Final health update for a while

So I went to the specialist (OBGYN) last Thursday for a follow-up visit to my stint in the ER.

All went well, and from the exams given, everything seemed normal to the doctor. I have to get another ultrasound in 6-8 weeks to make sure everything is cleared up & to make sure I don't have anything else going on down there. I've got 2 weeks for results of the lab tests taken while I was at the doctor. I'll hear back in the mail (if the test shows nothing) or on the phone (if it's something serious). Let's hope for some mail!

I'm feeling better, which isn't saying much, as I don't think I've been in as much pain since my last knee accident/injury in 2002. I played softball yesterday without pain, so I'm well on my way to being back to normal.

Thanks for all the well wishes and notes, it's appreciated. :)

Movies in the Park

So, the Chicago Outdoor Film festival officially kicked off it's 2007 season last night at Butler Field in Grant Park. Each summer, the Chicago Park District sets up a huge movie screen & shows old movies every Tuesday night at sun down.

This year's kick-off movie was "Young Frankenstein" directed by Mel Brooks & starring Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle. Now, maybe it was the build-up that ruined it for me, or the fact that I had caught glimpses of it on television a couple of times & didn't like it, but I didn't really care for the movie, nor did I appreciate it's humor. This makes me a little mad, as if I'm missing out on something great or something. "One of the funniest movies ever made," Richard Roeper said as he was introducing the movie. "It's still funny because the humor is timeless. Funny is funny, that doesn't change over time." Oh great, even more build up, thanks Dick.

In any case, here are the few issues I had with the film:

--Peter Boyle plays the monster that Dr. Frankenstein creates, using an abnormal brain (thanks to Igor). For whatever reason, I couldn't get past thinking that the monster was similar to someone with a disability. Unable to speak, he was yelled at for not responding to people. Once he was captured by the townspeople after the variety act put on by he and Dr. Frankenstein, he was chained up like an animal. I can understand the people being afraid of this 7 1/2 foot monster, but chaining him up (in what appeared to be pretty weak chains, as he immediately broke out of them after choking the guard).

--Although it seemed inevitable, it still angered me a bit to see that Dr. Frankenstein got it on with his female assistant Inga (played by Teri Garr). Dr. Frankenstein left behind, his financier, errr, his fiancée when he came to Transylvania.

--Finally, when Dr. Frankenstein's fiancée came to visit him, a very awkward scene quickly emerged. The mosnter had gotten loose & was drawn to the sound of music, either being played or sung. Well, wouldn't you know it, the fiancée lady was singing & the monster heard it, so he followed the sound. Eventually, he made his way into wherever she was, and while I know it wasn't meant to appear this way, it seemed as if the monster had forcefully taken advantage of her. You can even hear her struggling a bit, but then all of a sudden she breaks into song. Hooray! She's not being raped, she likes it! (A similar scene ends the movie, only between Dr. Frankenstein & Inga. Not quite as bad, but still made me a little uncomfortable).

All of that aside, I really appreciate that this is something different to do in Chicago. I love being able to sit in a park in downtown Chicago and watch a movie. With the skyline on one side, the lake on another & stars up above - it's a pretty neat sight. The movies are free, people are allowed to bring lawn chairs, blankets, food, tables, and adult beverages (so long as they're served once the sun goes down & the police don't spot you). If you don't have chairs, they're available for rent for $5. If you don't have food, they usually have a couple of booths set up in the park.

Health update

As I assume most of you know, I recently had a stint in the local ER. Last Tuesday morning (7/10), I finished showering & getting ready for work to find myself crippled over in pain. There was something severely wrong with my abdomen/pelvic region & I had no idea what it was. It rendered me immobile & scared the crap out of me.

To back up a bit, I had planned on taking a half day on Tuesday, to head home to Rockford for my dad's 55th birthday/retirement party. That said, Matt had taken public transportation to work in the burbs (read: double the commute) so I could drive his car home.

Back to the story -he had already left for work, and was pretty much almost to work when I called him and suggested that I needed to go to the ER. He agreed to turn around and head home to get me to the hospital. Knowing this would take a long time, I did my best to position myself in a way on the couch that was somewhat comfortable & might allow me to sleep. Once Matt called his boss to let her know what was going on, his boss told him to remain at the train station he was calling from, and that she'd pick him up & drive him back to the city. Awesomely cool on her part.

So, anyway, Matt makes it home, we head to the ER. I can't even being to explain what Matt being there meant. I probably wouldn't have made the trip to the ER without him, rather, I'd be at home, wishing the pain away.

Seems I made it to the ER just in time (around 10AM), as later in the morning, there were folks lying in beds in the hallway. I was lucky enough to secure a room for the entire day.

In an attempt to keep this short (won't happen)... here's my day:

• Arrive.
• Submit a urine test.
• Have blood drawn, get hooked up to an IV. (My vein collapsed on the initial attempt to draw blood, leaving an awesome bruise. I also sucked up the fluids in the IV, as I had been out drinking the previous night. Oops).
• Meet with doctor, who performs a pelvic exam. stop reading if you're grossed out by girly tests/problems. You can begin reading a little later . Since they were out of "gyn-y beds" they had to create one out of the bed I was in. This consisted of covering a small bucket and sliding under my backside. Sweet.

Those who stopped reading, can continue reading here

• Pelvic test came back inconclusive, so an ultrasound was ordered.
• The ultrasound was one of the most uncomfortable tests I've ever had in my entire life. I was in a lot of pain, and the second part of the ultrasound sucked. I'll leave it at that, to spare any more gross-out moments.
• The ultrasound produced some evidence of a problem, but to be sure of them, a CTScan was ordered.
• Between the ultra sound and CTScan, I was in a lot of pain. In an attempt to dull the pain, the nurse gave me morphine. That was an experience in itself.
• In an attempt to not have to push me around the hospital in a bed for the 3rd time, the patient escort dude asked if I was able to go via wheelchair. Not wanting to be pushed around in the bed, for all to see me (I was pushed through the main lobby, and seemingly halfway across the hospital), I decided to take the wheelchair route.
• The wheelchair route wasn't the best idea. As I arrived at the CTScan room, I was parked outside the room, behind another patient also waiting for a scan. At this point, the morphine was kicking in quite a bit - I was a bit dazed, started sweating, and all I wanted to do was crawl into a little ball & lay down.
• Eventually it was my turn for a scan. This was very easy. I'd have a billion CTScans before I ever want another ultrasound.

After all of this, the doctor concludes that I have ovarian cysts. It appeared that I had 2 of them on my left ovary, with one of them rupturing recently. I was also diagnosed with a UTI, which would make the pain in my pelvis a lot more understandable/explainable (if that makes any sense).

I was scheduled to see an OBGYN in the hospital that night before I was discharged, but due to others needing attention before me, there was a 3 hour window that one might be able to come down to see me. Instead of making us wait, the ER doc scheduled an appointment for me the following day & discharged me with scripts in hand for the pain & the UTI.

The following day was awful. The OBGYN wasn't covered by my insurance, so I wasnt able to see her. I'm currently trying to locate a doc that can, so I can get this taken care of and further diagnosed (hopefully with a clean bill of health).

I've been back at work for a few days, in minimal pain & almost back to 100%. Thanks to everyone who's sent emails, notes, calls, etc the past few days. I'll be sure to keep everyone updated on the outcome of my next doctor's visit.

Puzzle update #2

We rock. Now we're down to the sucky yellow pieces that will take forever to place.

Another exciting update

Jeebus, I'm old.