Yesterday I made another trip to the doctors. I guess I am making some progress about getting well. But what really sunk in was the fact that I do not have to worry about payment - my military service retirement covers the costs. I think I was aware, for the first time, of the magnitude of the mess that the millions of people who have lost their insurance policies under Obamacare are in. I have been in pretty severe pain. I can not comprehend what it must be like to wonder if I could afford going to the ER for relief.
Fair winds and following seas.
Cruising my 1995 Catalina 42 MK II sailboat with my cat XO, the good, the bad, and the ugly of the open ocean world cruising life.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
A week to forgot - continued
For the second time in four days I visited the emergency room. This time I did not have a "minor" emergency, I upgraded to the full experience: ambulance ride, etc. I was riding back from working on a friend's computer when I once again started to get sweats and a massive pain in my side. I got back to the boat and took the meds from my "minor" emergency - an hour and one half later I was still in intense pain. I have heard that one can be having a heart attack without chest pain so I decided that I better call for help.
I called Maury and we agreed that we would call an ambulance instead of him driving me the 20 to 30 minute ride to the hospital. First to arrive was the Fairfield Harbour security department - EMT trained all. They took my blood pressure and heart rate. For me they were very high. The EMT's told me that they were "high normal." The ambulance arrived and they hooked me up to the EKG. The trace was normal. They explained that this meant I was not having a heart attack but that without a blood workup they could not tell if I had just experienced a heart attack.
Off we went to the hospital. Since I was not having a heart attack and they didn't know what was going on they were told not to give me any medications. It was a very unpleasant and painful ride.
I arrived at the emergency room and after about 1 hour they gave me a shot of morphine (the real reason I went in the first place...) I finally relaxed. My blood pressure dropped to 95 over 65 and my heart rate to 48 bpm. (Yes, in my normal resting state I am almost dead.) After a CT scan and blood work they informed me that I had not had a heart event but rather that I had a kidney stone that I needed to pass. Great - just another old person thing to experience! At least they gave me percocoet so the next time the pain hits I can just pass out instead of being in pain.
I am looking forward to Thanksgiving with a kidney stone. (Actually I have been invited to a local home for Thanksgiving. I am looking forward to it.)
Fair winds and following seas.
I called Maury and we agreed that we would call an ambulance instead of him driving me the 20 to 30 minute ride to the hospital. First to arrive was the Fairfield Harbour security department - EMT trained all. They took my blood pressure and heart rate. For me they were very high. The EMT's told me that they were "high normal." The ambulance arrived and they hooked me up to the EKG. The trace was normal. They explained that this meant I was not having a heart attack but that without a blood workup they could not tell if I had just experienced a heart attack.
Off we went to the hospital. Since I was not having a heart attack and they didn't know what was going on they were told not to give me any medications. It was a very unpleasant and painful ride.
I arrived at the emergency room and after about 1 hour they gave me a shot of morphine (the real reason I went in the first place...) I finally relaxed. My blood pressure dropped to 95 over 65 and my heart rate to 48 bpm. (Yes, in my normal resting state I am almost dead.) After a CT scan and blood work they informed me that I had not had a heart event but rather that I had a kidney stone that I needed to pass. Great - just another old person thing to experience! At least they gave me percocoet so the next time the pain hits I can just pass out instead of being in pain.
I am looking forward to Thanksgiving with a kidney stone. (Actually I have been invited to a local home for Thanksgiving. I am looking forward to it.)
Fair winds and following seas.
Monday, November 25, 2013
It never rains but it pours
I got back to Reboot after my visit to the "minor emergency" room. Muscle relaxing drugs and sleep were the plan. That worked really well until the shore power connector shorted out and all heat on the boat stopped. Its a balmy 26 F this morning so not having heat is no big deal.
Fair winds and following seas.
Fair winds and following seas.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
A week to forget
This has been, by all measures, a week to forget. I am feeling increasing pressure to get Reboot finished so that I can head south to warmer weather. I woke up Monday morning with congestion and a hacking cough. I would have preferred to just die. Fortunately Maury (Gypsysails) comes by every morning to pick me up for coffee. He and Ginger took me under their wing and made sure I had food and medicine. That took out most of the week. Then today, (Saturday) I was a Maury and Ginger's helping them set up their accounting software when I got a huge spike of pain in my back. I expected that it would go away after a while. I took a hot shower, put some cream on my back, and tried to find a comfortable position. After several hours of sweats, thinking I was going to vomit, and in general feeling miserable Maury drove me to the local hospital "minor emergency" facility. Three or four hours and a shot of morphine in my butt and I was at least able to sit or lay down with only minor pain. So all of my plans for the week have amounted to exactly no progress. At least I was not out on the ocean when I got sick.
Fair winds and following seas.
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