My Health Update

WARNING: THIS IS VERY LONG AND MAY BE BORING. Read it or skip to the very end.

Well, usually I say nothing much new has happened "same old thing" "pretty boring around here".

But it's not really the same old thing for me right now. I've been fighting the crude/cold thing for most of the fall and finally went to the Dr.

I woke up on Sunday 29 Nov and felt a little tight-chested; almost like I couldn't catch my breath. I decided maybe it was my turn for the asthma thing and decided to go straight to a pulmonary specialist rather that a general practice Dr. So, Monday morning I called, described my symptons and got an appt for 9 Dec (10 days later). I worked all that week and had to take things slow since I was out of breath so much. Sunday before my appt. I felt a little fevery and achy from the crud rearing it's ugly head again. Since I had an appt. for Wednesday morning I stayed home from work on Monday and Tuesday since I was running a little bit of a low grade fever that would come and go. Never went above 101.1.

The Dr. scheduled me for a chest x-ray as part of the visit so I was at St. Marks hospital at 8am for the xray and then the appt. with Dr. Klein. (Sorry, I don't know if I can make 'a long story short' without leaving out detail that I know later I'll wish I had.)

So, my oxygen level was really low and I had a breathing test before and after a shot of inhaler. He looked in my nose and told me I was a little congested (ya think?). He told me I had a small neck but there might be some swelling? (more on that coming later) He listened to my lungs and said they sounded good but he was concerned that my blood pressure was a little high. He referred me to a primary care physician which I haven't had to this point. He wanted me to have a CATscan of my lungs to make sure there wasn't a clot which could lead to restrictive lung........So they called, made me an appt and I was able to get in while I was right there at the hospital. A few bruises later, no clot and I was on my way home. They also made an appt for a follow-up breathing test for Tuesday. They called in a scrip for oxygen which I have to use 24/7 for a month. I'll see the Dr. again in a month.

While I was waiting for the CT scan I called the new Dr. and got an appt to see her on Monday. On my way home I got a call from Praxair (the oxygen people) and they came out that night with instructions and 10 tanks of oxygen plus the machine to use at home. Each tank lasts 3.5 hours so I need 3 to get through a work day. Well I didn't feel like jumping right in to work so I stayed off for the rest of the week. I have 50 ft. of tubing that gets me all around the house. I can even go to the basement to do laundry.

I was feeling a little overwhelmed that next day so I called Steve Riley (our U of U bball coordinator) and told him what was going on........he was so sweet. He's rearranging me out of the schedule until after I see the dr on Jan 11th.

Wow, sorry this is so long............That was Wednesday. Monday I went to the new dr. My folks came and hauled me and my oxygen tank to the Dr and then we went to dinner. The Dr. put me on some blood pressure meds, gave me the zpack for the crud and an inhaler (as needed). Not sure when I know I need it............She felt my neck and said there was some swelling, maybe my thyroid. She wants an ultrasound. She'll see me in a month. After dinner they took me to the drug store and filled the scrips and took me home.....I crashed. I got a call later that night setting up the ultrasound for Wednesday...........You see where this is going don't you? It was funny......I told the dr. I've basically been pretty healthy so I haven't had a primary care physician. Just go to the dr. when the crud gets so bad that I can't stand it anymore. She asked about some of the 'maintenance' kinds of things and I told her no I'd never had a colonoscopy. She laughed and said oh you'll be sorry you came in..........now I'll get my hooks in you and we'll take care of all those things. I told her I figured as much...........She said we'll work on things one at a time.

Next day was the follow-up breathing test day........same drill. Mom and dad picked me up and again we had a great outing concluding with lunch.

Wednesday ultrasound on my thyroid. I'm getting to know my way around the St. Marks radiology dept. Very concise and well thought out areas for checking in and waiting. I like that everything's right there. Didn't take very long and of course food afterwards. That's the best part. The worst part, I feel bad that when we're done my parents have to drive home in rush hour traffic. At least the weather/roads were good so there were no problems.

On a happier note, Jo came in on Saturday and so we all (Mom, Dad, Ann, Jo and Jack) met up at Little America coffee shop for dinner. It was great to see her. Thanks Jo, you've been a great support through all of this so far. While we were on our way there I got a call from the drs. office telling me that my cholesterol is a little high 245. I can lower that with 'diet and excercise'. They said they'll probably check it again in 3 months. I told them thank you.

I'm getting pretty good at hauling this oxygen tank around. Ann and I have a regular system down when we hit the road. It was funny at first we thought we were going to be so limited about what we could do but it just takes a little thought and an extra minute or 2 and we're off. We've been to Kaysville and Herriman this last weekend to deliver her Christmas things to her nieces and nephews. We had a mini version of a piano recital when we went to Zane and Lorena's. All the kids played their pieces for us..........very nice.

This pretty much brings us up to speed. Yesterday I got a call from Dr. Bank (pcp). she had the results of the ultrasound and said there is a 1.5 cm mass on my thyroid and she wants to have it biopsied to be sure what it is. She said usually if there are lots of little ones its usually because the thyroid is working harder but one bigger one they want to check on.............so tomorrow I go in for a needle biopsy........yay another new test at St. Marks. I'll see a different room.........

Okay, that was very long and very depressing...........Life is grand. My friends are great. My family is the best. They are right there if I need anything......I can get around and do pretty much whatever I want. I'm so lucky that I was finished with my Christmas shopping and only had to wrap stuff which I did in spurts and sent home with my folks everytime we went to the dr. It should make the trek to Santa's a little easier tomorrow. I still have plenty of stuff to haul........ha ha.