The Holiday season was flying by and the business had survived another crazy season. I was also surviving a very special season. Recuperating from the Bone Marrow Transplant was grueling yet satisfying as every day was a milestone of sorts. I was so appreciative of my doctors, my family, my employees and everyone who had a hand in my well being and making it this far. My appetite was getting better as well as my ability to taste some foods again. Heaven. The main medication that I was on, Cyclosporine, tasted as bad as you can imagine and crushed my taste buds. As time went on I got more used to it. I still had to quarantine a bit and wear a mask if I was venturing out though. The holiday festivities were changing gear. The weekend between Christmas and New Years Eve was pretty mild weather wise and some fresh air would be very welcome. Lori had ordered pizza for dinner that Saturday evening and I really wanted to pick it up. I hadn’t driven my car in so long and this would be the perfect chance. The first ride in my beautiful dark green Cadillac STS sedan. The shopping center was right around the corner. An easy first attempt behind the wheel since July. I was on my way! A quick stop at the Super Fresh for milk and some drinks and then the Pizzeria for a couple pizzas. I had a hard time eating pizza. The texture and taste were awful for a chemo palate. So be it.
I couldn’t spend too long in the supermarket. Had to be in and out. Too many people and too many germs. Grabbed the milk and a few other things we needed and almost made it out. ALMOST MADE IT OUT! THERE IT WAS. STARING ME IN THE FACE. MY FAVORITE! THE SUPER FRESH SALAD BAR! I LOVED THAT SALAD BAR! As I inched closer and closer, drawing me like a magnet. I kept thinking “No Way”. The thing was a mess. Not serviced well because, well, it was the weekend between Christmas and New Years. I was so hungry. It would be my usual. Romaine lettuce, Seafood salad, Three bean salad, green peppers, chi chi beans, croutons, bean sprouts, red roasted peppers, bacon bits and ranch dressing. Like clockwork. Always the same, for years. It was so delicious. I couldnt wait to get home! The last time that I had my special salad was probably seven or eight months prior. Let me get the pizzas and get home. Was I supposed to be watching my diet? Was I supposed to not be eating fresh or raw vegetables? Was this the worst time to be eating from a salad bar? Yes…Yes…and Yes. Whatever. It was happening!
When I got home Lori looked at me like I was crazy. I immediately began to chow down on that sucker. It actually tasted so good, I couldn’t believe how good it was and how much I missed this simple thing. When I was done, there wasn’t a morsel left in the plastic container. It was a beautiful thing. I had a full belly and a bit of contentment for once. Nick loved his pizza and he was all red faced and sleepy. Time for a quick bath and snuggle with the boys to get them ready to go to sleep. Then some TV time with Lor and an early off to bed. My first solo venture in six months, literally two blocks in the Caddy. Woohoo! It went all downhill from there.
It started very early in the morning. A very intense, sharp, gnarly type pain in my abdomen. It was getting worse by the minute. Almost unbearable. I had developed a fever and I was extremely nauseous. I couldnt make to the toilet fast enough either and was exploding as well as bleeding. This was bad. The call to Dr. Daves office was quick as well as the ride to the city would be. I was rushed right up to the 15th floor, into my corner isolation room 1515 with the clock tower view. The preliminary diagnoses was GVHD. Severe attack on my digestive system. Life endangering symptoms that needed immediate treatment. This was scary. The IV bags came pouring.in. Massive amounts of steroids to quell the attack on my system. Bloodwork upon Bloodwork to rush to the labs. Only problem, all of the primary docs were on vacation! Deja Vu…Labor Day weekend. Deja Vu …Bone Marrow Transplant. The pain meds that they were pumping in to me helped but they don’t alleviate the fear of the unknown. It happened so quick. Very unusual. I hated steroids. This was the treatment though. Steroids to reduce the inflammation and control the disease. Or hope to get it under control. The blood testing wouldn’t be ready until Monday, the next morning. The painkillers helped somewhat and I needed to sleep. The intense pain all night and day was draining me. The anxiety too.
It was a strange turn of events though. I wasnt having any issues with GVHD at that point. Very strange. Lori went home to the boys, I would call with results in the morning. Here I was, back in the bubble again. Time to sleep.
About eight am my door flew open and a huge flurry of action was whirling around me. Four nurses, grabbing IV bags, switching them all around. Adding and subtracting new bags….quickly! The on call Doc came in and asked if I wanted the good news or the bad. Don’t play with me, WTf is going on? Good news…you don’t have GVHD…bad news… you have Salmonella Food Poisoning! The bags of steroids were coming down and bags of heavy antibiotics were going up! Apparently this was a bad situation. Very bad, with my severely non vaccinationed immune system getting attacked. Then the questions. Where did you eat last? What did you eat? A supermarket salad bar? What were you thinking? Calls were made to the CDC and FDA. This was serious. Request for the food container turned out to be helpless. I had eaten every morsel in the bowl. No evidence. The antibiotics would not be completed until the end of the week. Better safe than sorry. The runs to the bathroom were frequent and fast. I was entertaining both ends of my body with waterfalls of really bad stuff. Hopefully, this would subside and my immune system would win it out.
So since I was down and out for the time being, New Years would be spent alone in my bubble. The dinner menu had hot dogs and hamburgers on it , special New years fare to enjoy and watch the fireworks from my window. Not in my condition. I didnt even want to look at food. It was very depressing. I wanted to be at home hugging my wife and kids. Kissing them at Midnight and wishing that there would be many more Happy New Years! Not this year. I would miss the special party we had planned. Just needed to get better again and get the hell out! My family contacted an attorney to handle the situation with the market. This was one messed up situation. I could have died. The food in the salad bar was found not to have been turned properly, stored properly and kept at the wrong temperatures. I was seen on store video making my salad and being clean. Making my purchase and leaving the store. The settlement was quick, but small. Just an acknowledgement to their mismanagement and responsibility on making me sick. I appreciated the apology and acknowledgement of fault. I could have died. We didn’t want that.
This was a huge scare to my family and myself. I needed to be more vigilant. Another week in the hospital was just a drag. Salmonella food Poisoning is no joke. Especially when you’re in my condition. Time to stiffen up the controls. Winters coming.
Next up: Getting Back in the Groove.