[Deserve]

I finished my last log on December 24th. It was a rousing success using Waterbury's Big Boy Basics I weighed in at a whopping 171 lbs. For anyone who know me that is a huge amount of weight. My strength was gaining equally well. I thought I would take a little time off for the holidays and continue the bulk, cutting back in Feb.

Well a funny thing happened on the way to the gym. Actually, it was at baseball camp. In Houston it is never that cold. As a result, the suburb where we live puts on a winter baseball ball camp for the kids coached by the local high school coaches during the Christmas break. I signed up my son and being a parent with some vacation thought I would watch and see what I could learn. What I learned is that I can catch the flu sitting on cold bleachers for 5 hours. Being the giving Dad that I am my entire family caught some type of upper respiratory bug. We all slept the 27th away and on the 28th instead of going the second day of camp or to our regular doctor my family of 4, children 3 and 7 piled into the SUV and headed to the immediate care facility for the convenience of not having to see 2 different doctors in different places.

It was at this place that I was diagnosed with FLU strains A and B. I was given some Tamiflu and the rest of the family was told to let it pass. For the record I was the only one not to get a flu shot. Never again will I be without my flu shot. Approximately, 24 hours of being on the flu meds my stomach started cramping in a way I have never felt. Ladies I have no idea what menstrual cramps feel like but if it’s half of the pain I felt I bow to you. Of course I immediately stopped the Tamiflu since cramping is one of the unlikely side effects.

My family is now all better but I am unable to leave my bed. The cramping has somewhat subsided I have a nicely swollen belly and now I am facing a battle against the fluids. What comes in must go out. Except with me it must come out violently through one orifice or another. I can’t keep anything in me. At one point I resort to wrapping a towel around my waist just to be safe. Folks at this point I’m in bad shape.

It’s time for another trip to the doctor. Out of a sense of loyalty we go back to the same doctor we went to before. He feels that I have just got some stomach bug and if an IV doesn’t work to get me up on fluids that I will probably need some antibiotics to knock out something bacterial and that a few more days I’ll be good. I threw up the entire way home from the IV. I manage to rest through the night although I could only lie in one position. If I moved from that I was in pain. The next day I am not any better. It is at this point that my wife has had enough of the “wait and see” approach and begins to call around to determine emergency room wait times. Sometimes in life you recognize small blessing. This was one of them.

With my bucket in hand and father in the backseat we headed off the emergency room. Yes I was sick enough to need my daddy and I’m not ashamed. A strong family is invaluable it is one of my lessons learned. My mother stayed with my children. It is New Years Days

I’ll post part 2 after I get some rest. Believe it or not there is a part where I need your help and advice. Anything I say here is not to indict anyone who had a part in this. I honestly believe that everyone tried to the best of their abilities to help me. I was also really sick and this is from my memory. Some of it may be a little off.