So what could possibly go wrong? Have you ever said that? Did you ever have one of those days when things appeared to be lining up for you and you thought everything was moving along smoothly? All was well with the world, as they say. You stumbled upon something that looked very promising, so you jump in!
It happened to me just that way; soon after I signed up for my PBS. Here’s my true story; things can definitely go awry! We never expect it either. Probably should, eh?
So What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Instructor Gets Surgery
My first instructor had knee replacement surgery shortly after I signed up. Having been through that myself, I figured we’d get back in touch on down the road. In addition ,she had complications from the surgery. However, little did I know until several years later that her computer crashed about the same time. Badly! I fell through the cracks. Since I was unable to reach her, I called and told them I was quitting because I couldn’t do this on my own.
Obviously, life went on. Just as it usually does! In November, 2018, I started doing deliveries for Favor; taking folks meals and groceries. Incidentally, I even delivered a couple bundles of firewood. By the way, Favor is a Texas company that provides delivery services; usually meals or groceries. We ordered the food for them and often had to shop for groceries; always exciting when you weren’t familiar with that store! Sometimes, I was clueless as to what the item even was! Fortunately, the staff was helpful most places. Favor provides a nice service for people and I generally enjoyed my work, partially thanks to GPS! Not too many glitches! Give them a try if you are in Texas.
Laurie Discovers Me; I Try Again! So What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Laurie is another Instructor and out of the blue, she called me. I was apparently on her list of “Whatever Happened to These Folks?” She asked, “Do you want to try again?” It felt like the right thing to do. Incidentally, I wasn’t getting any younger and a different line of work might be just the thing. I wasn’t going to be able to do deliveries forever! I’d already had one gal really jump on me for trying to be out in the workforce! She thought I was too decrepit just with my cane! It was time for me to stay home. I certainly didn’t want to end up at her house with groceries ever again!
As you might have suspected, I decided to give it a go again! You won’t believe how long that lasted! About three days! Thats when I fell! Surprisingly, I didn’t get much done on my PBS!
Fortunately, not everyone felt like that; I got a lot of encouragement. In fact, some of the Favor “dignitaries” came down from Austin and spent a morning riding along with me so they could produce a video of my activity to put on Instagram! That was a lot of fun and it’s still there if you want to see it! Or not! I’m the gal in purple!
So What Could Possibly Go Wrong? The First Calamity
However, March 20, 2020, was a cold rainy day. I was on my last Favor delivery for the day and was walking on a wet sidewalk of those funny uneven slabs of rock. Using a cane helped, but I tripped and fell down. I couldn’t get up and I thought I could crawl up on my feet with the help of a chair. Naturally, there was no chair on the sidewalk! I laid there in the cold rain for about fifteen minutes. My customer called wondering where his food was; the sandwich was somewhere nearby but his ice tea was all over the sidewalk; along with me! He said he didn’t see me. Turns out that both ends of the street have the same numbers; I wasn’t even in front of his house! I was in front of the wrong house! Not very comforting, to say the least.
Finally, two women came out of the house very surprised; and found me. They brought me a kitchen chair but my plan didn’t work! By then, I knew I was in trouble and was sobbing my heart out. I wanted to go home to my cats; a little rest would fix everything. I’ve had numerous broken bones over the years and pretty much did my own diagnosis there on the sidewalk.
Help Arrives but I’d Rather run Away if I Could!
The ladies from the house called for an ambulance. The guys were super nice but I kept begging to just go home. However, when they tried to help me up, I couldn’t put any weight on my leg. One EMT said that if I could walk to my car, he’d let me go home. However, I couldn’t even stand without their support. They took me to the hospital. Consequently, I carried on like a hysterical toddler for roughly three days. The MRI showed that I had a broken kneecap! There was too little bone to do surgery so the orthopedic surgeon put me in a brace. It went from the foot to the hip and I was not to put any weight on it. Consequently, I kept on sobbing! And blabbering that I wanted to go home.
