Monday I had a rest day and Care got my apartment sparkling. My friend Joy Syncox (part of my TO support team) came to visit us for the evening. It was great for us to catch up on all of Carolyn's wedding plans and go over pics of some of her decor and fashion choices.
Tuesday I had some early tests at TGH and Carolyn wheeled me over. I only had time for a few sips of my coffee while getting ready to go and hen I arrived at Medical Imaging for my Cardiac CT, the technician said, "so no coffee this morning?"..... Of course I admitted I had a couple of sips, so the guy says "oh & then you remembered?".....he said it would've been on the prep instructions because I was getting injected with a dye. (I just read my appointment notice, no prep requirements listed...hmmm. Guess it wasn't deadly.)
After some other comical miscommunications between the CT checkin and chest X-Ray checkin, I completed both.
Then it was on to my funniest appointment of the day. Simple blood work...nope...not when the lab technician is afraid of blood. This was a new experience for me. After the tech in a matter-of-fact sort of impersonal way withdrew several tubes of blood, she slapped the cotton ball on me and walked away, saying I could go. I pulled on my sweater and almost instantly felt a cool wetness running down my arm. I gingerly pulled off my sleeve calling "excuse me ma'am" and I finally dug in the cotton ball container myself grabbing cotton to hold over the puncture. I heard the technician in next cubicle calling to me to bleed over the sink, but I was attached to my O2 tank so couldn't pull it over with me. My technician came scurrying back muttering "ew, ew, ew, I don't like blood".
Anyone that knows me, knows that the more excited others around me get, the calmer I get, because I feel I have to maintain some control of the situation.
The tech was trying to get her gloves on, grab the Virox wipes to clean my drips all the while "ew, ew, ew, I don't like this".... I understand that it can be like a toxic spill for these healthcare people but it seemed sooo funny to me. She says she can take blood but can't see it outside the tubes?! I hope she wasn't too traumatized.
After this, it was a much needed stop at Tim Hortons for us, then Carolyn headed out to meet her friend Amanda for shopping.
I continued on to my physio for my regular work out and then walked home afterward.
On Wednesday, Carolyn and Amanda planned a day of shopping and skating at City Hall, while I headed off to my 1:30 pulmonary function test to check my lung function.
I must say, PFTs are more difficult now that I'm on oxygen. When they disconnected me to do the puffing in the sealed closet, I felt like a fish out of water!
I must say, PFTs are more difficult now that I'm on oxygen. When they disconnected me to do the puffing in the sealed closet, I felt like a fish out of water!
Next I had my Lung Transplant Clinic at 1:30pm.
I was an hour early so grabbed a high protein Booster Juice and waited in the wait room. Word in the waiting room came around that the team was running late (in the old days that meant there was a transplant surgery happening, but not sure if that's still the case). The assistants came around to make sure those of us filled our O2 tanks for the long wait. When I was finally put in an exam room at 3pm, they gave me another backup tank so I wouldn't use up my own. This should've been my sign.....I was going to be there awhile.
For the long wait, I was only entertained by my Booster Juice & figuring out that I have had my phone on "Roaming" since I came to TO. (explains my extreme mobility bills lately....)
At 5pm, staff was walking out with jackets and dimming some of the lights. One lady offered me some Christmas cookies and assured me the team was still coming.
I texted Carolyn to tell her I was still waiting for docs. Without asking me, she said she was coming with my chair. What a life saver!
The Doc finally came in at 6pm. It was a good meeting. My kidneys are still doing well, my lung function has continued to deteriorate as expected, but I have gained 2 pounds and I am physically stronger. The results for my Chest CT were not in, but he told me the lung and heart surgeons had ordered the CT to follow up on the cardiovascular flows and the fistula issues in my heart. I was happy to hear they are studying up for my surgery. Again I am extremely fortunate to have the top surgeons at TGH taking an active interest in my case.
By 7pm when we headed outside to go home, it was cold, dark and ICY. I was grateful for the ride.
It was another very long day, I was happy to get home to the apartment and especially glad to have nowhere to be in the morning.
Stay warm and safe everyone!
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