Mensis Horriblis – January 2023

George Rebane

The month that changed my life and perception of the human condition.  Due to the onset of a number of health related factors last year, including both Jo Ann and me coming down with Covid, my kidneys decided to go into acute renal failure, and I came to within one day of leaving this orb before they put me on dialysis and refined the diagnosis to prescribe the hopeful treatment regimen that allowed me to return home after three dreadful weeks under the tender mercies of my medical team at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital in Grass Valley.  (I will write more later about what I learned about our post-Covid healthcare system – it was eye-opening, up close, and very personal.)  I was in the hospital from the first week in January, and returned home last Thursday.

Here I want to thank all of you in our RR community for the outpouring of well-wishes and prayers for my recovery – I am overwhelmed and blessed by all the kindness that you have shown.  My family, of course, rallied around the homestead and helped Jo Ann shoulder the stress of caring that included planning sessions for my on-off incipient death as new test results came in.

So now the prognosis du jour is that my kidneys have a good chance of recovering after an appropriate interval of dialysis and steroid treatment – but no guarantees.  After 80+ years of excellent health, I have now been shown the other side of the coin and understand what it means to be an utterly helpless potted plant.  But today, onward!

Comments

[Gregory]

Very good to hear direct from your keyboard to my laptop.

Keep it up for as long as you can and have a mind to.

[fish]

Welcome back George! Truly the beneficiary of a hearty constitution!

May your recovery continue!

[scenes]

BUT GEORGE, ENOUGH OF YOU, DO YOU THINK THAT THAT TRUMP GUY DID SOMETHING OR THE OTHER??!! - psul

Seriously, good going so far.

A super good homework assignment, if you feel up to it, is to print the specifics of your hospital bill. It would interesting to see how Medicare (assuming that was the primary coverage) billing works out. I've been utterly blown away by that in the past and wonder where all the money goes. It isn't like they spend it on private suites or overstaffing of nurses.

[Bob Hobert]

Welcome home, George. You have to be a stalwart survivor to last 3 weeks in any hospital since covid upended our healthcare system. Am looking forward to many many more stimulating posts and pronostications!

[Scott O]

Great news! We're so happy to hear you're back in the saddle. We'll continue to pray for a full recovery and no relapse.

[Bill Tozer]

Excellent news. Very happy you are in your own bed again. Rest up and put this blog on the back burner. We can wait and know you are in good hands. Happy feet news.

[Thomas O'Toole]

How do you put a smile on the faces of 49er fans? Tell 'em Rebanes back home and doing well...

[Randy]

Welcome home Dr. Rebane...you have truly been missed!

[Dave Cranfield]

Welcome back Doc. Godspeed.

[fish]

George,

If you are of a mind…..how did your recent health issue start? Hale and hearty in December….January not so much.

Another COVID bout….regular flu …..alien parasite?

[MikeL]

I am glad you are doing better.

[Barry Pruett]

Oh good. We had no idea, but we’re beginning to worry. Get well brother.

[The Estonian Fox]

Good to hear you're back George. At least enough to move some electrons around, even if not good enough to fell a few trees.

Joe B. said last week that he was praying for you. Although you should ask him "Which way?".

[George Rebane]

fish 537pm - Not actually. Had some heart problems arise in the spring which may have started the water build-up - edema. Things really went downhill after our Nov bout with Covid.

[Bill Tozer]

Dr Rebane.

Hello, sir. From the moment you posted Mensis Horriblis, I keep thinking of that word that starts with F you once used to describe yourself. Not a negative word, not a word that means a kept man, but a word that describes how with Jo Anne, you are free to pursue your cultural and intellfticial interests. Thought of that description of you with Jo Anne taking care of the mundane things…..and you.

What is the name of that big word}. Hate to trouble you and make you think back into those recesses of your mind at a time that your strength is sub-par, but if you can be so kind…..that word describes you, you lucky dog. Sick dog perhaps, but still one lucky dog. :)

Get the kids to chop firewood and bring it in.

[Scott O]

George - While you were luxuriating in the hospital and on radio silence from this blog I re-read your post on "A View From The Eighties".
The last paragraph started to seem like a sign-off.
Was that just an eerie unintentional prelude to what might have happened or were you already getting some ominous opinions from the folks in the white coats?
And I'll certainly understand if your response is "no comment".

[Bill Tozer]

The potted plant appears to coming back. You can give a potted plant water and fertilizer, but it takes the own DNA life force within the potted plant itself to come back to live or wither.

Scott O@ 6:39 pm.

I took it the same way. Looking at the odds, taking stock of his life, acknowledging the chances and knowing the good bye is approaching. A live well lived with the talents he was given and the talents which he did not let live idle and being and living on the cutting edge Kinda of goodbye…sort of….kind of just knowing the number of his days left are less than, say, twenty years ago. Taking stock, taking inventory, what was/is most important.

[Bill Tozer]

Dr. Rebane.

A quote relayed to me by an in-home caregiver from an elderly man she cares for who pays cash for his 24/7 in-home rotating caregivers for both himself and his wife.

“Getting old is not for weenies.”