Friday, June 26, 2020

Synopsis

I had a busy week.
Ha ha.

I saw the vascular doctor last Tuesday. I was informed of a vascular problem back, maybe two thousand and one, or two. For years I saw a vascular specialist, who beleaguered me about smoking. I ignored most of his direction. I was still working, weaving, driving several thousand miles a year. Smoking was part of the routine.

Then the vascular doctor disappeared. I turned my veins over to my heart doctor, who listened to my pulses once or twice a year, and told me to quit smoking. I actually did that, eleven years ago.

The new fellow and I got along well; I told him the story, and his take on it is, this is where that history lands you, and let's see what we can do from here. His office scheduled a venous ultrasound; he advised me to find zippered compression stockings...for both legs, and we spent an amusing five minutes notifying all my doctors of the visit. My little tweek to my primary who couldn't be bothered.

Then I go my hair cut. Second time since I could! I think I left half of it behind.


Wednesday the cat went to the vet, to bring his shots up to date so he can go to the barber in a week and get a Marine trim. I was super impressed with the protocol at the doctor's office. Nothing but masks! My hair dresser's shop was the same; all operators and all customers in masks.

I suppose I should have expected the same at the vet. They are a medical office, for crying out loud. I pulled in:



The office staff came out and asked me if I had concerns about Toby. Then the vet came out and asked me the same. I said, again, he's gained weight; is he OK? The vet took him away and brought him back shortly. He's fine, his vaccinations are current, and yes, he's gained more than a pound, so take off a layer of kibble from the scoop.

When he has his hair cut next week, I wonder how much weight he will loose.

On Thursday I visited the tall, overgrown kid ortho who set my broken leg a couple of years ago. I needed cortisone shots in my knees again. It's been a year! In chatting he said in the worst of the epidemic, he'd done no surgery for three entire months! "Did they pay you?" I inquired facetiously, and he was so startled he almost forgot to push the syringe. Just wanted to remind him a lot of people weren't so fortunate.

And today I went grocery shopping and then to lunch with Cathy at the delicatessen she found. 

The flowers are good; it has rained four days this week, and more to come.

And that's been my week.




34 comments:

  1. It sounds busy and productive.
    Mask wearing is optional here. And sporadic.
    When last I had my haircut no-one was masked. When we went to the vet this week the vet WAS masked - but only because I flagged with reception that we fell into the vulnerable people category.
    There are no active cases of Covid 19 in my city at the moment, but it hasn't been eliminated.

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  2. You have been busy! I still can't see my own doctor - it's taken me more than a month to get a phone call from him. We don't even have a single covid patient in the hospital in our area. I'm not sure why we can't see our doctors. Dentists are just starting. Hair cuts as well. -Jenn

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  3. Sounds like you had a successful week, Joanne. I am glad it went well. Congrats on quitting smoking 11 years ago. I had a bad nicotine habit (smokeless tobacco) and I have been done with that stuff for about 20 years. Hard to believe that was part of my life. Take care.

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  4. A good week it sounds....I have a vascular ultrasound scheduled about a strange rash on my right leg...I am not sure how happy I am with this dermatologist...But we'll see. I am glad I stopped smoking 39 years ago when pregnant with my youngest. And my dd Alice cut my hair. I feel about 20 pounds lighter. I was slightly overdue for a haircut in mid-march. Nice flower photo!

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  5. Orthopedic doctors like to cut. I'm sure they don't like to be kept idle like this, being paid or not.

    I need a haircut; just haven't ventured out yet, mainly because the wait was long in the beginning and now I just haven't checked recently to see if it is less than 120 minutes wait time.

    Hubby has been to the dentist and they have a very regimented check in process with masks being required and only one check in and wait in the waiting room at a time. Makes it hard to wait if they are running behind in the heat of a Phoenix summer outside but glad for the precautions being done.

    betty

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  6. You have had a busy week - two doctors appointments for you, one for the cat, a hair appointment and you bought groceries! These days especially, that is a lot of running around! I've been thinking of you knowing you had the vascular doctor on Tuesday. I'm glad you and he got along well. So far I've been to the dentist and that is all since March. I really need to get a haircut. I hope the compression stockings help. My husband has to wear those and they seem to help him. Get some rest this weekend!

