Home in Still Listening to Spirit

We flew home on the 1pm flight out of Juneau, one of only 2 planes to make it to Skagway today. None made it the day before, or the day before AND the scheduled ferry on Sunday did not sail because they already knew they couldn’t dock in the 50 to 75 mph north winds blowing.

Was kind of windy when we flew out. The plane was rocking from side to side, tilting from wing to wing and going up and down like a bucking bronco. I just closed my eyes and visualized being in a bobsled in the Olympics, twisting, turning and bumping over the course again and again. Was a 5 passenger plane, small in the big winds.

Dave, the pilot who worked for Skag Air when I did was our pilot back in a Caravan, and I was confident we would make it in one piece. Was bumpy but not bad until outside of Haines when the Skagway winds got hold of us again. We made it.

more later

Okay, so Bradley at the bank paid personally for my air fare. What a wonderful thing! Rooms for $25. Dolly said she would pay for mine as well as hers, but I paid her cash today when we were here. Neither one of us has more than the other.

It was a true blessing that Dolly was with me. She is SO upbeat, so full of life and energy most of the time, she is a delight to be around. We had girlfriend time 2 nights of our stay, in my room, talking, laughing, telling tales from times past. Midnight, 1am, 2am, then we split up and each went to sleep.

I spent every 3rd hour during the night getting into the hotel shower for a hot warm up and easing of pain. I made the mistake of thinking it would feel super to fill the tub and lay in it. Well, it DID feel good, but I almost didn’t get out of the tub! I sat there trying to figure it out, narrow tub, thank goodness it wasn’t slippery on any of its surface. I wondered would I need to lay there and holler “HELP” until I got someone to raise an alarm, unlock my room, and haul me out of the tub.

Dolly and I went to the hospital ER after we settled in our rooms, divested ourselves of our luggage, etc. It was about 2pm and the minute I walked in, I wanted to leave. There were several families with small children waiting to be seen, said children coughing, sneezing and wiping their runny noses. I registered with the desk, sat down, thought about 2 minutes, then told Dolly I was out of there didn’t want to catchc something. I would try later.

I took a nap and around 5pm decided to go to the ER again. I was the only patient there in the waiting room, I got in quickly., I did not have Dolly go, she would only sit and wait and I would worry about her and time and meals etc. Dolly’s feelings were not hurt, in fact she said it was a very good idea I didn’t have her go.

I saw 1 doctor to shake his hand at the beginning after I had been poked, prodded and talked to. I spent an hour and a half drinking a not-unpleasant concoction for dy contrast. Had to drink over that time period so it would be distributed throughout my digestive system for the CT scan.

Most of that time I also had a bout of diarrhea. I race walked down the hall and round the corner from my cubby and made it every time! Come to find out, there was a restroom right next door to the right. Had I turned right from my door instead of left.....duh.

Into the CT, another drug put in my veins to mix and make the contrast in the organs. The technician was a very pleasant young man, calm and professional. He said “Now, 15 seconds after this dye is injected, you will have a very odd taste in your mouth, back of your throat. Then it will feel like you have peed your pants. I promise you you haven’t peed your pants. Then you will feel warm, kind of like a hot flash.”

Sure as sh**, that’s what happened. I would have bet $100 I peed, the sensation of letting loose and then the liquid spreading down and onto my behind was convincing. The hot flash was just down in my pelvic area too, and neither pleasant or non-pleasant.

Back to the cubby, doctor comes in after a bit to tell me that I have pancreatitis and he will send me home with some drugs and I should consult with my physician in Juneau for further info and treatment. He left, the nurse came in to dismiss me with some printed info on what to eat and what the condition is....

She also handed me 2 prescriptions. I asked her what I could do with these at 10pm, the answer–nothing. I told her the doctor said he would dispense some. She said “I know”. I said go ask him. She said “He just ended his shift and he’s gone.” I said that sucked and she said “I know.”

“I know” meant she was peeved at he doctor’s treatment of me and she agreed it sucked but couldn’t say so. I told her I might come back in the middle of the night if I needed to. She agreed and informed me that another doctor would be on duty in another hour. I did not want to wait so I left.

Next day I got an appointment at the Valley Medical Care physicians with a Matt Jones. Yes he’s a doctor but there they are called by their first names, very friendly, very efficient. He and I got along like gangbusters. He got the CT scan info and other test results from the hospital.

I have a 4cm growth on my pancreas. it will have to be biopsied and removed. I need to go to Anchorage or somewhere else to have this done. Sigh. The heart is still an issue, but I refused a stress test simply because wherever I go they will likely want to repeat it and why pay twice?

So, now all Dolly and I had to do was figure out how to get home. The winds were a problem, but we caught a lucky break to fly today and get safely on the ground.

Tuesday night was nightmarish and I could not get comfortable nor get myself out of pain until about 7am. By that time I had called the airline, made our reservation for 1pm, talked to Dolly, and finally went to sleep for a deep and painless sleep for a couple of hours.

I cannot sing the praises of the staff at the Super 8 Motel there in Juneau. One big family, they go above and beyond taking care of their guests’ needs, even going across the street to a quick-trip like store to pick up sandwiches and drinks. Rock stars, all of them. And a ride either in their van or paid ride with a taxi company so we never had to pay (beyond a good tip) for transportation.

Okay, I’m tired now. I am unable to wait 6 hours for my pain meds, they start to fade at 4. However, on pain controller is Tylenol (a switch from ibuprofen) and the other is really an anti-anxiety drug, they are non-narcotic although I have some oxycodone for bad pain.

Matt, when he prescribed it after we discussed my concern about addiction, said he could see I was aware of the pitfalls and so on. When he said “Oxycodone”, I said “Oh goody, I can sell the pills on the street corner and pay your bill!”

Matt wiggled his eyebrows and asked me “How many you want, 100? 200?, will you split the money with me?” A hoot, we had repartee like that the whole appointment.

I am tired now, I know I said that. I am talking with Traci about getting to Kansas City for medical treatment. No one can go with me to Anchorage–very expensive with rooms and taxis and so on. Daughter’s location is the best solution.

We are investigating together what sort of insurance/Medicaid, etc can be gotten quickly as I cannot spend weeks in pain waiting for treatment but want to book plane 2 weeks ahead if I can to get the best fare.

Blessed be!

Last updated January 07, 2015