Today’s Derby Winner: My ER Visit
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (86891)
United States
May 2, 2026 8:40pm CST
The Derby winner today was Golden Tempo, which made history! For the first time ever, a female horse trainer won!! Congratulations to Cherie DeVaux, who is on top of the horse racing world with her talents!
Derby Day, however, for me was won by My ER Visit. Yeah, that’s a goofy name for a horse, but it was no horse, it was my afternoon.
Yes, I’m home. Yesterday (Friday) I had a strange stabbing pain in my upper abdomen right after lunch. Nothing terrible, and I continued on my visit to a state park (more on that later). But, to be safe, I did come on home. Because the Kentucky Oaks was so late in the day I was able to sneak through the back roads and get home. The pain was minimal, but I put a lidocaine patch on just to make sure.
This morning I sneaked out again and went to Chuy’s. Almost immediately after lunch I had that same stabbing pain, same place. So off to the VA hospital.
Short story shorter: I was there just over two hours. Bloodwork was “textbook normal,” the doctor said. He pushed on my abdomen and I got violent. 
He said it was most likely GI related (especially given that it happened right after a meal), and he gave me some new medication to use.
I was home and asleep long before post time for the Derby.
We’ll see what happens with the new meds, but for now the 152nd Kentucky Derby is over and tomorrow morning we have our city back for the next 50 weeks. 
That’s my ER room in the photo.
He said it was most likely GI related (especially given that it happened right after a meal), and he gave me some new medication to use.
I was home and asleep long before post time for the Derby.
We’ll see what happens with the new meds, but for now the 152nd Kentucky Derby is over and tomorrow morning we have our city back for the next 50 weeks.
That’s my ER room in the photo.22 people like this
22 responses
@Ineeddentures (35410)
•
3 May
Not good.
I think I would have had it investigated as well.
Hope it doesn't happen again
I got goosebumps when I read the word Lidocaine.
I had a great relationship with it for years after I bulk bought some of it in gel form.
My horse was pulled out
At least I got my money back
Hope you are well again soon
4 people like this
@Ineeddentures (35410)
•
3 May
@FourWalls
That's good to hear.
It must have been a bit of a worry for you
3 people like this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
3 May
If I remember not to eat walnuts it probably won’t come back again. Thank you.
3 people like this
@rakski (156849)
• Philippines
4 May
@FourWalls
you should put a reminder everywhere not to eat walnuts
but it is so good
but it is so good2 people like this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
4 May
@rakski — exactly! I have a list of things that will hurt (that I know will hurt, I should say), and it’s a question of “is the taste worth the pain.” 
Walnuts? No, not for the small amount I get to eat.
Walnuts? No, not for the small amount I get to eat.2 people like this
@crossbones27 (53005)
• Mojave, California
3 May
GI related, we took pride in serving Navy people. Luckily we know was not Marines Navy has their own cooks. I am pretty sure that is not what you meant, but someone had to Make you laugh. I hope you all good and medicine makes you better.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
3 May
I haven’t eaten S.O.S. since boot camp so can’t blame the mess cooks.
3 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (122336)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
3 May
Thank goodness that you are feeling better.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
3 May
People with diverticulosis aren’t supposed to eat nuts, but I had some earlier this week. That’s probably the problem.
Thank you! 
3 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (122336)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
3 May
@FourWalls You are welcome.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (59395)
•
3 May
Oh, I’m so sorry. I really hope the pain is gone forever! Glad you got home safely. Hopefully the new medication will help!
3 people like this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
3 May
Don’t go to the breakfast bar and eat the walnuts. That’s what I learned. 
Thank you, dear.
Thank you, dear.2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (59395)
•
3 May
@FourWalls
Oh, my. No danger of that happening. But I bet it was a long and painful drive home! Glad you hadn’t made it any further than you did,too.2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (51839)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
3 May
"...went to Chuy’s. Almost immediately after lunch I had that same stabbing pain..."
Maybe you should stop eating at Chuy's?
2 people like this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
4 May
@BarBaraPrz — that’ll work.
It was the walnuts. Everything’s good today.
It was the walnuts. Everything’s good today.2 people like this
@snowy22315 (209180)
• United States
3 May
uh oh, wonder what;s going on? Did they test you for something like pancreatitis?
