A Trip to The New ER Nearby During Covid...

It's been a while since I updated my personal blog. With Covid-19 putting us on complete lock down last year, I really wasn't going out of the house much at all. Many of my doctors appointments were scheduled via teladoc or phone call. I've had a ton of med changes to try different things for different issues that have begun surfacing, but many of them are still being figured out... But none of them had an effect on this trip. It wasn't covid and its not HLH. 

I am still not yet sure what exactly happened. But the short version is that I began feeling queasy a few days before March 8th. Overnight I became sicker and sicker. Laying in the bathroom then the bed and trying any position that would make me feel better. I had severe abdominal pains. My temp was around 96 and I couldn't get warm, but I was sweating like it was 105! After several hours of no changes and vomiting water, I knew something wasn't right and had Amanda take me to the new local ER. Luckily it was pretty empty when we got there.

I could barely get from the truck into the door . We were given new masks and temperature checked before heading to the ER department. They wheeled me to a room, took labs and scheduled me for an X-Ray & CT scan to look for obstructions. I got some meds to help with the pain and those didn't work so they tried another and finally it started to become tolerable for a bit. After the CT scan I was able to get some rest while we awaited the results. Amanda said I slept for a good hour. I was so thirsty when I woke up because I hadn't had anything to drink or eat since the night before and it was now after 5! The PA came in and said they didn't find anything and if I was well enough to leave to follow up with my specialists at Temple. It's not the first time i've had an IBS-like issue like this but it was definitely the worst. I really thought I was a goner. ​ I felt like I was dying and the pain was so bad, my heart rate would drop in the 40s. It took over week to feel like I could start to eat anything but rice and chicken. 

Now i'm working on scheduling those in between other appointments, work and getting the covid vaccine. Hoping whatever it was stays away for long time, or forever if it wants!

Stay Healthy & Stay Kind
Eric

---

Eric & his Lab Willow. Willow laid next to Eric to comfort him at home.

Picture of the monitor at the hospital. Eric's heart rate shows 46 beats per minute.

Picture of Eric laying in hospital bed with his mask on in discomfort while nurses hook up monitors.

Picture of Eric curled into a ball to try and find comfort.

Picture of Eric & his wife Amanda. Eric is smiling because the pain is going away enough to go home.