The Grinch Meets a Guardian Angel

THE GRINCH MEETS A GUARDIAN ANGEL

by Charlene C. Duline

For the past nine months I have often felt that if it was not for bad luck, I would have had no luck! The Grinch was me and any effort to get rid of him only irritated him more and made him cling to me even more!

Remember in July I was in the hospital and then rehab? I remember it very well.  And I refuse to let my guardian angel forget it! Where was he when I fell? How did he let that happen? I was nearly a paraplegic.  But after several months, I bounced back. Well, bounce is not the right word. Let’s just say that life plodded on.  My dear sister, Dolores, was in and out of the hospital and then hospice, and we lost her on December 5. We knew that her death was inevitable, but it still was a blow to the heart. 

Dee’s nephew charged two of us with giving away her furniture, clothing, food items, etc. A woman who works with the homeless had a field day with clothing, backpacks, bedding, etc.  It was quite a chore, especially with people calling at all hours when they were able to obtain the use of a truck, but we did it out of love. Several friends pitched in and spent days helping us clear the cottage.   Christmas was dreary but we got thorough it. 

For many, many months I have suffered from a painful hammertoe along with a bad bunion. I finally made arrangements to have surgery on February 15, 2019.  It was in and out surgery, but oh the aftermath!!! I was to put no weight on the foot! How the …..do I get to the kitchen, to the bathroom, to where ever I have to go?! The podiatrist said I would manage! And I did, thanks to Mama Gladys who spent many nights with me and during the day was kept busy putting ice on my foot every 20 minutes and off for 30 minutes.  I couldn’t wait to go to bed at night.  Gone were the nights when I read my murder mysteries until 3 a.m. I went to bed at 9 p.m. One week later the foot doctor said my foot was healing nicely, but to stay off of it!

One night I decided to order for delivery two bowls of chili.  I ate one bowl and it was delish as always.  And then I got sick and sicker! The next day I notified the business and said they could test my second bowl to see what caused my illness. They declined, but refunded my money.  Great, except I was still ill!!

I didn’t feel well the following days and I stopped eating.  I drank a lot of water, but I was afraid to eat because my tummy did not feel right.  Mama Gladys fretted because I refused to eat for three days.  On the fourth day I woke up with the room spinning around and I began barfing.  I yelled for Mama Gladys who did not hear me for several minutes. I needed towels to absorb the clear liquid rushing from my stomach. The dizziness came in waves and when it did, I would close my eyes and try to grab something to hang onto.  Mama G called Bernie to come over.  She didn’t know what to do with me. She talked about taking me to the hospital but I vetoed that.  At one point I came out of the bathroom and the two of them were helping me, but I just wanted to lie down on the floor.  I could not make it to the bedroom.  I laid on the floor and wondered what the hell was wrong with me. I asked for a pillow for my head and finally I told them to call an ambulance.  

 I was not taken to St. Vincent’s hospital because they were full. We went to Methodist but Mama G and Bernie had gone to St. Vincent’s looking for me where they waited for almost three hours before finally learning that I was not there. The hospital determined that I was dehydrated, had the flu and pneumonia, and I was dizzy and had a foot that I could not walk on!  I was a wreck!  

Meanwhile Father Gordon MacRae and my godson, Pornchai Moontri thought I had died in my cottage, and asked the police to check. Robin Run would only tell them that I had been taken to an emergency room.  Finally, Father Gordon had someone call my pastor, Father Todd Goodson who had no idea where I was.  But he soon found out and shared the information with Father Gordon.

I kept asking the doctors and nurses to put warm water in my ear to get out the wax. I had that done the last time I was dizzy and it solved the problem. Finally, a nurse removed the wax, but the dizziness persisted! After six days in the hospital, I was released to a rehab center.  I was there for two weeks mainly because of the continued 

dizziness. 

An Indian therapist said she knew maneuvers to get rid of the dizziness. I was reluctant to let her try because I knew I was not going to like the maneuver.   Finally, I reluctantly let her try and it involved jerking my head from side to side. She was delighted to show off her skills, but I just prayed that it would stop. It helped a bit. I came home the next day and I was still dizzy.  My primary care doctor arranged an appointment for me with an ENT specialist, but it was two weeks off! People said I was lucky.  Well, I guess! Plus, the appointment was not even with the specialist, but with his nurse practitioner                   

    

Once at home I thought about how fortunate I was to have friends who looked after me, brought me flowers, cards, items for St. Patrick’s Day, cans of 7-UP and candy, candy, candy! I was so pleased that I had lost about 15 pounds in a month of not eating, and I only ate half or less of the food at the rehab facility. But the Snicker bars in my bedside drawer yelled my name and I could hear them loud and clear.  Friends called and people I barely knew sent cards! I had to thank my guardian angel, but I warned him that if anything else bad happened to me that we were done!

So that’s my story and I guess I will have to stick with it. So, dear ones, that is why you have not heard from me for awhile. To my priests in prison, please forgive the weeks we have not been in touch. You were in my prayers. 

Hugs to all!

C