Serious As a Heart Attack

I was just reading the blog Something wicKED This Way Comes..., and saw Ked scored three bluckies from drugstore chain Walgreen. In case you haven't heard, Walgreen is offering relatively realistic looking skeletons for just $30 a piece.

I've been keeping an eye out on my local stores, regularly making the rounds but to no avail. They only started putting the candy out. I had intended to go ask store personnel on my next go-round if they had them in the back and that I'd be willing to buy them all up, but I got sidetracked.

While working on the finishing touches of my Secret Reaper gift, my head started buzzing really loud and a short time later I became feverish. My chest then felt constricted and I was all dizzy. Being a typical guy I ignored it and continued working, but did monitor my blood pressure which was pretty elevated. All day long these feelings came in waves and though I thought the possibility of a heart attack was there, I continued to ignore the advice of others to get checked out. But when my blood pressure hit 213/157 I decided I better go to the hospital.

The paramedics gave me a shot of nitroglycerin under the tongue, which does wonders for slowing down your heart rate, but also gives you a blistering headache. The ER staff at the local hospital was wonderful (and they have Internet access for patients at each bed!) and after a battery of tests it appeared I wasn't having a heart attack after all. However, my temp was 103 degrees and they wouldn't release me till they found the cause. After much bitchin' and moanin' on my part, I agreed since the doctor said it was just overnight for observations.

Don't believe 'em! The next day rolled around and with a low grade fever still present, they said they needed to know why I was sick. Of course I grumbled some more, but apparently it was good they kept me here. I had a case cellulitis in my left leg and it was quickly swelling and spreading up my thigh. It was apparently what was causing my fever and high blood pressure. They said it could have come from a bug bite or some open scratch, but apparently all sorts of terrible things can happen if it's not treated.

Unfortunately that means I won't be able to leave the hospital till Sunday the earliest, or Monday. It also means I won't be able to scour the local Walgreens for the bluckies, which is probably the most distressing development. No doubt I'll lose out on this great deal (I hear the bluckies sell out immediately after being put out) but I'll still have my health, right? And that's better, right? Right?! I'm having a hard time convincing myself that's the case.