Friday, 15 May 2009
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Testing, 1,2,3,4....
Hello all you gorgeous readers out there. You know who you are. Go ahead. If you need a reminder, just take a peep in your mirror. See? You are mahvelous, dahling.
Me, I am making great progress at getting to be that old witch that lives on the block. Or you may use the optional B spelling.
Our neighbor's dogs are driving us crazy, barking, barking, barking... So around 9am last Saturday, I took myself over there and rang the doorbell which I am sure is not working. (You would have to see the state their home is in to appreciate this.) So I knocked rather loudly, well, I sort of banged on the door with my fist....a few times. I could hear the inside dog barking up a storm and finally the man of the house answered, dog in his arms. I told him that his outside dogs were disturbing us, waking us in the morning and keeping us from going to sleep at night. He assured me that he only puts the dogs out when he is leaving for work (untrue) and takes them in right after supper (also untrue). I suggested a no bark collar. He laughed at that, as if it was totally ridiculous.
But wait, then the wife got up. Oh my, while she is an attractive lady when she is ready for work, she is not so when she has been awakened by the witch next door banging on her door.
"WHO IS THAT?"
I told her I was there to complain about the dogs barking so much.
"THEY'RE DOGS! THEY ARE GONNA BARK!!!"
I started to say something else and she shouted to the husband.
"JUST SHUT THE DOOR, N______!!! (Not much chance they would read this, but just in case, no names.)
He obeyed his lovely wife by doing just that.
I called that I might just have to call the city.
"WELL, I'LL JUST REPORT YOU TO THE CITY!!!"
I learned my lesson. Never try to talk to idiots.
That tested my patience, but I have other tests to speak of.
It finally happened. My primary care doc told me to see a cardiologist. An appointment was made and I made the acquaintance of Dr. Dia Abochamh. He's a very personable fiftyish man, graying curly hair, broad smile and caring attitude. I filled out forms, more forms and finally talked to the doctor. He looked me over well, poking and prodding, listening and nodding, all the while asking questions. I told him that I simply had to be well enough to take care of a sick husband and he promised me he would do it. I neglected to get that in writing, however.
So tests were ordered. O ye yi, were tests ordered!! Chemical stress test and holter monitor fitting was yesterday. A totally weird experience when the persantine was injected into my IV port. I felt like a Macy's parade balloon. I left the office with a dandy little electronic thingy dangling from a cord around my neck. I am plugged in!! I bring it back later today.
On the 19, I get an EKG, ECHO, and a PVR. I feel like a double agent. I am familiar with the first two tests, but I had to look up the other. (A PVR study is a non-invasive vascular test in which blood pressure cuffs and a hand-held ultrasound device (called a Doppler or transducer) are used to obtain information about arterial blood flow in the arms and legs. Non-invasive means the procedure does not require the use of needles, dyes, radiation or anesthesia. The blood pressure cuffs and Doppler are used to determine the presence, severity and general location of peripheral arterial occlusive disease. ) Well, waddya know.
On the 26th I get a carotid ultrasound and something called an ANSAR. According to what I can find on the web it is a way to measure a patient's autonomic nervous system. It's non-invasive and is done with a machine that works with electrodes and wires.
After the doctor has seen the results of all these tests, he will see me again and let me know what I will need to do to help stop the weakness, fatigue, near fainting and weird b/p fluctuations. I figure he will prescribe more meds, and maybe stop some I have been taking. He did mention I might need a pacemaker.
This morning I took Gordon for his annual labwork. Other than that, I plan on being a real lazybones till it's time to cook supper. Oh, and the ever lovin' PO too. I could use a few things from Walgreen's or Walmart, but I am not going today. Yesterday's tests about wore me out and I have an idea it will take several days to recoup from it.
We had a short rainshower this morning, nothing much. It's already getting hot, in the mid 80s and very humid. Wind is down a bit today, but it has been blowing to beat the band lately.
I have one major complaint about Dr. Abochamh's office. Everyone there is super nice and it's run very efficiently, plus there is a huge waiting room, comfy couches and all. But, you know those wall mounted monitors that keep showing the health tips over and over again? There are three in that room. All just a few beats behind the others, making a sort of echo of garbled words. On top of this is a blaring TV, with of all things Dr. Phil and a bunch of crying, whining family members all blaming the other for their problems. I sat as far away as I could from the set, but I could still hear it plain as day. I'll bring my new Mp3 player with me next time I go. I haven't learned how to put music on it, but I can use the ear buds to block out some sound.
So that's all my info and gripes for today. Katz are doing well, shedding like crazy, but they are my joy. Poor Gordon still suffers daily with his pain and I am getting crabbier by the second.
Ya'll have a great weekend. I am praying for those who are ailing and blessing those who who inspire me daily.
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Comments (11)
wow! that IS a lot of tests! so glad to hear that they are doing them sooner, rather than later though. i can't stand waiting rooms like that and i might complain if i were you, after all, the people behind the counters and windows and offices probably can't hear that very much.
wish i was there to load up your mp3 for you...have you glanced at the instructions? it might come with it's own software for music uploading/downloading, or you could google iTunes and download that to your computer, pop your cd's in, import them into that and then "sync" your player. make sense????
i love you
wow, alot of tests. Are you short of breath? my mom had ankle swelling and sob before they found out her heart was enlarged. She got on a diet and exercise program and got reversed it.
Gordan sounds about the same but I bet it's him that is crabby or I know my hubby is when he's hurting.
Those people aren't very nice. We have 6 dogs and we treat them like kids-we won't have our kids out yelling in the yard but we don't work.
When the boy next store and his dad would play catch and the ball would hit the fence the scottie dog would bark at them; we would make Lucy go in the house. One day they were out there and she was watching and she wasn't barking and when the ball would hit the fence I heard the dad say,"sorry,Lucy." lol
@Southland - You write. "google iTunes and download that to your computer, pop your cd's in, import them into that and then "sync" your player. make sense???? "
Nope.
They are putting you through the mill, but I bet you will be glad you did this after it is all finished. That is what I used to like about Diagnostic Clinic in Houston...a lot of tests, but at least they usually made a correct diagnosis and solved problems. It is no longer there, though, and I have not found anybody since that is as good a diagnostician. I am praying for the correct diagnosis and the proper treatment to follow.
Wow, you did have the tests. Hopefully, you will be fit as a fiddle in no time
I'd be darned crabby too, if I had to listen to those dogs bark.
My Uncle was the mayor of a small town. The neighbors dogs kept barking in the middle of the night. One night, he'd had enough!!!! He called the neighbor, and said, "Harry, we can't sleep, over here, cause your dogs are barking. A bit later, they stopped. The next night.....same thing...... Uncle Allen thought, "If I can't sleep, he's not going to either, so he called again, and the phone rang..........and rang........and rang.......and rang........but Harry didn't answer. But the dogs stopped barking. FOR GOOD!!!
Might help.....couldn't hurt.
I wish you good luck with all those tests. My cousin had a pace-maker put in, and he said he hadn't felt that good in YEARS!!!
Sending prayers, love and hugs to you and Mister Gordon. Hang in there!
I'm glad you updated, but sorry for so many problems. Hope the tests will show what's wrong, and that you will soon be feeling better.
Hope all your tests come back with good news. Maybe they can find a simple fix for your problems.
My neighbor has a chihuahua that chases you around barking at anyone in the neighborhood. We complained once when we moved in as the dog was messing with the cable guy and the guy was going to leave without getting our cable installed. They don't speak to us. And the dog still barks and runs around the neighborhood barking at everyone. My dogs then get to barking at that chihuahua and it is non-stop sometimes.
The hardest Biblical command for me to follow is "Love thy neighbor" Good fences make good neighbors, but barking dogs go right through the fence. I liked the telephone solution but may not have the guts to make late night calls. Retaliation is always a possibility when one tres to take some action.
I have barking dogs in the apartment over me. Every time someone comes in the front gate, they sound off. I think one is a chihuahua-terrier mix and the other is a chihuahua-maltese mix. I felt like strangling them, until,... I happened to be going out when the girl upstairs was exercising them. One dog's ball got away from him. I was closest, so I chased it and caught it. Somehow, just that little bit of interaction with them changed my attitude. Now, I say, "Dogs will be dogs," and shrug it off.
However, I know what you mean. I think I might call the city. His bald-faced lies and his wife's harridan talk are kind of provocative. Hugs from Corea, ~ Sil