A New Day

Christmas has come and gone, New Year's Eve and Day - come and gone. And I'm still here. Amazing. Last year this time, nobody was optimistic about that.

Last year this time, I was lying in the hospital with blood flowing into my arm. Remember I told you how cold the incoming blood is and how your arm gets really cold and then you need blankets? Yeah, that. This is the anniversary I celebrate today.

A night in the ER best forgotten, but burned into the brain...BP, temp, the usual questions, blood drawn, IV inserted, a digital exam, two bottles of contrast to drink, n/g tube insertion (and thankfully removed!), a CT scan. I'm sure I forgot something. Actually, I forgot a lot of things.

My son, who was with me the whole time, told me some of the incidents that transpired but that I don't remember. I've tried, believe me, until my head hurts, but nothing he told me returns. I'm sure it's because I don't want to remember anything else about that night. Anyway, there was enough horror to come that I do remember.

For the next two weeks, I was treated to ekg's, blood work, 19 IV insertions, (because they kept blowing out due to poor veins), colonoscopy, cancer diagnosis, surgery, echocardiogram, clear liquid diet for almost the entire time, six roommate changes, and an infection in my incision which required re-opening and irrigating and packing. I'm sure I forgot something.

So, celebrate, while it may not seem to be the appropriate description, is what I'm doing today. Because I'm not in the ER, or the general population, or in the OR. Celebrating because I'm home without roommate(s), and eating whatever the hell I want, which does not include Jell-o.