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I had a very adventurous Friday through Sunday. I spent most of it at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison. My day Friday started out like most Fridays with breakfast with a group of business people - this month at Cook's Room. While I was there I noticed I had a little trouble getting words out and stumbling on some words. I knew what I was saying though. After being at the office until 1:15 I headed to a dentist appointment. After having one of my gold crowns (probably 30 years old) replaced with a new crown I paid my bill (with a check because that's what a lot of us old guys do). I noticed my handwriting was not steady and up to par, even though I don't write very legibly anyway, I had a 1:30 appointment with my doctor in Spring Green, so I drove there and was on time. The appointment was to look at my knee as it hurt and I had trouble walking. During the appointment my blood pressure was taken and it was a little high. Then we started talking about my speech and handwriting. The next thing I knew I was in the Spring Green Ambulance heading for St. Mary's. After spending about 4 hours in emergency waiting for a room to open up, my blood pressure went up even more. I was admitted and over the next day and Sunday morning I had about every test there was - even an ultrasound (and they didn't see any baby!)
I was released around noon on Sunday and now I'm back to the Chronicle office - but head home to rest during the day and am limiting what I'm doing there some. I need to thank my relatives, all who came to visit me except niece Kelly and family - they were in Florida and it's a long commute! She called several times. Darren and family even came from over south of Milwaukee. Ryan and kids were there as were Shelly and Grant. Of course brother Pat spent a lot of time there, but I think that was to see the nurses and care givers more than me!
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I had a bunch of phone calls and text messages and people asking relatives what was going on. I got yelled at by son Michael for not knowing until Saturday, but I didn't want him running here from Muscatine, Iowa until I knew what was going on. He came on Sunday after I got back home and we ate together at Bob's BBQ. I had to have low sodium stuff and that's my future now - yuck!
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I had great doctors, nurses and CNAs while I was there. I got to know a lot about many of them. One was from Barneveld. Most lived in Madison or very close by now. Most of the CNAs were finishing school this May or very soon after. Some wanted to come back to St. Mary's. One wanted to be in the cardiac section.
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On my ride up to Madison in the ambulance I met a woman whose son will room with one of our employees brother next year at UW-Platteville. Abigail Ruckdashel is the employee who wrote some of our wrestling this past season.
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I'm sorry to the readers who may've wanted more of a column this week, but I had to tell some of my weekend story and give thanks to everyone for the thoughts and support!
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Oh, and for probably the first time in, I'm not sure how many years I missed Corned Beef 'n Cabbage on St. Pat's day. If it was on the menu I couldn't have it anyway! I did get to see some St. Pat's celebrants as I was leaving the hospital however - that helped!