{"id":8297,"date":"2016-06-27T17:28:36","date_gmt":"2016-06-27T21:28:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tusentakk2.com\/wordpress\/?p=8297"},"modified":"2016-06-27T17:28:36","modified_gmt":"2016-06-27T21:28:36","slug":"rushing-home-may-17-25-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/tusentakk2.com\/wordpress\/2016\/06\/rushing-home-may-17-25-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Rushing “Home” — May 17-25, 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

All winter long, we intended to stay in Bonaire until the “last minute”, returning to Curacao to leave the boat and then arriving in Bismarck, North Dakota just in time to celebrate July 4 (Independence Day) with friends and family. \u00a0But then we got a call from sister Zona saying that Mom was showing fatigue and shortness of breath. \u00a0Doctors were talking about excess fluid around the heart and lungs that was making it difficult to breathe and presumably putting strain on the heart. \u00a0Mom’s condition initially\u00a0improved after getting an antibiotic for what was presumed to be pneumonia. \u00a0But then she relapsed, and saw more doctors. \u00a0There was talk of congestive heart failure<\/span><\/strong>. \u00a0She underwent a procedure to remove fluid from around her lungs: \u00a0a needle was inserted between her ribs to effect the extraction. \u00a0Slight improvement, but still a lot of fluid. \u00a0One doctor was advocating surgical installation of a “permanent gate” that could be used to periodically extract fluid.<\/p>\n

We panicked, and left on May 17 for Curacao on the same day that Mom was to see a second batch of doctors. \u00a0When we arrived in Curacao we learned that the news was good: \u00a0 a visit to a heart doctor revealed that\u00a0the problem was not<\/span><\/strong> congestive heart failure — the heart is strong and healthy. \u00a0The diagnosis was that a virus had settled in around the heart and caused the inflammation that caused the fluid. \u00a0The malady is called pericardial edema, and it is not age-related. \u00a0A drug was prescribed to help flush the excess fluid, and the prognosis was that in two or three months she would be totally recovered.<\/p>\n

So we took a week to get the boat ready to be put on\u00a0the hard. \u00a0We flew out of Curacao on May 25 and arrived in Bismarck to find a chipper Mom regaining her strength and on the mend.<\/p>\n

Here are a few pictures Barb took as we arrived at Willemstad. \u00a0(More text below pics.)<\/p>\n\n\t\t