Tuesday, April 07, 2009

The Great Escape !

Now Monday is over I've actually got time to sit down and tell the end of the story.

So, on Saturday night The Better Half woke at 7.45 with very little pain, and all of that seemingly a result of having four holes more than she had entered the hospital with! What a wonderful thing being pain-free is. Those of you who haven't experienced real pain (and that probably includes most of us who've never given birth) probably won't know the relief when pain that absolutely makes you want to die gives up and goes away. I can't say that I do. However, I saw the difference in The Better Half, and that's enough for me. I can believe that Gall Stones are one of the most painful things just by seeing - I can definitely pass the experience by! Our surgeon, Dr. K., stopped by and said that The Better Half could go home after a couple of meals. Sounded good to us. So good, in fact, that he was promised a pair of hand-knit socks there-and-then, on the spot. He seemed pleased!

Sunday dawned bright and (as it usually does) early. Breakfast didn't happen for The Better Half, so that meal didn't get to be one of the two. It didn't look like she was getting lunch either, but her name was placed on the list literally at the last moment, and there it was: a slice of turkey and a fair imitation of an MRE version of a Thanksgiving Meal! It kind-of tasted ok, especially the pieces of fruit on the side.

So, we waited for dinner. I told you that hospital life was like the military life - short periods of adrenaline use interspersed with long periods of intense boredom. A peckish 4 pm became a hungry 5 pm, and the nurse arrived to ask how dinner had been. She was greeted with blank looks: "Dinner? what dinner? Isn't my wife on the starvation diet?". She wasn't amused, I think - judging by the words uttered as she sped off to arrange food as fast as possible - maybe she actually wanted to get rid of us!

Food arrived, was satisfactorily consumed, and The Better Half was approved for departure. We grabbed all belongings, signed papers, and were en route to the ground floor. We saw why we were rushed out. The ward was suddenly half-empty and the ER wasn't sending up more occupants. In times like that some nurses are let off early for the day. The ones that remain tend to get a slightly heavier workload, so getting rid of another patient made life easier for them.

Today (Monday) The Better Half spent resting and contemplating the use of a brand-new Cuisinart toaster - this evening she built a bear to celebrate not being in hospital any more.

The Thanks

Thanks go out to Brian and Ryan for being there when asked for, Mitzi and Apollo for visiting at a great time, April for the Tulips (they really do close at night and open in the light !), The Better Half's Mum, Dad, and Gram (the flowers really were good, and I hope I kept you up to date), and likewise Cindi, Flora, Jessica, Jane, Debra, Alison, Sheryl, Ali and Jenna and everyone else in Haddonfield, Woolbearers and everyone else who said "Hi and Get Well Soon" !

For those of you here from FaeryKnits,
Normal Service Will Soon Be Resumed

Normal service will also resume here ... a mixture of code and yarn and some comment on the insanities of the world.

One last wish to you all: be far from having gall stones!

We can be found on exhibition at the Haddonfield Stitch 'n' Bitch on Tuesday evenings, in Woolbearers on the first Friday of the month (oops ! sorry - missed April's - drat!) and most Sunday afternoons. Also, we anticipate, at the MD Sheep & Wool this year.

2 comments:

Percy Clark said...

Thanks for sharing Mike. I think most of us can relate to the 'hospital experience'. Keep bloggin'.

Michael Irwin said...

Ta. Wilco. Luv!

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