Thursday, January 10, 2008

On the heart ward across the hall from One Flew Over the Coockoo's Nest

Well, hello everyone! If you've been keeping up with my non-posts then you know all about the medical adventures I've been on these last two months.
I have so much area to cover that I've put off posting because I just couldn't get my thoughts in order to post something that I thought would make sense. My sister told me that my thoughts haven't been in order since menopause and I should just do it, so here goes:
  • Thanks Keesha for being such a good friend. Your post (which I just read) as my administrator was right on and I so appreciate you helping me out when I needed it the most.
  • And, thanks to Keesha for my fabulous Christmas present which I haven't photographed yet but plan on photographing and posting soon, very soon (one thing at a time:). It's an amazing necklace and I've worn it many times to make my trips to the doctor's like a party:)....you know, get all dressed up.....
  • I also want to thank the many, many friends that I have in the art world for the cards, notes, emails and comments of encourgement posted to Keesha's post. I didn' know I had so many friends and it blessed me every time one of you dear people took the time to let me know that you were thinking of me.
  • Some of my dear art friends sent me gifts during all of this mess and I must thank you individually. . . . .Denise Mares - thank you!! and Linda Findley - oh, my gosh, thank you!!

I'm home from the hospital, have been since Christmas, and am taking it one day at a time - I'm so proud of myself because I'm a very "not patient" person and I'm doing quite well following doctor's orders:)

In all, I had two hospital stays, one ambulance ride, two E.R. visits and got to experience Colitis *which is in remission - Praise God!*, C. Diff. (a special virus of Satan), a five day virus that knocked me on my butt (wasn't a far fall...) from my youngest, Clay (I insisted on a long hug when I got home from the hospital), shortness of breath which turned out to be numerous and large life threatening blood clots in my left leg and both lungs - who knew?? The ambulance guy thought I was just an old crazy woman hyperventilating and taking up his precious time....therefore, it wasn't diagnosed until after my first hospital stay for the C. Diff.............now, don't get me started on the local hospital...............so, the blood clots were discovered by my doc when I went in for a post-hospital check-up from my first hospital stay. I happened to mention that I was having a hard time breathing....she did blood work, chest x-rays and sent me home. I was at home when she called me that afternoon and told me to go immediately to the E.R. and have Frank meet me at the hospital......I'm such an idiot (or it was the drugs) but I didn't think it was any big deal even though when I think back to that phone conversation I know that it was God (or the drugs) keeping me calm because there turned out to be nothing calm at all about the situation. I've learned so much, too much, about blood clots in the last few weeks! LOL But, I give God the glory that not a one of the clots went to my brain or my heart.....all of them went to my lungs - A MIRACLE - Praise God! Did you know those things can kill you? LOL

Oh, and this is where the title of this post comes in......they had me on the heart ward, on oxygen, all hooked up to a heart monitor (I thought they were making a really big deal out of nothing....) and it took me all of about 15 minutes to realize that they had a psych patient with heart problems in the room across the hall. GreeeeaaaaaaaaaT...........what was really funny, though, was that whenever anyone from church came to visit me they thought it was one of our members that was sitting indian style in the middle of the hall loudly requesting a new doctor.....looked just like him and he's kind of a serious guy..............too funny. He was entertaining until he became irritating.

I get through all of that, come home, get up from bed too quickly, get dizzy, and fall down in the bathroom spraining my left ankle and something behind my left knee. If it wasn't so pathetic, I would have laughed!

I'm healing nicely, loving being home and LOVING the feeling of starting to feel like my old self....I was getting so tired of being so sick. And I couldn't help but think that when I die and my boys were asked what they remember the most about me, it woudn't be my cooking, my laugh, my irreverant humor, my hugs, my love....it would be that "she was always sick; she never felt good". That thought brought me to my knees every time I had it.

Again, thank you all for your kindness and your prayers. I am so blessed, Jan

One more wee little thing...........I have prayed and given a lot of thought to my healing and what's best for me, blah, blah, blah (I hate being responsible), so I have dropped out of Artfest, Art n Soul Virginia, the Charmster's Valentine charm exchange, the Paper Whimsey Banner Swap AND have had to bow off of a design team that I was so excited to be a part of - waaaaaaaaaaaah!!

Oh, it killed me to give all of that up but I know I made the right choice. I know it, but I don't like it. So, I've got my sights set on Art n Soul Portand this fall. SURELY, I'll be able to make that! LOL xoxo

16 comments:

Lennea said...