Time for Confession; So What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Here’s a little snippet about me. I’ve been handicapped for decades; if not longer. Seems like longer! I’m up to eight back surgeries! Both knees and hips have been replaced. I’ve used a cane or walker since 1996. Therefore, I confess that I over-react if people use handicapped parking spots when they are perfectly able-bodied. It’s not very Christ-like, but I occasionally hoped they would break their kneecaps! However, after breaking my own kneecap, I completely stopped that. Meanwhile, several guys did warrant being called a jackass! See; I’ve mellowed! I behave a little better these days! No one wants a broken kneecap! The irony of it all!
So What Could Possibly Go Wrong in Physical Therapy?
I thought that Dr. Garcia, who ran the part of the hospital with those of us with broken bones, etc., acted like a bully. If I did my work, including things that were still impossible, I could go to their nice rehab facility. If not, I wasn’t sure where I’d end up. It sounded bad! Quite a few ditches in the area; just kidding! By the time I got transferred to rehab, I’d decided he was a great guy. He was on my side. Definitely not a bully; but someone trying to motivate his patients! He’d gotten me to finally stop crying! That was a miracle in itself!
Rehab and Me! So What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Dr. Garcia got me transferred to another floor for rehabilitation. If you recall, March 2020 was the beginning of the Covid pandemic. Therefore, the staff was all getting used to new protocol. Physical therapy was really painful and they had the bright idea that I could hop! I am not a rabbit! I have foot-drop on the other side and they didn’t take that into consideration. No amount of grunting would get me airborne!
The folks in the new rehab unit had me doing things I could actually do! However, I’d get muscle spasms so I began asking for pickle juice. The kitchen accommodated me so I drank some before PT and I was able to do more exercise. I know some folks thought I was nuts; but hey, athletes have used it for years and you can buy it in any grocery store! Incidentally, I keep it on hand these days. By the way, it’s really good and it works!
Finally Home! So What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
I was finally strong enough to go home but still unable to put any weight on my right foot! By the way, I was using a walker pretty well; but, I live on the second floor! I told the Physical Therapists that I could scoot up the stairs on my rear end and I got them to help me practice on the stairway! You do what you have to do! By the way, it’s not all that comfortable! We got a towel to sit on. But I was still wearing that brace that wrapped up my entire leg. Moreover, I couldn’t get dressed.
Consequently, I went home wearing two hospital gowns and my brace; I scooted up my stairs and I was finally home! After that, I had home health work with me and I eventually got rid of the brace! Home, Sweet Home! My car set by itself for five months before I could get out. Five very long months! The battery was dead but after that got charged, I was free again.
First Experience With Covid 19; So What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
By mid-summer of 2020, I noticed several symptoms of Covid! My go-to remedy is Elderberry Extract so I began taking that. I still got very sick but only for one afternoon. However, I was, miserable enough that afternoon that I decided I wouldn’t get through a bad case of Covid, should that occur! Fortunately, by the next morning, I was much better. But, that infamous Covid cough had begun and has continued, along with fatigue for over three years now. I felt pretty lucky to have had such a mild case! I figured that life would go back to normal; what did I know? What could possibly go wrong now?
Covid and Afib Mess with Me! So What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
During the last week of January. 2021, I began feeling awfully sick. As my symptoms worsened, I wanted to take some Elderberry extract, as I always use that when I start getting sick. However, the bottle was almost empty. Therefore, I ordered more from Amazon. By the way, I continued getting more sick; spiked a fever that I could not break in spite of drinking tons of water. I became dehydrated and began hallucinating! I was too sick to have anyone in and too sick to go for treatment. At least that was my thinking, such as it was. I had a Covid test on hand and that was picked up on Friday. Over the weekend, I hallucinated even worse; about some little boy stealing my shipment of Elderberry extract. I “heard” his dad tell him it was fine to take it; I wouldn’t miss it.
The second scenario was about my trying to get around my apartment but my walker was always a few feet away, so I was crawling! I don’t know if I was actually crawling around on the floor or not. Probably not; I was most likely sitting in my chair most of the time. I seemed to alternate back and forth between those two disturbing hallucinations. Any recollection of that weekend is gone forever! I do recall waiting to hear from the lab about the Covid test but I have no idea what happened on Monday; if the results arrived or not! Needless to say, I wasn’t getting any work done! In addition, I didn’t know even what day it was.
