April 21 – “Nope. Nope.”

We woke up this morning to 53 degrees with a wind chill of 46.  Nope.  Nope.  Just … Nope.  Oh, Summer … where art thou?

 

Chris had an appointment with her Primary Care Physician yesterday.  This one was to check out the alleged fluid in her lungs and the headaches she’s been having.  Chest X-ray revealed no fluid, but we did learn some more detail about what actually happened during the heart attack.  Apparently there was damage done, and now her heart is described in technical terms as “lazy.”  The top part pumps blood into the heart just fine.  It’s the bottom part that is damaged.  That’s the one that squeezes the blood out from the heart and off to the rest of the body.  It is “lazy” (Code word for “damaged”).  It doesn’t squeeze hard enough to fully empty the contents.  Then, before it can relax fully and prepare for the next round, more blood gets pumped in.  So when it tries to squeeze again, the excess is apparently squirting into the lungs.  The cardiologist must have been listening at just the right time to hear some of that excess.  It doesn’t appear to be anything to worry about at this time, but it does warrant “watching.”  Like everything else. 

 

Chris fessed up to her that we were planning to take a trip next month.  The doc was silent for a long, long time.  Chris is relatively certain that she was making faces under her anti- Covid mask.  Finally she spoke.  The opening was direct and to the point, “If not right where you were, at just the right time, doing just the right thing you were doing, you would be dead.  Period.”  OK.  Got that part.  But when Chris didn’t seem deterred she continued to say it wasn’t a great idea that we go, but that since we were going to do it anyway, there would be some ground rules.  “First, you can’t drive for longer than two hours at a time.  We don’t want blood clots to start forming in her legs.”  Umm.  Nope.  Nope … we don’t.  “Second, you have to drink lots of water.  More than you usually do, even.”  Well, if she does that we’ll definitely have to stop every two hours, just to go to the bathroom.  Which, if I’m being honest, will be just fine with me.  I have learned over my many years that there is no real reason to live life uncomfortably if it isn’t necessary.  “And finally, if you have any trouble at all with chest pains or anything, go straight to the nearest hospital emergency room.”  Well, that’s an advancement over the cardiologist’s demands.  He said we had to call 911, and I wasn’t allowed to drive us there.  Guess she sees more in me than he does.  Anyway, I suppose in a round about way this means we have the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for our little journey next month.  Counting down the days.

 

Psalms 51:17 says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

 

Father, would you keep Chris healthy as we prepare for this trip?  It will sure be nice to get on the road again.  Amen.