My path to wellness all summer was wraught with potholes and problems. It was late September and all was quiet on the Southern front. Nick was back home from California, completing his internship with the Hiscox Insurance Group. He needed two more classes to graduate from Temple University with his dual Real Estate and Risk Management degree. Hiscox offered him a great deal to relocate to LA where he would begin a career as a Risk Analyst. After graduation in January, Nick would be on his way. So proud. Back to work regularly at my store, at this point, things were getting back to normal for me..finally.
September is one of my favorite months. The weather is beautiful, my birthday, Joey’s birthday and business always starts to pick up as the masses return from summer vacation. The calm before the holiday storm. Unfortunately, we always miss celebrating Joe’s birthday as he is usually at some other city across the US or Canada, skating away by then. Towards the end of the month, something was stirring …. You know where. Seriously!!?? A lump was forming where my prior surgery was and I was having pain going to the bathroom again. I couldn’t fathom the fact that I could again have an issue like this. I put an urgent call into the office of my red headed friend. I arrived at his office and after a quick discussion, landed prone on the exam table for an answer. This is what I heard…”Uh-oh, No Way!” How disconcerting is that! I said “Doc… WTF!!” “Mr. Keenan, you have developed a Fistula”. Having no clue what he was talking about, he went on to explain that it was like a tubular infection in a vein, going from inside the rectum to the outside of your anus. He would have to operate again. The third operation on my butt in three months. Another overnight stay at the hospital and weeks of recuperation. An incision that would go from inside the rectum, severing the sphincter and continuing outside the anus as it follows the Fistula. Cleaning the infection out. More stitches, more pain, more problems. Why me?
I would need Sheree to help out again. Problem was that she would be away for two weeks and I had to schedule the surgery for the second week of October when she would return. The pain was becoming worse and worse as each day passed and the infection was becoming unbearable. She couldn’t get home fast enough. It was awful. Finally, I couldn’t wait to start that backwards countdown again. “Hey Doc… let’s get it…Please!” Ten, nine, eight…goodnight. After the surgery, I was in the recovery area and I think I woke up too soon! The pain was horrendous! The nurse actually had Anesthesia come in and knock me out again! Crazy! Lor was by my side as they rolled me up to my room. I think she was pretty tired of all of this too. Dr. Reds came in soon after and said that I would have to see him in about a week . The surgery went well according to him and he said that I should recover in a few weeks. Pain meds please? You betcha.
Next up: Coming Out