Catch Up Time

Whew! It's been awhile since I updated my blog.

I went back to work on Monday, February 15. Woo hoo! It was exhausting to sit for 8 hours and read my email. Don picked me up at work and we went to his house to await the oxygen tank arrival.

The portable oxygen unit I had lasted about 8 hours, obviously not long enough for 8 hours of work, 30 minutes of lunch, and about a 90 minute daily commute. So I did a little research on the Internet and found the Helios Marathon. It is the BIG brother to the Helios unit I had. So I just called the medical supply place to see if I could swap out for the larger unit. Little did I know that my five day journey for the Marathon portable oxygen unit.

I called the Lindon branch. No clue about it, and "No, we don't have one." I called the Salt Lake store and "No, that isn't available." So I thought compromise and made arrangements to have a small liquid oxygen tank delivered to work. Uh oh. I work for a large multinational corporation and talked to HR about the tank. "We have to go through corporate, yada yada yada." Fine.

So Don, being the good friend he is, offered his house, which is very kind. I could run up to his house on my lunch and fill the unit. OK. So then I called to see what time and when the refill tank would be delivered. "We don't have that order. What did you want again?" So on Saturday, someone in SLC finally found the order and said it would be delivered on Monday. No time frame though. Sigh.

So I called Monday morning from work. They didn't know what I was talking about. Great. First day back at work and I get to leave after 6 hours to fill my oxygen. Grrr. Then they found the order and said the delivery would be after 4 pm. !!! So I let Don know

Fast forward to Don's house at about 6 pm. I'm getting a little antsy and then the phone rang. It was Cuso the delivery guy. "Now, what did you order? I have an order here for a refill unit and the top fill." The top fill is the portable unit. That's NOT what I wanted. So we talked for awhile about it and he said "Why don't you try the Marathon unit?"

Me: "I thought we didn't stock them." Cuso: "We do, let me see if I have one." He did!!! So he came over and we swapped units and he cancelled the other order, etc. Woo hoo! So sad the delivery driver knows more about the inventory than the offices do.

I really like the Marathon unit. 20 hours of oxygen when it is set on demand. On demand delivers a puff of oxygen every time I inhale. Coolness. And I don't have to worry about running out of oxygen when I am out and about. It does make a little puffing noise, but doesn't bother me.

I also have made many friends with my liquid oxygen unit. I've given little demonstrations and referred many people to the company. They should give me a commission. LOL.

The only problem is that it doesn't come with a carrying case. I carried it by the handle for 2 weeks, which was just not very convenient. So I searched the Internet for a carrying case for the Helios Marathon unit.

Everything I found cost over $65.00. Waaaaaay too much money. So I went searching for something at Target. It took 45 minutes, but I found a canvas bag that closes at the top and I can sling it over my shoulder. It looks kind of like a fashion accessory, not medical equipment (until you see the cannula stuck up my nose.)

So I am a happy camper. Time for bed.

Monday Monday

I was going to get so much done today. Instead, I didn't do anything. Stupid head cold/bronchitis. I got sicker over the weekend (although I did make it to church.) My nose is running (and having a cannula stuck up it doesn't help any.) I'm coughing, but nothing is coming up. I'm wheezing big time, the Symbicort lasts for a couple of hours then I wheeze in multiple sounds. It's so annoying.

So I started taking Azithromycin today. 2 pills today, then a pill a day for the next 4 days. I can't be sick, I go back to work on Feb 15. I'm also taking a cold pill (antihistamine/decongestant) and the "magic" cough syrup at night. I don't have a fever. I'm hoping to get magically better so I can go stitching tomorrow night. /whining

Tomorrow I need to pick up the handicapped placards at the driver's license bureau. I also need to pick up a form for my doctor to fill out and fax in (I am diabetic and need a release to drive.) I need to call the company who is managing my medical leave of absence and see what kind of a doctor's note I need to go back to work (will the generic form work that says Feb 15 is the big day?) I need to call the medical supply company and see if I can get a Helios Marathon portable oxygen system.

On Saturday, I went to Salt Lake. I left at noon with portable oxygen unit. I just performed normal activities (prescription and grocery shopping, Don's haircut, shopping at the craft place, and dinner out with friends.) The oxygen was gone by 8 pm. I had it on 1 most of the day. For work I need at least 11 hours of oxygen.

