4.09.2010

the unplanned

Well, yesterday found us not on the road to Washington, but in the hospital.

Kevin woke up with symptoms that seemed to indicate food poisoning. He went to a meeting for work, then returned home to sleep. He was unable to sleep really, his stomach was hurting too much. He wasn't eating anything and everything he drank went right through. Realizing our trip was in jeopardy (I mean...um...wanting to do anything to help ease the pain for my love) I gathered the boys around and we said a prayer for his hasty recovery. Soon after, I went to check on him and he was worse. He felt tingly and his muscles were tight. His breathing was quick and short and he hurt all over. He could barely move. He wanted to go to the hospital.

I'm not going to lie, I thought he was being a little dramatic. I'm not great at sympathizing with a sick husband. (I think in general, he's just not as tough as me when it comes to dealing with physical ailments...that's probably awful to say at a time like this.) I wasn't rude, I just suggested that maybe a bath, some tylenol, a blessing might help. He took the tylenol, but he felt like his body was shutting down. I called two men from church and they came and gave him a blessing. They volunteered to take him to the hospital, and he indicated that that was what he wanted to do. My kind neighbor watched the boys until Marlee could arrive so I could get to the hospital too.

We were in the emergency room all day from about 2:30 on. He was miserable and dehydrated. IVs, morphine, nausea medication, sleep, blood tests, etc. It was a long day. He slept a lot and I listened through the sheet as people came and went in the "room" just next to ours. The woman with neck and shoulder pain from a car accident, the 2 year old with a bloody lip from a fall (who was sent home because she was fine), the fourteen year old who got stitches in his chin after a bike wreck, the kid who tore open his foot in an ATV accident, but luckily it was just a flesh wound. Emergency rooms give you a glimpse into the dire moments of peoples lives. I felt badly for the first woman. She was just slightly older than me, had four children, and was divorced. An obscure relative (her mother's cousin who she didn't know well) was the only one to come be by her side and drive her home. How lonely that would feel. I was so grateful for Kevin.

At around 8:30 the doctor decided that since Kevin was unable to eat or drink anything on his own, it would be best to keep him over night on the IV. So I came home. Marlee had the older three in bed, sleeping soundly. Austin was funny. He was in Marlee's arms when I came in. I held out my hands to him, imagining he would beam and leap to me as he usually does. He blankly looked at me, then at Marlee, then back at me and THEN he beamed and came. It was as if he had thought Marlee was me all along=) Viktor had come up to help Marlee with the boys, so nice.

I talked with Kevin this morning and it sounds like he'll be able to come home this afternoon. He just wants to sleep, he sounds so tired.

SO...I'm so glad he's alright. As I drove to the hospital I worried a bit. But it seems all will be well. It's nice that we were planning on being out of town because we don't have any obligations here for the weekend and he can just get back to feeling better.

It's as Viktor said last night, sometimes when things happen JUST in time to thwart all of your plans, it's easier to see that perhaps there was a reason, that it was not meant to be. It seems that this weekend I was not meant to be happy, after all. Just kidding=) Though it is quite disappointing to miss the trip, I'm just glad Kevin will be okay. I love that man and it was scary to see him so low. I'm so grateful for his health in general and can't wait to have him back home with me, even if that means waiting on him for a few days.

16 comments:

  1. So did they ever find out what it was? It sounds scary. I hope he feels better soon.

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  2. Oh goodness, what a night. I am glad that he is feeling better. I hope you can go back to Washington soon!

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  3. That is scarry. If you need us to watch the boys, please send them over. The trampoline is free of snow and just begging to be jumped on!

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  4. Just caught up on all your posts...and as usual I enjoy just being a fly on the wall of your existence. Love that you battled the library fines. Love that your prayers for peace in your children brought you clarity in your parenting. Love that you admit being disappointed about the trip despite your husband's suffering. Such great tidbits of everyday life. Thanks for sharing. :)

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  5. I hope Kevin feels better soon. Thanks for sharing your experience from your last post. You and your Mom are both wonderful examples of motherhood. After reading that past post it got me thinking a lot about my own children and I definitely need to pray more specifically for them. Thanks again for sharing. I just posted about your Mom's blog on my blog. I just want all my friends to know about it, because it's been so helpful to me.

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  6. Poor guy! I can understand a little of what he's feeling this week! The ER is a nasty place...I've been there too (when the hip broke). It seems like the slowest and most boring place in the world. Glad he survived!

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  7. So what was actually wrong with him? Was he just extremely dehydrated from the effects of food poisoning?

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  8. Poor guy! I had to take Dean to the ER one night (the day Leah was blessed, actually) and it was a sobering experience. They didn't figure out his problem that night, but later in that week after multiple other "fun" tests, they found out that he has ulcerative colitis. Its kinda scary to see someone that is usually so tough be in so much pain. And the ER really is such a time warp with people coming and going.

    I wonder how everything will pan out, if you will every figure out the "why's" on this one. Sorry about your thwarted trip! Hope Kev feels normal soon.

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  9. Oh, no!! I hope he recovers soon!!!! What a bummer about your trip - but what beautiful perspective you have!

    (I'm so glad your boys liked the lamb story!! thanks for telling me!)

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  10. Oh darn! At least he got sick beforehand and not on the way, though. And maybe you will have time to fix things and the library and get books on CD before the next trip, right?

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  11. How very scary for you all. So did they just decide it was something really bad that he ate?

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  12. Oh poor Kevin!! and poor you! I've been that sick before and it's amazing how fast you can go from, "I just don't feel stellar" to "OMG, I think I'm dying". I hope you guys get to go back to Washington soon! And that Kevin is already back home and feeling MUCH better :)

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  13. Man, all the crazy stuff happens to you guys, doesn't it? Sounds like you maybe had fun? in the ER??? a little??? I love it (when it isn't any serious reason why I'm there)...it's such a rush. I guess that's why I'm a nurse and not a librarian :)
    Hope Kevin fully recovers soon!

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  14. Thank you for all your well wishes! He's still not 100%, but doing much, much better.

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  15. How awful! That sounds scary. Glad to hear he's doing better though. And I second Handsfullmom's comment--now you have time to work out the library thing for your next trip and hopefully no one will get sick that time.

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  16. I am so sorry! What an awful way to start the family vacation, and so scary. Glad he is feeling better.

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