Day 272

I feel like I am getting better each day. Still have the hard painful swelling in my legs and I tire pretty easy. But I'm optimistic I will eventually heal completely.

Still enjoying beautiful weather. Looks like it will turn back to fall next Sunday.

It sure has been a weird hurricane season. It seems most of the hurricanes are heading for the east coast instead of the gulf. To all my friends on the east coast - Batten down the hatches and stay safe from Nicole's wrath. She's a bad girl. I'll just stay here and keep enjoying this 79 degree weather. I know, winter's coming...so I better hush.

Day 271

We are enjoying a little bit of Indian Summer. At least that is what we called it in Indiana. Today was a beautiful 77 degrees.

I am a little sad I won't be able to attend my 40th high school class reunion this weekend. I was really thinking of going. It would have been so great seeing everyone again. And seeing "home" again. I had planned on driving to the east bay to visit BJ and my brother and sister-in-law. And maybe even drive up to the cemetery and find my Dad. Maybe next time.

I am slowly healing. The swelling is still there and my legs and feet are still hard and swollen. The UHC nurse called today and will call me back after my October 20th doctor appointment.

New tv shows I like: The Defenders (love Jim Belushi), Ma's Roadhouse (sort of like Full Throttle - but funny) No Ordinary Family (just like it)

Day 270

This picture was taken by my good friend, Todd, who now lives in Kansas. Please go check out his other photographs. Thanks Todd for letting me use your photo, I love it!

Day 269

Both Michael and I had doctor appointments. I got the release to go back to work tomorrow for 6 hours a day for awhile. He also is going to send me a letter to excuse me from jury duty.

Long day and now I'm exhausted. I plan to take it easy the rest of the day.

Day 268

Happy Sunday. This week even tought I was home and went no where really flew by. My foot seems to have gotten alot better overnight. I can actually touch the bottom of my foot without feeling like that old cartoon where the cat jumps and holds onto the ceiling with all four paws.

I was up for awhile this morning and then went back to bed and slept for hours. Must have needed it.

I wish I had Showtime because Dexter starts a new season tonight.

Something I heard on Deadwood:

Pain or damage don't end the world

Or despair or beatings

World ends when you're dead

Until then you got more punishment in store

Stand it like a man

And give some back

Day 267

Took the day easy. Stayed off my foot as much as possible. I want everything to go well at my doctor's visit on Monday.

Day 266

I keep hearing this John Fogerty song in my head:

Just got home from Illinois lock the front door oh boy!

Got to sit down take a rest on the porch

Imagination sets in pretty soon I'm singing

Doo doo doo Looking out my back door

There's a giant doing cartwheels a statue wearin' high heels

Look at all the happy creatures dancing on the lawn

A dinosaur Victrola list'ning to Buck Owens

Tambourines and elephants are playing in the band

Won't you take a ride on the flyin' spoon?

Doo doo doo

Wond'rous apparation provided by a magician

Doo doo doo Bother me tomorrow, today, I'll buy no sorrow.

One of those crazy days where the weather can not figure what it wants to do. It goes from sunny to cloudy to partly cloudy....and so on. But fall crispness is definitely in the air.

Day 265

I am definitely taking it easy for the next 4 days. I'm trying to heal as much as possible before getting the okay to return to work.

Watching alot of the premier shows that I DVR'd. It is so cold today and feeling like rain. We turned on the heater for the first time this morning.

Day 264

Michael's birthday. Can I just say how much I love this man? I do not know how I would have made it these past 30 years without him. My best friend!

I was feeling so good this morning that he took me to breakfast at Petro's Iron Skillet. It was nice to sit and talk and laugh. And the food was awesome.

Day 263

Michael went to the doctor today about the strained muscle in his chest. He saw a new doctor. To show you what a small world it is they were both stationed in the Navy in Adak, Alaska at the same time back in the 60's. They knew alot of the same people. Looks like we both have a new GP. Yay!

