The Body Box

Good day, everyone!!

Whew, has it ever been busy these past few days.  What with seeing the pulmonologist for the bariatric surgery clearance and re-applying for my state funded health insurance, it was enough to keep my eyes crossed for a year!

I'll start with the pulmonologist first.  We get there, I fill out the paperwork and then the receptionist gives me three of the forms back to me and tells me to give them to the doctor.  OK, I can do that.  He then sends me upstairs on an elevator (thank goodness or I don't know how I would have managed to get my walker up there!!) and while it's moving, I see a sign that this floor does the pulmonary function tests (PFT) and "Body Box."  Well, I wasn't too much liking this "body box" thing.  I"ll do the PFT, but forget anything else!!!

We trudged off the elevator (my right leg has just been absolutely KILLING me!) and went down a narrow hall.  I passed an open doorway and there was a lady that called out if I was there for the PFT's.  I said yes and she led me into another room after telling my hubby that he could wait in the waiting room with my walker and purse.  We get into the other room and in the corner was this box like contraption.  It had windows on each side and had all kinds of valves attached to it.  I asked the lady (who wasn't very friendly!) if I was going into that box.  She said yes, "I would have to complete the test.  But not to worry, we'll go nice and easy and you will do fine." Ha!  I didn't share her enthusiasm.  My husband has very bad seasonal allergies and is on all kinds of inhalers and he has done the PFT's, too, but NEVER this "body box" thing.  It looked like it wouldn't even FIT me enough to close the door, let alone being easy to breathe in!!  Yikes!  What have I gotten myself into?

She started me through a series of little tests with some kind of nozzle contraption and a nose clip to keep air from escaping during the test.  I did that test about 49 times!!  Then she got out a medication called "albuterol" and I took it by inhaler.  I had no clue if this was a normal part of the test, or was I really having lung problems?  I didn't have a lot of time to stew about it, though, because then it was time for the BOX.  I sit down on the seat in there and I kid you not, it was wall-to-wall Missy in there!!!  I had no clue how they would close the door!!  But believe it or not, it did close.  When it closed, all noise was gone and she spoke with me via intercom.  I felt like I was in a space shuttle or something.  You know those stories about martians zapping down to earth and choosing their "subject" to do tests on?  I felt like that subject!!  Luckily, there wasn't too many tests in the box and she let me out.  Thank God!!  One more second in there and I would have gone ballistic!
I couldn't get her to tell me what the results were to the tests.  She was very tight-lipped.  She said I'd need to speak with the doctor first.  I know that, of course, being a nurse myself, but it never hurts to see if someone has "loose lips", so to speak!

She prints out the report in some jargon I didn't understand and told me to put it in the little bin by the nurse's station down stairs.  No problem.  We trudged back down via the elevator and put the letter in the bin.  It didn't take long for me to be called back into an exam room.  I think there were only two other people in the waiting room!  I followed another guy who wasn't too cheerful, either, into an x-ray room for a chest x-ray.   Good....another thing I can cross off my checklist for surgery!!  I had the x-rays then went to an exam room where I'd see the doctor.  He wasn't too long in coming and he said everything looked GREAT.  No cardiac or lung issues.  What a relief!!

I fired that disability lawyer yesterday.  We were getting nowhere and our personalities clashed!!  I felt instant gratification to have that done.  If and when I need to have a lawyer again, I will turn to someone else after thorough investigation!!

And then, yesterday, we got a letter from my state funded insurance that they would be canceling me on the 31st of this month!  They stated I failed to report to an interview.  But they never mailed me anything like an interview date!! So my hubby and I again are out and about in 45 degree weather to  stand in line with all the other down on their luck people.  The office was so small and not enough room, especially for the 30 bald babies making their voices heard by shrieking at the top of their lungs.  We waited for about three hours, was called up for a short interview and dismissed.  But my (and my husband's!) insurance and food stamps will continue!!!  I told the guy nothing had changed: I still can't work because of my back and I haven't won the lottery yet.  He smiled at that!  Ha!

I have saved the most serious part of my news for last.  Actually, it's a prayer request.  Frankie is not doing to well at the moment.  He has shaking chills, fever, upset stomach and vomiting.  The later two he has had since his surgery in June of 2010.  The doctors/surgeon don't seem too concerned about it.  But it is NOT normal to be "tossing your cookies" everyday!  And he is pale as a ghost. All his labs come back as "mild anemia."  I am just so very worried about him.  I lost my mom to a serious infection that shut her kidneys down within a 24 hour period and now I sometimes fear that will happen to Frankie.  He has a doctor's appointment on the 26th of this month (soonest he could get in) and I'm going to try and get to the bottom of this.  So could everyone please pray for my husband to be well again?  I'd really appreciate it.

I'll close this long post with a few pictures.  The first two are the Phoenix skyline that I shot going to the pulmonologist.

 

The air quality wasn't too bad downtown when these where taken yesterday.

Jack is "guarding" my brand-new purse I got as Christmas gift from my sister-in-law.

Choices, choices!!! Jake can't decide whether he should have some yummy salmon treats (just don't smell them!) or his seafood cat food.  Pampered kitty indeed!!

Hope you all are having a good week.  Oh, I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I got a Sharper Image Literati e-reader.  I love it!!  I've wanted one for a very long time and Santa was very kind with me.  And my family, of course!!!

Have a great one!
God bless,

Signature bar by Helena.