How Not to Celebrate Ground Hog’s Day
Tuesday, February 2, was Ground Hog’s Day but I didn’t know what time it was and couldn’t figure out what happened to the weekend! Around 2 pm, I sent a text to my dear friend, Missy, back in my hometown in northern Michigan. I don’t remember it at all. Another friend, Susan, said she had called me from CloudCroft; again no memory. (She sent me some food and when I finally got home, I thought someone else had moved in! Whoever it was, also had the nerve to put waste from the food in my trash! Where was this person? ) My posts on Facebook weren’t making sense; my texts were just as bad.
Missy, in northern Michigan, contacted my friend Kim, here in San Antonio because she knew something was wrong here. Kim and her husband came over during that famous snowstorm! When I didn’t answer the door, they called for a Wellness Check. The SAPD guys broke down my door, setting off the alarm system. EMS found me unconscious on the kitchen floor! Kim was sobbing out on the balcony, as she thought I was dead; finally EMS came out and told her, “She’s alive!” They hauled me off.
ICU/Covid Unit FUN! So What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
I was taken to University Hospital and put in ICU because they diagnosed Atrial Defibrillation, commonly referred to as Afib. ( I’ve included some information from Mayo Clinic.) In addition to Covid! I have no idea what happened in ICU; I was totally out of it! Unconscious for over a week, I was really confused about things. I finally woke up and the nurses would ask me why I was there?? Didn’t know that either! They had me thinking that I’d been wandering around the apartment complex for 3-4 days, not coherent at all! The movie that played in my mind was absolutely crazy! Another nurse had me thinking they’d found me naked out in the hospital parking lot in the snow! That didn’t seem like something I’d normally do!
I soon learned that if they asked me why I was there, the correct answer was, “I fell!” That answer made them happy; strange people! They said I was “down and out” for three days but it was just 2 days at the most. I texted Missy Tuesday afternoon and I was found Wednesday evening. There were no broken bones or bruises.
I learned later that “down and out” means you’re unconscious on the floor; it’s classified as a fall. They would ask what day it was, and again, I had no idea until they began writing the date on the board for me. That was when San Antonio had a really cold spell; I watched the snow outside the window of the Covid Unit. Some of the nurses were excited about getting to make snow angels in the yard with their kids. No thank you; I grew up in Michigan! However, if I were younger. . . .
However, I’m Not Younger! So What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
I was finally getting more alert and began trying to put pieces of the puzzle together. You cannot get information from the staff though. Incidentally, no one knew where I was! One of my friends finally got through to me on the phone; only because we share the same birthday! She had been calling all the hospitals in the city to find me! Probably, the morgues too! I think most folks just figured I was dead! I didn’t have my phone! Another ambulance moved me to Sorrento for rehab, but they didn’t bother to pick up my belongings – what was left of them!
As you recall, we were just getting “used” to the lockdown. I was comfortably settled in at Sorrento. However, it was difficult to recognize my nurses, etc because of their “space suits!” But, they were wonderful. I soon found out that those adult diapers were standard wear for all the patients! After a day or so, it made sense; there was a huge bunch of us. The place was pretty full; regular rehab patients and a bunch of us recovering from covid.
Some Great People to Help!
I soon had my favorites on the staff there. Al, would pop his head in the door and ask if I needed anything. He always made sure I had water to drink. We visited a little and laughed at things – very important to anyone’s recovery. We solved some of the world’s problems. I recall the first time I managed to get to the bathroom; I couldn’t get off the toilet so Al and another nurse came to help. Those adult diapers don’t work like the Pamper Pull-ups you see in ads. They slowly fell back down around my ankles; we all laughed as I made my way back to bed!
By the way, they really do cut your clothes off when you get to an Emergency Room, at least if you’re unconscious. They threw away my shoes, one of which had a $175 lift! The only reason I ever got anything back was that a really kind driver at Sorrento took me back to the hospital to ask about it; my phone was there, thank God! However, not a stitch to wear! Your clothes get incinerated! I do understand that mine were badly contaminated by Covid.
