I was allowed to go home because my wife who is an RN could administer the IV treatment if necessary. (Thank you Lord for allowing me to marry way above my station!)
So that was our relaxing Labor Day 2006.
