An Unwelcome Christmas Present

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This blog is mostly about selfish me! I have been 3 & 1/2 days without food and with very minute amounts of clear fluid. The diagnosis, after those three days of prodding and poking in two hospitals by numerous medical personel is that I have a 4 mm kidney stone that is yet to release itself. Complicating this is a bowel ileus (paralysis of a section of the bowel that does not allow peristalis to move the food and liquids and results in build up of gas distending the stomach) causing as much pain as the kidney stone itself. Of course I'm feeling very sorry for myself.

There is little that can be done to hasten the process of returning to normal. The bowel obstruction prevents taking fluids and food. On Saturday and Sunday I spent several hours receiving IV fluids and appropriate painkillers and anti-nauseants. Yesterday, Christmas Day, I was very miserable. The sign that things are improving is burping up lots of gas and ultimately passing gas rectally. After writhing with pain yesterday until about 2:00 pm can you imagine the wondrous relief of passing one tiny fart, after about 80 hours without any action at all!!! The next few hours there was quite a release of gases so the ileus seemed to have resoved itself. There have been and are residual gastrointestinal pains and spasm but I'm finally drinking a bit more.

All this while I have been peeing my meager amounts and filtering to see if the kidney stone has passed. So far that has not happened.

So, what about Christmas? It has been nice to be here with my medical doctor son and family. He was very helpful in processing at the two hospitals and stuck with me through all my misery. Everyone stuck by me in support. This household is one of fine food and huge blessings. Janine does everything with such flourish. Our 3 families enjoyed being together. Six adults and 5 boisterous wonderful children. I'll show a few pictures.

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Photos

JUST ME
In my granddaughters' bed, the coincidental location of the words "magical princess" on the edge of the quilt seemed to be an invite to take a picture. Anything but magical! Anything but a princess! One very sick old grandpa.

High anticipation
Christmas morning saw this gathering of host Mom and cousins waiting at the top of the stairs for the visiting other cousins to join the scene.

Here they come!
Everyone coming awake now, the Christmas gifting and Santa Claus traditions about to work their magic.

The scene
So much for everyone to take in. These kids from age 3 to 11 are a pure delight - well not to mention the kids from 28 to 65.

Distracted work-bench guy
James is distracted by his sister's beauty cabinet.

The meal and the whole gang
But the photographer was too ill to partake.