March 5 – “Long day. Really long day”

Well, Chris has had every sort of test known to man over the last 48 hours.  And for those who have been asking, no, she’s not pregnant.  Yes, I really did get a message asking about that particular test.  I’m sure they must have done one.  They included everything else.  But let me start from the beginning.  Or the middle, I guess, since this episode actually started yesterday.

 

I was up and at ‘em at my usual time yesterday.  Pretty funny, actually.  I woke up at 6 a.m. exactly.  Freddy strolled into the bedroom at 6:01 … exactly.  She didn’t seem to want anything.  Just checking to see if I was getting up, I guess.  I didn’t close the door to the room she generally sleeps in the night before.  Just trying an experiment.  Chris told me I should let her sleep with me so neither of us would be alone.  Thoughtful lad, that Chris, isn’t she?  Freddy did just fine.  I didn’t sleep so well, though.  Visions of nurses and surgeons and needles and incessant beeping machines danced in my head.  I did finally manage to crash sometime after eleven, I think. 

 

After a quick breakfast of fruit and a leftover biscuit, I dove into the computer work I still had to do.  I have also been working to organize our income tax stuff, but that is a story for another day.  Let’s get back to the hospital.  We texted a time or two before-hand, but I finally headed up to the hospital a little before their magic witching hour of 10 a.m.  No visitors before that time, you know.  Otherwise people will discover all the deep, dark, magical secrets that unfold after dark.  Or maybe it’s the other way around.  They place a protective spell over the whole joint at 8 p.m. and remove it at 10 a.m.  I know.  I know.  Too much Harry Potter. 

 

So back to the array of tests that were ordered.  Along with all the heart stuff (including the threat of one test where she would have to swallow a camera attached to a long cord, let it take some glamour shots of her heart, then they would rip it back out of her throat.  Fortunately that one never materialized), they were also concerned with her liver (a lot.  They asked about four times if she drank alcohol.  Not sure they believed that she never has), gall bladder (They discovered she had some gall stones.  They weren’t blocking anything, though, so not a problem … yet), and every other internal organ they could find in there.  I listened through the door when the docs made their rounds.  I heard them talking about LDM’s and NOP’s and QRSTUV.  I don’t know.  A lot of meaningless (to me) letters.  I’m pretty sure they also said something about her having TransAm-it is.  Not sure what that is, but at least she went right to the top.  No Chevy Nova for my bride. 

 

Finally, the faculty cardiologist made his final pronouncement … she can go home.  If chest pains persist, it is OK to take the Nitro pills, even though she is already on the extended release version.  They adjusted her meds as well.  The thinking is that the meds were causing her liver functions to get all out of whack.  Now she has to take a shot in the stomach every two weeks.  It is not supposed to affect the liver at all.  Problem is, it is a highly specialized medication only available at highly specialized pharmacies.  Fortunately, he was pretty sure Randall’s is one of those specialty pharmacies.  Supposedly the cost is something like $16,000 a year.  He assured us it would be covered by Medicare, though.  Better be.  She has to follow up with her PCP and Cardiologist withing a week or so to get them on the same page.  He also said she was good to go on back to cardiac rehab if she felt up to it.  In fact he was kind of surprised she was still in it.  Seems “most people” just go for a session or three, then quit.  She assured him that she was in it for the long haul. 

 

We got back home and crashed out on the couch to watch the Baylor basketball game.  The Texas vs. Oklahoma game followed, but Chris gave up around nine and said she was done.  Couldn’t keep her eyes open.  Something about a liver ultrasound at 2 a.m. that kept her from sleeping the night before?  I have to admit, I didn’t make it through the whole game either.  I was asleep by ten.  Long day.  Really long day.

 

John 5:24 says, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

 

Father, thank you for the good report on Chris’ heart.  Now would you please start work on the rest of that body?  Amen.