It has been a while. Let's go back to February 18. It was the Worthy Grand Matron's Official Visit. I was not feeling good. In spite of 10 days of antibiotics the beginning of the month, and another course started the previous Tuesday, my legs were not doing well. They were burning up and peeling. On Tuesday, Dr. Chee said if they didn't get better, I'd need to get IV antibiotics in the hospital. I kept my legs elevated as much as I could and left shortly after the meeting was over. I called Dr. Chee's office and left a message. The on call doctor changed my antibiotic. I saw Dr. Chee on the 21st. She said for me to get to the hospital. Since we'd waited this long, I figured a few more hours wouldn't hurt. It was band practice, after all, and the Ceili is coming up. And we only had an hour to practice.
I packed up all my toys, Glenn and I went to practice, and then he took me to emergency. We got there about 7:10. It was very crowded. It would have been so easy just to get admitted, but it doesn't work like that. It was about 10:30 when we were finally taken to a room in emergency. After the hospitalist heard my little song and dance, he outlined the redness on each leg and agreed to admit me and started me on antibiotics. I sent Glenn home then--trusting him with my car and my violin. I think I made it to a room on the ward around 1:30 Wednesday morning. God bless them, they brought me a turkey sandwich, so starvation was averted. My legs hurt--I expected them to burst into flames. I got to sleep somewhere around 4. I woke up around 9 when food services called to see if I wanted breakfast--they think they are a hotel and have instituted Room Service where you order your meals whenever you want them. The nurses don't care for it very much--I didn't either. Someone talked me into a pneumonia shot. Her technique wasn't the best in the world, but at least the pain in my arm took my mind off the pain in my legs and the usual pain in my abdomen, It still hurts a little, more than a week later. They sent me home on Sunday, the 26th, with a week's worth of IV antibiotics left to take and Visiting Nurses coming on Monday to teach us how to infuse me.
I've had Visiting Nurses a couple of times, so I know how they work. The pharmacy delivered my meds and supplies on Sunday night. I expected to hear from the Nurse Monday morning with a time they would be out. Nine to ten, no call. At 10:30, I called, was connected to the scheduler and left a voice mail. No call back by 11, I called them again. I told the receptionist that I was supposed to get the antibiotic around 1:30. She went off to find the scheduler--who was on the phone, but world call me right back. This time, she did--and told me that the nurse would call and let me know when she would be here. I almost said, "Aren't you the scheduler? Don't you know?" but thought better of it. The nurse called in five or ten minutes and admitted that they had forgotten about me. Not to worry, she was in Pacifica and would be here in about fifteen minutes. She was. Things have been fine since then. Until today.
I woke up around 5, with pain in my upper chest, difficulty taking a deep breath, and pressure. Naturally, I thought it would go away, and went back to sleep. Woke up again around 7:30, still in pain. I had breakfast, still hurting, and considered my options. i finally called the Visiting Nurses, who suggested I check with my oncologist's office. I called them and spoke with the nurse practitioner, who said it needed to be evaluated. Go to Peninsula emergency. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. I called Dory to see if she could take me--yes, of course. Once again, I got my toys together, left a message for Glenn, and waited for Dory. Once at emergency, I said the magic words, "chest pains," and was whisked into a room. Of course, there was no one in the waiting room this time. We were there till about 3:30, during which time they determined I did not have a heart attack and I did not have a blood clot. I did have an EKG, chest x-ray, CT scan, and many blood tests. I'm still uncomfortable, but I'm home. I have a doctor appointment for Monday. Tuesday I'll start chemo again. Dr. Chee didn't want to be whacking at my bone marrow until the infection in my legs was under control. It did throw off my schedule a bit. I should have had chemo on the 28th and the 6th. That way, the Ceili would be at the end of a chemo-free week. Guess I'll have to rely on adrenaline getting me through.
That's it, you are now up to date.
xxooxx
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