2 people like this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
3 May
@snowy22315 — most of the things I’m “not supposed to eat” don’t cross my mind because I don’t like them (like peas and seafood). Nuts are another story. I generally avoid them because they’re too many points on my diet. However, walnuts were on the hotel breakfast buffet; and, while they’re something I wouldn’t buy, they were just sitting there and one teaspoon isn’t going to hurt, right? WRONG.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
3 May
They mentioned it, but the bloodwork showed nothing wrong.
2 people like this
@luisadannointed (11886)
• Philippines
15 May
I hope you are feeling okay now and nothing serious found on your lab work.
1 person likes this
@luisadannointed (11886)
• Philippines
15 May
@FourWalls Glad that you are okay now. Enjoy your travels.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
15 May
Thank you, I’m okay now. The doctor said “textbook normal.” I’ve had stomach issues since I was a kid, they call it “functional dyspepsia” these days.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56410)
• Canada
3 May
I am sorry for this disturbing change of plans that endured.
I hope that you can eat light maybe soup or soft foods for a couple of days and hopefully this will pass.
Try not to make your tummy work more than it has to, even scrambled eggs might be a nice change of pace.
Take care.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
3 May
I think the issue may be those walnuts. I haven’t had nuts in ages, and I’m not supposed to eat them because of diverticulosis. They gave me a proton pump inhibitor medicine (Prilosec), and we’ll see what happens with that.
Thanks for your concern.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56410)
• Canada
3 May
@FourWalls I am about to start making chicken and poussin-a traditional French Canadian dish for supper, and I could zap you a plateful over the web, that would do you good.
But honestly, I hope that you feel better and stay that way now.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174743)
• United States
3 May
I'm glad you're okay and the doctor just gave you more meds to take. (I you keep collecting meds, you'll end up with more than me. )
)1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
3 May
Welcome to “How many medicines do you take!” Today’s contestants are an evil daddy from Missouri and a hillbilly music fan from Kentucky! 1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (136008)
• Marion, Ohio
3 May
Sorry you had to cut your trip short. Hope it's nothing serious and you feel better soon.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
3 May
Honestly, what “cut the trip short” was that outrageous $5 gas price in Indiana. If I’d gone to Tennessee I’d probably still be gone.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (136008)
• Marion, Ohio
3 May
@FourWalls It's going to keep climbing too.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
4 May
Oh, it probably will, because that’s diverticulosis for you. But it’s over for now, thank God.
Thanks for your concern.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238370)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 May
@FourWalls Glad you are feeling better.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
3 May
@JudyEv — so thankful she’s doing better. That’s when I want to start slowing down, at the age of 88.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382642)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 May
@FourWalls She is home again and feeling pretty good, thanks. We share a birthday late in July and she'll be 88 so she's slowing down a bit now.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169585)
• United States
3 May
I hope the medicine helps. The things our bodies do to us as we get older stink. Yay for Cherie being the winner.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
3 May
My mind refuses to believe this “old” lie my body keeps mumbling.
@Orson_Kart (8321)
• United Kingdom
4 May
Women are taking over the world!
Sorry to hear you ended up in ER. I hope the new meds you were prescribed has sorted it out. 
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
4 May
Thank you. The meds do more harm than good the first day or two, but then that wears off.
The meds do more harm than good the first day or two, but then that wears off.1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
3 May
He didn’t think it was anything serious, especially when he was able to find almost the exact spot to press to cause pain.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502870)
• Italy
3 May
@FourWalls - Not serious, but surely not at all pleasant
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (98127)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
3 May
I sure hope those meds work and you feel better soon.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
3 May
I feel better today, hurting in the “usual” spot for diverticulosis, so it probably was the spoonful of walnuts. But dang, they tasted good.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
7 May
Thank you.
It happens a lot, but it’s in an area of the body where it could easily be something serious. 
It happens a lot, but it’s in an area of the body where it could easily be something serious. 1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222898)
• United States
3 May
I hope the medication helps. You had me worried!!!!!!!!! Keep us posted, please.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86891)
• United States
3 May
I’m hurting more from the first Prilosec (those first two or three doses are quite painful with the side effects) than anything I’m eating. Thank you.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222898)
• United States
4 May
@FourWalls I'm sorry the Prilosec bothers you. Take care.
1 person likes this
