I thought I would interrupt this cruise review to relate a medical update today.

First of all, I have described the condition of my ankles as approximating bologna sausages hanging in the butcher shop – my wife feels that that description glorifies the condition.

Regardless, I saw the doctor on Monday, when I returned to work. Given that we had driven in both directions, he was concerned about the possibility of deep vein thromboses (DVTs), so I had STAT bilateral vascular doppler ultrasounds. Well, not too STAT – I waited about an hour while they got a couple of other cases done. The dopplers were essentially negative, so the doctor put me on Lasix.

Now, if you have never had to take Lasix, consider yourself one of the lucky ones. Lasix is the drug that is given to people in Congestive Heart Failure. The reason – it literally sucks the fluid out of your cells, so you become dehydrated pretty quick.

Tuesday, at work, I felt like bleh. Lethargic, a little vertigo, sore muscles – it was the effects of the Lasix (or was it? more later). The doctor told me to take one more dose of Lasix, then discontinue it and go back to my normal diuretic. I went home early and basically slept 24 straight hours, waking up only to take my medications and call in sick. Didn’t eat. Nothing else.

Back to work yesterday and I had lost 8 1/2 pounds of fluids in the two days – that equates to over a gallon of water. But the side effects seem to worsen, not get better. I found myself frequently running to the boy’s room – I will spare you the details, but suffice to say there is a certain part of my anatomy that feels like a cheese grater has been used on it – severely.

So I talked to the doctor again this morning, asking how long the side effects would last. His response – its not the Lasix, it must have been something you ate.

Well, as I drove over to our sister hospital to attend a memorial mass for my Mom (the finance department over there requested it – an absolutely heartwarming gesture), I realized that I had eaten raw tomatoes a couple of times down in the south during our trip back. The timing was right. The symptoms agreed. Can you spell S-A-L-M-O-N-E-L-L-A?

I remember when the little one had salmonella. She was about two and one-half and had gotten it from swimming in a local pond. She was so sick, lying there in that hospital bed. All we could do was curl up in bed with her waiting for the medicines to work, which they did.

Anyway, I got to provide one of those wonderful samples to the doctor – having working in health care, almost nothing phases me, but stool samples can still get me. Anyway, now I am on Cipro on the presumption that I got into some tainted tomatoes. We may never know.

So, my trials and tribulations continue, but I remain happy. Despite all that has happened subsequently, I consider the trip to be totally worthwhile. I can’t wait for the Blogger’s Cruise and the Mrs. has pointed out that the Liberty is sailing on April 25th for Europe (hint, hint).

So, here I lie in bed watching the US Open while waiting apprehensively for the call of nature, which calls far too often. Such is life.

Until tomorrow.

JustJon

PS – today, the weight loss stands at 11.25 pounds. Am I winning, John?