Ok, ok. Technically, she didn't manage to hit 104. She actually topped out at 103.7. Lousy for music and for the human body. Great for service in the ER, though. If you ever want to see nurses and doctors scurry around go in with a high fever.

And don't forget to mention that you're already scheduled for gall bladder surgery the next week. That helps, too.

So does the slurred speech.

What doesn't help is being confrontational with the nurses. Here's just a taste:

Why are you putting in an IV?

To keep you hydrated.

Does that mean I'm not going home.

You're probably not going home tonight.

But I want to go home. You're mean.

Sorry, I'm a realist.

I'm going to write a letter.

My name is S-H-A-N-D-Y. (This is from the mid-30s guy working across Amy from the real Shandy. No, the real Shandy did not stand up.)

Hey! (From Shandy, still not standing up.)

Don't worry, she won't remember. (Mr. Not-Shandy)

Maybe not the name, but you're the only bald nurse here. (Amy, also not Shandy)

Ouch. (Mr. Bald-Not-Shandy)

Sorry. I'm a realist. (Amy)

So you can see it was a laugh riot. Never mind Amy had been feverish since Sunday night. My attempt at playing doctor had failed ("Go take a bath."), but she stuck it out until I got home around 5pm Monday night. In a scene reminiscent of Amy's meningitis bout I found her denying she was sick, but clearly not doing well.

We dropped the kids with Amy's parents at a Park and Ride, stole their car, and drove to the Virginia Mason ER in Seattle. We circled for a bit looking for parking, but wound up in the garage at the bottom the hill. Amy instructed me to remind her that it's not ok to walk up a big hill to the ER next time she suggests it is.

We've already covered the ER staff's great response and Amy's harassment of the team so we'll skip directly to the diagnosis.

Well, we would if there was one. Turns out it isn't related to the gall bladder thing. Probably. Maybe. So there was no emergency surgery and nothing else to really do. They gave her a bundle of drugs including everyone's favorite, delotid, and cranked her IV all the way open, but decided only to admit her into the hospital.

I got home to relieve Amy's parents about 1:15am and was home through Friday morning watching first the kids (until Amy came home in the afternoon on Wednesday) and then Amy.

Right now she's doing much, much better. She's handled the girls for most of today with only a little outside help (thanks Michelle) and had a bunch more tests run. We go back in tomorrow (Saturday) to see the results.

The gall bladder surgery has been postponed for a week to make sure she's actually well enough to get ill again.