I’m in the hospital.

I’m writing this post from the “friendly confines” of Baylor Hospital in Sunnyvale, Texas, where I arrived at 9:30 Sunday morning following a 911 call from Sam. The official E.R. diagnosis was PNEUMONIA, but I don’t believe it. I’ve had pneumonia before, years ago, and it always involved coughing up a lung. I’m not coughing this time. I think what I actually have is a congestive heart failure episode combined with another urinary tract infection. That would explain the breathing difficulties — my oxygen level was 80 — and the high fever, which was 103° when I arrived at the emergency room.

I don’t recall anything from that morning, by the way. Not the paramedics or the ambulance ride or being catheterized in the E.R. Nothing! (Not remembering catheterization can actually be a huge plus.)

Several doctors here have confirmed that I’ve got sepsis [read more about it here]. It’s a serious condition that develops from an infection, a very high fever and an abnormally high heart rate. In the E.R., as I mentioned earlier, my temperature was 103° ... and my heart rate was 140 (that’s not a typo).  I’m being pumped full of antibiotics and receiving excellent medical care. My only complaint? I want to talk to a dietician because (up until now) I need to start choosing my own meals due to havng no lower teeth and I can’t chew the crud they’ve been sending me from the kitchen.

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I’m pleased to report that Baylor Hospital has Turner Classic Movies on their TV lineup! Last night I had the joyous opportunity to watch Madigan starring Henry Fonda and Richard Widmark followed by a ridiculous three-hour Japanese soap opera (with subtitles!), The Ghoul from 1932 starring Boris Karloff and an interesting movie set in France circa 1790 with George Sanders. Fantastic, right?

Incidentally, I’ll be unable to include any photos with my Howdygram posts while I’m hospitalized due to not having access to Adobe InDesign or Photoshop on my laptop. Please be patient. I’m hoping to go home tomorrow! Hold a good thought …