Friday, July 24, 2009

I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE TODAY

About two hours ago I got a terrible pain in my lower back--the kidneys, I think. Then it hit my stomach. I started to perspire--a river of sweat. Honestly it was. A river. I felt like I was going to throw up. The pain intensified. I had never felt anything like it. I was frightened.

I asked Phil what kidney stones were like.

"Well, I got a terrible pain, felt like I was going to throw up and I perspired. It felt like my back was breaking."

I paced the floor and worried. I took my pants off, even the waistband was too much pressure on my back. Then I got cold and huddled under a blanket in the recliner and when Minkey came to sit on my lap I didn't shoo him away. I was nearly incoherent with the pain and the cold and the fear and a cat didn't even register on my annoyance monitor.

I wish I could have time to tell my children I love them and tell them why I think they are wonderful, I thought. I wish I could tell their spouses how much I love them, too. I wish I could see the grandchildren grow up but I wasn't going to be able to do that. I was dying.

I was in too much pain to even pray. I should have asked Phil for a blessing. But I'd have had to put pants on; it seems irreverent to have a blessing with no pants on.

So I sat and feared and shivered and thought of all the things I had eaten that might be poison and might be killing me. The only thing I could think of--that Phil hadn't eaten too--was a seafood egg roll. Maybe it had some of that poison Puffer fish guts in it. It seemed silly to die from a seafood egg roll with Puffer fish guts in it but we all have to die from something and at least it would be amusing to tell at my funeral. That is if the autopsy could pin down the cause of my death but since Utah Valley Regional Medical Center doesn't have a Dr. House... or a Ducky... I figured my death might remain a mystery.

And then I wondered why I didn't clean house today. People would be in and out, giving Phil condolences and bringing him something to eat, maybe a pie or a casserole and the thought of a pie or a casserole sent me to the bathroom to hang over the toilet, hoping to throw-up and not die there instead. Who wants, "died with her head in the toilet," on her obituary? But then again, obituaries are usually so boring, someone might read mine and call to the other room, "Say Kim, it says here that Lynne died with her head in the toilet. Those Mormon's are a strange bunch."

And then I felt bad that I didn't get any of the books finished that I started. Not the reading ones, the writing ones. I'm the only one who knows how they end. And not that anyone even cares but I have one grandchild who would. She is a story-hound and I remembered I had never finished the epic story I have been telling her in instalments. I promised her another chapter the next time we were sitting on the lawn swings. There wasn't going to be another chapter because I was dying.

And then I looked at my fingernails and my polish is ragged and needs re-doing and I hated to die with ragged fingernails but I simply couldn't give my self a pedicure while I was dying.

And then...the pain started to go away. And in about a half hour it was gone, leaving behind only tenderness and damp clothing and pantless legs. And then I remembered that the Augmentum I have been taking causes nausea and that I threw up the first time I took it, a week ago. And I realized it was poisoning, not only the bacteria in my body--the good bacteria and the bad--but was poisoning my very body.

I resolved that I would call Dr. Jessica, who is a mom and a hair stylist and does a mean job of making teen age girls look like road kill for Halloween with her great talent for imitation scars and wounds. Dr Jessica is systematically educating herself on how to cure illness with natural remedies instead of drugs. She has even decided that some things are not to be eaten, like sugar and white flour. Imagine that? Maybe egg rolls are on the list. Certainly Puffer fish guts are. Yes, the next time I had an ailment I would call Dr. Jessica because this dying stuff is for the birds.

So, tonight I am thankful that I'm not dead. Yet. And I hope you are thankful that I'm not dead, too. Because if I were, I might be visiting, and then you would be freaked out in a major way so perhaps you might pray for my good health for a l-o-n-g time.

And call Dr. Jessica, yourself, if someday you think you are dying.

13 comments:

Bonnie said...

Oh, dear Lynne, I am sorry to hear you are sick today.
I was sick all last week. I couldn't leave my bathroom for very long. At first I thought it was something that I ate. I wonder if it is part of that noxious swine flu they are talking about.

Are you feeling better or are you still miserable?

Despite the fact that you were miserable, you still managed to do write a very clever blog. That just shows how talented you are.

Lorraine said...

In horrible pain and still she writes, you are a true writer. I've had what you had culminating in horrible pains in the washroom...anyhoo, no idea what is causing what, last few days been feeling like I'm dying, but I didn't think about my nails, no I just thought, thank God I've already made my funeral arrangements, and then I worried about my 3 cats..and then my bloggers they'll think I stopped caring about them...I think it's called distracting yourself from the horrible pain and fear and through it all if you can laugh then, it's not so bad. I don't like pain so I relate totally to your post today. I don't fear death at all, but dying, man I don't like pain...I'm with you in thoughts and pray the pain won't occur again...I have to take some medication though that may give me very unpleasant side effects, but the 'actual ailment' is worse than any pain I've ever had. This comment is REALLY NOT All about ME, I just wantyou to know that you are not alone xxx

Lee Weber said...

Your post was sweet and humorous, but you know you still need to see a physician, right? Kidney stones are not to be messed with, you can really damage both your kidneys and the ureters (tubes that carry the urine). Some people think you can avoid stones by changing your diet, but you need to have the stones analyzed first. You may have passes it, or it may have bounced back into the kidney. Go see you doctor! Or better yet, a nurse practitioner. (yep, I'm a nurse).

TeamGornold said...

glad yer not dead!
why are you taking augmentin? hope you are good today, now and always!
I am trying to talk b into coming down over his bday weekend. we will be down around the 7 and 8 of august, with a friend, to do the ULCER bike ride! we will be seeing you lovelies soon!
trish

Shawn said...

Oh,-----so scary! So glad you are ok----I have had a few of those days in my life---but never one that came so close like yours....


Hope the good doctor took care of it!

Hillary said...

I REPEAT!!! You can NEVER die. Notice all the "!" that's how much I mean it!

But you still are funny as heck.

I love your putrid guts.

tearese said...

you sound likemy husband. He always thinks he has a horrible disease!

Jessica said...

I laughed right out loud when I saw my name in your blog. You funny girl. You can call me any time. I'm not quite sure what to do about kidney stones, though, but you better believe I'll be looking that one up right away.

I'm so very glad you're not dead.

And I don't think Heavenly Father cares one tiny bit if you don't have pants on. Ask for a blessing anyway.

Plus, don't forget that you have no one to speak at your funeral. So there. You can't die.

Annette said...

We can't survive without you in the ward, so it's a good thing you're not dead! Are you sure you're OK?

Shan said...

Thank you for not getting dead. I hardly know thee.

Unknown said...

"Hey, Kim. Did you read this stuff this strange Mormon wrote?"

Stop having pain, young woman. Just stop it.

Unknown said...

Lynne - You scared the hell out of me, oh my god. That was the most vivid narration I have heard of someone in acute pain. Here's wishing you speedy recovery, Pl. do take care.

Colette Amelia said...

OH MY! Now you know you have lots of work to do. Finish the installment, fix the nails, clean the house and while you are at it have some lovely stuff for all the guests coming in and out...

Isn't this just terrible that we only realize all the things that are still left undone when we think there is no time to do them?

Hug Phil, call all the kids, have a family dinner give em all a big kiss...and yes call Dr. whats her name because the only visit I want with you is one with you with your pants on and your body solid!