Friday, January 01, 2010

The Teens suck thus far

This is it. The year I resume writing my blog.

Because, you wanna know why? Blog writing is SO "out" that it's finally back "in" again. I have decreed it thus.

Welcome to the teens. This is the decade that we, as a nation, and indeed as a world people, become awkward, pimply, and snarky. Hopefully, we will also finally learn how to drive. Can't say I'm holding my breath for that one, though.

I was expecting to be sleeping off a big ol' hangover today in the confines of my house, enjoying the last few days of my winter break and the dulcet tones of my darling daughters as they bean each other with Wii remotes. However, sadly, I find myself BACK in Kansas City - wherein I just left not five days ago - as my mother has become seriously ill. Thus, I flew back today, and here I am, in the land of single-degree temperatures (9, at present,) watching my mom sleep in her hospital bed.

They say it's a very unusual hiatal hernia; it's actually an esophageal hernia. The doctor says that she was probably born with her stomach pushed up through the abdominal wall. She apparently caught some sort of stomach bug, which caused some really violent vomiting, and this seems to have forced the stomach to flip or bend backwards, around the esophagus.

Last night, the vomiting got really bad, so they intubated her to get the stuff out. The good thing is that, when they did the gastrointestinal scan, the hernia corrected itself to some degree, and the stomach temporarily popped back into place. So, she's feeling better now, although she still can't eat or drink anything, and she is sort of in and out of consciousness. (My sister says that she looks MUCH better than she did yesterday, though.)

The doctor just came in and told us that she does need to have surgery to correct this, and it needs to happen before next week, or we could be looking at a very severe situation. Problem is, there's nobody at this hospital that can do it laparoscopically, so they'll have to transfer her down to a hospital in downtown Kansas City tomorrow. I'm thinking I'll probably delay my flight home and come back to Austin afterwards, if I can.

Sigh. Not the joyous "return to bloggin" post I was hoping to make. I had planned it out; it was going to be all full of bon mots and hip cultural references. It was downright witty, I tell you. You'll just have to take my word for it.

But, it's good to be back.

5 comments:

Jaye Joseph said...

Man, that sucks and I'm really sorry to hear that.

Karla said...

So sorry about your mom. A big happy 'yeay' for you blogging again.

Blogging is COOL.

Badger said...

DUDE. I am so sorry about your mom and hope she is 100% on the mend VERY soon. I spent New Year's Day 2006 sitting next to my own mother's hospital bed, so I feel your pain, yo. (She got better; yours will too; BECAUSE I SAID SO.)

St. Murse said...

Ack. Know you can call me if you need a kindly ear. I'm not expert on GI matters, but I get where's she's at and what the MDs are proposing surgically.

Anonymous said...

and I'm glad you're back and so sorry to hear about your mom - my prayers are with y'all. be sure to take extra care of yourself - this goes for both you and your sister - because this is also very stressful for you as you help her through this. be kind to yourself after you return home and the "post-traumatic stress" hits you.

the rest of your year is going to be EASY.