Circling the Drain…

Hi ATS!!

It was a few days before Thanksgiving and my vital signs were heading south. I had two types of pneumonia and sepsis, a horrible skin infection, and just had my stomach removed. I saw the wash bin readied for me sitting on the sink by the water faucet. One nurse was being beyond “helicopter” nurse acting as if, “… are you dead yet so I can go have my lunch?”

It was so bad they had intubated me the day before. So there I was, a slab of meat, mouth breather, hooked up to oxygen, 24x7 telemedicine monitoring, and a ultrasound placed IV line, no solid food for several days, and no way to communicate except writing through a slight drug haze.

Anyone who says that dying by drowning in your own phlegm (all the Romantic writing movement, yeah, I am calling you out!) has never been in this situation.

I have figured something out about prime numbers and can not tell anybody!!! I have the paper written and just need an endorsement from an arXiv author to get it posted on the site… but I am dying.

F# THAT!!!

I write my sister who is flying across the country to see me before now (I.e., Thanksgiving), “I am not dying!”

The doctors put me out (a real use for fentanyl) and drain my left lung. I wake up in the recovery area. No pain. No fear of death. Just a sadness for everyone who takes life for granted.

Life is beautiful!!!

Several weeks later, several dialysis treatments later, and weeks in bed on my back, I am back to breathing on my own, eating solid food (small amounts), over the pneumonias, the sepsis, and starting rehab on walking.

I have been through the wringer, to say the least. But I’m still alive and kicking!

Don’t hold back. Tell the people that you love that you love them…

And you (…), there on that sad height,
Curse… bless.. me now with your fierce tears, I pray,

Do not gentle into that good night,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light

-Dylan Thomas, 1952

PS - The real world is getting a kick in the Jimmy’s next year from me! What have I got to lose??

Wow that's quite an ordeal you went through I'm glad to hear you're doing better and back on board!

We've missed you!

Next year is gonna be a wild ride it's nice to hear back from one of my favorite Comrade At Arms!

Let's kick their buttons!

A lot has happened since we saw you last.

I've sent you A PM for more details.

Welcome back!

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

On top of all that my phone was stolen and then ATS had its login problems!

Try buying a new phone w/service from a hospital bed barely able to talk for a few minutes before having a coughing fit. Taint fun.

Thanks for the well wishes! I wish I could split an overstuffed burrito with you and a shot of Pappy’s but those days might be in my past.

Maybe a regular burrito and some beer would work…

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

Oh, man; that's rough! My baby brother went through regular dialysis and a few bouts of intubation in his last year, so I can relate as an observer to the misery you went through.

I'm glad you made it back; may 2024 be a great year for you!

a reply to: nugget1

I am not done yet! And I am not going anywhere!!!

The real problem is that I am a business process engineer and can “see” the same mistakes being repeated in healthcare as in technology.

You call the help desk and you are not a client but a coworker! Who cares how many tickets you resolve if you don’t do jack to help! Same with hospitals.

How to fix either, and any other business, in the same position is beyond me. But I can see it.

Little by little I am recovering!

Thanks for the positive feedback! This is my first real health crisis so I am learning too.

Happy New Year!!!

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

A burrito sounds awesome but I'll pass on the beer thank you. I have a weird relationship with alcohol and it's effects are never consistent and I don't want to get too drunk accidentally and inadvertantly reveal classified information before barfing on your shoes...as is tradition.

I joke. I kid. I have respect for beer.

Glad you're back...there's all kinds of posts and threads on ATS to make you feel better. It's new and improved....


HAPPY new Year....

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

Happy you are doing better. I PM you!

Glad it's working out and you are doing better.
Hope you have a great new year.

Glad you're still around and enjoying it.

^_^

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

Hello!
Good health to you!

The romantic movement salutes you, yeah!

I also know things I'm not allowed to talk about, lol!



Also Happy New Year to All!

You have been missed around here! Glad you made through all that and are back with us.
Here is to next year bringing good health and happiness!

(Although I worry we are going to have to take the happiness wherever we can get it!)

I pray that the universe smiles upon you, restores you to good health and helps you to recover and prosper. I wish you the best for 2024. a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

Glad you're on the mend.
Prayers for a continued and speedy recovery.

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

Glad you made it brother

originally posted by: TEOTWAWKIAIFF
I have figured something out about prime numbers and can not tell anybody!!! I have the paper written and just need an endorsement from an arXiv author to get it posted on the site… but I am dying.

Might not want to tell anyone that...

Pythagoras drowned and killed his own apprentice for finding "another" irrational number.

a reply to: JimmyNeutr0n

@ATS: Thank you all for the well wishes! I was kind of lonely with no communication and being stuck in a back room hooked up to machine watching TV.

@JN, I waited since 2009 for anybody else to notice the same thing but no one has yet. It is so easy that people assume that there is nothing new to discover and politely ignore the issue (and revert to complex maths). I use a bit of discrete math and some logic to explain myself and integers… cut and dry. I don’t want to see the whole world looking for their arse with both hands anymore and still not find it!!