A Brush With Death!!

Have you heard about the man who prayed to God to save him from drowning in a rising flood? When he was on the first floor of his building, a boat came by and asked him to get in. He waved it away saying his God would save him, as he was a devout man, praying very hard.

The water rose and the man climbed to the second floor — quite sure that his God would save him. A second boat came by and asked him to get on — Repeat Story.

Now he was on the 3rd floor — the same story was repeated. Finally, he drowned.

When he met God, he lamented that he had prayed so hard, but God didn’t heed his prayers. God said, ‘I sent you 3 boats, but you didn’t recognize the help that was offered to you as coming from Me.’

He probably felt he was special and expected some dramatic, extraordinary help.

Something like that seemed to have happened to me.

On 23rd June 2024, at about 10:00pm I had this severe abdominal pain. One of my stomach infections I thought! Took a gelusal and a painkiller. The next morning, I knew I had to see the doctor. Just as I stepped into the car, another car stopped alongside with Dr. R my friend and one of his many dogs. We chatted a bit and I told him I was on the way to the hospital as I was not feeling well. He looked at me and said, ‘Insist on an ultra sound’.

He followed it up with a message that I did not see. The ultrasound was normal; the X-ray of the abdomen was ‘bunged’ up in the words of the physician. I left the hospital with a prescription, when Dr. R called, ‘Did you show my text to your doctor?’

In hindsight I now realize that I missed the first boat. I am now convinced that it was not a coincidence that our 2 cars stopped by each other.

The next day, I did the tests that were ordered. We added a few of our own, like a stool and urine analysis. Everything was normal except that the ‘bloods’ showed there was an infection. ‘Where’ was the Question? Even though the reports were sent to the doctor, the question remained unanswered. He could not have known without further tests.

Was this the second boat?

I continued to have pain, standing, walking, sitting, but my mind was fixated on a stomach infection. I made an appointment to see the Doctor on Friday, i.e. 28th June. By now passing stools was excruciatingly painful and that too invisible stools. The physician asked me to see a surgeon and also ordered a C.T. Scan. The surgeon on examination said there was a big growth and asked for a C.T. Scan, MRI and Colonoscopy. The C.T Scan was done and we were told to pick up the report the next day — and so we left the hospital. 10 mins after we left the hospital, the Radiology department called and asked me to come back immediately, pick up the report and show it to the doctors.

The Third boat! I could have missed it, if Radiology did not call me back.

Diagnosis -

A ruptured appendix.

Probably happened on the 23rd June and it was now 28th June. Surgery was scheduled for 29th Morning at 6:00 am

To get admitted into a hospital is a process — X’ray, ECG, Blood tests — Ground floor to 3rd floor back to ground floor — Hubby & I did it all walking without anyone including me, realizing how grave the situation was. Thereafter, once admission was complete, preparation for surgery commenced including removing the nail polish from the toes. (I still don’t know why)

The surgeon started with a laparoscopy, abandoned the procedure and opened me up. ‘Quite a mess it was’, said the doctor. They drained 150 ml of pus, cleaned and washed and wondered how I had tolerated the pain!! The physician called me a ‘strong’ woman — more like ‘stupid’, I would say.

My hospital stay was great as the Nursing staff were excellent.

I must tell you a few other titbits. The cannulas were changed 7 times as I have weak veins. Both arms have been painted by an artist, now slowly changing into the colours of the rainbow.

Physiotherapy visits for ambulation (nice word) and breathing. The first one ended in me gasping for breath. I seemed to have forgotten how to breathe. Needless to say that the heart had to be checked and a blood test and an Echo done. Both showed some abnormality.

The cardiologist explained it in this manner — a heart failure as against a heart attack. Not very dangerous it seems.

Now we lay people use it interchangeably. Interesting person — I asked him a lot of questions and about the appendix. He said — ‘look at my bald head! I had a lot of hair — God gave and God took. God gave you an appendix and he took it away.’

I don’t know what hubby, son and DIL were going through along with the grand-daughters. They took turns to stay with me along with a cousin. They kept abreast with what was happening and generally kept the third boat afloat.

Incidentally — the Billing system in the hospital is worth emulating. Every day we got a print out of the previous day’s expenses and the Insurance kept raising the limit.

However, getting discharged is quite a hassle. It is almost like the hospital does not want to send you home. Getting the Discharge summary took about 4 hours, that too after many reminders. Body in hospital — Mind at home.

I was discharged on 5th July and stayed at my son’s and DIL’s place with a caregiver. I shifted back to our place a week later.

The saga is not over — I know it is going to be a long haul though I am getting better and stronger every day. I am not going to throw away the opportunity of the 3rd boat. God must have plans to keep me alive. He will show the way.

I have written this in a lighter vein but it is real serious stuff.

• How does one distinguish between different kinds of pain? I did not and probably misled the physician.
• I understand it can be very difficult to diagnose a ruptured appendix just with a physical examination. More is required.
• Did I ask the right questions?
• Did I delay the C.T Scan? Dr. R my friend gave me a talking to on the phone for not listening to him.

If I compare this to the cancer surgery 17 years ago, at age 56 — I was alert to the changes happening in my body. I did not delay an investigation and it was detected on time.

Then I cried on hearing the diagnosis of cancer. This time at age 73 I was like a robot going through the motions — no emotion at all. Only later I realized that Peritonitis Septicaemia could have set in. I had a very short reaction time — the clock was ticking.

Always put yourself first in such circumstances — What use are you if you are dead and gone?

At the crux of the whole situation is communication — with family members and the doctors. I failed to recognise the boats!!

My biggest lesson –

Life is a gift.

Unwrap it with

Gratitude and Love.

Thank you God and to everyone who kept the 3rd boat afloat with thought, prayers, word and deed.