Unexpected Hospital Time

It's always something, that is for sure.

My arm and hand have been a little more swollen than my normal swell ever since the airplane ride back home on Monday night.  My hand started showing signs of an infection late Wednesday evening.  By Thursday there was significant pain, swelling of the index finger, and some redness.  I had a physical therapy appointment Thursday afternoon.  The therapist examined my hand and told me that I needed to monitor the situation, if it got worse I would have to go the emergency room and get antibiotics for cellulitis.  She did some lymphatic massage to help move the swelling in my hand and arm out towards the other lymph node clusters.  The redness appeared to go away and the pain was a little less.  We wrapped my arm before leaving her office.  The next morning I unwrapped my arm and my hand was significantly more swollen than the day before.  So much, that I could not fit my compression glove on.  I got ready and head to work.  As the day progressed, the pain in my hand increased to the point that I decided I needed to go the hospital and get some antibiotics.  Knowing how emergency rooms operated, I stopped by my house after work to grab a few things to make my wait bearable, including Southpaw.

I arrived at the ER about a quarter past five.  The triage nurse took my vitals, checked out my hand, and wrote down my symptoms.  I told her that I also had some pain in my chest.  I described it as one feels when they are catching a cold or have the flu.  The pain you get when you are getting sick and it is hard to breathe.  In my mind, I had an infection.  She gave me a mask to wear in the waiting room.

ER fashion at its best.

After about three hours they finally had a bed for me.  The doctor came right away and started asking me a ton of questions.  He was very concerned about the pain I had in my chest.  I reviewed the events of the past week:  airplane trip, I did a short little jog on the beach Tuesday morning, physical therapy yesterday, worked, nothing out of the ordinary for me.  He asked if I had any cramping, I told him the other night I was woken out of a deep sleep by an insanely painful leg cramp in my calf muscle.  I told him I didn't think much of it since I have a tendency to get cramps in my calves often.  He told me that he wanted to check me for a blood clot.  Argh!!! Really!!!  I apparently hit the blood clot symptom trifecta: cancer, swollen arm, long airplane trip.  Plus, the chest pain.  I was going to be there for awhile.  It was already after 8:30pm.

Southpaw comforting me after an oh so painful IV placement.
Right in the crease of the elbow - not fun!!

The battery of tests came fast: chest x-ray, IV placement, blood work, ultra sound, and then a CT scan of my chest.  In between all the tests, I was given an IV drip of concentrated antibiotics for the cellulitis in my hand.  By the time I was finished with the CT scan it was now about 12:30am.  All the tests came back negative.  Whew!  But, the doctor was still puzzled by the pain in my chest.  He told me that  it would be best to admit me overnight for observation.  It was already the middle of the night so, why not.  He did not like the idea of releasing me yet since tomorrow was Saturday and I would not be able to see my doctor until Monday.  They took me up to the cardiac isolation ward for my stay overnight.  The nurse settled me in, hooked me up to a heart monitor and the team of doctors (2) came in and asked me a bunch of questions, too.  They took their notes and left.  It was now about 3am.  I got to doze off for a bit before the nurse came in around 4:30am to check my vitals and heart monitor.

Southpaw checking heart monitor

Fell back asleep for a couple of hours.  The nurse came back in shortly after 7am.  I would get to have breakfast after they came and took my blood again.

Not the breakfast in bed one hopes for.

The doctors made their rounds just before 11am.  The two doctors from last night, plus their boss and a few others.  We recounted the events of the past week once again and what brought me there last night.  She told me that all my tests came negative including this morning's blood work.  She asked how I was feeling this morning.  I told her that I was feeling better and the pain in my chest had mostly gone away.  We discussed doing a follow up with a stress test to make sure that all was well with my heart.  She did not see any reason for me to stay any longer so they would go ahead and discharge me after lunch.

Finally, left the hospital around 1:30pm.  I headed home, stopping to pick up my antibiotic prescription on the way home.  When I got home, I took a shower and then fell asleep on the couch.  It had been a very long 36 hours.

Family time back home

Had a wonderful visit to my home town to see my family.  It was a quick trip filled to the brim with activities.

