THE CZECH IS IN THE MAIL
There are times when the Good Lord tells you to “slow down.”
I experienced that earlier this week. I was the recipient of unplanned surgery Tuesday evening.
This started Thursday, April 3, when I experienced intense cramping on both sides of the ribcage and the lower center of the abdomen. I chalked it up to something I ate.
The same pains plagued me again the next three nights. I ate less spicy foods, but the discomfort didn’t diminish.
On Monday, I decided to eat bland fare such as granola bars and the like. Yet, the cramping continued.
After work Monday, my wife decided it was time for me to pay a visit to the emergency room at Baylor Scott & White Health in Taylor. My editor and co-workers in the Press newsroom had suggested the same earlier
in the day. A few tests showed I had gallstones, which required surgery to remove.
After I dropped my wife and kids off at our apartment, my mom drove down from Temple to take me to BS&W-Pflugerville for the procedure. After hearing from the staff at BS&WTaylor the surgery would be quick and that Pflugerville had a room for me Monday night, I thought I’d be in and out like the burger joint.
I was wrong. I didn’t find out the time for my surgery until 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
They said I would go down at 3 p.m. to prepare for the operation at 3:45. Well, 3 p.m. arrived and nobody came to get me.
Then, at 3:15 p.m., the nurse entered my room, but she didn’t enter the room to take me down for surgery prep.
She informed me the operation got bumped up to 6:45 p.m. There also was some discussion about me staying overnight.
I was delivered to surgery prep about 6 p.m. and an hour later they wheeled me into the operating room. The last thing I remember was my head ringing after the anesthesia was injected into my IV.
About 9:30 p.m., I opened my eyes to nurses telling me to wake up because the procedure was over. Since I was under the influence of anesthesia, I remember very little.
Apparently, I sang the opening lines of “The Revelation Song” by Phillips, Craig & Dean; told the nurses I didn’t want to “become an addict” after they informed me about a painkiller they gave me; and got choked up when referring to my 10-year-old son as a “good big brother.”
Well, my son is a good big brother to his little sisters.
I was released around 10 p.m. and my mom drove me to the CVS pharmacy in Round Rock for my ibuprofen before heading home to Taylor. The girls were asleep, but my wife helped me walk inside the apartment.
I’ve spent the last three days working from home and slowly spending more time in the newsroom. I’m extremely grateful for a supportive family and co-workers, even if it’ll be a few more days before I can pick up my daughters or anything else weighing more than 10 pounds.
I’m also extremely grateful the Good Lord woke me up from my “nap” after surgery. Thanks be to God.
Chlapek is the area editor of the Taylor Press. He can be reached at jason.chlapek@ granitemediapartners. com.