The Helios Marathon system gets up to 20 hours worth of use at the setting of 2 liters. And it only weighs 5 pounds when full. Sounds perfect for me.

I need to remember to call and have my old medical supply place pick up their oxygen concentrator and the 3 big ole green oxygen tanks too.

On Saturday night we went to a little pizzeria called Rusted Sun Pizza. Yummy. I had an Italian salad, Don had a calzone, everyone else had either a calzone or pizza. I'll bet 28 people was the maximum number of eaters that would fit. It was a little place, but so good. We had a great time. There were six of us, four sat in a booth and Don and I sat at the bar across from the booth. Good food, great company.

If you are in Salt Lake City, give the Rusted Sun Pizzeria a try. It is located at 2010 South State Street. Here is a link to their menu.
Rusted Sun pizzeria

They don't take reservations.

My cat

I have a Siamese cat who is about 9 years old. She is a typical Siamese cat who yowls, but she is my cat and loves me. You know the saying "Dogs have masters, cats have staff." Exactly.

My new oxygen unit is controlled by my inhaling. So there is a little puff every time I inhale. It scares the poor kitty when I hold her. Of course, everything scares the poor kitty. I have put a chair next to me at my computer desk and that is where she takes her naps. She'll lay there for hours. I love my kitty cat even though she does run my life. :)

She is a very curious cat too. When the guy was here to set up my CPAP machine, she looked and sniffed. Usually she runs down the stairs at a full gallop. "Stranger danger."

I have to work at getting a better picture of her. I used to have some, but I can't find them. She is a beautiful cat, even though my nickname for her is "Miss Priss" and "Miss Persnickety."

OK, last update on my blood oxygen level. I set the oxygen to 1 liter per hour and my blood oxygen level is 94. Coolness. The unit will last even longer. What an exciting Friday evening. I'm off to bed to rest up for my big day tomorrow. (Salt Lake City with friends and dinner.)

Friday

I went to the doctor this morning for my 3 month checkup. Sigh. My A1C was 7.2, which averages a 170 blood sugar for 3 months. My dr was very encouraging and didn't scold me. He said since I have been so ill the past 2 months that is probably it.

He did change my medications. I am now taking Janumet, which is a combination of metformin and sitagliptin (Januvia.) I did take glipizide when I was first diagnosed and only had to take it for about 6 weeks. After that the metformin controlled my blood sugar levels.

He also changed the triglyceride med from Lovastatin to Simvastatin. I'm stopping Lovastatin right now and will wait to start simvastatin (I have to get my meds via a mail in pharmacy.) If my blood sugar numbers drop, then I'm not taking any statin. I'll eat lettuce and chicken to keep the blood sugar and triglycerides down. My overall cholesterol is 192, but the good cholesterol is a little low and the bad cholesterol is a little high and my triglycerides are a little high. Thus the tricor and simvastatin. I'll just experiment (I can hear the drs out there shuddering.)

I am able to control my blood sugar through the diabetic exchange diet and exercise. Since I have been on Lovastatin, the numbers are through the roof. I have been researching on the Internet and there are cases of blood sugar being unmanageable with the statins. Also, it says in the patient inserts that statins can cause blood sugar to go up. We'll see.

The dr also put me on lisinopril to protect my kidneys. I guess he does that to all of his patients with diabetes. My blood pressure was 128/90 (it has been 122/75.) So not too bad. I feel like a walking pharmacy.

Now I have chest congestion. My mom has bronchitis and that is what I thought it was. But the dr said that it is asthma, I am wheezing big time. So now I have an inhaler (Symbicort). He also wrote a prescription for a Z-Pack for me to have in case I cough up colored mucus with a fever. So far just a tight cough and wheezing.

Let's see, what other exciting things did I do today? I am testing out the portable oxygen unit to see how long it lasts. I had a bit of a problem filling it this morning, it ran out after about 20 minutes. I did have a big ole green tank in my car, so I was OK. As soon as I got home I refilled it again and it lasted about 10 minutes. So I called Praxair.

They were very nice. George told me when I filled the portable tank to press down on the top of the unit until it is full. I wasn't doing that. And it worked. That was at 12:15 pm. It is now about 8:45 pm and it is still going strong. I'd like the unit to last at least 11 hours. I'll be testing it tomorrow when I go up to SLC. Of course I will have the big ole green tank along just in case. 11 hours will get me to work and back home (I plan on an hour to and an hour from work, with 8 hours of work and a 30 minute lunch. I may have to plan on an hour lunch initially.) We'll see. The best part is that I have had the unit at 2 liters per hour. I am usually at 1 liter per hour, but the wheezing is making my lungs unhappy.

