While I was gone.... (3) delete previous

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Geezowpeetie....I'm gone for a few days... and POW - look at all that went down (there and here!) Before Iexplain what I've been doing... let me just say I am really praying forBecca, Tim, and Joe. I certainly hope you get your med hassles behindyou soon - all of you. FYI Joe: When I do too much protein attimes, my kidney numbers (bun/creatinine) get pretty funky. Sheri makesme drink that swamp water concoction of Super Greens daily for a week ortwo... and kidney function has always resumed nicely andappointmentwith dialysis doc was cancelled. That and diuretic (with K-durbalancing and lots of water drinking) also seem to get things ontrackagain. But a couple times it did cause my Pt/INR to go askew. Don't do this without checking with your doctor... and insist on weekly blood tests so your blood does not get too thin or thick.Atleastwhen I have no choice but keep my fingers off the keyboard.. I knowya'll will get what ever you need to survive. Between Guin who gently holds hands and offers virtual hugs, Turk who will research issues better than most news folks I worked with over the years, and Bill who will pound your silly bone till nothing hurts in your body.... I'd say you're in very good hands!Now... a few comments on what I missed:> i was trying to learn what> Thrombocytopenia is. TURK:Isn't that a male sexual dysfunction?From Californiawhere the newest male sexual dysfunction is caused by cellphones--itoccurs when the guy's partner makes a phone call in the middle oflove-making.BillNo Bill.... it becomes a dysfunctional episode when she puts YOU on the speaker phone.Check this link out. http://www.buditi.com/article-view.php?articleid=132 That is whyi don't own a cellphone. Imagine if cellphone does that to an egg, whatit is doing to your brain. I see a lot of people putting their cellphonesnext to their belt buckles and women too. Just imagine what it is doingto the insides of people. TURKMaybe... but do you suppose THAT is why they all look like HOTTIES to us aging blokes? They are smokin'!Man, is this a learning group. I didn't know what TNA was so I did a Google search and found that it is the Texas Numismatic Association. Joe SchmidtNow who do you suppose coined that phrase? Do they prefer tails, heads, or ummm... never mind?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OK... now here's what I've been up to.Monday nightand most of Tuesday my vision went wonky, like I was looking through astained glass window in the style of Annie Lennox's broken.. andlooking at a computer screen just made my head hurt. Visiting NurseService came by about 11AM Wednesday to check on incision. As they rangdoor bell.... WONGO... vision really went sour - the worst episodeever. I tried not to mention it... but the two nurses askedwhy I seemed to be looking around strangely as we talked. When I explained, the supervisor told her trainee to take my B/P... and the poorthing freaked when she read out 200 over 100. Then I freaked asmy B/P is rarely higher that 105/60! The R.N. boss flat out said I hadto go to the E.R. A bit worried myself... I offered NO resistance andasked her to call 9-1-1 while I shaved and put on clean underwear andsocks (remembering what my dear departed [civilian and WW2 Army R.N.]mom always advised.) Very efficient Fire Dept Paramedics camebefore the foam was off my face, loaded me in their box, and whisked meaway. Guess where? Yeppir.... the ER at MPM Countryside (Clearwater)where 7-nights earlier my wife and I left in desperation/exasperationwith her serious burns after waiting two hours without getting any care. As theywheeled me in, the medics said "pre-admit for Duffey." And POOF... awoman appeared who was definitely in charge of the whole place. And thevery first thing she said, "Don't worry, we'll chat later." Less thana minute passed and I was in a room, new EKG wires were connected, my(now lower) B/P was taken, and blood was being drawn. Then, the boss ladyreappeared and said, "I was just trying to call your wife, and here youcome in to save me the call." And I knew she was NOT talking about my THIS trip to the E.R. At this point I was not sure whether to relax or be very afraid. Apparently when I sent a link to myposting here (about Sheri's Friday Nightmare) to several MPMexecutives... the modern age of cybercations spread the word quickly. So when I came in the door a little after noon.... they were ALLwaiting! Things could not have been done any finer this time. I had towait a nearly a couple hours to see a doc, but I was stable and did notworry or fret with a TV to distract me. The wait was understandable...all the ER docs got pulled with several "Code Blues" on other floors andif I was at the end of that kind of crisis, I'd sure want one of thesedocs at MY bedside.In the interim, the nurse assigned my areakept checking on me and telling me what was happening and what toexpect. When the doc arrived, he asked ALL the questions I thought were relevant... to narrow, expand, narrow, expand, narrow, expand, andfinally narrow the possible reasons for the B/P and wonky vision. Within just a few minutes, he had it down to about four things... withthe most probable an ocular migraine with the B/P jump from theexcitement causing constricted vessels in the head, but he wanted tests toofficially rule out stroke, bleeding, that thing that happened toSenator Tim , and a couple other long shot possibilities.Aminuteafter he walked out, the C-T scan tech walked in and whisked me away andstuck my head in that round space machine.... five minutes later I wasback in the ER. Then I waited another 100-minutes.. but again the nurse neverleft me alone for more than 5 or 6 minutes and even brought me a snack. As before seeing the doc, there were four more code blues while Iwaited. All I could think was the holidays must be a scary time with somany people trying to make the leap to heaven. Suddenly, the docreappeared... and said all the really bad stuff was ruled out... andocular migraine was the only thing left. Unfortunately...none of thetreatment options for me are acceptable as they all are no-no's forsomeone taking my long list of meds for my heart problems.Gave mea sheet of instructions how to lessen the problem (I will OCR andpostit later if any of you have this annoying hassle) and sent me home!BTW...Woundseems to be doing OK... a little pink and warm but no real sign that Ipicked up a bug. Thanks again for kind thoughts from all of you!OK. Hammeredthis out after Sheri's final (#3) holiday party this year. While we didnot dance this time... I am a bit weary and am ready tocrash the sack. Too tired to even check our Lotto ticket. Update: Now a third revision.... REALLY going to bed.Nite nite for now. Stay well..Duffey (circa '86)Fatter & Greyer Now