We returned the extra cable box from downstairs that we have hardly used back to Comcast. A credit from them will be nice.

I am slowly healing. The Morton's Nuroma has returned viciously to my right foot. I'm hoping the prescriptioned Naproxin will help as it has in the past.

Tonight is the Autumn Equinox. Happy Fall everyone! I cannot believe how fast summer rolled on by. Now we will watch the leaves turn color, pick fat orange pumpkins and fest on apples. I love Fall.

Enjoy the full moon tonight.

Day 262

We woke to find someone had been in Michael's car. There was nothing to steal. They didn't break anything, just made a mess from papers that were in the compartments.

Was able to stand long enough to put beef stew in the crockpot. It felt like such an accomplisment.

We went to the doctor's office for my pro-time. My blood levels are doing well. Earned another salad.

I canot believe all the construction going on everywhere. Makes getting anywhere a nightmare.

I didn't feel well most of the afternoon after we returned home. I skipped dinner and went to bed.

Day 261

This was a day to rest and heal. Thank you Michael for making this possible by doing everything. I laid down to take a nap in the afternoon and when I woke it was 9:00.

Earlier in the day I watched tv. My son called and I talked to him about what happened.

As most of my friends know we rescued Lady and Sammie, our 2 dogs that completed our family. Vikki has asked if I would put a link on my blog for the Pet Blogger Hop this coming Saturday. When buying dog food, buy an extra bag and drop it off at your local shelter. Donate and volunteer when you can. It will make you feel good about yourself and improve your Karma.

Day 260

A new day.

Thank you Vikki and Lisa for your support. And Vikki for all the wonderful places to start. I have decided to start the complaint process. Starting first with my insurance company United Healthcare. Maybe I can get them to review if he should be a preferred provider.

I entered a craig list request to maybe find any other patients that similar experiences with this doctor.

Yesterday I went back for a check up at Spokane Cardiology. They checked my blood levels and they were doing very well. So well she said I could have a salad. Green leafy stuff because of the vitamin K is a no-no for anyone on coumadin. Next I saw Jackie, my doctor's nurse. I don't know what she expected, but, I think she was shocked. She called in Dr Liemgruber who said it was bad, but, will heal in time. He said I was doing a good job in caring and cleaning. Too much blood in the tissue and leg pain. And also fatigue. He dashed my dreams of going back to work on Monday. A set back for sure. Another week off. But I had to agree with him.

In an effort to cheer me up Michael had ordered us something for Halloween (my favorite holiday). They arrived in the mail yesterday. Flip down vampire fangs like they wear on True Blood!! So cool and they did cheer me up.

Day 259

The hard part to describe. I was hoisted onto the surgery gurney. They taped my legs down, then my arms down. They pulled my stomach up as far as they could and taped it so tight I could hardly breathe. Gardner was complaining about something they did so they taped more and tighter. With relief the drugs took over and put me to sleep.

I came back awake and found my legs and arms free from the tape. Gardner then decided to rip the tape from my stomach. I screamed and I cried for him to stop. But no one comforted me or acted like they heard me. I cannot describe the pain. They gave me morphine and that calmed me down until the second round of tape pulling happened. It was like they had not given me anything for pain. It was excruciating. After they were through they gave me morphine. Gardner then applied rows of pink pressure tape across my stomach. From there I was wheeled back to my room.

When Michael talked to Gardner he stated that he thought he got all of the clot. Michael shot back, what the hell do you mean you think you got it all? Gardner answered back about that the remains of the clot would filter out with all the blood thinners I was on.

Late the next morning Gardner entered my room. Without saying much he stared grabbing my stomach to inspect. Without any warning he began ripping the tape off. I screamed and cried. A nurse came to the door and he ordered her away. Once the tape was off I kept repeating NO MORE TAPE! Then he said yes he was going to tape it again. I screamed and screamed NO MORE TAPE! He applied the pink pressure tape once more without a word of comfort, reassuarance or empathy. Michael was ready to punch him and stated he need to show me empathy. He turned to Michael and told him WE should show him empathy and started talking medical procedures that may or may not kill me. I ordered him out of the room.

