Monday, June 20, 2011

The Waiting Game

I am still waiting on the final word of whether or not the doctors in Philadelphia will proceed with the surgery. My last set of lung functions tests (taken while I had so much fluid in me) were discouraging and they want to see better results. Sometime in the next few weeks I must have those tests redone. I am also getting yet another CT scan with contrast to clarify something else they found. Today I am down about twenty pounds from where I was a month ago. I now weigh about sixty-five pounds less than I did when I had my heart surgery seven years ago. That is without any surgery or diet pills, just lost the weight, particulary over the last twenty months by not eating. Some of it was fluid.

This morning I got up early and went grocery shopping. I am trying to eat a diet of mainly vegetables and proteins with some dairy. Eating little bread, low carbs and low sodium. I just bought an ice cone machine so I can make them and have them with sugar free blue raspberry flavored "syrup". It seems that syrup should be thick and instead it has the consistency of water but is flavorful. I also went to a local farm and bought three hanging baskets. My yard seemed naked. I won't be doing a lot of planting I have in the past. While I am breathing much better, bending over is a bad position for my lungs.

Yesterday was my first Father's Day without my Dad and I dreaded it. We bought a nice wreath for his grave that had a ribbon that said "Dad".
Tomorrow I go to the cardiologist here. I now have duplicated doctors in Penn. Sometimes I have to put myself on autopilot to do what I must. If I begin thinking of all that could happen it's overwhelming. One day at a time.

3 comments:

TARYTERRE said...

I know it must be difficult to put yourself on autopilot to do what you have to do. If it gets you through, that's all that matters. What ifs can drive you crazy. So stop focusing on what could potentially happen. A positive outcome is your only goal. You have the right mantra, one day at a time. You're in my prayers and thoughts.

Judith HeartSong said...

I am thinking of you today Dear Nelle.

alphawoman said...

Oh Nelle, I had no idea. So lost without Internet. Disconnected from the world. I will keep you in me heart and prayers.