Another Hospital Hat Trick???

Yesterday I told you of two hat-tricks that I pulled off in one day (See “I Know You Redux”) and today, while millions of people wait breathlessly to see the result of Super Tuesday, I wait breathlessly to see if I will pull off a THIRD HAT TRICK in TWO DAYS!

First, an update with mostly good news! Last night was my first pain free night in a bit more than two weeks! No abdominal pains! My Florence Nightingale offered me the opportunity take a genuine shower as I arose. It was glorious!

Then, after more than 42 hours of food abstinence, the dietary fairies arrived with a late morning breakfast of:… ta dah! … Chicken broth, Orange Jell-O, DeCaf Coffee and some grape juice! I felt like I was feasting at a banquet even though I could not drink the chicken broth because it was too salty! (Side Note) for several days, some foods that I have always loved have been too salty to eat. My Girlfriend was exasperated when on two successive nights I could not eat the food she had so lovingly prepared ;-(. Upon investigation the Dr. has determined that I have Thrush on my tongue. Hearing the word took me back to my days as a young father and being told my babies had thrush. I thought it was just a baby thing so it surprised me to hear that I had it. Apparently that can affect the taste process. SO, now I’m adding that to my journey. It’s easily treated so we are doing so.

I still have NOT heard from Iowa City in regard to the referral for the Watchman Device. My girlfriend walked over to the cardiologist office and asked about it and to extend the invitation for him to come over and visit, have a cup of coffee, maybe play a hand of cards in the event that he found himself doing rounds in my vicinity. My admitting physician called today and found me working on my computer. He accused me of being a work-a-holic as I sat in bed with the device on my lap. That was until I turned the screen so he could see that I was actually playing MINECRAFT!. I explained that my grandkids were trying to teach me how to play so that we could play together from remote locations and I was practicing this morning. He immediately sat and said, “It’s a lot like Legos!”. So we had a discussion about the differences between playing on a computer keyboard and playing with a controller before he examined me regarding trivial matters such as how my night went, etc.

BIG EVENT of the DAY: I had my FIRST normal BM since the 1st of March! and the First truly normal one in almost two weeks! I was already to declare a celebration and was deflated when my nurse asked me if I “saved it”. I thought I mis-heard her as I asked “Was I supposed to?” I mean, who saves their poop? Then she said it was OK but to save the next one because “SHE LIKES TO LOOK AT THEM”! Are you kidding me? Even my girlfriend has never requested that I save my poop so she can look at it. If she did I would think she was a lot weirder than I already know her to be!

Life proceeded normally after that … well as normal as it can be in a place like this where people are constantly waking, poking, sucking blood and rustling in your bedclothes to get your bracelet scanned or finger poked. The good thing is they are always polite about it … always asking if there is anything else you want/need even though they and you know they can’t always give it … and they always have warm blankets at the ready!

Please continue to pray … not sure how many more days I’ll be here but would be nice to see your face if you are in the area … Room 434 at the Mercy Hospital.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth is transformed and the mountains are toppled into the depths of the seas, though their waters roar and foam and the mountains quake in the surge. Psalm 46.1-3

Oh … the hat trick! As of this writing at almost 4PM, I have had not only one … but two BMs. I didn’t save the second one either. There is a chance as things seem to be “Moving” in a positive direction that I may even have a third … VOILA! A pooping hat trick! What do you think of THAT Finn?! 😉

Please keep praying! I passed a conversation in the hallway today between two nurses. One asked the other to pray for her as she faced some sort of exam later this month. “Oh, I’m not a prayer”, responded the other. It saddened my heart and I turned deliberately to see what she looked like vowing to initiate a conversation in that direction if the Lord provided the opportunity. Don’t know her name but pray for her as well!