Category: health

The Update

I live in Ashland, in southern Oregon. Events drove me east, to where Mom and several sisters reside in the Pittsburgh, PA area. On Friday, September 10, I took the redeye to Pittsburgh. Already down with COVID, Mom suffered a perforated appendix and also had COVID pneumonia, and was in Forbes Hospital, demanding morphine and fighting against being intubated. They moved her to a step down unit for more intensive monitoring and care, and was in isolation. Masks, gloves, and gowns were required to visit her, only two visitors at a time.

She’s recovered a lot since then. With antibiotics and treatment, her COVID subsided. The appendix perforation closed. Her pacemaker had only been working at less than 20%, so that was also a problem, as was a blood clot. The blood clot ended up in her spleen, which they said was okay, and her heart and pacemaker both increased to 50 % function. Pleased with her progress, she was discharged from the hospital last Monday and moved to a nursing home.

She liked the nursing home, Concordia. Physical therapy began. They told her she’d probably be there two to six weeks. That was pared down to two yesterday.

They released her today.

That surprised me. Apparently what precipitated it was a night of hell for her. Hearing about it, my sisters grew angry and charged down there.

You do not want to be in their way when my sisters are angry, especially if their family is involved. Move out of their way and in front of an oncoming bullet train. You’ll be safer.

Mom’s NoH included being abruptly taken off oxygen at midnight and not monitored. The night nurse had an attitude for whatever reason. She didn’t want to help Mom with her CPAC for sleeping and threw Mom’s phone on the floor. Mom’s door was open all night as another patient roamed the halls shouting, “I have a gun. I’m going to come in there and kill you.”

I’ve been staying at Mom’s house with her 92-year-old boyfriend, Frank, a great guy, but very passive, and under Mom’s control. Mom is 85. Her house was built eighty years ago. The steps are narrow and steep. It’s not built for a frail woman to get around and recover.

But this is why I’m here. I came here because it might’ve been time to say good-bye to Mom. I came here to give my sisters and Frank relief and support. Now I’ll be here to help give Mom care in her home. I don’t know what train of circumstances and logic led to the surprising decision that she’s being released today. It sounds like a crazy train, in my uninformed thinking. It’s a fluid situation. The sisters are racing back to the nursery home to learn more and, as necessary, help Mom get home. Per their thinking, I’m here, waiting for Mom to arrive in case my sisters don’t arrive in time.

Coffee is on. I think we’ll need a few cups. Here we go.

6

The Escape Dream

My wife and I were driving through the night. I did all the driving. It was a dark, intermittently wet experience but steady progress. We made it to where we wanted to go. As sunrise rinsed out the night, we found a different, larger vehicle to carry us on, and took on supplies. I packed the supplies in different containers. We emptied the one car, and I put everything in the other car. We were traveling with cats and had a litter box. I cleaned it out and then, for some reason, put the bags of used litter on the floor behind a seat. A cat was curled up in that location, apparently asleep, but I then realized he was dead. It was Quinn, who in RL, died of cancer several years ago.

With the new vehicle packed up, we went across the compound to shower. Suddenly naked, I squatted down in the sunshine, waiting for my turn. My wife stood beside me as I waited. We talked while this happened, feeling good about where we were and where we were going. People randomly passed by, taking no notice. I picked a scab off my leg.

The dream ended.

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Thursday’s Wandering Thought

He has a rhythm established to deal with his illness. About every seven minutes, he gets up and pees. Then he washes his hands, followed by his face, dousing his eyes with water. Returning to his bedsit, he drinks half a glass of water and refills it, and then blows his nose.

There’s method underlying the madness. It’s all a matter of feeling better and getting better.

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Thursday’s Theme Music

Thursday, September 15, 2022, dawned at 7:00 AM with variable results. Chaotic cumulus clouds mixed with sunshine and blue sky to create a sullen envelope for the day. 17.7 C now, 76 F will be today’s peak temperature. 7:31 PM will see sunset take place.

I’m busy with a personal project, building a mountain of used tissues and cough drops. I’m very proud of my accomplishment. It’s not a bad way to deal with COVID compared to others’ suffering.

