Well hello everyone, and thanks for the responses and concern.
Yes I've disappeared from the forum before as many seem to do, life gets in the way one way or another. This time though it was different and why I didn't at least make an appearance.
It started off simple enough - I got busy with my arcade cabinet build project thinking it would take a week at most to do (still not done) and got behind here. Shortly afterwards I got deathly sick with pneumonia in both lungs and sepsis that was a "septic shock" (my body was literary shutting down, I was dying).
At the time I had no idea what was going on, but it was the worst I've ever been in my life. It started off feeling like a flu and in days got to the point I was unable to eat (even jello or liquids like soup) and only sleep.
Then I lost several days, I still do not remember them at all, my wife says I didn't get out of bed those days besides to use the bathroom a couple times. At that point of about a week in I was really confused, unable to eat anything, was running a 102 fever on average nonstop I was told, could barely walk as I was so weak and dizzy, I felt really horrible, and could only sleep - I finally told my wife I was ready to go to the hospital. Yeah I'm stubborn on doctors (runs in my family) and truth be told the first time I seen one I think in about 14 years (but they saved my life).
At the hospital with a few quick basic questions and the usual tests in the room like temperature/blood pressure/oxygen saturation level/etc I was put on oxygen, given a IV as I was severely dehydrated and to start various medicines, and I got moved to the ICU (intensive care unit).
After x-rays, a cat scan, lots of blood tests, some exams, and other tests I'm sure I'm forgetting, they told me what was wrong with me or rather told my wife. I just remember my assigned doctor was furious as she kept saying if she got to me even days sooner it would not have been so life-threatening serious.
Seems I'm blabbering...
Well after a week of being hospitalized a few days in ICU and the rest in a recovery ward, they felt I was able to go home if I continued various medications (some powerful antibiotics and such), and if I kept regular appointments with the doctor for awhile. Thankfully though right before I was released the respiratory tech/doc said my lungs were recovering enough and cancelled the at home oxygen that they signed me up for a day prior.
Since then I have been recovering slowly, and a x-ray last week showed my lungs were clear with the pneumonia gone. I've gained some physical strength back and can get around better, and I have only one more visit with the doctor currently (if all goes well) before they release me from their care officially.
I do know there are some side affects from the sepsis, which there are in half of those who survive it (I was told anyway). My most obvious lingering affect is a mental fog where I feel confused most times, find it hard to communicate especially understanding others (such as a sarcastic comment, or putting together what is said in conversation on how it relates - but in text it helps some). I also now get migraine headaches which I have never had before.
Talking to my doctor about it she said there are some medications that may help with it, but are likely will not be of much help. When I asked about how long the mental affect would last she told me it could be years or likely the rest of my life.
The doctor also put me on Zyban to help me quit smoking (didn't work of course), and is a anti-depressant so it isn't helping me mentally either since I was released from the hospital. I'm currently getting weened off of that medication, so is why I am somewhat better than I have been since before everything.
One good thing though is my dad's online and eBay business is doing so well (he left his 20 something year long job to do his business full-time over a year ago) that I am now working and helping him - mainly packaging/shipping most of the 90-140+ daily orders. That has been a great help in many ways, not to mention staying at home even when working, and quitting my old job that I was on unpaid medical leave from anyway (and they cancelled my health insurance after I left the hospital) even though I submitted the proper medical leave/excuse forms from my doctor.
Sad to say I've been over this comment many times to fix errors, and to make it more understandable, if not shorter too without much luck. I've been at this for well over an hour so I give up.
I hope to be a around some on the forum, but doubt I can ever return any level near my original capacity here. As
@crabbypatty mentioned I was hoping to return when I felt at a 100% but that isn't going to happen, so I figured some interaction on my part is better than none.