Earlier today, Wednesday, I had a very bad incident. During the night, I was up and down a few times, feeling absolutely awful with chest pains, much shortness of breath and much coughing and gagging. When my 'keepers' came around this morning and saw how absolutely awful I looked and sounded, they insisted I had to go to the hospital ASAP. So I was taken to Mercy Hospital here in Independence, where a decision was reached that (whatever else is wrong with me) I have a very bad case of bronchitis and my lungs are not in good shape. I was put on 'breathing treatments' with oxygen and ambuterol (?) I have to smoke a pipe with some liquid pumped into it and an oxygen combination hooked to a compressor. As if I do not have enough pains in the ass! I had sincerely hoped to continue my role here as editor _at least_ through sometime in August, and I will continue as best I am able. But, if you do not see me around for a few days at a time then it either means I am back in the hospital again, or else I totally croaked. I hope to be able to give you a few days notice before the latter, at least. Those of you who remember me prior to Black Thursday, in November, 1999 (the aneuyrsm day) will recall I have been continually dizzy since that time, and am due for a new brain shunt anyway, but I am not sure if it is worth the time and money for a trip all the way up to Topeka (or down to Tulsa) -- the nearest brain surgeons -- to have it done. Anyway, that's where things are at here; I'll try to stay in touch as much as I can. I am back home from the hospital, where I was at all day Wednesday. PAT]
- posted
18 years ago