Haven’t seen Mom due to my sit. Her abscess was drained and she’s being moved from the step down unit to a normal private room. She’ll remain in isolation.

The Neurons plugged “Open Arms” by Journey (1982) into the morning mental music stream. Drifting in and out of sleep in the dark room last night, I’d listen to my heartbeat. The Neurons picked up on that and began playing with songs which had heartbeat or darkness as part of the lyrics. Yeah, The Neurons are a crazy beast. The song was released while I was stationed at Kadena, Okinawa, Japan, so it’s attached to that era in my thinking. This is one of those songs that forces memories of our small off-base apartment to my mind’s forefront. I remember the cats who came to us then and lived with us. We took them back to America with us, and then was forced to leave them there when we went to Japan. My SIL took care of them for us. But once we returned, we took them with us to California. Both passed away there, Crystal, a Bombay black was twelve, while Jade was 21.

Stay positive and test negative. No coffee, thanks, I’ve already had a cup. Mark me down for another cup later. Here’s the song. Cheers

2

Wednesday’s Theme Music

Riding the COVID train. Slept well, fever broke, coughing is mild and infrequent. Day three of symptoms, but just tested yesterday. Other family members have tested pos or are feeling ill. Haven’t done tracing but I suspect a Sunday family gathering.

Meanwhile, though, Mom is getting better. She’d developed an abscess along her lumbar spine. They were draining that today. Holding off on pacemaker work. She had a bowel movement yesterday, first in a week, and she told me she felt so much better after that. Will be in hospital for several more weeks, pending the ebb and flow.

Today is Wednesday, September 14, 2022, a day which will live in infamy, maybe. Depends on what happens on this day in your life, yeah? Sunset is 7:31 PM and sunrise took place twelve hours and thirty-one minutes before that. It’s 73 F out there and the high is supposed to be 76 F. It’s mostly sunny out there.

Okay, so The Neurons have planted “Train Kept A-Rollin'” in my morning mental music stream. The ’74 version by Aerosmith is playing. A heavy blues rock cover, it’s the first version I ever knew. I think The Neurons are making some oblique snarky reference to either being sick, or how COVID keeps striking.

Well, stay positive. Test negative. Haven’t had coffee today. Don’t think I will. Have a good one. Here’s the tune. Hope you enjoy it. Cheers

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Wednesday’s Theme Music

Riding the COVID train. Slept well, fever broke, coughing is mild and infrequent. Day three of symptoms, but just tested yesterday. Other family members have tested pos or are feeling ill. Haven’t done tracing but I suspect a Sunday family gathering.

Meanwhile, though, Mom is getting better. She’d developed an abscess along her lumbar spine. They were draining that today. Holding off on pacemaker work. She had a bowel movement yesterday, first in a week, and she told me she felt so much better after that. Will be in hospital for several more weeks, pending the ebb and flow.

Today is Wednesday, September 14, 2022, a day which will live in infamy, maybe. Depends on what happens on this day in your life, yeah? Sunset is 7:31 PM and sunrise took place twelve hours and thirty-one minutes before that. It’s 73 F out there and the high is supposed to be 76 F. It’s mostly sunny out there.

Okay, so The Neurons have planted “Train Kept A-Rollin'” in my morning mental music stream. The ’74 version by Aerosmith is playing. A heavy blues rock cover, it’s the first version I ever knew. I think The Neurons are making some oblique snarky reference to either being sick, or how COVID keeps striking.

Well, stay positive. Test negative. Haven’t had coffee today. Don’t think I will. Have a good one. Here’s the tune. Hope you enjoy it. Cheers

0

Always In Threes, Right?

Remember when famous folks used to die, a myth sprang up that it always opened in threes? Also, some writers ascribe to a rule to always do things in threes. (Yeah, I’m not up to explaining that for now. Google it.)

Well, I had a kinda rough day. Three more or less bad things happened.

