Late last winter I came down with a pretty bad case of diverticulitis that landed me in the hospital for a few days with some of the worse pain I’ve ever experienced. I got out and made it back to work for all of two days before I was back to the ER, this time at the University of Michigan, with a serious abscess and abdominal infection and more intense pain. That got taken care of but the antibiotics weren’t entirely successful and I ended up back in the hospital for another week in isolation while I got a round of IV antibiotics.
A month later I had a follow-up visit to my gastroenterologist. I fully expected to get a clean bill of health because I felt totally fine. However, he told me I needed an operation to remove part of my sigmoid colon and that he could get me in in two months. I’d be off work 6-8 weeks. Without the surgery, I would inevitably end up with an infection again and would need the surgery at that point anyway. I didn’t want to get hit with this while traveling for work (I end up in some VERY off-the-beaten track locations) so I scheduled the surgery. And then spent the next two months in semi-freak out mode.
That operation happened on May 14th and I was, indeed, off work for two months. Fortunately, although the 5-inch incision took a long time to heal and was painful as hell, I have staged a full recovery. Fortunately my recovery was in time for the August primary that signals the beginning of my busiest time as a County Party Chair and blogger.
I’d like to thank Peregrine Kate for recommending me for a quilt and, most of all Sara R and Ann for creating it. The photo above is me with two of our three Eclectawoozles (all rescued pitbulls) and our Pootie Spooky, the 17-year old cat shaped black blob (also a rescue.) Sara was also sweet enough to include a Pootie Pad for Spooky that matches my quilt along with a catnip Christmas tree toy. Finally, thank you to EVERYONE who wrote a note for my quilt. I spent some quality time reading them and wiping away tears last night.
I would like to encourage everyone to join me in making a donation to the Community Quilt project. There are details HERE that give you options. This is just a joyful expression of community and it deserves our continuing support and encouragement. It’s not often you get to know actual angels during your time on this planet, but surely Sara R and Ann are actual living, breathing angels. They deserve our support, especially now when the two of them are dealing with health issues of their own. Please give generously.
Namasté,
Eclectablog (Chris Savage)
UPDATE: Here is Spooky enjoying his Pootie Pad: