It was a Spring evening sitting on the patio at the Fernwood Inn.  I was with my boss and another Appraiser from the office.  I had gone home early that day as I wasn’t feeling great.  They went for a beer after work and against my better judgement, I joined them.  After the first sip I knew something was wrong.  After throwing up mostly water in the parking lot and telling them they would have to finish the second beer they had ordered me despite my instructions not to, I headed home.

I figured this may just be another kidney stone which I had been enjoying for the past 5 years on and off.  I settled into my normal routine of fluids, painkillers and appeals to a deity that was no where to be found.  It was a horrid night with maybe an hour of broken sleep.  After as many Tylenol with Codeine as I felt I could safely chew and no luck getting any relief I sent an email to the office letting them know I wouldn’t be making it in.

About 10am I finally gave in and called a taxi to the emergency room.  I figured an ambulance wasn’t needed and probably would take longer by the time they arrived and then got me sorted out.  I checked in and was given a lovely hospital bracelet and was told to go sit in the waiting area.

I’ll spare you the details of the next 8 hours but in summary after waiting and getting progressively worse the results of my CAT scan came back and I was wrong.  I had a severe case of Pancreatitis.  I wasn’t going home or to the Royals playoff game that night (Tickets my Boss still owes me for).  I was going to Intensive care.

One thing they don’t let you know when your really sick is that……you are really sick.  It took a day or so for me to figure that one out.  My mother flew in from Hawaii and was there until they set me free 8 days later.

The diagnosis was severe Pancreatitis caused by my own stupidity.  There were questions about my drinking – it was heavy since the passing of my father in November.  I was in fact just home from his memorial which we postponed until April.  There were question about my physical activity – it was non-existent.  I had bought a Norco Cycle Cross bike 2 weeks before heading to Hawaii with the idea to start getting in shape.  There were questions about my diet – It was atrocious consisting of whatever I could pick up on my way home from work that didn’t require me getting out of my car.

I had essentially turned my body into a landfill.  I knew this and I knew I had to deal with it I just didn’t realize my body would force my hand as quick as it did.

Spoiler Alert: I survived this idiocy and am on the mend but more on that later.