Update from Winter Park==>Billi Pod Is Alive

Monday==>There is so much to write about to bring you loyal and faithful readers and followers up-to-date on what has been going on with your favorite Sunshine State blogger, here in Winter Park, since his last posting way back on October 23rd.

In that brief posting I referenced having a catheter inserted in you-know-where on October 21st and that it had resulted in an ever increasing amount of blood in my urine. Well, it kept getting worse and worse, so much so that on Saturday morning, October 24th, I became concerned that I was bleeding to death, or setting myself up for a stroke or heart attack.

I felt like shit, to put it mildly. I was lightheaded and dizzy. I Ubered over to the Emergency Room at Winter Park Memorial Hospital and was immediately admitted. The admission process and room assignment was very protracted because there was a lot of other “stuff” going on in the ER. I was finally given a room. Bill was with me, of course, and remained with me through the entire developing process.

Now, folks, I just don’t have the energy to go into too many details about what happened for the next several days, so ... let’s kinda do it in summary form.

I remained in WP Hospital for Saturday and Sunday, with catheter in place.

On Monday morning I was transported via ambulance up to Florida Hospital in Altamonte Springs so my urologist, Thomas Cangiano, could attempt to perform the planned procedure a “ureteral cystoscopy - stent insertion with C arm.”

Dr. C. was only partially successful. He was unable to insert the stent. That will have to be done later.

The catheter was removed ... Thank God ... BUT ... there was still blockage and I was unable to urinate ... so ... another catheter was inserted. Man, did that hurt.

I spent Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in the hospital waiting on my vital signs to improve and for my urine to be free of blood.

It was not a fun time, trust me. The clock stops moving when you are in the hospital. Thank God for Bill and for Dottie Harris who paid me a visit with some Gator stuff.

I was finally released on Thursday afternoon, catheter in place.

It was 3:22pm when I opened the door to my apartment. I was home at last.

I have a followup appointment with Dr. Cangiano on this coming Friday morning when, hopefully, the fucking catheter will be removed.

I have had almost no appetite and have forced myself to eat. Thank goodness for Boost. My energy level was pretty low but I was able to walk over to Publix every morning for the papers and then my favorite pizza place for ... tada ... pizza.

I spent a lot, and I mean, a lot of time on the couch watching sports on my 42” flat screen TV, which, some of you may remember was given to me by John Scott Reed aka Fabson, when I lived in NYC. Hold that name in your mind for a minute ...

One of the reasons I didn’t attempt to update this blog was because my computer had been acting crazy, especially my browser, meaning, I was virtually off-line. I asked Bill to do some research to find the name(s) of local computer repairmen who make house calls.

Friday night Bill texted me that he had been in touch with Scott Reed, who I knew was at the Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, California, and he might have a suggestion. Great thought I.

Midmorning Saturday I got a text from Bill that a repairman would arrive at the apartment in 30-60 minutes ... AWESOME!!

About 11:30am there was a knock at the door and ... I answered it ... and ... OMFG!! It was John Scott Reed aka Fabson.

Yeah .... he had changed his flight plans from CA back to NYC to include an overnight in the Orlando area so he would be with me. He and Bill worked together to pull it off and pull it off they did.

You know, it is amazing that I didn’t have a heart attack when I opened the door and there he was. WOW!!

We had some much needed catching up time and then ... OMFG!! ... he sat down in front of this ‘puter and with downloading, updating, deleting etc. he fixed everything in about 30 minutes. TOTALLY AWESOME.

Scott left around 2:00pm to drive to New Smyrna Beach to spend the night with his brother and his family and then he came back on Sunday for about a hour prior to his flight back to The Big Apple.

You know, folks, I just don’t have the words to express the depth of my appreciation for what Scott did and Bill’s efforts to make it happen ... so ... THANKS TO BOTH OF MY FABSONS!!

Moving on ...

Of course, I spent the afternoon watching the Gators kick Bulldog butt. It was a great game for the Gators but Georgia basically sucked in all aspects of the game.

I am totally in awe over what Coach Jim McElwain has done with the Gator program. The fact that we will probably play for the SEC Championship is almost unbelievable.

The World Series ... well ... I think the better team won.

Moving on ...

Sunday night Bill and I had our usual excellent dinner at The Outback Steakhouse on Aloma Avenue here in Winter Park. It felt really good for me to be out of the apartment.

After dinner we, of course, stopped by Krispy Kreme for the usual supply of chocolate glazed donuts.

Moving on ...

This morning I felt somewhat more energetic and my urine remains blood-free. It is time to really move on ...

BREAKING NEWS==>with the assistance of Bill I have been able to reschedule my next appointment with Dr. Cangiano to this coming Wednesday morning @ 8:30am when, hopefully, the catheter will be removed.

OK ... now I am tired ... so ...

THANK YOU to all of my loyal and faithful readers and followers and friends and family who have taken the time to be by my side, emotionally and physically. You mean soooooooooo much to me ... because ... together ... we are gonna ...

KICK CANCER’S ASS!!

GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod
“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.