My dear Family
My life just wasn’t exciting enough with Emma coming home so I thought I would throw in a little drama. Right now I am sitting outside on the patio with my hat and sunglasses on as I listen to the wind and my fountain. Drew loves my fountain. We always strip off his clothes so he can play in it. He reminds me of Dallin and Addie when Austin built a fountain for Taylor. They loved laying across the rock and drinking out of the water that comes bubbling up.
So the week of July 28 I notice that I can’t get rid of a headache and I finally went to outpatient care up in Enfield. They do an EKG and tell me I need to go to and Emergency room though they find nothing wrong. And being a typical Barrus, I say no thanks. That was a Sunday night. Monday after work after living the day as though that there was nothing wrong, I had Emma take me to the emergency room in a hospital. There they did another EKG, but added a CT scan. And that’s what sent me to St. Francis Hospital in an ambulance. Once there they insisted on an MRI to get a better picture of what they saw on the CT scan. The doctor they assigned to me decided we needed to put in a shunt to relieve the pressure so I wouldn’t feel so dizzy when I stood up. I thought that sounded about right so that was done on Wed. after he discovered that I had had nothing to eat that morning due to the liquid diet I was put on of which I got no food. I was starving but I’m glad they brought me no food in order to get the shunt done. In the mean time we call Uncle John with a huge favor – “Can you please read my MRI and tell us what you think?” The Olson’s are trying to leave for a family reunion up to Bear Lake but Uncle John says “Sure. I’ll be home Saturday”. Bob took care of that detail. Meanwhile back in the hospital, the surgery goes well though I look like Frankenstein when I emerge with a completely shaved head and a bump under my scalp to indicate where the shunt is. I have staples in my head that looks like I got kicked by a horse – it’s even horse shoe shaped – and more stitches in my belly. I put on my happy face because the pain is gone and I can go home on Friday. Getting in and out of bed to use the loo is difficult with the compression boots on each leg and nurses get busy and not come right away to help me. I am difficult because, like any self-respecting Barrus, I take myself to and from despite the lectures from the nurses. So this past Tuesday I got to see a specialist at Yale/New Haven hospital. This man does nothing but brain cancers. I love him as he asks me to remove my hat and gasps at the horrors under the brim and the mangled belly. He gently explains that he would have done things differently. If only I had known there was a “differently.” He goes on to tell me that we need to operate, not necessarily right away, but when I am ready. All I can say is “bring it on”. I am scheduled to have surgery next Wed on Aug 20 at 7:00 am. Yahoo! Dr. Piepmeier has done other surgeries like this and is wondering how a 60 year old woman has a growth on her pineal gland he has only experienced in juvenile males. I can’t wait for the answers after all is said and done. I asked yesterday if I could see the tumor and was told probably not. They whisk it away for tests never to be seen again. I was hoping to put it in some silicone and wear it as a necklace. Just Kidding! I had my stitches removed yesterday before I had another MRI. The nurse wanted to know if I wanted the stitches to make into a necklace. No, thank you. Connie probably would because she is so creative. I wouldn’t put that past Aunt Susan either. So life is good and I am waiting for my attending nurse, Jean Marie, to come next Saturday to nurse me back to health. I am so excited I get to spend some time with her. She’ll rue the day she declared she was going to stay two weeks! Between her and Emma, I couldn’t ask for any more pampering and care.
Poor Uncle Bob was beside himself with worry and visions of having to finish life on his own. I see the Lord’s hand in a lot of stuff, and I don’t think He’d let me leave without finishing up a few things. I have to remind myself that I lived longer than my mother did and I wish I could talk to her about that. There is also a lot of suffering around each of us. We think we are alone, and then we meet others who have been struggling along for years. I have been very blessed for many years. I am done being primary chorister for a few weeks so I can just relax and get well. I can’t wait to hear how Sherry is doing – how her move went and how she is feeling. How was the Olson reunion? And how did Uncle Bruce and Aunt Jean fare in Africa? Can’t wait to hear!
Love to all,
Uncle Bob, Aunt Ruth and Emma Jane-Jane (at least for a few months)
No comments:
Post a Comment