I didn't have a good day on Thanksgiving. I woke up shaking and in more pain than the day before. I laid in bed as my wife and daughter made Thanksgiving dinner. All I do and all I can do is replay this horrible tragedy in my mind. I was in that much pain. I used to think four years ago at some point my pain would decrease. I used to have hope. My only hope now is that some doctor somewhere will get this message. Some doctor will act with some compassion and show the same determination that I always had in my life to do my work. My only positive thought was that someone commented on my blog. 2 out of now 550 people commented. I wonder what is keeping people from commenting.
I also thought about what I was thankful for and cried most of the day thinking about how I got to this point. Some of my tears were because of the selfless acts of people I don't even know. I made it down to the dinner table to eat Thanksgiving dinner, a dinner that people I don't even know donated to my family so we could celebrate the holiday. Decorations were hung up around the house from children at my daughter's school where she works. I am very thankful for all the support this school has given my family. My wife said the prayer and I thought about how this would be our last Thanksgiving in this house. My Thanksgiving ended after dinner as I was in too much pain and needed to go back to bed.
It is in times like this that we truly reflect on what it means to be thankful. My life at this point consists of drug trials and hospital visits. When I am awake I play with my dog and try to watch old shows I used to like. I watch people during this time of year run around spending money and fight with crowds to get the best deals. That seems to be what many people are thankful for during this time of year...the holiday sales. However, I am thankful for life. I am thankful that my family is by my side and they are fighting with me. I am thankful for people viewing this blog and hearing my story. Thank you.
Hal,
ReplyDeleteI just read this post. To say that I am shocked, and saddened, would be a gross understatement. What is going on? I have not been in touch with very many of my former GW or Abington classmates. Joan Linde & I are pretty much best friends, and I correspond with Art Drescher on Facebook.
Marci Seitz forwarded the link to your posting to me. Please let me know if there is anything that you need, or if there is anything that I can do to make things a little better for you.
God bless you & yours.
- Bill Battersby
sonjsailor@yahoo.com
Sorry to hear about your medical misfortunes. I had spontaneous leakage of the spinal fluid a few years back and know how painful this can be. I have since learned that one way to describe a spinal headache is that it is the worst pain ever felt and no drug helps. Most spinal leakage is due to surgery or anesthesia, mine just happened and they never did figure out why it happened or where the leak was coming from. After many trips to the doctors and trips to Abington Hospital, a MRI showed what was thought to be meningitis. While in the hospital while trying to collect spinal fluid they discovered I did not have any. I was leaking it as fast as I was making it. What was thought to be meningitis on the MRI was actually a bilateral hematoma. After 9 days in the hospital, I was released. The headaches continued for years. I was treated at Jefferson's headache clinic and that helped some. It was only after being hospitalized a few years later for something else that the headaches went away. I know that even the best hospitals can have problem doctors. My husband is still suffering 3 years after surgery at Abington and now needs additional surgery. We will be getting a second opinion, as this is workers’ Comp case we have to go back to the originial doctor. I will not let that man touch my husband again.
ReplyDeleteI hope that tings will get better for you and I will keep you in my prayers.
Judy Townsend Murphy
Hal,
ReplyDeleteI really don't know what to say, except that you are in my thoughts and prayers. I pray that someone soon will find something to relieve your pain! I too received the message from Marci Seitz and thank her for passing this along. I'm sorry that you have to endure such pain and suffering with no relief from the doctors at Jefferson.
Gayle Oertel Doyle
Hal,
ReplyDeleteI just got your post from Ron Forster today. I was shocked and saddened and angered by your story. My e-mail is wlevis1@juno.com. I'd love to talk more. I've been praying for you and your family today!
Win Levis
Hal,I just read your post and Im so sorry your going through this. As Im reading,I keep seeing your face as a kid in Glensie-Weldon and Abington as well. I remember seeing you and your wife at a couple of High School Reunions. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. God bless.
ReplyDeleteKatherine Bailey Meyers