I also got the pulse oximeter today. Excitement city. Of course I played with it. With the oxygen set at 2, my blood oxygen is between 94 and 96. The next experiment was to take off the oxygen, go to the bathroom, get my blood testing kit, and then take the blood oxygen. It was 80. Oops. Way too low. The good news is that my blood oxygen does go up to 90 after about 45 seconds after putting the oxygen back on. I guess I will be on the oxygen for quite awhile.

I then walked with the oxygen on at 2 and my oxygen level was 88. Not good. I'm pretty sure it is the wheezing causing these problems because on Tuesday the numbers were much better.

My next experiment is to turn the oxygen down to 1 and see what my blood oxygen is. I lead such an exciting life. However, the pulse oximeter will help me keep on track.

I almost forgot. I asked for a handicap sign for my car. The only time I plan on using it is at work. The building is set an at odd angle. There are no parking places in front of the building for the employees. However, there are 3 handicapped parking stalls. For the winter I am going to use it. The cold air does a number on my lungs. I also hate to trudge through the ice and snow in the parking lot. I can even ask for 2. I do plan on walking everywhere else because I need the exercise.

Oxygen and me, part 2

I went to the pulmonologist on Tuesday morning. The good news is that my lungs look OK. There is still some cloudiness in my left lung from the pneumonia, but he wants to let it rest. So no tap and no antibiotics. Woo hoo!

Bad news is that my blood oxygen level was at 87 when I got to the doctor. And that was with oxygen. Sigh. So I am indefinitely on oxygen 24/7.

I really like the doctor, Dr Campbell. He did the thoracentisis on me in the hospital and was so gentle and kind and competent. I'm clanking around with the big green tanks of oxygen and he said he wanted me to have liquid oxygen. The portable tank is about the size of a loaf of bread and I carry it over my shoulder. Wow!!!

It only weighs 3.5 pounds when filled. I tried it out Tuesday night and it was wonderful. I put it over my shoulder and went out to dinner. No more fussing with the big ole green tank of oxygen.

There is a reservoir of liquid oxygen that is now in my house. It's probably 4 feet tall and 16 inches in diameter. I refill the portable unit from the reservoir, which is pretty easy. Depending upon my use and how much I go out, the reservoir tank lasts at least two weeks.

I'm going to have to experiment and see how long the unit lasts. The brochure says 10 hours at 1 liter per hour and about 8 hours at 2 liters per hour. I may have to request the Marathon unit, which lasts up to 20 hours when I go back to work.

Dr Campbell also wanted me to have my very own pulse oximeter so I can keep track of my blood oxygen level. The oximeters that climbers use run about $200. I called the medical supply place and they can order me one for a mere $850.00!!! There is no insurance coverage. So I went to Amazon.com and found a pulse oximeter for about $52 with free shipping. It should be here on Saturday. It comes with its own carrying case and a cord to wear it around my neck. (I don't think so.) I will be able to monitor the oxygen a lot better with the oximeter. (I have more medical toys now. Goody.)

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. It is my three month checkup for diabetes. I've been having a really hard time keeping my blood sugar levels down the past 10 days. That doesn't make me happy at all. I've been sticking to the lifestyle eating habits change (sounds better than a diet.) I've cut out yogurt for breakfast, which has been fine for the past 3 1/2 years. I'm really careful what fruits I eat, and I've cut out all white stuff (bread, potatoes, rice, sugar, etc.) I'm not a happy camper right now. At least the weight is still coming off, albeit slooooooowly.

Good thing I have an appointment tomorrow, because I have congestion in my chest. Yep, and I'm wheezing. It's a tight cough and not productive at all. And my chest hurts. So.....I'm hoping it is just bronchitis and an antibiotic will clear it up. I'm rather discouraged about this whole thing right now. Of course, if I have an infection then my blood sugars are going to be out of whack. I just took it and it is at 217. Not good at all. I wonder what my a1n will be. Til tomorrow.

Background change

I changed the background. Only took me two hours because I was searching for a neato background. LOL.