My sickly husband...

As most of you know, Ken doesn't get sick, unless he's really sick.  He got food poisoning on our last trip to Disney (from a Cracker Barrell) 4 years ago, and then this past summer he was real sick from a Taiwanese fruit that a friend from work offered him.  So, for Ken to be sick on this most recent trip, just wasn't expected.  And also, most of you know that Ken (being an engineer by trade) is more of a quiet, non communicative being.  He doesn't describe each detail to you or outwardly analyze every situation as I do.  So, when he told me on Monday night that he wasn't feeling well, that was the end of the conversation.  "When did it start?  Do you feel like you'll be sick?  Do you wanna go home?" were all the questions that spewed from my mouth (and I sure a few more) and he had no answers for them.  So, we moved along.  

Mom and Dad (with Andrea, Beth, Jeremy and Izzie) were running late.  So Ken took his first trip to the bathroom and returned without an update.  So I had no idea how bad he was feeling.  Mom and Dad and the crew arrived and we made way right for our photo opportunity before our reservation.  Right after we finished in front of the Christmas tree, Ken and Finnegan were gone.  I thought Ken had gone to explore with Finnegan... But then I didn't see them still.  So I called them.  Ken was in the bathroom with Finnegan.  But still didn't tell me he was sick.  I figured he had to go quickly, but he didn't explain that the "quickly" was coming from both ends!

Our reservation came, and we made our way to the table.  Ken was still in the bathroom of his third visit.  Each visit was getting longer and longer and his visits to the table were getting shorter and shorter.  I began to get concerned and knew that he couldn't return back to our hotel, the way that we arrived (two monorails and a bus trip).  I made a trip up to the guest relations desk to ask for a favor.  I explained that my husband had food poisoning and that he had been sick in the bathroom for several hours and won't be able to return to our hotel, because it was so far.  He'd need another way.  The gal that I spoke with was very generous and offered a free cab ride from this hotel to our hotel.  I gratefully took the offer and returned.  Ken was still in the bathroom so Dad went into the restroom to tell Ken about the offer.  Ken would call us when he was ready to leave and I would go with him.  Finally our dessert was over and we were ready to leave, but Ken was still in the bathroom.  I was packing Finnegan up and I got a call on my cell, it was Ken, and he was still in the bathroom.  The service on Disney property is absolutely horrible, so I couldn't understand a word he was saying, althought I was standing less than 50 feet from him, behind a door.  So I entered the bathroom.  He was in the stall, unable to stand up.  Unable to move.  He was so pale and burning up.  My dad followed me in, and I made the decision to call 911.  There was no way for us to move him, and he needed medical attention

While we waited in the stall, another guest knocked on the door to see if he could help.  He was very kind, and generous, but unfortunately there was nothing he could do to help.  

 

The ambulance arrived with a security escort.  Ken was placed on a guerny and taken outside.  We were receiving all "the looks" from other guests, curious to know what was wrong with him and if he'd be ok.  We boarded the ambulance, Ken in back with a medic, and I in front with the driver.  The driver wanted to talk about the economy and where we were from.  So I appeased him, while my husband was ill in the back.  I heard him a few times get sick on the way.   We exited the hotel from a back enterance, obviously out of sight from regular guests.  

We arrived to the Hosptial ER department and waited to be helped.  Ken sat on the guerny in front of a circle counter, while a nurse and data processor took his medical and insurance information.  He got sick again while we waited.  And no one moved.   The paramedic did what he could, but the nurse didn't turn around.  I couldn't think why they weren't moving to help him.  But I know they have to gather the information and we have to sign on the dotted line before they'll help us.  

The paramedic wheeled him down to his room and got him moved over to the new bed.  The nurse came down and said she'd return with some supplies.  She brought a bed pan and other supplies to begin an IV and take some blood for tests.  Once these proceedures were done, she left and I began to get Ken undressed and into his gown.  He began to get sick again into the basin in his lap and he muttered something... "I can't feel my legs."  What??  And then he repeated it... And got sick again... "Now, my hands are going numb."  I looked down and his fingers were like straight twigs coming from his hands.  He couldn't grasp anything any longer.  I quickly pressed the call button and the nurse came across.  "Um.Yes," she said.  "My husband can't feel his body.  It's going numb!" I told her.  "I'll tell the nurse."  

I couldn't believe it!! I looked back at him, and his lips were turning blue.  Almost more every second.  I had to take a couple of looks to be sure.  I rang the bell again.  And just then, the nurse was at the door.  I told her... well, more like shouted at her "His lips are turning blue!!"  She had oxygen tubes in her hand and fixed him up with oxygen to help him stablize.  It was hard for him to breath in through his nose.  He later told me that at this point, he was on the verge of passing out.  

Over the next four hours, we kept him covered because he was freezing.  The nurse returned a couple of times to check on him.  They brought antibiotics and a second bag of Sodium Chloride.  He was so dehydrated.  After finishing his second bag of saline, the nurse came with a small bottle of gatorade for him to be sure that he could keep things down.  Once he was able to do that, they discharged him with perscriptions and instructions.  

Within 12 hours he was ready for more Disney excitement, althought I was now sick with the flu and required to stay in the room for the day.  :)  Stepping back for our event, I was glad that we made the decisions that we did, to call 911 and to take him to the hospital.  Who knows what would have happened, if we had or he had gone back to our hotel alone.   

Now, we're home in WA again and he continues to take his antibiotics.  He's back to normal and doing his best too help Finnegan and I get over our flu :)