In continuation of my birthday, more baseball games.  Saturday night, Sox annual Half-way to St. Paddy's Day game.  Wasn't much of game, Sox are in last place, but it's a baseball game and I am happy.  The added entertainment of Irish music and fireworks show made it worth while.  Plus, two of my favorite fans were there, Dad and my brother which makes it even better.

Half-way to St. Paddy's Day Game

Sunday the baseball game was on rain delay, so we watched the Bears game on the jumbo-tron in center field.  Chalk that up to an unexpected experience that could never be planned.  Unlike ball parks on the west coast, the beer vendors made their rounds even during the rain delay, love Chicago ball games.

Rain Delay

After the football game ended, the baseball game was still on delay so we figured three hours at the ballpark with no baseball was enough so we head home for family dinner.  My mom loves to prepare family dinners, as per usual she produced a wonderful feast.  Happy tummies all around!!

Birthday Noodles - family tradition

Table of Yumminess

Round 1

The next day before heading to the airport, we stopped at Hot Doug's for lunch.  If you are ever in the neighborhood, you must try these gourmet sausages.  You will not be disappointed.  This time around we had quite the tasty tasting:

Hot Doug's!

The best part of going with a small group is you get to try a bunch of them.  There was three of us, so we each choose two.  Classic Chicago hot dog, grilled; Apple, Pear and Port Wine Elk Sausage; Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage; Smoked Bison Sausage; The Atomic Bomb Spicy Jack Cheese Stuffed Pork Sausage with Sweet and Spicy Mustard and Habanero-Jack Cheese; Brandy-Infused Portuguese Chorizo.  Once again happy tummy!!

Headed to the airport to fly home.  Wonderful trip, way to short.  Hope to do again soon.

Flight of the Invisible Man

Flying for the first time since my journey began is a little nerve recking.  I have many things to consider when getting onto an airplane now, more so than before.  My arm will not handle the cabin pressure the same way as a healthy arm so precautions need to be taken.  Step one: compression wrap.  To avoid issues at the security check point, I waited to wrap my arm until I was at the gate.  I made sure I arrived extra early to give me time to wrap up.  I have become quite the pro at compression wrapping and can get it done in about 15 minutes now.

This is how the Invisible Man flies.

Next step to preparing to fly, hitting the airport lounge for a little help relaxing.  A nice double shot of Maker's neat should do the trick.

The Invisible Man's happy juice

The flight went well.  I did feel some pressure in my hand and the area on my arm above the compression wrap.  It wasn't too extreme, so I think it went well.

A little origami

O'dark thirty, we head to the hospital for today's procedure.  We arrive at 6:15am and start with admissions.  It is the day before a holiday and the hospital is busy.  After I am checked in, they escort me up to the third floor waiting room.  A nurse comes out to get me and I must have had fear in my eyes because she immediately went into gentle voice mode.  I tell her, "I know what happens behind those doors."  She does her best to lighten the mood and coax me back to the pre-op area.  I follow her back and we start getting me ready.  I brought Southpaw with me for some moral support and some amusement.

Southpaw checking the nurse's work.

Southpaw getting into trouble.

In between all our shenanigans, various doctors, nurses, anesthesiologist come by and ask me a barrage of questions and explain what will be happening today (a little origami).  It is almost 8:30am now, and one of the anesthesiologists gives me something we dubbed Ativan's cousin which made me very loopy very quickly and then they wheeled me to the operating room.

They wake me up, it is a little after 10am.  Everything went well.  I have a small bandage over the area they worked on.  I am not in any pain.  This is all good.  I do have a sore throat from the breathing tube but other than that, no pain.  Yay!!

They wheel me to the recovery room.  The nurse tells me I can go home when I am able to get up and walk to the bathroom to pee.  Next, she brings me apple juice, water, and ice chips.  All that and the IV fluids I am still hooked up to, this pee thing should happen soon.  

Not really helping me, is he.

I am still groggy, so I doze off for a bit.  About an hour or so later, I am ready to pee.  We take care of business and get me going on my way.

It is lunch time, I am starving (have not eaten in over 12 hours).  We stop for pizza on the way home.

Needle buddies get hungry too.