Dr Lubbe spoke with him and came to my room to find out what happened. I told him everything. He listened to me and looked at what he had done and I think he was shocked. He ordered the nurse to remove the tape and took over my care from there on.

After Dr. Lubbe left, Gardner returned and made an apology. I felt he did not know what he was apologizing for just that he knew he had to say something.

I removed Gardner from my care and made a complaint. I wonder if anything will even be said to him. My dilema now is what to do.

Day 258

This is when it went south. The next morning is when I was visited by surgeon Glen Gardner about removing the clot. I noticed right off he did not ask how I was. He went right to work. He started grabing at my stomach and inspecting the groin area. I had to catch my breath from his roughness. He knew he was hurting me but showed no empathy to what I was experincing. He said we were going to go through the groin. I wanted to ask him why we couldn't go through the wrist again, since the previous procedure went so well. But it was clear he was not listening to me and not answering any of my questions.

In the afternoon I was taken down to the Day Cardiac Surgery room. First I dealt with two gigiling unprofessional girls who were there to prep me before the team arrived. They tried drawing blood from several places and could not get any. I knew you cannot get blood from the top part of your arm near your shoulder. I still have the purple bruise today. These 2 were more interested in what they were doing for the weekend than anything to do with me. I was definitely scared at this point.

Then the team arrived.

Day 257

I have been thinking about all that I went through last week and need to write it down so I can understand how I felt. So if hospital goings on are not your thing, click away from here.

It started Tuesday at work where I got a cramp in my right leg that would not let up if I stood up for any period of time. By the time I made it home that evening I could barely take the pain anymore. Sleeping overnight the pain did let up and I thought I could go to work as normal. By the time I was dressed the cramping in the leg was back but more intense. Knowing I could not make it to work we made the decision to go to Urgent Care.

When we got checked into Rockwood Urgent Care they put me in a regular room, but, after accessing my condition, they moved me to the trauma room. Next thing I know they were putting in an IV and calling for an ambulance to take me to Deaconess Hospital. I chose there because my cardiologist is affiliated and has his office right there.

First stop the emergency room. I was cared for by Nurse, Jim, who I cannot say enough good about. He was caring, kind, efficient and professional. Did I mention my heartbeat was 190 (60 is normal)?

Second stop, with my dreams of just getting some medicine and going home were dashed, 7th floor, private room with a nice view of downtown Spokane. I met with the first doctor assigned to my betterment, John Peterson. A really weird guy came up from the lab to do a sonogram on my leg to check for clots. He seemed angry because he had to come up to the room instead of me going to the lab. He was rough and not very personable. While he was doing the sonogram my real heart doctor came in because he had heard I was there. The results were negative. So there was talk of sending me home the next day.

The next morning the cramping in the leg returned. Dr Peterson was ready to write me off and send me home. But I insisted the pain was still there and my feet were 2 different colors and the right was ice cold and the other normal temp. He decided to do an agiogram. He went through my wrist and sure enough they found a clot in the artery above my right knee.

I never expected what happened next would ever happen to me.

Day 249

Day 248

Day 247

Nothing much happening these last few days. Just work, home, tv and sleep. Not much to post about.

Labor Day Weekend is here. 3 days off. A fall weather trend is upon us. Today we have a nice swift breeze to keep it cool. I don't feel like going anywhere or doing anything. I do have to go and get milk and dog food sometime today.

Seems strange that summer is over. I guess because we did not have a true summer with hot spells. I can only remember 1 or 2 days where it was 100 degrees. I will need to enjoy the green trees and blooming flowers for as long as they last till the end of fall takes them all away.

Day 246

Day 245

Day 244