Love

Winds of Change has a post you need to read. I almost cried.  My story in this vein is not as sweet, really, but it means a lot to us.

My wife has had a seizure disorder for about 4 years now.  It goes from bad to tolerable.  Some days we almost seem like nothing is wrong, other days are horrifying.  One day, August 12, 2000 to be exact, we ended up in the emergency room.  She had trouble breathing and had been having waves of seizures for hours.  She’s severely allergic to certain meds, and Flourescent lights at the time were triggering seizures in her, and I needed to tell the ER staff these two simple pieces of information.  They *literally* refused to listen to me, I could not get the sentences out before a team of women were yelling at me to get out.  I kept trying to say “Look, I just have to tell you...” but they were unbelievably adamant about not hearing a word I said and getting me out of the room.  I’m not stupid, I know I would be in the way, and I wanted to leave so they could help her, but I was not about to leave until I had said these two things that I know they needed to hear.

This went on for a few minutes, and I’m not embellishing here; They literally cut me off when I spoke and yelled above me.  I could hardly believe this was happening.  I’m a pretty big, loud, and sometimes intimidating guy, so I squared up and just yelled “IF YOU WANT ME OUT YOU BETTER CALL A COP.”

They did.  Two dense muscle-bound off-duty cops working security.  They entered the doorway, and like a scene from a movie, one of them raised one hand and snapped a rubber glove on with the other.  He looked at me and said “Easy or hard, you’re coming out.”

I looked at him and said “Not until I tell you two short pieces of info about this patient.”

They moved in.  I raised my hands.  I was about to go two-on-one with a couple of gym rats, because I’m telling you right now, no one was going to cause my wife any ADDITIONAL harm on that day.  They were going to hear me out.

One of the doctors and a nurse were quietly tending to Donna the whole time, and had gotten her somewhat situated and able to speak.  She said something to the nurse, who asked the two meatballs to hold on, and she leaned in and spoke very quietly and calmly, and asked me if I would consider just stepping out, because this was not going to be good for my wife.  I said, very quietly to her, I just wanted to tell you, the flourescent lights in here are going to trigger wave after wave of these, so if you could turn then off or dim them or just cover her eyes, that would help, and she’s allergic to (a short list of meds).” She nodded, said she’d take care of her and that I should go.  Donna managed to gasp out “It’s OK, go, it’s OK.”

So I went.  Glaring at the two meatballs the whole time.  Who promptly stood in the waiting area (and outside my wife’s room when I was finally allowed back in) the entire time we were there, about 8 hours.

I would have taken the world’s biggest ass-kicking that day, and I would do it again in a heartbeat just to give someone a few simple sentences if it meant that my wife could feel a little better.  Four years later?  I’d fight 4 guys now, knowing how these past years have affected our lives.  Anything I can do to make her feel a little bit better is more than it’s own reward, and volumes less than she deserves. 

Posted by JimK at 12:41 AM on May 09, 2004
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