THE WAITING PLACE...

...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

These words written by Dr. Seuss kept running through my head yesterday as I had the longest waiting day of my life.

Let me start at the beginning. I have been sick for a month now. It all started out with the flu and progressed to the point where I lost my voice - remember that post? (read it here if you want to). I had a cough and a cold and then finally at the beginning of last week I started to feel better. YEAH!!! Well that was until the middle of the week when I got a pain in my chest. It felt like someone was sitting there no matter what I did. I started to think that my infection had moved to my lungs, but since my cough was getting better I thought it would go away in a few days. Then yesterday morning, when I went to hang up some clothes on the line, I realized that I was short of breath. I decided to take myself to the Medical Clinic and see a doctor. Maybe I have walking pneumonia or something.

Here is where the waiting begins.

It was a Saturday - they don't do appointments on Saturdays just walk-ins. That's fine I can wait while Madi was at a birthday party. I dropped her off and drove to the shopping center where the Medical Center is located. Soon all the people who were there before me had gone in to see the doctor and then a few started going in that had come after me. I inquired at the desk - I had been there an hour and a half by now. She said that I hadn't told her I had come back. WHAT?!!! I hadn't left. I was sitting quietly reading my book. She said I was next and kept apologizing. I will admit I was upset now.

I finally got in to the room to see the doctor and he asked me why I was there. I explained my history and he listened to my lungs. Then he gave me a blow. You don't have an infection. I think you have a collapsed lung. Your right upper lobe isn't filling all the way with air. You must get an x-ray TODAY!!! Unfortunately radiology here closed at 12. It was 12:30 now. I had to go to the ER. This is where my frustration began - if only they had gotten me in when they should of I would have saved myself so much time.

I called Kev, and yes there were tears. I was scared. A collapsed lung? How does that happen. Luckily for us Charlotte was home and came to watch the kids. Madi is still at her b-day party and I arranged for a mom to bring her home.

We went to the ER. Needless to say I spent six hours at the ER. They did a chest x-ray - everything was clear. WHEW!!! That was a relief. However, still a mystery as to the pain in my chest and the shortness of breath. I do have a family history of heart disease. Then came an EKG and blood work, and a lot of waiting. That was scary. They were ruling out a heart attack even though my only risk factor is family history. Waiting for results and wondering if something is really wrong is not fun. Everything came back normal and it was diagnosed that the cartilage between my ribs and sternum are inflamed. Due to my being sick for so long. Rest and pain meds is all I need.

While it was comforting to know that I was okay, it was a frustrating day. The waiting place is no fun. Kev missed the broadcast of the priesthood session at the Stake Center and Charlotte, bless her heart, missed a party. On the bright side it happened on a day when we had nothing to do for most of the day. On a Saturday when Kev was home. And nothing is really wrong.

Today we were supposed to go to the Stake Center and watch the Conference broadcast. We decided to sit at home and listen to it on-line instead. It is nice to sit around listening to prophets and apostles and realize how blessed I really am.