Let's start with something so minor.....no internet. It started on Friday - March 12th. It lasted about 2 1/2 days. I had to head over to Shawn's to dog sit for him (he and Avery went to Chicago to look at the college she might attend in the fall....really Avery? THAT FAR????). Michael usually stays home with Sammy - just because Sammy and Malcolm don't get along too well.....Michael was able to watch TV in the evenings with his phone. He always comes to visit during the day with us. On Sunday he came over and we watched a movie. He just wasn't the same though.....very quiet...left early.....I could tell he just wasn't himself. Next morning i didn't hear from him....I thought maybe just sleeping in. I called him about 10 and found out he had been sick all night. Nauseated, fever (101.5) and chills. Since we are in this Covid mess, I told him he really needed to call his doctor. Doctor sent him to ER.
SOOOO, Here I am in Lakewood and Michael in Rockwall and he has to go to ER. I have a dog in Lakewood and we have a dog in Rockwall that we are responsible for.....what to do? I hurried home though and we drive to Er at UTSW because they have all of Michael's records. They run all kinds of tests, one of which was very alarming. His white count was 21 - normal is 5-10. They are VERY concerned. At some point in the afternoon, I went to let Sammy out and decided to take him to Shawn's - keep Sammy in his crate and let Malcolm roam as he usually does. But both dogs needed to be let out, so I hurried to Rockwall - then packed Sammy up and headed to Lakewood to let Malcolm out and drop Sammy off. Sammy knew something was up....and he wasn't a happy camper!
Michael was still not himself. I can't explain it, I will just say he was "off". He knew it too. Michael kept saying "I just feel rum dumb". Words were hard to come by for him that day. He was pretty much fever free the entire time we were in ER though....and altho the doctor advised us to let him be admitted....he let Michael go home with oral antibiotics (later we were told he should NEVER have been allowed to leave with a white count that high).
It was so late when we were discharged. Neither on of us had eaten that day. I asked Michael if he would like me to stop and get something for him to eat. I knew things were bad when he said "no, I am not really very hungry". Michael Corley is ALWAYS hungry!!
We went by Shawn's to pick up the dogs and bring them to Rockwall with us - and let me say.....THAT was an experience. Michael held Sammy while Malcolm paced in the back seat of the car and cried the entire trip. It was almost midnight when we got home. Michael wasn't himself.....he just talked WEIRD. That's all I can say. They took blood that day at the hospital to send off for cultures. I knew already that it was going to be positive. He was acting just like my momma did when she had an infection in her blood. He slept good that night but was still a little strange Tuesday morning. I fixed him oatmeal and he actually ate most of it. That was a good sign to me.
We both desperately needed a shower. He took his first, then I got in. As I was showering, I hear the toilet gurgling. That means it's stopped up. Slowly the water pools at my feet and I realize it's all stopped up....AGAIN. I yell for Michael to go and check the other bathrooms.....ALL OF THEM ARE LEAKING WATER FROM UNDER THE TOILETS!! I grab every towel we own and put towels down everywhere. He calls a plumber. Plumbers are hard to find because of all the freeze stuff they are dealing with. The second one we call "MIGHT be able to get to us today......".
So we have every towel we own covering the bathroom floors....If we have to use the restroom, we travel across the alley to Ron and Lee's - bless them. I leave to go in search of a good thermometer. When we take his temp with the one we have, his temp might be 102.5 and then right after that, 98.9. We need something reliable. At one point I took my temp with that stupid thermometer and it was 91. Geez.
As I am driving, I get a call from Michael. "I have more good news for you" he tells me. The doctor called from UT and said we need to come back to the hospital ASAP. His blood cultures are positive and he needs IV antibiotics immediately.
SO, here we go. I have a house that's leaking water from every orifice - two dogs I am in charge of, a plumber that MIGHT get to us today and a husband that's just not all there mentally and needs to go across town to the ER IMMEDIATELY! What can I do? Shawn and Avery are due in at 6:00 that evening, but we find out that Shawn doesn't have a key to get into his house. What in the WORLD???? I have the only key! His ex wife's hubby drives to Rockwall to get the key.....they also offer to pick Shawn and Avery up from the airport. SO thankful.
Thank GOD for giving us the sweetest neighbors EVER. Ron jumps into action - cancels all he's got going and takes Michael to ER. Not only does he take him, but he stays ALL afternoon into the evening and lets me stay at home waiting on the plumber. There comes a plan for the dogs too.....Angie and Chase offer to meet me at Shawn's, after the plumber comes, and get Sammy. Shawn and Avery are due back at 6, so Malcolm will be okay there until they get home. Oh....but I don't have a key now to get into the house. Quickly when I realize that, I call and see if Mark (Deb's husband) left the key under Shawn's mat or if he has it with him.....he's got it with him and they are already on the way to the airport. They are just 5 minutes away though so they will put the key under the mat.
