My Older Brother had his gall bladder removed

My vision has gone all screwy

A spinal tap intended to test for problems with my vision left me in severe pain

My Dad passed away

7-Nov: Older brother checked himself into the ER and I drove up to be with him.

8-Nov: Older brother is diagnosed with a septic gall bladder. It is removed in a larger-than-planned surgery during the wee hours between Thursday night and Friday morning.

9-Nov: Older brother is recovering from surgery. I drive Dad to dialysis, drop him off, then go back to be with my older brother recovering in the hospital. My Dad called me to pick him up fro dialysis and then needed to be taken to the ER (same hospital as my older brother). Trying to work from the hospital, I notice my vision starts to get wobbly when looking to the far right.

10-Nov: Marine Corps’ Birthday. Diagnosed that Dad has a blood infection.

11-13-Nov: Older brother is still recovering. Dad worsening as they try to find a hospital that can work on him. My range of clear vision narrows, like looking through a glass cylinder or wearing a VR head set that doesn’t track properly. No time to get it checked out.

14-Nov: Older brother is discharged from hospital but has to arrange a ride from a friend because Dad is being moved to UMMC Trauma ward. This is the last time I drive and it was dangerous. Talking to him in Trauma is the last time I heard my Dad’s voice. After Dad is settled in, my little brother helps me check in to the VA ER next door in case this vision thing might be a stroke or something. Diagnosed that one eye isn’t tracking fully with the other. No idea why, though.

15-Nov: Doctors are giving Dad a chance to build up his strength before big procedure. I am admitted, get a room, and get tested using CT, MRI, and Lumbar Puncture (also known as a spinal tap) since my vision issues can be indicative of something serious. In the wee hours between Thursday night and Friday morning, severe pain in my left shoulder and left arm begins. Though it fluctuates with different techniques, nothing makes it go away for a week. After being moved to another room at 3am, I tie a knot in a towel and cram it under my should so that I can sleep.

16-Nov: Pain. Couldn’t call my Dad before surgery because I was at an ophthalmology appointment for several hours where there is no reception. Dad’s surgery begins. Additional testing performed on me with no results and no pain management. I left Baltimore VA hospital to wait with my wife and little brother at UMMC. Dad’s eleven-hour surgery concluded. Dr. Tour is a wizard. They have plans to go back into surgery after a few days to recover. We visit Dad and he is non-responsive, but well-cared for. Little brother stays the night. Wife takes me to her parents’ house where there is an adjustable bed, heating pad, other miracles of modern medicine. Doing her own research, wife learns that the pain is the atypical presentation of a response to the lumbar puncture.

17-Nov: While my wife and I are working with VA medical and working out ways to take turns looking after Dad, we got a call from my little brother that he passed away. Family came from all over to be with us and to see him in the hospital. The aunties, who were already helping immensely, stepped up to help more. I checked into Baltimore VA ER for pain. No new solutions. Still in pain.

18-21-Nov: Pain management at wife’s parents’ house. I write something to read at the funeral.

21-Nov: Family has strep. Pain is reduced.

22-Nov: Thanksgiving. Family still has strep.

23-28-Nov: Pain is all but gone. Finally came home after a super helpful stay at in-law. Wife and I talk to uncles and aunties and write the body of the program together. Funeral planning, medical testing, back to work. Apparently I am super healthy, infection-free, and tumor-less but humorous. Yay. But still no explanation for vision.

28-Nov: Working from home. Vision is worse than ever. Plans to metro in once a week or so.

6-Dec: Dad’s viewing

7-Dec: Dad’s funeral