Jeff's Journal

Another Bruised Arm

I was at the hospital all day yesterday. At the end of the day, I had a pretty black and blue arm and good reports. The kidney functioning is back on track and getting better.

Thankfully, some of the meds are being tapered. One med was removed, but two new ones showed up. (They are Legion.) I’ll be very happy when one is down to a minimal level. It gives me a concentrated migraine and has caused a rash to erupt. But, my mantra helps; I do not have to go to dialysis.

Yesterday was an interesting day at the hospital. Everyone arrives in the clinic about 7:00 and waits to register and to be called for blood draws. After the initial draw, the place vacates as folks go to eat and around 9:00 everyone returns to wait for the coordinators and doctors to do appointments in between the other blood draws at 11:00, then 1:00 and finally at 3:00.

I was watching the choreography in the room at 9:00. Everyone takes their immune suppression drugs at 9:00. It was funny to watch this entire waiting room pull out bottle after bottle of meds, count out little pills, line them out and start swallowing. Such is the way to life.

It was interesting to watch the people as they returned to the waiting room. One of the patients was told she did not have to wear her mask any more. She came out celebrating and in a striptease manner tossed the mask to her husband. Another was transplanted this week. He was still tender and in a wheel chair attempting to comprehend the process. Another was in for his annual visit. One man was there with his son-in-law. They came on the bus from Edinburg. The son-in-law offered his kidney to his father-in-law, but a deceased donor came through. (Of course, this man had thoughts about his six children who did not offer) There was more Spanish than English in the clinic. I guess I need to practice my Spanish.

Next Friday it will be time to reload and do it again.

The Social Security Administration called today. I am officially a disabled American. We’ll see what that means when the materials arrive.

posted by Jeff Waldo @ 12:05 PM