My Last and Final Drawing?

My Last and Final Drawing?

by Derrick Rathgeber

Mermaid Legacy

All of us have that one drawing that you will never Ever sell. That is what this one is for me. I don't mind sharing this drawing with the world digitally, but no one is going to hold this drawing on paper, but me or my wife. This small 8 x 10 pencil drawing of a mermaid was almost the last thing I ever illustrated. It would have been my legacy to the world. 

My last and final drawing was drawn on a piece of old note paper in a hospital in Sun City on May 10th 2009. I was in the hospital for a severe kidney disease called Rhabdomyolysis. 

Let me back up a bit and explain. I was injured back in 2008 when a 150lb steel ladder broke apart and fell on me on the job and a cable service tech. After several attempts to get treated for it, and even more denials from the insurance company I started accumulating a ton of muscle tissue damage that inevitably became permanent. I was forced to go back to work early and taken off my limitations even though my doctor didn't want me to work. After a year of light duty and office work, my parter called in sick when he was on call. Now because the company couldn't get anybody else to fill in they told me either I fix the on-call problems, or I don't have a job anymore. Thinking of my home, and kids I had to work so I had no choice. Looking back on it now I should have told them HELL NO, but then I thought It will hurt like hell but I can sleep it off the next day. 

These were no ordinary job orders, and I can see why my partner "got sick." I did two cable line drops from the pole to the house, one trench for a cable pedestal replacement, and of course the standard installs and disconnects. I worked from 7:00 am - 7:00pm in 110 degree weather with minimal breaks. Needless to say I got home and I don't even remember eating, I just went to bed and slept till noon the next day. 

Feeling completely sore head to toe, and all my torn muscles throbbing, I took my pain medication and decided to do the yoga program I had. It was from the p90x series which was too extreme  but I just did the 10 min warm up because it has all the basic stretch moves. I couldn't even finish it. I was getting dizzy, and told my wife I had to lay down. She let me sleep in the whole day, and around 6:30p.m. I went to the restroom and, not to be too graphic, I pee'd what looked like Coca Cola syrup. It was dark. I yelled to my wife to look, and we were freaked out. She immediately called my sister who is a nurse, and I jumped on the computer to look it up. By the time I found out that it was kidney failure, my sister was yelling at my wife to get me to the hospital NOW. It was weird, as soon as we found out I was already blacking out. 

Forgive me, but I do not remember most of this part. But My wife dragged me from the house to the car, and drove me to the hospital in Blythe, CA. I do remember the doctor telling me to stand up and walk into the back from the wheel chair even though I was blacking out on and off. They would send me into the waiting room until they had a room for me for yet another hour. (This was a prison hospital, and inmates get priority even though its the only hospital for miles.)

After I finally got a room they hooked me up to an i.v. and did blood work. The tests came back and my ck levels were 9,999 basically off the charts. Normal ck levels are within the 100s. The doctor thought was an error and he wanted to release me with some Gatorade for dehydration. If he had I would have been dead. The insurance company made them repeat the test and it was still off the charts, and notified another hospital to take me in. The doctor then apologizes and couldn't even say the diagnosis of Rhabdomyolysis. They were going to fly me by helicoter to Sun City Banner, but unfortunately a young child needed it more so of course I told them go ahead and ship me by ambulance. 

The ambulance ride was another 4 hours to Sun City and once I left I wouldn't see my kids for another two weeks. I hugged them like the last time. My wife rode with me all the way there and my mom and sister watched the kids. I don't remember much of the ride as I faded in and out again. When I got there they were ready for me. They did tests on the hour, and pumped fluids into me. After I found out my liver was also crashing I was terrified. My levels were falling, and climbing, but I wasn't blacking out, just getting weak and dizzy from walking. About a week into it I was told by the nurse if my levels didn't drop any more I would have dialysis. I asked the nurse for some paper and a pencil and asked my wife what would you like for me to draw for you?  

It seemed like a simple question, and I smiled away. But I wasn't sure if I was going to get better. I wanted to draw something for her in case I couldn't do it anymore. I had never been more scared in my life. I have been hit by cars, attacked, heart surgery and I was never scared, but this time I was. I never told anyone that. I drew her a mermaid that I thought she would like to see. Fun sketchy, not perfect. I had to add my swirls, and tribal designs that way she would say yep its him that't how he always drew his characters. Would this be my last I sure hoped not. Now they did take me to dialysis, and my wife said I was gone for hours. I think I was out for hours because I don't remember. They had to flush them completely, and I was not there. 

After another week I finally got the news I wanted to hear. My levels dropped under 1500, and I could go home. I was so thrilled! I got to see my kids again! I got to be home, my home, my bed! I still had to follow up with my doctor for blood work every three days for monitoring, and I was finally taken off work. I guess its true you do have to die to have your work comp company take you seriously. I never told anyone this before but I am sure I did for a minute or two, maybe a dream maybe not. But I am here now and that's what matters. I was home. 

That was much longer than I thought. But it's all true, and this drawing title Mermaid Legacy was nearly my last and final drawing. It would have been my legacy to the world. Now it's a reminder for myself that I am here, and should have died many times over in this experience  but I feel I was kept alive. This drawing wasn't my last drawing but for me it's the first of many many more. I am here still recovering, still hurt, and not treated. But now I can listen to my body and say no to unfair treatment, and fight. I decided no matter my situation I will choose my family, life, and find my reason for being here. I want to help others including other artists, and share my story as and artist. Maybe there is someone who could use it. Just writing it out today helped me. 

Thank you for reading, 

Derrick Rathgeber 

http://Derrickr.Webs.com

You can also view Mermaid Legacy 

on Pinterest at: http://pinterest.com/pin/60869032434725196/