Saturday, March 29, 2008

Hello World

Hi. I'm back. When last I posted anything on here, I was in Chicago at a trade show. As that event wound down, I started to get a little sick. I was coughing a bit on Thursday before I got on my flight home, but nothing too bad. A disastrous flight out of Midway got me to Atlanta ten minutes too late to catch a connecting flight Thursday night. Luckily I was able to get in touch with friends in Atlanta and stayed at their house for 24 hours before I could get a guaranteed seat on a flight back to Florida. The longer I stayed in Atlanta, the worse I felt. But I thought that if I could just get home and sleep in my own bed, I'd be OK. I finally got home a little before Midnight Friday. I spent all day Saturday in bed and never got any better. Sunday I called the ambulance and spent Sunday night in ICU. Turns out I had the flu. If that's the flu, then I don't think I've ever had the flu before. On top of that, I had what they call diabetic ketoacidosis. That means that my body was breaking down fat to use as energy to fight the infection, but once the fat turned into sugar, I didn't have any insulin in my body for the cells to utilize it. So even though I wasn't eating anything, by the time they got me to the hospital, my normal sugar level of 120 had turned to 771. My meter wouldn't even read that much, it just kept coming back saying HI. So, suffice it to say I was in a bad way. I got out of the hospital Tuesday afternoon and I've been recovering at home ever since. I left the house for the first time Friday to go get some little bit of food, and I might do the same thing today. Today is the first day I've felt like I could sit at the computer and type for a while. So that's why I'm sharing my story with you now. I've spoken to some of you in the past week, and I thank you for your concern. I'm sure that the rest of you might be wondering, and now you know, but at least I'm on the road back to well-ville. One cough at a time. Excuse me a minute, I have to go hack up the rest of this lung...

7 comments:

  1. Ernie - That's awful. So glad you are getting better. Travel is a drag, even when you are well. It is torture when you are sick. I have vivid memories of getting the flu on a trip to Chicago about 15 years ago. Ever since I have hated Chicago. My wife has the flu now - wonder if I am next.

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  2. Ernie, I sure hope that you start ot feel better fast. I had the flu for most of February and it wasn't fun. The only good thing I can say about it is that I didn't have to be hospitalized like the last time I had it. Keep up the fight and we'll keep sending good vibes your way.

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  3. Terribly sorry to hear of your ordeal, but glad you're coming out of it okay. And to be able to write about it with such grace and humor.

    I will promptly stop complaining about this respiratory virus that's been dragging me down--a trip through Disneyland compared to your situation. May you have a quick, full recovery.

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  4. Ouch! Just saw this. I hope you're back to full Ernitude soon.

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  5. Hi Ernie, I am in NW Indiana and the same thing was going through here. I hope you are up to snuff in no time!

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  6. Sunlion sez,

    Ernie,

    My thoughts and prayers are with you! Continue to get well!

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  7. Ern:

    Hope you're better now.

    Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

    Rhys and Heather

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