Between Steve's work and the Renaissance Festival, there wasn't a lot of time for a vacation this summer, so we finally got one in October. Steve took the week off with the goal of "getting a few things done around the house". Here's a brief timeline of how it went:
| October 1 |
First day of vacation, just kind of rested (also Steve's first day off since August). |
| October 2-3 |
Have friends1 over for dinner, watch Buffy and Smallville. Steve complains of stomach pain. At 2:00 am we head for Oakwood hospita. They say it's gall bladder trouble and send him home with some pills and advice to see his family doctor. |
| October 4 |
See the family doctor at 9:30. He declares the pills worthless and says the gallbladder will have to come out. He makes an appointment with the surgeon later that day. At 4:00 we show up for the surgeon. At 5:00 we see him. In about 2 minutes he decides that Steve will be admitted to the hospital immediately. |
| October 5 |
Spend the day in the hospital, but no surgery. Steve remembers only pain, thirst and a bunch of drinks Friday night. |
| October 6 |
Out it comes. No one bothers to tell Kristie, Steve's mom or Tim that surgery is over. Eventually, Mrs. D goes walkabout in a restricted area looking for her kid. She is apprehended and the hospital decides to tell them where to find Steve. Steve remembers only snippets of this day2. |
| October 7 |
Last day of vacation, everyone spends it in the ICU where Steve is on oxygen and morpheine. Steve can't say happy birthday because he's got a breathing tube in and can't speak. His mom, luckily, has Kristie's birthday gift and gives it to her. |
| October 8 |
Steve becomes convinced the hospital is no place to get better. He expresses his feelings to Kristie. She gets scared and talks to the nursing staff. Turns out paranoia is a common side-effect of morpheine. |
| October 10 |
Steve leaves the ICU only to wind up with the roomate from hell3. |
| October 12 |
Steve is finally discharged. |
Not quite the vacation we were looking for...
