Hi, Folks. Tara here. Yes…that Tara.
There can only be one reason why I would be posting on Mark’s blog, and given the title of this post, you can probably guess what that reason is. Those of you that follow him on Facebook are already in the know, and those of you that don’t…why the hell not??
We’ve taken up residence in Room 202 of the local hospital because Mark thought it would be a hoot to come down with acute pancreatitis. Seriously, I flew all the way up from Nevada for this??
All kidding aside, he’s doing as well as can be expected, thanks to some awesome painkillers.
It started yesterday afternoon after a tasty lunch of fried chinese food. Almost immediately he felt stomach pains. Unlike my gallstone attack a few months ago, he wasn’t experiencing any other symptoms, so it was hard to pin down the problem. Since most guys are full of hot air, we figured it was gas /indigestion and hoped a cap full or two of that nasty pink stuff would take care of the problem. Seven hours later, the pain was unbearable and I finally convinced him it was time to head to the hospital.
Damn stubborn men…
After two hours in the waiting room of the ER, he was finally taken to an exam room and given some much needed (albeit not very long lasting) painkillers. The place was bustling and it took a couple more hours before he was wheeled away for a CT scan and ultrasound. Tests confirmed that the pancreas was inflamed, there was a gallstone or two, and the bile duct thingy was blocked by one of the pesky buggers.
No, I’m not very good with details and my medical jargon is way cuter.
Anyway, we’re here for the duration. Gallbladder surgery can’t be performed until the blockage is removed and the blockage can’t be removed until the pancreas settles down. No food or drink, which for a foodie like Mark is absolute torture. I made sure I brought in a Pumpkin Latte this morning as punishment for ruining my trip.
I kid.
Kinda.
Seriously, though, I’m glad this happened while I was here. Mark and I are always talking about our ‘paralells’; things we have in common, likes and dislikes, similar experiences. When we first started dating I admitted to him that there were lots of times I didn’t comment on his FB or blog posts because I didn’t want to sound like a broken record. “Me too!” “Me too!” “Me too!” It really is crazy how much we have in common, and this is just another example.
I was on vacation back in August and had planned on four nights in Seattle with my mom. My last night there, we cooked a simple barbecue and I snacked on all kinds of fatty (yummy!) foods. Twelve hours later I was at the ER with a gallstone attack. My third in almost as many months. Apparently, I’m pretty stubborn too.
Long story short, I ended up staying in Washington an extra two weeks to have surgery and recover long enough to make the fourteen hour drive back to Ely by myself. The biggest disappointment was missing out on seeing Awolnation with Mark the evening after my gallstone attack. The biggest highlight was seeing him on my way home, six days after my surgery, and realizing an almost nine year friendship had the potential to become something so completely wonderful.
Yes, everything happens for a reason. Neither of us have a clue what that reason is at this point, but I’m grateful I had the opportunity to be there for someone I love so much. I wish I could do more. I want to snap my fingers and make his pain go away. I want to win the lottery so he won’t have to worry about paying the medical bills. I know these things won’t happen, but I do know that we’ll get through this. Together. And I know that he would do the same thing for me.
Mark My Words 
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