February has been an interesting month down here on the farm. It all started on the first day of the month. Darrell hadn’t been feeling well, thought he might have a virus, but his group was supposed to sing that Thursday night. He had been looking forward to that, so he felt a little better, got ready and went. He even sang. Not well. His voice just wasn’t there, but he managed to hit some of the low notes. So I thought he’s getting better.
Then that night pain hit in full force. By morning he was really sick and off we went to Urgent Care, hoping for a quick cure, I suppose. You see, I had a big weekend planned. I was supposed to keep a couple of the grandkids for a few days while their parents and big sisters went on a trip. But the doctor at the urgent treatment place takes one look and says head straight to the emergency room. The grandkids are on the way. The parents and sisters have a plane to catch. But off we go. No choice there.
At the ER, they took him right in, did tests, found out what was wrong. Even though he’d had his gallbladder out last summer, he had a gallstone blocking his bile duct. Not good. Needed a surgical procedure to fix it, but no doctors available on a Friday afternoon at the hospital where we were. So even worse. Next step was to get an ambulance to take him to a different hospital with a doctor on call who could do the procedure. Pain meds had Darrell feeling some better. He had IVs to slow his heart rate. We waited. Ambulances all busy. Hours pass. Finally the nurse finds a different ambulance service and they show up in about an hour. By the time they get him to the bigger hospital, it’s nine o’clock at night. Everything has to wait for morning. And of course, the grandkids don’t get to come visit. Well, they do come visit with their dad who stayed behind with them. They spend the night at my house.
I stay at the hospital until I’m sure Darrell is going to be well cared for by the nurses. He’s dozing with the pain meds and nothing is happening until morning. I get home around midnight. The boys hear me and come out to give me a hug before going back to bed. I slip out of the house the next morning around daylight to get back to the hospital. The procedure is done. Machines are hooked up. More medicine is given. More doctors called in. He needs IVs for the infection. But things do start to improve and we eventually get to go home on the next Tuesday. Since then, until today, he’s had a doctor appointment every day. Most were for the continuing IV antibiotics that he needed for fourteen days. We thought that was bad until we met other people who had been coming every day for six weeks.
But Darrell got good news from all his doctors and all is well. No doctor appointments for a couple of weeks. Maybe I can even get back to writing my new story. The first of the month, I was thinking I’d miss a few writing days with the boys at my house, but that wouldn’t be a problem. Instead, I missed a couple of weeks. I was already struggling with the story and with my new dog Frankie who seems to need to walk or wants attention every time I sit down at the keyboard. So now I need to be super disciplined to work on this story, because sometimes life has a way of interfering with a person’s best laid plans.
I’m working on a list for early readers for my summer release, River to Redemption. I need five or six more people on my team. You would get a copy of the book sometime in late June. The book is a gift with no strings attached, but of course, the publishers, and me too, hope you would read the book and perhaps post some reviews online or tell your reading friends about the book. If you think that’s something you would like to do, let me know. If I get more than six volunteers, I’ll draw names out of my drawing hat.
Update: I’ve gotten more than enough volunteers for early readers. Thank you so much. But for any of you reading this now, I’ll have a drawing to send out a book to three of you. You can either choose a book of mine right now that would not be River to Redemption. Or you can choose to wait until July and get a copy of the new book. Sound fair?
Thanks, as always, for reading.
Comments 51
Certainly glad that Darrell is on the mend and doing better each day. You are blessed to have such a strong nature, and I think writing about it helps.
Please include me in your drawing.
Prayers and good thoughts for everyone.
Author
You could be right, Loretta, that writing about things helps. I used to write in journals and that helped me think about what was going on in my writing life, especially when there were disappointing times. Now my blog writing seems to have taken the journal writing place, but it’s a different kind of writing. On the blog I want to be positive and somewhat entertaining. In my journal I could moan and complain. LOL.
Just checking in to get an update on Darrell. You have had quite an eventful month! 🙏🏻
Author
Indeed, Karen, but I think if nothing happens, we can go all next week without being in a doctor’s office. I think. The next week is not as good, but just routine follow-up visits, so not so bad.
So glad things are going better, Ann. it’s harder when our loved ones have health issues than it is when we do, because we love them and they are an important part of us. Gosh, I better stop because I am starting to tear up myself. Please put me in the drawing for a book.
Author
You must have a loving heart, Pam to be that caring about your loved ones. I was really glad Darrell began to feel better. That’s for sure.
I am very glad he is feeling better and thank you for your kind words.
Would love to be able to read your book early!!! I would count it an honor and I would review!
Author
I would love for you to read my new book, Lisa. Guess I’d better wait and see how many offers of readers I get before I start mailing out books though. Still, I’ll keep you in mind. Hope you are doing all right.
Yes, please sign me up for the new book. I will read it and share my thoughts about it. Thank you for the opportunity! Glad your husband is doing better…mine is, too, after hip surgery! PTL!
Author
Hip surgery can make life better once everything is working right again, Connie. I’ve heard people say the hip surgery is easier than knee surgery. I can’t say for sure since fortunately, I’ve not had to have either one. I’ll keep you in mind for the new book.
I’m so glad Darrel is better. I will be happy to preview a copy. Hugs!
Author
Thank you, Shelia. I appreciate that. Hope your writing is going well.
Dear ANN, I am so sorry to hear about your dear Darrell. That was a new one to me. I know he must have had terrible pain. Will be praying he is back to his old self soon. I was going to volunteer to read your book, book guess I have to wait! 😂
God bless all of you.
Fran Foor
Author
If I have that drawing to send out a few more books, I’ll certainly have you in the mix, Fran. I hope you are doing all right. Darrell is much closer to his old self each day.
Thanks Ann. Looking forward to the new book.
Thankful to God that Darrell is feeling better – I didn’t even realize you could still have a gall stone after the gallbladder had been removed! Looking forward as always to reading one of your new books.
Author
Nor did we, Elaine. I’ve looked on like. The gallstone could have been lurking around all this time since the surgery last summer just waiting to cause trouble or stones do rarely form in the digestive system after the gallbladder is removed. So who knows? We’ll just hope it doesn’t happen again. And thank you for looking forward to my new book this summer.
I’m so glad that your husband is doing better. I would love to have my name in the hat to early review your book. You are my favorite author and I already tell everyone about you and your books. I am in the process of trying to buy them all.
Author
That is so nice, April. I like being your favorite author and it’s extra nice that you want to own my books. Thank you so much for that. I’ve got your name down. We’ll see how many I get and then I’ll decide how to go from there. Of course I’d love sending everybody a book, but that might not be possible.