It's Been A While

I haven't written anything on here in a long time. I've had some experiences that I'd like to share. Experiences that have made want to write again.

I won't bore you with everything I've been up to. I'll just start with the more recent stuff.

The Pandemic

I am very thankful to have the kind of job that I do. The construction industry where I live was affected very little by COVID-19. And the company that I work for is even better. They have been good to my wife and I through this whole thing.

It started in November of 2020 when Cheryl (my wife) tested positive for COVID. We both had to quarentine for 10 days. Her symptoms were very mild. Then I tested positive. At first, it was like a bad cold. Then it started to get worse. I began to have trouble breathing. Cheryl ended up calling an ambulence for me. I was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with COVID double pneumonia. I spent a total of 12 days in the hospital, 4 of which were spent in the ICU where my kidneys nearly shut down and my heart developed atrial fibrillation and I almost died. COVID-19 is a very nasty virus.

I began to get well and they finally sent me home. My recovery was going very well. My strength was returning and I was feeling back to my old self.

Sometime in February of 2021 at about three o'clock on a Sunday morning, I woke up having trouble breathing. I went to my doctor the following Monday where he sent me to the pulmonologist. I had a pulmonary embolism.

My breathing continued to get worse and I was put on oxygen at home. At work, I was given a special parking space so I didn't have to walk far, and a new work space where I did paperwork. Light duty, basically. After a week or so, I noticed some swelling in my feet and ankles, then my legs started to swell, then my abdomen and hands. Fluid was building up in my body and I didn't know why. The fluid got around my lungs and my breathing got worse. My doctor put me back in the hospital and they were able to get the fluid out of my body, nearly fifty pounds of fluid. I got the news that I have congestive heart failure. That along with my chronic kidney disease was the cause of the fluid build up.

Now here I am back at home, breathing almost back to normal and most of the swelling gone. I know that God must have a plan for me, because all my doctors told me that with COVID-19 and all my other conditions, I should be dead.

So I decided to start writing again. Until next time...

God is AWESOME!