Surely I have mentioned, in fact I know I have, that in the past six months, my ability to sit and read like I used has gone away (temporarily I hope). I have been forcing myself to try to read for a minimum of an hour each day, but that is getting harder - to allot the time for it than to actually do it. Today I printed out the Liver Recipient Patient Guide from the Mayo Clinic - 76 pages of information regarding the transplant process through after-care, and beyond by explaining much of my new meds after the transplant I will now be on for life. Then there are the other factors that I have to maintain throughout the rest of my years, mainly to prevent any rejection of the liver, or other complications. Reading through just a portion of it tonight, my head is swimming at all the changes that will be made in my lifestyle: diet, exercise, being in public, even into medical issues: if this happens, if that happens, if another doctor tries to prescribe, have them contact Mayo (so as to not screw up the transplant drugs. The whole thing is just so ... massive compared to the ideals I had of it (thanks television). Lotsa big changes, and I am ready to do them.
What did I do today...? Oh yeah! I had the weekly paracentesis done. Last week only 8.6L were drained, which is good. Today, that dropped to 7.0L!! I think I will still keep my appointment for the next one on next Wednesday, but if the next drain is smaller, I'm going to try to go 2-3 weeks between. If it is draining, or not mass-producing like it has, I'm happy!
Afterwards, I swung by the Leather Shop and picked up my new vest. They are going out of business and have a 50% off sale, and I scored pretty good. Got a lighter vest to wear, and decided to make it my "fun" vest. So I picked up some patches that had humorous sayings, got my nickname badge "Ashol", all of them sewed on ... for less than the marked price on the jacket ($149). Did I mention the 50% off, plus a VFW discount? Yeah, always nice. So now I have a new vest for non-VFW events.
Came home, had a small cup (maybe a half-cup) of the broth from RM's Chicken Chili (so good!) and then I decided I did not want to sit at home all day. I'd been home most of the 5-6 days before as I was not feeling well. VFW closed today, so headed over to my pub, the Other Room. I had a small pitcher of coke, and tried to read, but couldn't stay focused on it. So I played some games. Went home and filled up my Taz Mug (holds 2 cups) of chicken chili, including a third of the glass with the solids too. I heated it up, and added a couple extra spices I like, and was so darn good! Glad RM gave me the recipe to use later on. Could be a good crockpot recipe for next week when I get home late from Mayo, dinner will be ready - and for the Wife as well!
I decided I needed to get that Patient Guide printed, so I started it (76 pages). Then, because I was trying to save ink, I had it print in greyscale, and the other option about saving some ink - I forget what it was. And still, anything that was in a font color other than black, did not show up. SO I had to go through page by page, comparing what was printed, and what was missed. Overall it wasn't terrible, and I just copied it from the pdf to a doc, then added to the bundle with note it goes with attached page. I had already put my appointment schedule packet (another 36 pages) in a small binder, but I want it all together. So I found a large binder here at home (thanks for rat-packing!) then I had to 3-hole punch all the pages. Oh - frustrated. I only have a hand-held single punch tool. Well, I guess more than 5 pages at a time is too much, as I broke it. I asked the Youngest if he knew if there was a hole punch anywhere, and he brought me this OLD 3-hole one. It's like a ruler with the three punches. You put the pages in, align to the edge on bottom, then push this metal plate over the punches & paper, and push on it. Old-fashioned!! I kinda like it. SO I did all that, put in the bunder, did separators for Patient Guide, and Appt Schedule, Misc. (copies of my list of doctors, prescriptions), and then the after visit summaries (these I am keeping to Mayo). All the other paperwork I have from discharges, etc. from Banner I plan to work into another binder, and the Wife agrees, just to have available for the unforeseeable time frame. Never know when there might be something in there another doctor needs.
By then it was near 11pm, and I headed to the bedroom, with the binder. I showed the Wife what I had done (she thought it was a good idea), we talked about which appointments she wanted to attend next week, and I marked them, plus she has the dates to request partial days off for the two. One is the surgery consult, the other is the week after testing where they will probably go over the results with me and what they are going to take to the transplant council. Then I decided I should actually read this thing, and began to do so. Oh my. There is A.TON. OF. INFO. I quit about 1/3 of the way through. Brain overload. So many emotions even about just what the typical standard transplant pre-, during, and post-care things that happen. And Life style changes.... I'm starting to repeat myself....
Today. Thursday. I thought I would wake this morning feeling refreshed, nausea gone, able to eat some Raisin Bran even! Nope. Up all night. I would just go to bed at like 5am like many other times, but I have a funeral service to attend today, followed by the cemetery ground internment. And that starts at 9am about a 20-minute drive from home. Need to leave here about 8:15a at the latest to be sure to get parking and a seat.
Okay, I am outta here for now.
PeacE
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