APR 21, 23 .. A VERY ODD DAY .. MY PLANS .. AND LIFE’S REALITY

I really should date this Post as Thursday, April the 20th, 2023. However, its publication date will be Friday, April the 21st, 2023, so its official date IS : APR 21, 23.

IF I have ever felt like “Just going to bed and not writing a Post this is one of those times!” Ah but, I do know that there are some of you “out there who really do care” so here we go!

Thursday, April 20th 2023

Last night, I got to bed around 11:30pm (early for me) because I had “Grand Plans” for today.

I wanted to “Get Involved” with the Lake Havasu City Boat Activities this weekend. Today, Thursday, things began to “Kick Off” and I wanted to “Be Involved”.

Attitude .. 90% of Life is Attitude. 

ATTITUDE .. by .. Charles Swindoll

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play the one string we have, and that is our attitude… I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes”

I have to act my way into right thinking. I can not think my way into right actions.

Charles Swindoll (see above Zilla) allows 10% to be reserved “For Life”.

– – – – – – – – 

Thursday December 30th, continuing into Friday December 31st, 2021, I spent some long (9pm until 5am) night hours here in the Lake Havasu City Hospital Emergency Room learning about Diverticulitis. 

And? After about a month, seeing Doctors here in Lake Havasu City and at the Mayo Clinic down in Phoenix, “My Diverticulitis went to sleep”. 

And “sleep” it did. Very well in fact. Not one teeny-weeny-itty-bitty peep out of it!

A Diverticulitis Episode comes with some “symptoms”. I may be “losing my memory” at age 86 years, BUT I certainly, and very clearly, remember how the left side of my lower abdomen felt back fifteen some months ago. I have not forgotten THOSE symptoms.

– – – – – – – – 

When I got up this morning, I had been dreaming about my Diverticulitis Episode back on December 30th / 31st, 2021. In my dream I had “all of the symptoms”!

The problem was : I was now up and about and wide awake and yet all of the actual, very VERY real, Diverticulitis symptoms remained ! My lower left abdomen was VERY uncomfortable and, from time to time, I had some very REAL pain. Here I thought I had been dreaming.

At 10am, I headed out for the Boat Show activities. First, I picked up a Thursday newspaper for Patti, then checked our mail, then “Just for the heck of it” I stopped by my Gastroenterologists Office and “idly” asked if it would be O.K. for me to take some Amoxicillin that I had been given for my ear issues last January the 31st to help out with the Diverticulitis symptoms I was feeling. Well. It made perfect sense to me !

The staff did NOT use bad words BUT they implied .. “HELL NO Cap! Amoxicillin could make things worse!”

As I left their office, I thought to myself, “I sure am happy I checked that bright idea out with my Doctor’s staff.” 

By the way, they said I could see the Doctor May the 9th. Today is April the 20th. 

So I came home. Basically told the above story to Patti and promptly went to bed to rest. Why wouldn’t I rest. I’d had a challenging morning!

– – – – – – – –

Long Story Short.

I snapped some daytime exterior photos of the Hospital’s Emergency Room site. At night, back in December 2021, all I could get was the night photo way up above. 

Smiling, Cap and Patti

What Zilla? What happened in the E.R.? What did they say? What did they do? You want more details than the above photos Zilla?

– – – – – – – –

So about 2:15pm after my nap, I said to Patti, “Let’s stop by the E.R. and just see “how it looks”. Translation : Patti, I am not too willing to get into another eight (8) hour E.R. visit like on December 31st 2021. But take a book to read My Dear One.

I walked into the E.R. at 2:30pm. “The Coast Was Clear”. I got checked in and went out to wave Patti to come inside. At 3pm we were “in the heart” of the E.R.

Translation : I had an I.V. in my arm with one liter of liquid flowing into me and blood samples had been drawn along with my Blood Pressure and my blood Oxygen level tested and I’d been interviewed by a Medical Doctor. Sports Fans, an E.R. visit can’t possibly get much better. And? About 4:30pm I underwent a CT Scan of my lower left abdomen.

About 6:30pm I was told : I have Diverticulosis. I do NOT have Diverticulitis. And that I must be aware of any changes in my condition.

What’s that Zilla? What on earth is the difference between Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis.  Thought you’d never ask Zilla.

Diverticulosis occurs when small defects in the muscle of the wall of the large intestine or colon allow small pockets or pouches (diverticula) to form. This condition I have and am “stuck with”. These small pockets or pouches are inflamed NOT infected.

Diverticulitis is an infection of these abnormal pouches.

Here Sports Fans is the real issue : I have absolutely no way to tell IF my current condition (Diverticulosis) becomes infected (Diverticulitis). They did tell me, and sent me home with a written summary, about certain signs to watch for, but who knows there might be other indications that happen but are not on “their” list.

Yes Indeed. This IS enough of THIS! Getting Old IS NOT for Sissies is it?

Post Script : MY plans for today “Went to Hell In A Hand Basket”. We met some absolutely terrific fellow patients in the E.R. Josie and Anita and Hi Maddie!!

Smiling anyway .. Cap and Patti

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