The day before Father’s Day, I grilled hotdogs and Cheeseburgers. Made Potato Salad and had everything ready for when my wife Diane came home from working at the local Hospital. Diane is a Certified Nurse’s Aid and going to college to become a Registered Nurse. She told me that the next day she would be doing all the cooking and I did not have to do anything but flop around. That seemed wonderful to me at the time because I am the one who did all the cooking and cleaning.

             Once we had eaten our dinner we went to see a movie at the theater. I enjoyed going to the movies with her and always had my popcorn, while Diane got her snowcaps. It was a special thing we had done ever since we were married. Little did I know at that time that things were about to get very painful.  We returned home about nine-thirty that evening and I sort of had a funny feeling in my stomach. I did not say anything to my wife at the time and maybe I should have.

             Father’s day morning Diane brought me in a cup of coffee, sat on the bed next to me and said “Happy Father’s Day honey.”

             “Thank you Baby, what a beautiful morning and you look wonderful.”

 I drank my coffee, got up and went into the living room where she was and kissed her. Today is the day I get to relax and be pampered or so I thought. We sat around, watched Television and just played lazy. Not a care in the world, except for each other and of course our animals, two dogs and a cat. God had blessed me with the greatest woman in the world and He knew just how much we loved one another.

             I now had a deep ache inside and felt a little nauseous as if I were going to vomit. All of a sudden I had a bad case of diarrhea and felt like my insides were going to explode. Within no time I was running back and forth to the bathroom. No matter what I ate or drank, it seemed to go right through me. Not wanting to say anything to Diane, I kept things to myself for the time being.

             About three o’clock that afternoon, she went and stated the grill and began cooking my Father’s Day Dinner. When everything had been prepared, we sat down to eat. I ate about a quarter of a hamburger and could not eat anything else. I felt bad but just could not eat at all. Diane seemed quite disappointed, so I explained to her that I just did not feel good at all. She wanted me to go to the Emergency Room at the hospital and get checked. I said no because I hated the Emergency Room and as a matter of fact hated Hospitals altogether.

               Over the years I had had many, many operations and sure had my fill of hospitals. I had also had many bad experiences with Emergency Rooms. They were always interested in paperwork and not the patient. May times I suffered through bad headaches and other illnesses because I did not want to just sit and wait for a doctor to see me in the E.R.

             Monday morning Diane called my doctors to see if they would be able to check me out right away but my doctors was on vacation or something. She did however get me in to see one of the other doctors. As we sat in his office and waited for him to see me, I felt even worse. As soon as the doctor came in he ordered a cat scan. Lo and behold my intestines were completely inflamed and I was passing blood like no tomorrow. I was admitted instantly and they started me on IV’s. The next day they did a colonoscopy and took biopsies. Come to find out I had food poisoning and caught a bacteria called Camplobacter jajunie or something like that.

 After three day I came home and thought that was the end of it. They had put me on a strong anti-biotic. After one day being home I had to be readmitted because I was still passing blood. They started the IV’s again and I was not allowed to eat anything. After a couple of days I began to feel much better. I finally got to come home four days later.

             The whole nursing staff was fantastic and I could not have been treated any better. I found that on the floor were I was put was the cancer floor but believe me one would not have known it by the way the nurses and the aids were fantastic. They were more like Florence Nightingale and really cared about their patients. God sure blessed me with their care and I am surly thankful not only to God but to them as well.

 

God bless these wonderful people who care so much!

I used to be a CNA. Before I had my first child I was a full time CNA. After she was born I went back after a few years to do private duty work but had to quit while pregnant with my second child. I mostly took care of the elderly and I loved listening to their stories from their past. I found it quite fascinating, actually. I often told myself I should write their stories down into a book.

Hi Milton,

Wow that is quite an ordeal. Did you ever figure out what poisoned you? I guess at that point who really cares what it was you just want it to be over already!

I am glad that it wasn't anything that you'd have to be cut open for. I've not done it, but it can't be fun.

It sure makes a difference when our caregivers actually care doesn't it? I'm sure God put them there to help ease your anxiety about being in there in the first place.

Give your wife a hug for me for making you see a doctor. Otherwise you could have gotten much sicker.

I'm glad you are better. See you soon.