Theyre going to move me from ICU into a step down room later today and keep me for a few more days before discharging me. I’m still having diarrhea, but the frequency and volume has gone down, I can move around on my own again, and my vitals are stable. The hospital’s lab work hasn’t been able to identify a cause, but the doctor I talked to this morning thinks it’s possible I caught viral gastroenteritis on the train.
Apparenly the Padres won the game I would’ve been at last night, so I’m a little disappointed I missed it - missing a Padres win is like missing Halley’s Comet.
Sounds like good news. Just to carry through here, I’m going to ask that, if you’re up to it, you post a picture of yourself in your current state. I hope you realize how interesting this is for the rest of us, considering the build up.
And I hope you realize that I, for one, won’t be laughing about this until you’re able to. Get better soon!
Yeah, much appreciated. Seriously, I thought I was deeply commited to Italian beef sandwiches and pizza, but you’ve taken it to a death-defying level. Much respect to you!!!
Thanks to Folly for dropping off my suitcases at the hospital. After two days of lying in a bed I can’t get out of, bare-ass naked except for a hospital gown and a sanitary pad under my backside so I don’t mess the bed, and a tube up my butt to drain the stuff constantly flowing out of it, it’s nice to be able to wear my own clothes and move around comfortably while the rest of this passes.
I’m not sure if they’re going to discharge me tomorrow or the day after, but they’re going to set me up with a discount rate for one night at a hotel nearby so I can book a flight home without having to spend same-day fares. I don’t think I’m going to be going after any rich foods or trying to get any more adventuring in, but I think I might still be able to use my citypass to see the Field if time permits.
My pleasure. I got to have my own mini cross loop adventure. And now I know which of the like 10 northwestern buildings houses patients, which is useful.
As far as I’m concerned I’m fully recovered and ready to be discharged, but the doctor is insistent that my potassium levels go up first. I’m supposed to be back at work on Tuesday, so I really hope he doesn’t keep dragging his heels on this.
They’re finally discharging me. They got me a discount hotel room around the corner for the night and I’m catching a plane back home tomorrow. Turns out I tested positive for rotavirus, which usually is only this severe with little kids, so I guess I just got unlucky.
Thus ends the saga of how my 4 nights in Chicago turned into 3 nights with a 6-night extended tour of the set of ER. I’ll have to come back another time to do the stuff I missed out on before.
As for my last night in town, I’m playing it safe and grabbing some Taco Bell.
You were in the hospital of my birth, many long decades ago (likely many other dopers born there, as well. Well, actually now it’s a pavilion of the hospital).
I’m glad that you’re out of the hospital (and that they figured out what happened), and keeping my fingers crossed that you’ll be home safely tomorrow.
As per your request, I have safely returned to WA.
Stay tuned next year for Smapti Goes To Chicago 2: Electric Boogaloo!
PS: Chicago dogs suck, there’s way too much cold stuff on them and Vienna Beef franks are small and inferior to Nathan’s or Hebrew Nationals, and I will fight EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU on this hill, I’m sticking with chili cheese dogs or Seattle dogs from now on
We only sell the Chicago dogs to tourists. And the upside down, sauce on top pizzas. The beef sandwiches, we eat those.
For trip two, come in the summertime, I guess. And avoid the train, I guess, too.
I like a deep dish pizza every once in a while. Maybe 3-4 times a year when I was in the area, but yeah, barely ever ate chicago style hotdogs. I’d get it without tomato and then eat the pickle separately and enjoy it well enough though.
That is a sensible way to enjoy them. My local stand (and a number of the famous stands like Gene & Jude’s and Jimmy’s) never did the “7 ingredient Vienna Beef” style. Just mustard, onion, relish (not neon green), pickle spear, on a plain bun (not poppyseed; no celery salt.) And I would take off that pickle spear and eat it separately. Oh, and I would add sport peppers to it. But every once in awhile I get the whole shebang at places that do the Vienna-approved 7-ingredient style.
I’ll be honest: a Vienna beef dog is one of my favorite light lunches in the world, with whatever toppings you want to put on it. I don’t like the bigger ones. I like the 10-to-1s, natural casing only. Steamed. The only hot dog I’ve had that I like as much or better are Sahlen’s dogs from Buffalo, as served at Ted’s, but those I like grilled. Hebrew National is fine, but skinless. Nathan’s I haven’t had one of their natural casing dogs, so I can’t judge. Their skinless is tasty enough. A Sabrett’s dirty water dog is fine by me, too. But if it’s not natural casing, it’s not going to be top-tier in my book. YMMV. Gotta have that snap. (It’s been about a dozen years, but the one time I had a Seattle dog out there, I do have to say, it was quite a nice experience.)
Seriously, I thought I was deeply commited to Italian beef sandwiches and pizza, but you’ve taken it to a death-defying level. Much respect to you!!!