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  7. Zippered compression stockings? I've never heard of those. I couldn't possibly wear them anyway, my varicose veins begin way up in the groin (on one side) and go down to the feet. They're not so bad now that I'm not standing at a checkout all day.
    Poor Toby, less kibble and a haircut. Still, his health is important and losing a pound won't hurt him. I manage to keep Lola at the four pound mark, but she's picky about what she will eat, so it's easy. It would be harder if she ate everything in sight, like a neighbour's cat who is quite roly-poly.

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  8. A very busy and productive week, A general MOT for both you and Toby, a win-win I would say.

    LX

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  9. You're busier than most of us here Joanne.

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  10. It sounds like you have had a very productive week. I'm so glad the vascular specialist recommended compression stockings for you. As much as I never enjoyed wearing them and didn't feel they helped me much I have to say they really did. These days I no longer have all the swelling I used to have and I never have to wear the stockings much. I know your issue is different but I think you will benefit.If you find them to difficult to put on, they have some that use velcro and can go up to your groin like the lady above seems to need. My late mom used that kind but you ave to really know the art and system of how to wrap them. It's a good thing Toby has you to look after him and make sure he stays healthy.

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    Replies
    1. I have stockings with a zipper up the side. Love them. My hands are not strong enough to use the regular.

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  11. That was a busy week, Joanne!
    Haircutters are an experience on their own - when mine washed my hair, I had to hold the mask with both hands over mouth and nose - but the "strap-handles" over the ears of cause had to be removed :-)

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  12. Our cat now has 7+ cat food, the same brand as she always has but a version with a different mix of nutrients (and maybe less calories) for older cats. She still looks tubbier than she used to when wriggling on her back to have her tummy stroked, but she isn't overweight like some of the other cats around here.

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  13. Hari OM
    Not a bad week overall...

    "Oor Wee Nicola" announced FACTS yesterday (I may blog it)...
    Face masks
    Avoid crowds
    Clean hands and surfaces
    Two-metere distancing
    Safety first - stay home

    We were ever a cautious lot, wee Scots!!! Of course, it is yet to be seen in practice. Not a lot of evidence of masks or distancing at yesterday's incident in Glasgow. YAM xx

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    1. At least we are getting better stats than England...so far...

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  14. Long hair really seems to change people's appearance. I saw one of my sisters-in-law the other day for the first time in weeks, and she looked like a Greek muse or something! She still has not been able to arrange an appointment with a hairdresser but she did have a pedicure!

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  15. Glad all went well, and, you had rain.

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  16. You ARE a busy woman. I admire you.

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  17. I don't like to think of the reaction if I were to cut down the canine rations...they are all portly, to say the least.

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  18. Good to be getting things sorted for both of you

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  19. you were busy! almost a regular day in our past regular lives. the only thing missing is cards with the Methodists.

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    1. They have no idea how I miss them. Not even services yet, but they will do an outdoor in a couple of weeks and I may appear to see if I can instill guilt. Doug says "our congregation is so old...!"
      They all go nowhere; they have self isolated homes! We'll see.

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  20. I love reading about your weeks. I hear you on the PVD, I was never told to get compression stockings, maybe I should?

    I was so happy to see my podiatrist, he was completely rigged out down to the helmet. Impressive.

    XO
    WWW

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  21. Compression stockings help my aunt with problems with the veins in her legs. Worth a try.

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  22. It's nice that you have a good vascular doctor. Things are so bad with the Covid in Arizona that we really question the wisdom of visits to specialists. There are a couple of specialists the family doc wants us to see, but so far the fear of Covid is keeping us home. I guess we're going to have to go back to grocery pickup in the parking lot at Safeway. I really hate this.

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  23. Feels good to get a haircut, doesn't it? I had mine done last week finally.

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  24. This almost passes for excitement in these times.

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  25. I'm still uncomfortable about getting my hair cut. It really need it.

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  26. You are lucky, sounds almost normal life. We are way off that.

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  27. We call going to the doctor as a cheap/not so cheap date.

    Wear those socks! My husband wears them every day. You can't mess around with vascular issues.

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  28. Compression stockings with zippers! Oh, if only. After my husband had his knee surgery in December, it was always a MORNING OF DREAD before it was time to put on the stocking. I'd just about have to stand on my head.
    Don't know when or how I will able to get a haircut. Looking more like a witch every week. If I caught the virus, I'd be a goner for sure, so I'm not venturing out unless it's a medical emergency.

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  29. Sounds like a good week with no catastrophic happenings.

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