The Fall and Rise of Deirdre McCloskey
Deirdre McCloskey suffered on Easter Sunday a perforated ulcer of her duodenum. That is, the ulcer, of which she had had no knowledge and only very recent symptoms (a fever since Tuesday night of 101.3 degrees, and greatly reduced appetite), at 5 am Sunday broke right through the duodenum, and filled her abdomen with air and with the small amount of food her reduced appetite had produced. (Peptic ulcers, by the way, are caused by a known and treatable bacterium, Helicobacter pylori, not by stress or by Chicago pizza. A lot of people still do not know this medical discovery of the 1980s; widely sneered-at in the mid-1980s; widely admitted by 1995; Nobel Prize in 2005 to the Australians Marshall and Warren, who persevered.) It was an utterly agonizing day, but it was not until late on Easter Day that she realized she needed to call her doctor (one’s judgment is not improved by agony—fortunately her roommates Craig Bivens and Kim Callis were there to urge her on to the hospital). The doctor ordered her posthaste to the Northwestern University emergency room. The situation was very much an emergency—the bacteria released out of the digestive system can quickly cause peritonitis, that is, an infection of the covering of the internal organs. It is extremely difficult to treat and is frequently fatal. She was that Sunday evening operated on, at Northwestern University Hospital, waking up with much relief at 1:30 am.
She will be in the hospital until next Sunday. The stay is long by modern standards because abdominal surgery shuts down the digestive tract. Five or more days are required to get it started again. Meanwhile one needs to be fed by drip. Furthermore, although after repairing through a small incision the hole in her duodenum the surgeons cleaned where they could find discharge, some may lurk, and needs watching. Peritonitis can still develop. Only after an intense delivery of antibiotics by drip over many days can the doctors and nurses be sure they have eliminated all the bacteria.
But Deirdre is alert and cheerful and is daily improving—e.g., walking, walking, walking around the ward with her gigantic pole-on-wheels with multiple drips in and drainages out! (The walking stimulates the digestive track to turn on—think Obama.) The nursing care is excellent, and the lightness of the attention of the doctors gratifying—they evidently, judging from the extreme fleetness of their visits, regard her case as routine and finished and successful. She delights in visits or cards any old time to Room 1132, 12 East Patient Care Unit, GI/Surgical Oncology, 251 East Huron, Feinberg Pavilion, Chicago 60611. Her phone number is 312-926-1132.
Auntie Deirdre, mon Dieu!! Well done on the timing too. Feel better. Lots of love to you and a big hug,
Susan
Written by Susan MacD on April 15th, 2009.Deirdre, you have my wishes for a most rapid and complete recovery!
Jared
Written by Jared MacD on April 15th, 2009.Deirdre,
I hope you feel better very soon. You’re in my thoughts and prayers.
Jared
Written by Jared VdV on April 16th, 2009.Dear Deirdre,
I just hopped over to pilfer your book, and discover you are sick. Do get well soon!
Ralf
Written by Ralf on April 22nd, 2009.Prof. McCloskey,
I don’t know you personally but like your ideas and books. In fact I was just reading one of your books and thought of visiting your website to find out about your illness. I wish you get well soon!
G.R.
Written by gr on April 25th, 2009.Dear Deirdre,
Written by Don for now on May 1st, 2009.I am so sorry to hear that your are not well. I too am a transsexual, and was born Donald, although I am not yet living as a woman. I just read “Crossing”, and it really gave me some insight. You and I are a lot alike as it happens. Get well, I know it’s not easy.
Don.
Thank you all for your good wishes. I’m now (May 1) at about 85% of physical energy, gaining 1 or 2 percentage points a day. One does not heal as quidckly at age 66 as at age 26!
Written by Deirdre McCloskey on May 2nd, 2009.Dear Deirdre McCloskey:
As a fellow human being first, and a fan of your writings and ideas a distant second, I am sorry to hear of your medical difficulties, and equally happy to hear that you are recovering well.
Sterkte!
-Scott Williams
Written by Burke Scott Williams on May 21st, 2009.Aunt Deirdre!
Sorry to be out of the loop–this is news to me as of just now. Best Wishes for a speedy recovery.
Charlie Abbott
Written by Charlie Abbott on June 3rd, 2009.Dearest Charlie,
Yes, well, into each life some rain must fall! It is only frightening to almost die in retrospect. At the time one is focused on being sick!
Love,
Deirdre
Written by Deirdre McCloskey on June 5th, 2009.Dear Mr. Williams:
“Sterkte” indeed! But we all need it, to get up in the morning and face the music!
Sincerely,
Deirdre McCloskey
Written by Deirdre McCloskey on June 5th, 2009.deirdre wrote (in part):
>> It is only frightening to almost die in retrospect. At the time one is focused on being sick!
This truly needs to go into that text pool where aphorisms live to be preserved indefinitely. It is nice to see that your sense of humor is intact.
love,
charlie
Written by charlie abbott on June 6th, 2009.>> But Deirdre is alert and cheerful and is daily improving—e.g., walking, walking, walking around the ward with her gigantic pole-on-wheels with multiple drips in and drainages out!
Now I know why I love you beyond your books. And that’s how I only know you. When I was in a hospital recovering from a colectomy five years ago, I too was making my walking rounds with pole-on-wheels. Oh the few that can get energy even while in a hospital. Now I can relate to Deirdre beyond an embarrassing email assertion I made to a thesis adviser a couple of years ago, that I absolutely adore that Deirdre. Indeed.
I’m sure you’re feeling great by now.
All the best,
Written by Yonathan on June 29th, 2009.Yonathan