Monday, Jan 11
I’m driving myself to check in for the Echo Cardiogram at Noon at KVH Hospital Imaging. Must dress properly, no bra, green shirt metal buttons okay.
Once there at Imaging, I must request to fill in the form for the results to be sent in the mail to all who need a copy of the results on a CD sent: Chelsea Newman (PCP), David Krueger (Cardiologist), Kumar (Sleep Apnea Doctor), (I always get one too) Nancy Hultquist.
Either tell Donna or Lauren at Imaging when I check in. This is supposed to take one hour.
I must get me some compression socks soon, (will try tomorrow at Bi-Mart, where they have them, but need to know how to able to calculate the size I need. I am set to meet a person there to search for the size given by the measurements of my distance Knee to floor, and of the size of my calf. I’m just getting one pair for now.
Go to Jerrol’s today for tax income folders. They sent me $10 off coupon, and I just realized I was out of them, from setting up hanging file folders for 2021 tax receipts.
Tuesday, Jan 12
Bi-Mart went to store mgr, Heather, with measurements for the compression socks I need being (1) Length leg knees to the floor= 1’ 11 and (2) Calf measurement=1’ 6”.
I made connection with the Yakima Heart Center scheduler, and my Cardiologist has no appointments opened until springtime, so I’m scheduled with his Assistant (whom I have seen previously, named Buffy Sawyer, who will be aware of the urgency of this appt., regarding the severe leg swelling I’m having. The left side of heart is operating at only ½ capacity. The appt. is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan 20th at the Yakima Heart Center across from Memorial Hospital.
Safeway, picked up tax records total for us for year 2020, to put in Tax Form record or receipts for 2020 now.
I spent 39 mins on phone with Kaiser Permanente Mail Order Pharmacy about getting the amount of money we both spent on prescriptions for 2020 tax year sent to us. It will be available tomorrow and they will walk us through how to get it. Unfortunately, we have to go through Kaiser member services and it will come via email, with support to help us obtain the printed record. This seems a terrible time sink, and is so much easier at other pharmacies.
Wednesday, Jan 13
Cannot believe nothing happened today. Check the calendar. Maybe I spent the whole day sleeping.
I’m seeing Chelsea tomorrow quite early about my situation of swollen legs. We need to be in bed early so we could get up at 6:30. We plan on a 45 minute trip to Cle Elum.
Thursday, Jan 14
We went to Cle Elum to see our PCP, Chelsea Newman. We arrived via I-90 Interstate route which sped up our trip. It was not snowing or raining. We expected snow because of the Cascades (Snoqualmie Pass) being snowed in (See John’s Friday Column below, in Not So Nasty News, for that news, plus some other very interesting information, regarding our trip this morning to Cle Elum).
We got there at 9:00 a.m. They didn’t have us wait a long time to be seen. We left the Medical Clinic, at 10:00 a.m., driving to Ellensburg for planned meetings there. Nurse Summer did the preliminaries. We were there awhile, dealing with my swollen legs, calves, ankles, and feet, and putting on compression stocks (way too tight for my likes). Chelsea actually put them on. It is a most difficult chore. She told us about a Sock-Donnor gadget that can be used to help. We have since bought one (on our way home today, from a Medical Supply Shop). They’re not cheap. When we get it to work, it works well, but we need to look for some instruction videos, because we don’t really know the procedure correctly, yet.
We drove home down Hwy 10 and had a back left tire blowout and flatten. John put the spare tire on, but had to not drive it over 40 mph. No traffic on the road, at 10:00 in the morning, so no problem, except for John’s hard work. He drove to Les Schwab where they repaired the hole, figuring a rock puncture. John & I heard a noise but never saw the rock. He stopped when he saw the low tire inflation light, but didn’t see what was causing it. Finally, when it went flat, he pulled over and put on the spare tire. Once at Les Schwab, we found another COVID-related problem. Because of COVID, their waiting room cannot serve popcorn, and that was sad, because I always enjoy that. They still have a waiting room with a TV and restrooms, which we both needed. One other good thing, the hole in the tire was repaired at no cost. The tire mileage is at about half-life, and we didn’t know if it was damaged beyond repair. The crew there is fast and efficient. In and out in just a few minutes.
From there we went to Kittitas County Medical Supply store and bought the Sock-Donnor.
From there to Shaw’s Furniture & Appliances Store where we ordered a recliner. That took longer than the doctor’s visit. The chair won’t be delivered until late April or early May. The chair will have false-leather (a reddish/brown color called Rawhide); we think will be best in our dusty house. The one in the store was fabric, or we could have had it.
Friday, Jan 15
Contact Chelsea about compression socks. Chelsea says don’t wear them at night. Thank God for a reprieve.
I’m looking forward to seeing Buffy Sawyer on Jan 20th at 1:20, assistant to Cardiologist, Krueger; then see Chelsea the 21st Jan, in Cle Elum at 11:00 a.m.
I called Jon Lawson, Shaw’s clerk to see if they could provide a loaner-chair. Jon arranged for one to be delivered Monday after 2 pm.
Meanwhile, a student from 15 years ago recently had a chair in a storage locker after the death of her father-in-law for whom the chair was bought and used only a little. She and her hubby drove the chair to the end of our driveway and moved it into John’s old 4WD pickup to get into the house. My old garage sale (?) one quit working this week. It does not raise my feet as high as desired. I’m going to put the donated one in our new room where all my income tax files are stored and use it there when filing and organizing tax information. It’s been a life saver since it arrived. The one on-order gets the head lower and the feet higher – called a “Zero Gravity” position.
Saturday, Jan 16
Morning sunrise I tried to photograph and failed from our perspective so got these from a friend, Cindi Crawford Ackerman, location South Thorp Hwy, and the photos are 2 minutes apart to show fast change. Left taken at 7:25 a.m.
Slept in ‘til 8:30.
Breakfast as usual, John made my Blender Smoothie (Peach). Thanks to my caregiver and for all the other meals he fixes for us.
Tonight I have to get ready my evening pills for Saturday, and my Sunday morning & evening pills. Little glass dishes, like for apple sauce, are great for this.
Monday had only the loaner chair on the schedule. I called and canncelled the delivery of the loaner chair. Just now, Hay Guy Mario called and wants to deliver hay around lunch time.
Sunday, Jan 17
John spent time outside replacing two gates – difficult to use – with less cumbersome ones. He says it is an age thing – them and him.
At 1:00 pm we called our cousin Ethel, 103 yrs old in PA. We had a nice 35 min conversation. The complex where she lives is about 35 years old (and so is our house) so we talked about the parts that are failing. And we all had dental visits cancelled during Covid closures. Things could be worse.
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan