Yesterday I had a cardiogram - kind of like an ultrasound of the heart - with a radioactive dye injected to show blood flow & movement of the heart. What a performance . . . . they gave me an early appointment which is really stressful to start. I don't have an alarm clock anymore & don't move quickly in the morning at all. I have difficulty putting on shoes & socks. My right knee doesn't want to bend at any time. And I have medication & puffers in the morning as well. Then I have to get down my ramp with my O2 tanks & into a foreign vehicle before 8:15. I am no longer a morning person unless it's summer.
What is it with being older & less able that produces so much anxiety with changes in routine??? I wasn't sure about the hospital O2 or how long my tank would last. Hell, I even took a 50' extension to my breathing apparatus to make sure I could reach any O2 outlet . . . . Despite the early appointment, all the traffic problems & construction delays, we arrived ONE MINUTE before my appointment!! I was successfully wheeled from truck to Reception in a wheelchair & only presented my medical card before being whisked into the treatment room & hooked up to O2. I had agreed to put my personal info on the Hospital Net so everything was pulled up automatically - no forms needed - whoopee. I loved it. The only problem in the end was that no one could start an IV for the dye. My vessels just rolled away & disappeared. Several jabs later, they gave up & did the test without the contrast dye. The Tech said it was just fine & played me the sound of my heart working! Wow, that was so neat to hear.
So 45 minutes later I was whisked out of the hospital & home. We even stopped at the Railway Cafe for a soup - Broccoli Cheese - & sandwich to go. I made it home on fumes. I had cranked the O2 down when I got out of the hospital since I was only sitting so I had enough to get home. I walked up my ramp with my tank cart by myself & fell into a chair to catch my breath but I was DONE. I had enough energy to pee, use my puffers, take my meds, drink a huge glass of cold water & eat my lunch. Then I plugged into an audio book, reclined my chair & slept the rest of the day. Don't even remember the book. I did get up around 7, ate some yogurt, took more meds & went back to bed.
Today, I'm still tired but not exhausted. I've turned into a vegetable. A little trip like yesterday does me in for two days. Not good. Guess I'm ready for the Assisted Living Unit. There are days when I really need to be fed, cleaned & assisted. And other days when I can do almost everything myself so I don't want to be moved into Care quite yet. I'm fighting it tooth & nail! But I think I have someone willing to come & do dishes, vacuuming & dusting for a couple of hours a week. Hopefully that will help.
Knitting - not much knitting going on except another LONGER set of cuffs to help keep my hands warm. I'm definitely going to make an afghan with some of my sock yarn in Mitered Squares. I like the look of them & they'll be a small project, one square at a time! While surfing around, I also found a free pattern for a crocheted afghan made up of squares of colored Cats. Love it.
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