Just Kidding

To my son Tommy,

There are moments in life when things seem to be going in the right direction and the world quickly says to you, "Just kidding!".  Your mom came home last night from the hospital.  She seemed to be on a road to recovery or at least we had a plan.  Plus the hospital blew out every vein and had to move her to oral meds, so there was no sense in her staying.  We got her home and into bed and got her prescriptions.  Unfortunately today we were back in the emergency room.  One of her meds, most likely the prednisone, sent her blood pressure sky rocketing.  She recognized the signs from her nursing training and took her own pressure and was somewhere around 210 over 128.  That is extremely high and dangerous and thus we had another trip to the hospital.  They got her blood pressure down some (still high but a more normal and safe high level) and we got some more prescriptions and are finally back home again.  Hopefully we can avoid another trip.  It isn't that I hate hospitals and ER rooms, but I could stand to spend some time away from them.

When the rug gets pulled out from under you, it is easy to go into the "woe is me" mode.  Should you find yourself in that type of position. pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and do what is needed.  If it takes another trip to the ER so be it.  If you have to go back twenty times to get it right, just go.  Never feel sorry or like you are inconveniencing anyone because you have to take care of yourself.  An extreme blood pressure won't be fixed because you feel sorry for yourself.  Saying it is unfair won't stop the crohn's disease or the high blood pressure or whatever is going on.  And if you ever need a great example of what you should do and how you should deal and cope, you don't have to look any further than your mother.  She is an amazing trooper and can show you how to cowboy up and get yourself fixed without feeling sorry for yourself.

Sincerely with love from your dad,
Leo