19 June 2023
I made my first unaccompanied outing today since June 5th. I drove the back roads to a blood draw on Stirling Road in order to avoid I-95. That road is iffy even when you are in peak condition.
Everyone tries to draw from my right arm until they see the surgery scar from my biceps tendon repair. I guess they are concerned some things may have been rearranged in that arm during surgery and immediately go to the left arm.
The problem is the left arm has had more than its share of punctures lately, to the point that I had an IV line in that arm for two days while in the hospital. I can almost hear the vein screaming “Not again!” I always offer up the port but that is always declined. I’m not sure if phlebotomists are not trained in port procedure or they don’t want to chance it. I assume the more the port is used, the more the chance of infection. I do know my left arm vein would like a little reprieve.
After the blood draw, I headed to CVS drive-thru for the Lomotil prescription. No go. The version I’ve been prescribed is liquid and they didn’t have it in stock and hadn’t ordered even though prescribed. Anyway, the lady at the window did order it and then informed me I had two prescriptions for lancets and test strips for my glucose available. I still seem to have two profiles in their system. She asked I wait 15 minutes and they would be ready for pickup.
I waited the 15 and then went back through the drive-thru and was told they didn’t have the lancets (that’s OK, I have a ton of them) but had the test strips. Previously, CVS told me the strips and lancets were no longer covered under Medicare and they charged me. Today, I was told no charge. On any given day you may be told anything at CVS which doesn’t hold the next time you go in.
As I headed back home, I stopped at a McDonalds and got their sausage McMuffin meal with coffee. Great news! The coffee now tastes like coffee! I ate the hash browns and approximately 1/2 of the McMuffin and considered that a victory over bananas, rice, applesauce, toast and tea. I also haven’t had diarrhea in the last 12 hours.
If my taste buds are coming back and my nose is healing and my diarrhea is moderating, maybe I’m finally getting all those damn chemicals out of my system from the first chemo.
Speaking of, I’m still listed for five more infusions. I called to cancel and found the person who is in charge of scheduling is out. I’m awaiting a call back from the person subbing for the person to cancel the infusions. As you might guess, the phone number listed to call for cancellation is the wrong one. Apparently, the new phone system hasn’t been changed on the web sites and apps.
I haven’t received any word from Dr. Burgers about a scheduled surgery but she did say it would probably not be until sometime today. I look forward to getting the surgery out of the way.
Even though yesterday morning almost killed me with the chores, I think that was the best thing I could do. I felt better yesterday afternoon than I have since the process began. I can feel my energy returning even if my stamina has not. I may even try to do a few more chores late this afternoon after it cools off a little. For the first time in a long time I feel emotionally better about the future. I also got a complete night of sleep last night and didn’t have to get out of bed once.
Chad, the contractor, texted and said they probably would not make it by today because of rain chances. They can’t pain outside nor finish the stucco until they get some good weather. That may be in October when rainy season is over.
It’ll be so strange not to have everything in my living room and kitchen cluttered with the contents of the pie safe and steamer trunk. Just think, I may actually have a normal life at some point.
Stay tuned!