There and Back Again

Let's clear some things up. I got an infection in my left foot. this put me in the VA hospital for three days, 5/19 -21. I left chock full of oral antibiotics.

The next night, Friday 5/22, my infection flared up again. Saturday morning I went back into the VA hospital and didn't get out until Thursday night.

A few observations:

The VA does a good job of meeting any religious or spiritual needs you may have. If you are Catholic, someone will come around with the Eucharist. I was asked about any dietary requirements, for example, no pork if you are Jewish or Muslim.

Here's one advantage of having neuropathy. The foot doctor was looking at a broken blister on the top of my foot, right behind the big toe. He asked me if I had any feeling in my foot. I told him I had a little, and then he took out a scalpel and cut into me like Mr. Bingley cutting into a roast. Clear down to the bone. Didn't feel a thing.

I received my first CT scan. I went to the vascular clinic to measure my circulation. They even took the blood pressure of my big toe. Slapped a little cuff around it.

A lot of the medical people were carrying on about the fact that with the exception of a half cigarette when I was twelve and a cigar when I was 23, I have never used tobacco. One doctor asked me if I threw up after the cigar. I said yes, but that was probably because of the scotch. I don't know what the big deal is. I don't smoke cigarettes for the same reason I don't eat raisins - I just don't like them. I also had more money for booze.

Knowing that I would be admitted, I brought a book that my pastor gave me when he came back from here. It was a commentary on Ephesians by an evangelical named James Mongomery Boice. It didn't have too many big words in it. It even included a paragraph about the Eagles threatened move to Phoenix in the late 1980's (Pastor Boice is from Philly). This book became a conversation piece. Honest to goodness, I didn't thump my Bible once. But a few doctors, nurses and patients asked me about this book and what was in it.

I was sent home Thursday night with a PICC line. This morning a nurse is coming to my apartment to show me how to give myself IV antibiotics and to dress my wound. On Monday morning I am supposed to go to podiatry. My first day back on the job may be Tuesday.