Category: doctors

I’m sitting here waiting for a callback from my pulmonologist. Partly because my pulse hit a little over 150 then dropped back down to 75 in about 15 minutes. Then I had a second attack an hour later. It seems that one or more of the blood clots in my lungs have moved to my heart. Oh, happy days. Now I get to worry about a stroke.

At any rate, I’m supposed to get an echocardiogram but I have no idea where to go, I’m told I need to RSVP. How do I do that if I don’t know who to RSVP to???

I like my doctor. He’s old school, complete with suit and tie, and a stethoscope poking out of his pocket. He reminds me of the doctors I had growing up – yes, I know I’m showing my age. He’s also pretty laid back making it easy to relax around him.

The paperwork says to check with their patient portal, but the patient portal just flat sucks. It looks like it was written by someone’s favorite nephew, not a professional. You need to apply for access… I think. But my request has been ignored. –Or maybe their programmer’s mommy has grounded him.

Yes, I’m being hard on the programmer, but I’ve seen this sort of thing written by high school students that was much better. They don’t even tell you what they want, they just give you a series of choices with no explanation.

God, I hate dealing with new doctors with different ways of doing things.

Yup. I’m rapidly becoming one of those crotchety old dudes.

Ah well, I guess I’ll quit bitching and wait quietly like a good boy.

Okay, so I went to the hospital and was diagnosed with pulmonary embolism. In other words, my CT scan showed my lungs were full of small blood clots.

The E.R. doctor said something about finding the source and removing it. But when I got a room and mentioned it to my new doctor he said something like “he’s an ER doctor.” Instead, he started me on a heparin drip, kept me there for a few days, and then sent me home with a prescription for Eliquis.

I started out thinking that it was some kind of miracle drug, but all of a sudden I couldn’t breathe again. My oxygen levels were fine, just like they were when I went to the hospital. So I went to urgent care and they X-rayed my lungs and rather than send me back for another CT scan they tried a nebulizer. That helped a bit so I got a prescription for an inhaler. This helps a bit so I guess I don’t have to go back to the hospital. This is a good thing.

One thing that stood out to me was the doctor’s comment about this being caused by being too sedentary. Which is not good since I can’t use my treadmill because I feel short of breath. — So, I can’t breathe, because I can’t exercise, or something like that. By the time the subject came up, I was dressed with one foot out the door. Needless to say, I wasn’t paying a lot of attention.

Now, I have an appointment with yet another pulmonologist on Friday.

God this is getting old.

This is chicken Caesar salad.

Of course, the Parm tastes like the stuff that came in the round green box we used to eat before we knew better.

I know it’s supposed to be cold, but I swear the chicken was so cold it was crunchy.

On a different note; this is a heavy blanket… According to the hospital at any rate.

If it was any thinner it would be tissue.

I decide when to put on the blanket (which, surprisingly, does help) by watching the thermostat in my room when it hits 71 it’s time. This “thermostat” has nothing to do with the a/c unit, but it does let you know when the room is getting cool. (you know you’re officially “bored out of your mind” when you find yourself watching the thermostat.)

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. If you have visitors they need a secret code to get in. It’s your first initial, last initial, two numbers, and then your room number. I’ve met security and I’m not sure if they’re just not smart enough to deal with anything more complicated or if they’re not paid enough to care.