Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Week from hell

What a week! Steve is in the hospital, he had surgery yesterday for what he thought was a hemorrhoid. Sorry if you have a weak stomach, but there it is. It had been bothering him since last Friday and he thought it was getting better. I was a little concerned Sunday when he got the chills, but he assured me he wasn't going to the ER and he was fine. Went to the doctor on Monday, which means you actually get to see the PA, because if you really want to see the doctor you have to make an appointment 3 months in advance. Anyway, the PA told him she could lance it and he's feel better, but then said it was an internal versus external, so he'd have to see a surgeon. We got the name of one in Fremont - just in case he had to to the hospital. The one advantage to working there is we get 25% off the bill after insurance pays their portion, which is nothing to sneeze at nowadays. We got an appointment with the surgeon yesterday at 3:45 and he was NOT happy that the PA hadn't sent Steve up right away, if not admit him in Omaha. He didn't have a hemorrhoid he had a perirectal abscess, and a temperature of 102. By 7 he was in surgery. The abscess was huge. Not to gross anybody out, but the surgeon said he could have put his fist in the abscess cavity, it was so invasive and if we had waited 24 hours more Steve likely would be dead from sepsis. Isn't that a lovely thought?

He's feeling better tonight, although the morphine pump is still his best friend. Until dinner tonight all he could do was suck on a sponge dipped in water, but they finally started him on a liquid diet. I've never seen anyone so happy about broth and Jello!

Anyway, gas jumped 20 cents a gallon overnight, so I only made one trip to the hospital. I should have gone back up tonight, it's our 20th anniversary, but whatever... Later.