I am finally feeling much better.
A big thank you to all those who have called, sent a private message, a text or otherwise checked on me over the past week, as I was feeling on the sick and shut in list.
The late, great Lewis Grizzard endured his share of illness and once offered this observation. “If I had known what being sick and shut in was really all about, I would have prayed much harder for them.” I agree. I appreciate your prayers, too.
I started a new medicine as a pre-emptive move to ward off a hereditary condition my mother’s family has with diabetes. The medicine, it turns out, was worse than the condition.
After surviving for five straight days on nothing but fluids, I finally found myself on the floor of the bathroom knowing I had to get some help.
The good folks at the Wayne Memorial Hospital Emergency Room pumped me full of fluids after all my electrolytes were depleted.
One dear old saint I knew during my ministry referred to them as “electric lights.”
Hers were depleted once and she ended up in the hospital.
Checking on her, she made this keen observation. You won’t find it in any official medical journal, but it is a great description.
“Bro. Jason,” she said. “The doctor said my ‘electric lights’ are out of whack and let me tell you when something gets wrong with your ‘electric lights’ — the power goes ouuuttt!”
My power was totally out.
My family doctor wanted to admit me to the hospital, but I talked her out of it and promised her I would rehydrate at home. I managed, but it took most of the week to get to feeling better.
I am thankful for my Mama who came and checked on me and my neighbors, Matt and Carman, who helped me out in a big way.
Here are some things I learned during my time at home recuperating.
• I’m thankful for the off button on the television. I watched a bazillion campaign commericals and listened to the coverage of the election. Geez, folks, can’t we please just get along? While I was getting over the stomach trouble, every time I turned on the television there was acid and vinegar and poison and vitriol in our public discourse. It was on television during all those opinion shows and at every commercial break. When I ventured out to get the mail, it was in the campaign mailers and flyers in my box. It was in my Facebook feed, too. If I hadn’t already been sick, I would have puked. Enough with all the negative campaigning. Maybe if campaign laws required someone to say five nice things for every one negative comment about their opponent, our politics would be much kinder and gentler.
• I am almost as fond of eating as I am of breathing. I wanted everything except what I could have. I tried to talk Mama into a Zaxby’s run. Instead, I got soup and Gatorade®.
• I re-discovered “Jeopardy” and re-runs of “Friends”. I had forgotten what a crush I had on Jennifer Aniston. She’s just absolutely beautiful.
• Due to the remnants of Hurricane Nicole passing through the area, we had several days of rainy, blustery, dreary weather while I was dragging myself between the couch and the bed. While I obviously didn’t enjoy being sick, it was nice to lay down under a comforter and listen to the rain on the roof. It has this way of settling my soul.
I sure needed it.
• Jason Deal is the news editor for The Blackshear Times. Reach him at [email protected].
