Routines

With the exception of a couple of days when meetings added to the schedule, the month of March has become pretty routine. I've gone to Physical Therapy three times a week with increasingly intense exercises, lots of walking and practicing going up and down the stairs at the hospital.

I saw my primary care physician last week about my 'numb feet' and he gave me a prescription that was supposed to relieve some of the pressure of the numbness. Instead it gave me a sleepless night with not good pulse rate and a terrific headache the whole following day. So much for that.

I had the scheduled Arterial Doppler Ultrasound on both legs and feet on Monday this week.
Because my primary care doctor is the one who ordered the test, results won't be available to him (or to me) until he is back in the office next week. He is out of the office all this week, probably for Spring Break.

The Ultrasound took about one hour. I had no idea what to expect, and it was quite interesting to listen to the sounds of blood coursing through the arteries in my legs. I asked the technician who did the test if she could offer an opinion, but of course they are not allowed to say anything. The radiologist has to read the test findings and then report to the doctor. Protocol. So we wait. In the meantime, the numbness is still very prevalent, but the swelling has diminished somewhat - except at night.

Because I was in PT from 11 to 12 on Monday, and the Ultrasound was for 1 p.m., Alan and I had lunch at the cafeteria there in the hospital. Even with his cane and my walker, we managed (with help from a nurse in the line) to get food selected and taken to a table. We enjoyed one of the best hamburgers we've had in a long time. They were huge, but we managed to consume all of them. Then it was time to register for the Ultrasound, so the timing worked out really well.

I actually drove myself on an errand on Tuesday - in the rain; and then drove to PT today - both ways. It's kinda strange to be at the wheel again after not driving for so long. Today, March 10th, marks 3 months since my lung surgery. Seems like it should be a much longer time, since my strength has been so slow in returning.... or at least it seems very slow to me.

The buttercups (aka jonquils, daffodils) are blooming in the front yard now, and I'm wishing I could go pick a bouquet. I'm a little bit wary of bending over to pick the blossoms, using the walker or the cane... just not sure about stability. I still have 'wobbly' times when walking. Maybe Alan will bring some more flowers in for me later. He picked a few yesterday to give me a 'taste of spring', he said. It's Time for Spring.... everyone is so tired of cold.