We have a plan, right? Plumber comes late, but they get the house unstopped.....Chase is going to meet me at Shawn's to get Sammy. I load the dogs and all their stuff into the car and off we go. Malcolm, bless his heart, cries and paces but not as bad as the first trip......Sammy cries a little too (I think Sammy was just freaking out at all the chaos). I finally get to Shawn's.....head to get the key....it's not there. IT'S NOT THERE! I call Deb - "Mark....the key is not there. Where did you leave it?" - "it's under the wooden mat" - I don't see a wooden mat....oh no....he left it at the wrong house and I am going to have to go and look on every front porch for a wooden mat???? "There's no wooden mat here....just a big mat with a C on it" - Deb goes "We don't have a mat with a C.....only a wooden mat" - Shoot, the key is under THEIR mat, not Shawn's. I call Chase....he suggests we meet at Deb's house....so off I go....all this time so worried about Michael and SO wanting to get to ER.....He's SO sick - I mean it's dangerous! We make the switch with the dogs....I get Malcolm home and get to the hospital about 7. Ron has been there the entire time. Bless him. Ron though, as he usually does, has made it an enjoyable time. He's laughing with the nurses, telling Michael stories....Michael is pretty much back to his old self (thank You LORD).
We get amazing news.....he is responding SO well to the IV antibiotics....they admit him....room 954. It's like a 5 star hotel this hospital! Goodness, the view....in room movies....so many people waiting on us hand and foot....everyone SO kind. We called "room service" to order meals! I mean if we had to be in a hospital, THIS was the hospital to be in! Michael forgot some things at home that he needed, so since he's doing so well, we decide I will go home and get the things, sleep there and head back in the morning. The drive home took forever because of construction .....I got home a little before midnight. I am BEAT....off to sleep I go.
My alarm goes off at 6:15....I am thinking "goodness, it's dark in here....." - I reach to turn on the light....no power. Ya'll - NO POWER. I quickly get a flashlight and walk through the house. Everything looks ok...just no power. I desperately need a shower....so I shower in the dark. Dress in the dark. Make drip coffee in the dark. Oh and since I couldn't do my hair - no power for the dryer, I cut my bangs. Note to self....never cut your bangs when in the middle of chaos and in the dark. It's not pretty.
Then I remember the power garage door. Guess I will take the Freestyle and pray it makes it downtown. I go out to move it and find the biggest mess ever....oh my goodness, we have had a horrible storm overnight. Ron's car is covered with heavy branches....our furniture on the gazebo has all blown into the yard with the heavy chairs turned over.....the table even moved and it's got propane attached.....pillows are everywhere in our yard. Then I smell gas. Our gas light has blown out....maybe that's causing it? I try and turn it off but I can't. So I call the gas company. They will send someone out. I have to wait for them....don't want to leave the house with gas smell so strong. About 10 the power comes back on. Great....I can get the garage door open! SO after the gas guy leaves (and it WAS the lamp post) I head for the hospital. It's like driving through a war zone in our neighborhood! Branches everywhere....mud, leaves....it's a mess. I get there and he's sitting up in his chair....already had a good breakfast and the news? He's being discharged! He has responded SO well to the antibiotics and he's been fever free since being there.....we get to go home!!!
This is on March 17th.....St Paddy's day. The day before my birthday. I asked God, SO many times, prayed and pleaded with Him to please let Michael be okay.....that all I wanted for my birthday was Michael well. God is so precious and has given us such grace and mercy in this! On my birthday, I get to wake up at home....with my Michael....with power, with Sammy, with working plumbing.....side by side....Shawn and Avery home safely, no-one was hurt in the horrible storm....what a precious gift. I can't even tell you how thankful I am.....Cannot even express in words. God is SO good - how thankful I am that I don't ever have to travel these trials and tribulations alone....He is always by my side and He always hears my prayers......He has graciously allowed Michael and I to share this journey and it's the sweetest gift from Him. Lord I thank You so very much. The chaos of the last week was hard.....but I praised You in it all and I praise You now. You are the rock of my salvation....my strong and steady tower.....Thank You Jesus.
Thank You for Your healing hand on Michael.....thank You for loving us like You do. Thank You for all the many gifts You give and I will try my best not to take the days for granted. They are precious.
