FYI

Hi to all who still take the time to stop in and visit. Apologies for the lack of new content but real life has been stressed and hectic. Some of you have been corresponding with me so you know part of the story. Here's an excerpt from my letter to BobbyG:

Things here are under control. Jim is in the hospital - don't worry, he's getting better. He went in Friday morning at 5 a.m. He had a horrible headache for three days straight and he said his legs were feeling a little weak. We were going to see the doctor on Friday but at 4:30 a.m. he went to the bathroom. Before he could get out of the bathroom his legs gave out on him so he sat himself down on the rug feeling awfully crappy. He laid down and called me. So I get in there and freak out a little - not out loud but in my head - and ask him if he fell.

He says no, he had to sit down. And I noticed he had pulled the bath rug and the rug by the sink together so he wouldn't be lying on the cold tile floor. He said he didn't think he could get up. Before I could call 911, he insisted I bring the wheel chair and get him back in the bed. Since he seemed to be aware of things and being his stubborn old self, I got the wheel chair and he got himself up into it with a little assistance from me - I say a little because there's no way I could lift him if he weren't helping me.

I got him to the bed and immediately called 911. The paramedics came, took some vitals and decided, yep, he had to go to the hospital. The whole time he's just chatting away.

They took him in the ambulance. I grabbed clothes and medications and insurance cards, let the poor frightened cat out of the bathroom (we decided we're going to just keep one cat at a time from now on so Leaper is an only child now) and ran off to the hospital.

Come to find out he has a high carbon dioxide level. They were all amazed at how lucid he was for someone who had a level of carbon dioxide that high. His was 113, normal is 35. All his problems stem from that the ER doctor tells us.

So they put him on a CPAP machine which is loud and noisy and helps push oxygen into his lungs. In the meantime, he tells me "Where are we?" I tell him. He then asks how we got there and did I bring him. So much for 'lucid.'

The thing is, he was scheduled to get a blood gas test done next week, followed by a sleep study the following week. His lung doctor suspected he had a high carbon dioxide level. Turns out he was exactly right.

So, I spent most of the morning with him then went to work because he wasn't supposed to be talking and while I was there, he kept chatting. I called Jimmy and told him so he went to sit with him while I was at work. He ran off to do some errands for Jim because again, he kept talking and wasn't supposed to.

I think the thing I love most about my husband is unlike most men, he's a talker. He sometimes wants to talk about relationship stuff even more than I do. Of course I'm Japanese so it's against my nature to want to get too mushy about stuff like that. lol

Anyway, today he's off the CPAP, he's eating a little more and he can talk without his oxygen levels dropping.

The doctor came to see him and said he's looking good and wants him to wear a canula only - he's off the CPAP but seems to need a mask to keep his levels up. He also wants him to sit in a chair for a few hours here and there so it looks like there's a good chance he may go home Monday. I doubt he'll go home tomorrow.

Staci 1.0 came by to see him today, too. She had the girls with her so I went and sat with them in the visiting room while she went to visit. Lotus attacked me. She launches herself at people to give them hugs. lol They were really excited about the revolving door at the entrance. There were other things but they all were talking at the same time so I couldn't figure it out. I just smiled and said "Oh yeah? Wow" and they seemed happy so I figure it was all good stuff.

And then Jim came home. He was great. So much better than a couple of months leading up to the hospitalization. Visiting nurses came by twice to make sure he was on the mend. He's got occupational and physical therapy going and all was well in Jim and Marsha land.

Then yesterday, he said he was feeling tired and his right lung hurt a little when he was breathing. So, I started to call the doctor because, well, silly me, assuming a person with emphysema might be experiencing all kinds of things like a collapsed lung, pneumonia, pleurisy, etc. Husband says 'no it's not really painful or anything and I can breathe fine.'

"I don't know, honey, I think you should call Dr. Chung," say I.

"Well, maybe. If it gets worse...."

"It's better if we call now while you can get to the hospital on your own," I continue to nag.

"But I'm fine," says husband.

He was fine until about 6 p.m. Then he went to lie down because he was feeling really tired. But he insisted the lung was good. At about 8 p.m., I went to check on him. He was on the bipap machine they gave him to help him breathe better at night.

He was cold, he said. I took his temperature. It was fine. Lung was still a little sore. I finally called Dr. Chung. He said to go to the ER and at least get an x-ray - don't wait. Husband wants me to call the pulmonologist. I do so. He also says, go to the ER and get an x-ray because it could be anything. Collapsed lung, pleurisy, pneumonia or even gall bladder.

Husband faced with facts from two actual doctors as opposed to wife, finally agrees. I get things together to go to the hospital. He sits up - or tries to. Lung has stabbing pain. Now he can't move. Wants to wait. I feel his forehead. He's now officially warm. I call 911. Once again, the fire truck shows up and the ambulance shows up. Cat gets locked in bathroom and is freaking out.

Husband has fever of 102.7. They take him to hospital. I gather up all the appropriate stuff and head over after I let the traumatized cat out of the bathroom.

So, he's now in the hospital again. He's got an infection. High white cell count. He's on antibiotics and while he's feeling quite well, they want to keep him for a few days. I spent Mother's Day at the hospital. Going on four hours of sleep because I couldn't sleep so I'm kind of out of it. No desire to construct great sentences or check on my grammar or spelling - hey, kind of like at work!!! lol

Okay, so I'm thinking he'll come home in a few days. He's feeling better because he really wants to come home because we get new phones on Wednesday and he wants to be here to get them. I'm just happy he is alive and well and if he has to stay in the hospital a little longer due to stubbornness, then so be it. Although I don't really sleep well when he's not home.

So, not sure when I'll be blogging regularly. So much to say, so little time!!!

Oh and loved Jeff Goldblum's debut. The case file was so-so but he was fun. And he played piano!!! lol I've been waiting to see that ever since I discovered he does play piano. So it was nice.

Other than that LOCI has pretty much turned into a show I can tape and watch later if I have to. I am now officially only watching to see Vincent D'Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe, Eric Bogosian and Jeff Goldblum. I like Julianne Nicholson but have not grown as attached to her character as I have to the others. I'm not attached to Zach Nichols that much but I do enjoy Jeff Goldblum.

And, I'd like to apologize for my complaints about Warren Leight giving us only one episode of Eames-focused storyline. It's so much more than I 've seen so far. I'm really missing Mr. Leight these days. No offense to the new head writers. They're great if you want classic LOCI. I've kind of moved on, though.

I will keep watching because Vincent is still there and I'm enjoying watching the development of the Nichols character. But I won't be posting my thoughts episodes unless something stands out for me. I may start doing so for The Unusuals if it the show makes it. I'm rather enjoying it. It's character focused and I'm liking all the characters.

Anyway, off to get things done so I can go to bed early. Another day at the hospital mixed in with some work for me tomorrow.

Watching LOCI marathon on BRAVO. Self-Made is on - wonderful episode. Dark but at least it was interesting.

Hope life gets easier soon. Miss you all!

[NP: Foo Fighters - Long Road to Ruin]