06.01.17 Much cuter elbow, MRI, and Bessie the Cow!

Tuesday, May 30th we went to Dr. Chiasson for the fourth visit to check on my previously ugly elbow which is now much cuter. Last Friday when I went for the third time, it was better but still swollen,hot and painful to touch or move. They drained it again last Friday after much discussion and a big decision by me to pull my big girl britches up and do it. What they drained was so ugly they sent it off for a culture again. I didn’t have to be taken out in a wheelchair this time so that’s improvement. They added a second antibiotic to the mix to hopefully kick this things butt!!!

Today’s appointment with Dr. Chiasson went well. Roy and I were twins wearing pink shirts and black pants. We’re cute like that!!

Doctor found no heat in the elbow, some swelling and I was having no pain!!! After talking about options, I chose to not have it drained again but let the two antibiotics do their thing. He ordered blood work to check on things from that standpoint. I was able to go directly there to Quest for the bloodletting and got that done.

After that we went by Chip’s work, Bill Hood Nissan, for one of his special hugs. Since I was feeling good we went to Cici’s Pizza and enjoyed ourselves! He told me he thinks I looked younger which was such an uplifting comment. That boy sure knows how to make his mama feel better!

This photo is from the second visit to Dr. Chiasson – the day I saw all three doctors. Roy caught me trying to get some rest between visits.

This was from last Friday. I chose not to show the very up close photo as I may lose followers.

This is today’s cuter elbow. Again I won’t show the very up close photo but you can see from this it’s looking better. It’s gone from swollen above my elbow down to my fingers so much that I had no wrinkles. Now I have wrinkles, yes I am happy about having elbow, and all is healing! This was the first Dr. Chiasson appointment about my elbow. I’ve surely come a long way!!!

Now to switch back to the bleeding ulcer, low iron issue. A couple of days ago I bent over outside to put a light weight flag in the ground. Upon standing upright I got very lightheaded and had to hang on to Roy for a while. It got better but that prompted me to call Dr. Valdes to get an appointment to see him and not wait 3 more weeks till my scheduled appointment. He had an opening Wednesday at 1 pm so we scooped it up and went. On Tuesday, we asked the elbow doctor, Dr. Chiasson, if the lightheadedness could in anyway be associated with the staph infection. He did not believe it was because of my lack of other symptoms that would point to that.

Dr. Valdes has again proven to be an outstanding doctor. We went to see him yesterday, Wednesday, and after a good long talk he ordered several tests. Because my lightheadedness has been something I’ve had for at least a year (but certainly not at the level I have it now) he did not think the low iron would cause that. The blood tests from Dr. Chiasson shows that’s very close to normal limits. He focused on looking into any changes in my brain and any heart issues.

He ordered an MRI of my brain which I had at 3pm yesterday. Roy was able to stand outside the door and take a photo of me before going into the machine. My head is enclosed in this picture. The technician told him he couldn’t come inside the room because the magnet is always on and it could suck his camera right into it! I have claustrophobic issues with MRIs but they most kindly gave me great sedation and I almost fell asleep in the MRI!

A heart holter monitor was ordered which I can pick up on Tuesday the 6th. I’ve never had any experience with one of those monitors so I am looking forward to learning about it. A carotid artery test and an echocardiogram will be scheduled by the hospital Waiting to hear from them.

My blood pressure was again great!!!!! They checked it in the office when I was laying down, while sitting and while standing up. All good! Roy ordered online a new blood pressure monitor that doesn’t require pumping up, just push a button. After a recent lightheaded episode he took my blood pressure and it was quite good! Yay for having good medical high spots! Can’t get much better than 120/76!!!!

The MRI of my brain was done mostly to look for for new circulation issues. They got the results and just called me saying there has been no change in that respect. I have known documented circulation problems in my brain but at least that hasn’t grown worse.

We are enjoying a nice day staying home today – all day! I dream of a world where we don’t see doctors all the time and I can just walk or run around anywhere I want without worry! I ventured out a tiny little bit today to pick blackberries. Didn’t go but maybe 50 feet from our motorhome but it was wonderful. I’ve been so cautious the last few weeks in taking every step slowly not walking around without Roy holding my arm and mostly just sitting on the sofa. This is not the way I want to live so I’ll still remain cautious but want to build up my ability to get around. We have two baseball games for our only grandson on Saturday the 10th and it is now my goal to be okay enough to go to see him play.

My first goal is to get to church again this Sunday. I don’t want to share quite yet but this coming Sunday is a monumental day in the life of Trinity Baptist Church. I always want to be in church but this is such a special Sunday I can’t wait!!!

Yesterday we noticed that one of our neighbor’s cows (across the road) had been sitting down in the same position since the day before. I named her Bessie and we started keeping an eye on her because we were concerned. Roy texted the owner of that property and he said he’d send someone to check on her.

When we came home from the doctor and hospital yesterday there was a big John Deere tractor like thing next to her. Roy talked to the man who said they think she’s just old and has arthritis and was resting. She stayed there over night but this morning we saw her up and around a little. Lots of their other cows came to visit her and she sat back down kind of enjoying their visit. She’s since then gotten up and quite slowly made her way off to where we can’t see her.