So glad you're on the mend! Sounds like you've been through it. I've kept you in my prayers ( I'm pretty sure I have it in good with the Big Guy;). Don't you just hate having to take care of your health? Oh, to be twenty again and abuse my body without consequences!

Take care of yourself!
love
Lennea

kecia deveney said...

good to have you back, Jan! we love you.

Sandra at 7th St. Studio said...

Hooray!!! She is back!!! So glad you are on the mend! I have checked often to see if you were o.k., thank goodness Kecia let us catch up a little on your blog! YOu are so smart to drop the extra stuff, your health is more important...besides, you can just enjoy the blog photos of the swaps and have better ideas for next years!! Pleeezzze keep blogging, we have missed you so much!!-Sandra

Shelli Vandegrift said...

Jan,

Sounds like someone needs to pick a class she might want to take at Garden of Beaden....on the house! Remember we are remodeling....then doing the dreaded inventory...but we should be open by next Friday. When you feel up to it, we will be waiting for a playday!

Many hugs, continued healing!
Shelli

Amy Huff said...

Glad you're doing better and are getting back to your fabulous self!

Loudlife said...

Whew! You were right, that was a lot. I think you deserve a vacation now! You're probably just hoping to go back to normal life, though, huh?

It was great to talk to you tonight. I was relieved to find you well. It's so nice to come here and see your smiling (so to speak) text again.

Welcome back!
xoxo
Laurie

Angela Rae Barribeau said...

Yea!!! She's BACK!!! Please keep up your blogging! I've missed you and was worried about you... lots of thoughts of you and prayers after reading Kecia's post... and I didn't want to bombard you with... "JAN!!! WHERE ARE YOU!??" I'm relieved! I'm still making 52 charms so you get one of my Valentine charms and I think Cindy just posted online that she's got the start of the class listings, if not all, up for Portland Art & Soul!

We'll have to catch up later! Love you! Angela

Laurel said...

Welcome back, Miss Jan!
We've all missed you so much. I'm happy to hear you're on the mend - what adventures you've had! And that's the way we've got to look at it when these health-thingies happen - they are adventures! Okay, not so much fun ones, but I know you appreciate the heck out of any humor you can find in serious situations.
My three-month adventure last year was when I slipped going down my two back steps and snapped both bones in my left ankle. It was a non-stop adventure being on one leg for eight weeks, too - especially at my advanced age and weight! But anyway, folks - you gotta laugh - it's WAY too serious if you don't!
Love you,
Laurel

Lori Bartel {aka.. blossom} said...

Glad to hear you're starting to feel better! Focus on taking care of yourself, there will always be other artsy things to do when you feel up to it :)

xo
take care
lori

Tina(Taken over by her daughter, Nicole) said...

Yea!! your gettin' back on your feet, we've missed you sompin' allfull~ YOur surprise was mailed on Monday!!!

Dana said...

JAN!!!

Oh bless you dear sister. I'm SO sorry for the time you've been having. I had NO idea that you were in such serious condition. :( I would have stopped by or sent something. PRIASES that you are on the mend and recovering!!! And good for you for realizing your limits, too. Trust ME, I know personally how hard that is to do.

I have missed you ... and I hope you will continue to get stronger and better every day.

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXo,
Dana

Altered Kat said...

So glad you're back and feeling better! It just hasn't been the same without you!

Missed ya! TAKE CARE!
:o)
Kat

blessings said...

Praise God! What a miracle you are and what a lot of difficulty you've had to endure. But God is faithful! Blessings.. .Polly

Dana said...

Jan ... how are you? I'm checking in to see if you're okay. Wondering how you're feeling. Thinking of you often, and saying some prayers for your health and well-being.

With many hugs!!!

xoxoxo,
Dana

Karin said...

I hope you're feeling better...sounds like quite the adventure! Take care of yourself!!! Karin @creativechaos

Loudlife said...

Hey Jan! Just checking in again to see how you're doing. I've been coming back every couple of days and anxiously awaiting another post just so I know you're doing okay.

You are okay, right?

Theoretically (there was a little mix-up at Sometset and they originally told me the wrong mag), I'm in Somerset Memories this month (feb/mar), so take a look and see if you can find me!

Let us know how you're doing, what you're doing, etc...

Laurie

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