  1. They only have decaf in the house. I’ve survived by going out and buying a large cuppa each morning. But —
  2. Tested positive for COVID today after I spent a few hours visiting mom. Fully masked the entire time. Been masking whenever I went public. And only decaf in the house where I’m isolating. No one to take care of me, neither. (Waaah.)
  3. Checked my credit card online today and found fraudulent purchases. Reported them but that means I need new cards.

So, you know, end of day. At least Mom is getting better (but will be in the hospital for another four to six weeks). Others I’ve been in contact with are negative. I have mild sore throat, mild headache. Don’t know about a fever because the thermometer’s battery is dead. My sister did say she’d bring some coffee by for me. She’s such a sweetheart.

Have a good one. Cheers

1

The Jab Dream

I was at a gray counter. A white man was across from me. About my size, he was younger but balding, with thin hair slashed and slicked over that glistening pale dome. He wore a wide dark tie with a red pattern, a starched white shirt, and a white KN 95 mask. Leaning on the counter, I said something to him. In response, he jabbed an index finger into my forehead and barked, “Heal.” Did this three times. Each time, I reacted in irritation, like, “Stop jabbing me, that hurts.”

I awoke with a sore throat.

0

Saturday’s Theme Music

I witnessed sunrise in Pittsburgh, PA, from an Airbus window as it landed at Pittsburgh International Airport. Pittsburgh sunrise was at 6:56 and I was arriving at 6:32. 68 C in Pittsburgh then, just like home, but much more humid. Sunset came at 7:38. Back home, we hit 101 F but Pittsburgh’s weather delivered a friendlier 74 F.

Today is Saturday, September 10, 2022. Mom is doing much better, a steep relief. Still in the hospital but matters are getting under control, and she might be released in a week. Depends on what happens with the fluid in her heart and her pacemaker.

Back in my home zone. Left it in 1972 but have consistently returned to see Mom and the sisters. But man is my body’s personal clock running awry. Ate breakfast at the hospital at 8:30, visited with Mom and family until 11:30, back to Mom and a nap for two hours. Lunch at 4 PM, back to the hospital to visit with Mom and then home again at 6:30. Call to wife to update her, then unplanned crash until 8:30. Now here I sit, posting the theme music.

Employing their sense of humor, The Neurons cranked up Dr. John with “Right Place, Wrong Time” from 1973. Oh, ha, ha, ha, hilarious, you neurons. Interspersed with all that were two quite bizarre dreams.

So here is the music. You be positive and test negative. Wear a mask and have a good one. Coffee? Now? Really? No, I think it’s too late. I might go for a piece of that triple chocolate cake in the kitchen, though. Anyone up for some cake?

Cheers

1

The Ziopatch

Well, Day one begins.

A Ziopatch was applied to my chest this morning. This was an option my medico presented to me after I’d commented during a meeting earlier this year that I sometimes have heart palpitations. Fact of it is that I’ve experienced these since I was at least a teenager. I actually thought that everyone had them. I mentioned them to another who replied, “I’ve never had that. You should go see a doctor.”

That was in my twenties. Now that I’m in my sixties, I felt time had ripened enough to check it out.

The Zio is just a little thing. Applying it took five minutes. Longest part of that was shaving me. I’m a hairy beast. Don’t know which parento I owe for that. After the left side was shaved above my nip, my skin was lightly abraded so the Z’s adhesive can find purchase. Then it was taped on and explained. Done.

I’ll wear the booger for fourteen days, in theory. The tech and the intertubes both hold that might be a challenge. Getting the Z’s adhesive wet by sweat or water causes the device to come away. One guy on the net said that he’d been told, “excessive sweat might cause that.” He learned that ‘excessive sweat’ is any visible sweat.

Meanwhile, it feels like there’s something on my chest. I have an urge to swat it off, like, “WTH is on my chest?” It also feels a little itchy, as others said they experienced.

Once it is removed, I throw the Z into the air. It spreads its wings and flies off to the factory where it’ll be dissected. Not really! They gave me a box in which to mail it off so its contents can be revealed.

We’ll see how it goes. I’ll let you know when I take it off. Cheers

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