Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Stephen Colbert, George Bailey, Vincent Van Gogh...



So yesterday I spent the morning thumping around the house, in kind of a pissy mood. I was pissy that Diana’s surgery was having complications, pissy that she was laid up for 5 days straight, and quite frankly, pissy that I was lugging around Eli since 5 in the morning.

Yes. I somehow managed to make Diana’s severe nausea and vertigo about me. It’s a talent.

Diana puts down the phone and looks at me, ashen. She said, “That was the doctor.” I said something supportive like, “Did you tell him to bite it, from me?” She said, “We have to go meet him at the emergency room. Right now.”

In my self-centered stomping, I failed to notice that Diana had officially lost her hearing in her surgery ear. Now, throughout the weekend, the doctor (who was really cool and called on his time off to check on Di constantly) said all of her symptoms, while sucky, were ok as long as she didn’t lose her hearing. Well, the worst-case scenario was staring us in the face. Or the ear.

Let me take a minute here. Di and I have it very lucky in Evanston. We’re literally minutes away from my brother’s family, my partner’s family, Di’s extended family, and scads of friends. Like Kitty. Who rushed over to take Elijah duty while we scampered back downtown to Northwestern.

Long story short. Diana was leaking fluid in her inner ear (causing nerve damage) and her doctor had to operate on her to save any chance of her hearing again. To emphasize the severity of the situation, the doctor drove into Chicago, on his day off, and booked an O.R. before we really had a chance to enjoy the blood and guts of the emergency room.

Well, operation #2 was hitchless. Diana’s feeling half as bad as she did two days ago, which is like saying she’s experiencing half a punch in the face. We won’t know if she’ll be able to hear for a couple weeks. She’s stuck in the hospital for a few days for observation. I’m at home, away from the love of my life, taking care of the other love of my life. No, not Grover. Elijah. Sheesh.

p.s. Diana’s dad, Don took over dad duties today so I could be at the hospital with Di. He’ll be the official husband/dad until Di gets on her feet or I get fired.

2 comments:

TeacherRefPoet said...

Oh, man, Rick. We're all pulling for all of you.

Fygar said...

Dude, I cannot imagine. . . Everybody in Minneapolis sends you the all the good vibes they can muster.