Haiku Reaction
Severe iron deficiency seems to be the reason for my shortness of breath during the past few months. An iron supplement only serves to help me maintain those low levels, so I’ve had several “scopes” in the past eight weeks to determine if there is any internal bleeding from my colon or small intestine. One of them was a capsule endoscopy. I swallowed a capsule/camera that took thousands of photos of my small intestine. That provided enough evidence to suggest both an upper and a lower double-balloon enteroscopy. The lower enteroscopy is scheduled for next week. I had the upper this afternoon, which showed no irregularities. The worst part of recovery is the severe sore throat from being intubated for the procedure. It looks like it’s soup for me for the next day or so.
Meanwhile, it’s official. I’m a poet. While coming out of anesthesia and still groggy, my first thought was to write a haiku.
in recovery
after enteroscopy
haiku reaction
I’ve found a recording of another poem I wrote
as I woke from anesthesia, so I’ve posted it here.
rivrvlogr 
Sending thoughts to you for calm and patience as you go through the procedures and diagnose what’s going on. Could chronic stress be a culprit? Hoping you’re eating good sources of B vitamins (dark leafy green vegetables are one good source) and taking chelated iron which is supposed to have better absorption than non-chelated. Using cast iron pans will supplement your food with iron also. I smiled at your haiku remedy in recovery. Poetry is a cure-all.
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Thank you, Lisa. Yes, poetry is a cure-all.
Stress? That might be possible. I’ve also been referred to a hematologist.
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Sorry to hear you are undergoing these procedures. I hope you can determine the cause. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers!
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Thank you, Barb.Frustration, so far. Hopefully, solutions soon.
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My God, Ken, what a lot to go through – and show up with a haiku! Love that part💚 pretty amazing, that capsule bit. Hope they get to the bottom of it all. Sending you very good vibes and hope you can eat real food again soon!
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Thank you, Lynne. The bottom of it is next week. 😉
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Hang in there!🤓
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All the best to you for health, recovery, and Haiku happiness.
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Thank you. 🙂
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Your haiku is spot-on proof, but we already knew you were a poet!
Hope the recovery goes smoothly for this and the following procedure. Bodies are such complicated composites – it’s good these days there are tests for various possibilities – even if sore throat ensues for a spell. You’re doing this in good “soup” weather, at least.
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Thank you, Jazz.
It’s all my fault. I stopped by to see Bob Okaji on my way back from Buffalo a year ago, and I told him that I don’t really have any outstanding health issues. The follow-up to that was my PFO, and now this. JINX!
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I hope that doesn’t prevent you from stopping by again! Ha!
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Pass on such an opportunity? Never!
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Now if only the damned plague would disappear!
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I would dub it coincidence … and we do get older each day … regardless of who we visit …
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I’m fine with getting older — as long as it keeps coming. 😉
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Hang in there brother. For what it’s worth, I’ve always found all things hospital related–whether I’m the patient or someone else — makes for some fine inspiration.
Sending you all posvibes possible.
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Thanks, Ron. I know just what you mean about hospitals.
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So sorry to hear about your health issues and not-fun procedures. Having to have such tests is stressful enough without them taking place during a pandemic.
Yes, you’re definitely a poet. That made me smile that you were thinking haiku in post-operative recovery.
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I hope you’re recovering well, Ken!
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Thank you, Ingrid.
I can swallow with no problem, but my glands are slightly swollen and still sore when I do swallow. That would be my body saying, “Stop sticking things down your throat!”
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Nothing worse than having no real diagnosis for illness. The endless tests. I hope they discover a cause that can be addressed to make things better. In the meantime, the words will keep coming I’m sure. (K)
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What a week that must have been, but a poet’s reaction.
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🙂
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