When "manning up" means you get laid up OR Rich's amazing Hospital Adventure PART 1

Late last year and into 2012 I discovered It was getting difficult to get my left leg into the car.  I had leg stiffness after doing my shifts at the coffee shop before, so I didn't think it was all that unusual.  I also had a little swelling of my left foot.  I didn't think much of it, being I knew I was gaining weight.  I kind of thought I was dehydrated, and frequently more water or Pedialyte seemed to do the trick.

Now in the last weeks of January, my left leg was getting progressively more swollen and started getting red.  My feet were hurting and it was difficult to walk sometimes.  I didn't really think much of it*, and figured It'd just go away on it's own.  You know, how things normally work when you're a guy.  Let's face it, if I could still go to work and hobble around, I probably could successfully ignore an actual monkey attacking me if he was quiet and wasn't biting all that hard. You know, a semi-gentle gnawing if you will.  Like monkeys tend to do.**

Saturday the 28th I was super tired. Like falling asleep in my chair at 5 pm and almost unable to function  tired.  That's not usual for me.  Even confronted with little sleep I can usually manage to get things done, but this day, make no mistake kids,  I was a mess.  Now, because I am the owner and operator of a penis,  I naturally just assumed I was just getting a little sick.  I had a fever.  Nothing face-melting, but still.  I was sure a good night's sleep would be all I needed to feel right as rain.

Anyway, on Sunday the 29th, I woke up feeling better.  My leg, on the other hand (on the other foot?) was not looking awesome.  Red and splotchy was the order of the day.  Now I know you're thinking "Rich, you're Irish!  Red and splotchy is in the handbook, right?" and normally I'd agree.  This time there seemed no reason for it however.

So, I got dressed and slowly made my way to the car.  I took the boy to basketball practice and talked to one of the Moms and we discussed my leg which was looking redder by the minute, but honestly felt better.  I want to say I was still coming off Bronchitis or something like that but the memory cheats and I should have written all this down ages ago.

Well, I work on Sundays down at the ol Beanery, and while I was getting dressed and talking to my wife (yes ladies, this is the super hot action going on in our house!  Seethe with jealousy!) she took at my now rather not-nice-looking leg.

"Doesn't that hurt?" she asked, concerned.

"Nope," I replied, sliding on my khakils, "It's swollen, but it's fine.***"

"Yeah, I'm gonna go call Phyllis..."  That's my wife's friend, the nurse.  Long story a little shorter, Phyllis said to take me to the ER where I would probably be given broad spectrum antibiotics and sent home.

Never has Phyllis been so wrong before!  Well, at least I don't think so, I don't know her all that well...

To Be CONTINUED...





* because I'm a damned idiot, thank you very much
** They really don't do this.  GEnerally speaking, most primates are right bastards
*** These, it turns out, have been officially, Famous Last Words for some blokes in the past.

McDonalds is perfectly healthy!

http://consumerist.com/2012/06/mcdonalds-head-chef-doesnt-see-anything-unhealthy-on-the-menu.html

Read the comments. they are a hoot, as usual.