Billings

After the nurse snuck me the sprite, I was in high spirits, but that didn’t last long. I was starting to realize I would not make it back to school for a while and I started to worry about my job, money and not being able to move. Deb put some of that to rest as soon as I brought it up. “So, school started?” I asked. Deb answered, “Yes, it’s been going for a couple weeks now.” “Well, did they get a new shop teacher?” I asked. “No, they are just covering your classes with other teachers; everyone is really stepping up and helping every way they can. Coach (the other shop teacher) is going to take your classes. The administration told me to tell you not to worry, they have us covered, your classes are waiting for you when you get better,” she added. “What about money?” I asked. “Don’t worry, we have insurance for that, and you have sick days built up so we will be fine,” Deb answered.

I was still very sick, tired, hungry and thirsty.  I was weak and kept falling in and out of consciousness. I remember Deb and my mom telling the nurses, “This is stupid, he needs to eat, you’re starving him, how’s he going to get strong enough to recover.” The nurses agreed, but they needed a speech therapist to test me, and no one would come in. I remember Deb saying to a nurse, “I don’t care, you’re feeding him today”.  I remember the nurse then arguing with someone on the phone. He doesn’t have it anymore; how many ways do I have to say it. He’s over covid. The nurse started to get fed up with the person on the phone and finally said, “That’s enough you need to come in or find someone who will. You will never work for us again.”

They were still running tests on me and taking me in and out of x-rays and CT scams, checking my lungs, heart and brain.  And don't forget the blood tests; it felt like they took my blood every few hours.

 I was born in Billings MT; my dad had his open-heart surgery there and I remember being very impressed with the doctor and the facilities. It was updated, but it was the same hospital I was born in. The doctors and nurses kept talking about my heart and it must have gotten my self-conscious thinking about Billings. In my mind, I needed to go to the hospital in Billings so their doctors could save me. I had a delusion that they were taking me to the airport to fly to Billings. We loaded up on the airplane but had to wait for my daughter Sara because she was running late. The fight went well, Sara brought a portable CD player, and we listened to old country music. We had a layover in Gilette, WY, where I got a phone call from my dad who lived in Buffalo. It was the first time I got to talk to him since I got sick. He must have thought I was crazy from all nonsense I was speaking, but it was nice to talk to my dad.

We finally landed at Billings, and my room was on the top floor of the hospital.  The funny thing was that no one else thought we were in Billings, but in my mind I was.