The Phone Call

Thursday evening

a little before 8 pm

I got

the call.

The one that no one

wants to get.

Someone you love

has a medical emergency.

It was Mr. Wayside Treasure's boss

on the phone.

Hubby had passed out.

Cold.

On the cement floor 

beside his machine.

Upright one minute

Flat on the floor 

the next.

Co-workers ran

to his aid.

Waited with him

until he came to. 

Calling his name.

Over and over. 

 EMS came.

Then off to the

hospital.

You know

that place 

where they poke 

you with needles,

ask you tons of questions

and try to figure out 

what's wrong.

They poked

and 

poked

and poked

some more.

No veins to be found.

They kept poking

over and over

and 

over and over

and

over and over

again...

{not exaggerating}

One nurse

Two nurses

Three nurses

Four...

Fourth one

brought down

from 

ICU

She got blood.

Finally.

Severely dehydrated.

Potassium very low.

{from losing so much fluid from

being sick}

Home?
Nope.

We want to admit him.

ugh!
double ugh!

Pumped him with

fluids 

and potassium.

Forgot to tell him that

potassium 

is very painful

as it drips in.

Extremely painful!

"Feels like someone

scooping out my arm

with an ice cream 

scoop painful!"

I went after and

found a nurse.

She slowed it 

down 

so it was tolerable.

Almost.

My eyes were barely 

staying open.

I headed home 

for some rest.

Rest did not come.
Don't know why I tried.

A few hours later.

Back to hospital.

 Up to his room.

More poking

and prodding.

Veins did not cooperate.

So many nurses.

We laughed our

way through.

most of the time.

What else

can you

do?!

I told them,

"he would not make

a good 

blood donor".

They agreed. 

No blood

draw

the usual way.

Not working.

Put in a Pic line.

That will work!

Did not work.

They said they

 have never known

it not to work.

Teeniest amount of 

blood 

finally 

in the tube

after four more 

nurses

tried.

It clotted

immediately.

Couldn't use it.

Over and over...

quite an ordeal.

Then, it clotted in 

the syringe.

huh? what?

We have never

seen this before.

Again, teeniest amount

of blood drawn.

Nurse:

I am literally

 running this 

down to

the lab

before it clots!

Relief...

for a bit.

Minutes later

Two more nurses..

"we are going

to draw

your blood."

Seriously?

You are kidding!

Won't work.

It worked!

No problem!

"Where were you

hours ago?"

I brought him 

HOME

about 5 pm

Friday.

He is so

thankful to be

back 

HOME.

Sore tailbone
and
bit his lip
from his
close-up encounter
with the
floor.

Bruised 

and 

battered, 

but 

HOME!

Thank you God!

{he is back to work today

after a restful weekend}