Incidentally, those hospital gowns are fashionable if that’s all you have. I’d worn two home the last time, when I made my amazing backwards scoot trip up the steps. That time, I was praying that none of the neighbors would be around; this time I didn’t much care; just wanted to go home! By the way, it had been another six weeks away from home; not getting anything done on my PBS. I was now Covid negative but I’d definitely been to Hell and back! Possibly not entirely back either! There are leftovers attached to Covid.
Lonely Cats; So What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
I haven’t said much about my cats, though I missed them dreadfully. Either Kim or her husband had been taking care of them. They are both already extremely busy people! I am grateful beyond words! Someone trashed my place while I was gone and a fair amount of stuff was missing. That’s the new type of “ambulance chasing!” If you’re my age and you leave in an ambulance, folks figure you’re dead so are anxious to get inside to do some “shopping!” My door was broken and it took a while for the complex to replace that.
Fortunately, my cats are afraid of strangers and weird noises, so they always hid when someone else was inside. Kim and Doug were the only people to see them. I was overwhelmed by the mess! Unfortunately, it’s taken me forever to get the place back to normal. The big thing was that my cats made it through it all! By the way, no one could love my cats as much as Kim! That gave me some peace of mind. Her husband, Doug, is another cat person, as well. I thank God for them!
However, my six-week absence was traumatic for my cats! Naturally, they were soon all back on the bed with me, except for Pickles, my little amputee. He was afraid of me for about a day and a half. However, once he realized I was actually going to stay home, he settled in. Incidentally, I need to write his biography; it’s really special and extremely moving. He is such a special little guy!
Fatigue and More Fatigue
I was home and again getting home health care visits from physical therapists. Somehow or other, I’ve always been an obedient patient about doing my exercises. However, I’ve had to get feisty a couple of times! However, I always tried. Except for the time years ago when I threw a physical therapist out of my room! He was just too rough! The rest of the staff was wonderful and made sure I had other therapists. I think they barred him from my room!
One of the worst long-lasting side effects of Covid is fatigue. Nearly every Covid survivor I spoke with said the same thing; many people did not survive, as we all know. However, when it goes on month after month, it becomes annoying and worry-some. I couldn’t do more than the bare necessities. One errand a day was my limit for a while. Now, I can do two or three but I’ll usually sleep the rest of the day! Not good. Incidentally, I’m all for napping when it’s necessary but at some point, it can become a terrible waste of time. I want to be doing things; taking care of things! I’m still not able to keep up!
So Not Everything Went Wrong, Thank God!
However, I was glad to be alive and I knew God had kept me around for some reason. I was grateful for everything that had happened; good and bad. My attitude towards a lot of things had changed, for the better. I woke up feeling entirely different about life in general; life is a good thing! In addition, I felt cleansed from the crippling bitterness that had stained my life for so many years; that is a miracle. I definitely have a reason to live. I’m invincible until God says otherwise! Things should be fine for a while, right?
Horrible, Horrible Pain and Horrible EMTs
Unfortunately, I hadn’t been home that long from my Covid episode before I developed some serious back pain. We are talking about screaming level pain! Worse pain than I’d ever known! Nothing relieved it and I ended up draped over my walker; I couldn’t straighten up. That’s how I fed and watered my cats and cleaned their litter boxes. But the pain wouldn’t stop. I draped myself over my walker tray to do whatever I needed to do! I couldn’t even heat water in the microwave for my coffee! That’s serious. Finally, when I realized I could not even get to my car; I called 911.
I’d tried to reach my Neurosurgeon at University Hospital because he had done several effective surgeries on my back. However it was a Friday afternoon and no one was in the office. The fire engine was the first to arrive in response to my call! I’d asked for something quiet so people wouldn’t know I was leaving! Fire engines aren’t quiet! The “spokesman/loudmouth” of the group treated me horribly. He said I should have had someone just drop me off at the ER. Incidentally, no one was available, or I would have done that! He said it was just a normal backache! But, I hadn’t had pain like that for 20 years! I asked to go to University Hospital because I’d been there so recently. He said, “No, it’s rush hour and I’m not taking you over there!” What a jerk! (I’m being kind!) CONTINUED
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