Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Photo Worth More Than 1,000 Words

breathing tube, ICU, hospital,Okinawa

Why Things Have Been Quiet Around Here



Not really sure, who snapped the smartphone photo of the wife and me, there I was.

More than likely this blog post will come in way under 1000 words. I'm saving energy.

My hospital visit began sometime after the Super Moon December 2017.

Three nights in a row I had been out shooting photos in the cold rain.

The evening of December 5th my breathing stopped working properly. I went home early.

The wife was asked, to call an ambulance and, it arrived within minutes.

Into the back, I climbed, laid down and an oxygen mask was placed on me.

Next thing I know it was tomorrow and I was in Nakagami Hospital.



Pneumonia




One of the things, contributing to my breathing problems, was pneumonia.

Heck. I've had that stuff before. It isn't that difficult to cure.

 Every time they let me out of ICU (off the breathing machine) things went haywire.

Congestive heart failure was going on, right inside of me.

That Breathing Tube hooked to me is fairly uncomfortable. Waterboarding would be more fun.

Folks complain about waterboarding and call it torture. Hah!

Try spending a few weeks with one of those pipes, shoved down your throat.



Aortic Valve Replacement




The doctors determined my aortic valve needed to be replaced and got me a new one.

December 29th they cracked my chest open and, did the valve job.

Christmas, New Years and my birthday, all happened while I was hospitalized.

I had been begging the doctors, to get that pipe out of my throat.

It wouldn't be removed until I could eat and breath on my own, they told me.

Within two weeks of the surgery, I was up and around, walking all over the hospital.

The plan was to give me a month to recover before, letting me go home.

I made sure, day and night, nurses and doctors, witnessed me going floor to floor.

Recovery time got cut in half and, I was released two weeks early.




Recovering Nicely



This blog can wait for me to feel up to snuff before, it becomes a daily event again.

Thanking all the family, friends, doctors and nurses, has become a priority.

Whoever was operating the ambulance that night deserves my highest praise.

A little bit at a time I'm regaining my strength, walking and exercising.

Folks from around the globe have been asking, "Where have you been?"

Now, they know. If 1,000 words are required.... Go Read the Links!

 




1 comment:

Kim said...

Mike, I knew something was awry when you had not posted for a few days, then days became weeks. I asked all around the Island "Where is Mike-san?", but no one knew. I just got a few answers like "I sure miss Mike's posts", or "I sure miss Mike here at the bar." For somebody I've never met, you have made a great impression on me and the wife, keeping us up to snuff on all the important stuff going on in Okinawa. We appreciate you. Glad you kicked the habit and decided to stick around a while longer!