The skiing at least goes very well. It's a beautiful sunny day. I feel I ski much better when it is sunny. Before I set out on the mountain I talk to Greg from the lodge and hear that he is once again on the right IV antibiotic and that all is well. By lunchtime I talk to my mom and hear that Greg is out of surgery, that it was successful. I am enjoying the skiing, but absolutely fuming about the morning’s events in between runs. The poor souls who ride the lifts with me get an earful. I am furious! Boiling!
When I get home I have a follow up message from the doctor I called this morning (old number 13) reassuring me that he consulted with the infectious disease specialist and Greg’s surgeon, talked to Greg and my mom, and that all was set straight and Greg is on the right path again.
Around dinnertime I talk to Greg. He is doing well, but still has not been sent home. They are giving him another slug of the IV antibiotic and have given him a prescription for “expensive” orals after he leaves the hospital.
He goes “home” (to my parent’s house) that night. Late at night, the doorbell rings. It is his lost bag. Now he has the books to read, the DVDs to watch, the pajamas to wear, all the things that he had selected to recover in.
Somehow, the return of the bag is the sign that I needed. All is going to be set right, things are coming back together again. And the new “expensive” antibiotic turns out to be half the price of the “useless” one. Phew.
I did try the next day to talk to our regular doctor and get some satisfaction. It was not to be. I don’t know what I wanted, but an apology would have been nice. She did listen, she did explain, she did take her time with a very uncomfortable phone call, but she was also defensive. The practice had circled their wagons. They would admit no wrongdoing. It just made me sad. Time to move on.
Since then I have moved on and signed up with another doctor. Fingers crossed this one will be there when we need her.
Epilogue:
Greg continues to do well and recover. He is back home and his PHT levels are back down near normal. We spent last week in Steamboat Springs on spring break. He leaves for Italy on Thursday for fieldwork. He wasn’t able to get a follow-up appointment with the infectious disease guy before he left, so he is going without any antibiotics in his pocket. I guess they have healthcare in Italy if he needs it. We don’t really have a family doctor at present. No one person has followed this, so no loss in starting fresh.
Rees finished his antibiotics and came down with another bad sore throat. This time the strep test was negative. Maybe a virus this time? Maybe end-of-school-year-itis?
Kadin managed to get a tooth abcess the day before we left for spring break and right after he finished his antibiotics, but that too seems to have resolved itself. The dentist is not concerned. I’m not going to dwell on it. It’s a baby tooth. This too shall pass.
Don’t know why everyone is getting sick, but am determined that will end soon too.
