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Mar. 25th, 2015
Very Weird but Very Wonderful
Mar. 25th, 2015 12:02 pmSo the breathing test sucked. It nearly killed me. It took me a full hour to recover. BUT, the effort was, apparently, totally worth it.
Turns out, since my last test, 4 years ago, my lung function has gotten substantially better! Really!! And, no, I don't understand it either.
The last test was just after a 6 week bout of pneumonia and before I ever took any breathing drugs and before I started swimming laps. I also learned that "we kind of expect people with COPD to get hit with a cold/pneumonia/bronchitis a couple of times a year." I haven't had any of that in 4 years.
I was led to believe 4 years ago that my lung function would only deteriorate from here on out.
Apparently we're singing a new tune now. Which is fine by me. The doctor suggested that we remove steroids from the drugs I inhale daily. (Yeah! I can now do professional sports!!) And then he asked me if I wanted to try a new drug that would replace both my twice a day inhaler and my other inhaler with one single inhaler for one dose a day. DUH! Sign me up, please. He said he wasn't sure my insurance would go for it, but let's give it a try. And keep swimming and come back to see him in 3 months. And, I was done!!
He didn't say anything about the 20 minute walk a day. He didn't even ask me about it. But, clearly, it's making walking easier and so I will absolutely keep it up anyway. I had thought, before this doctor, that taxing my lungs might not be the best for them. Clearly that was wrong thinking.
Then down to the pharmacist. They had gotten a head start on the new inhaler but... didn't have any. Tomorrow. 11:30ish. BUT they were able to confirm that my insurance was fine with it. $3.60 is my copay.
Soooooo all in all, I think this morning was just one giant pile of VICTORY!!!
Turns out, since my last test, 4 years ago, my lung function has gotten substantially better! Really!! And, no, I don't understand it either.
The last test was just after a 6 week bout of pneumonia and before I ever took any breathing drugs and before I started swimming laps. I also learned that "we kind of expect people with COPD to get hit with a cold/pneumonia/bronchitis a couple of times a year." I haven't had any of that in 4 years.
I was led to believe 4 years ago that my lung function would only deteriorate from here on out.
Apparently we're singing a new tune now. Which is fine by me. The doctor suggested that we remove steroids from the drugs I inhale daily. (Yeah! I can now do professional sports!!) And then he asked me if I wanted to try a new drug that would replace both my twice a day inhaler and my other inhaler with one single inhaler for one dose a day. DUH! Sign me up, please. He said he wasn't sure my insurance would go for it, but let's give it a try. And keep swimming and come back to see him in 3 months. And, I was done!!
He didn't say anything about the 20 minute walk a day. He didn't even ask me about it. But, clearly, it's making walking easier and so I will absolutely keep it up anyway. I had thought, before this doctor, that taxing my lungs might not be the best for them. Clearly that was wrong thinking.
Then down to the pharmacist. They had gotten a head start on the new inhaler but... didn't have any. Tomorrow. 11:30ish. BUT they were able to confirm that my insurance was fine with it. $3.60 is my copay.
Soooooo all in all, I think this morning was just one giant pile of VICTORY!!!
The rest of my day
Mar. 25th, 2015 05:42 pmI did my 20 minutes over to the Japanese grocery and back. To buy cookies. Yeah, there's not a lot of logic buried in there. And it was a tough haul. I got over there ok but had to stop a couple of times coming home. I need to keep doing it until I can get over there and back at a decent clip without stopping or panting. That's a lotta cookies but it's for a good cause.
My new phone arrives tomorrow and not a minute too soon. My old one has gone on to its new home and my backup phone is making me nuts. It's paving the way for me to LOVE the new one.
My thing with Amazon happens a week from Friday. I'm jazzed just to peek inside Amazon HQ. I think it's going to be very interesting.
I had a hard time picking out my next audiobook. I try to alternate between serial killers and chick-ish lit. But, my to-read-next is all chick-ish lit. I finally found a thriller. Not serial killer but still bloody, I think. I'm also backed up on my non-audio reading. I don't know how that happens. I have nothing but time and still run out of it.
I did score a victory on my brother's website. It has bugged the shit out of me that it has no favicon so when I have it in a tab, it's the ugly default 'nobody cares enough to brand me' icon. I didn't have an icon, I didn't have access to the FTP root and I don't know squat about Word Press or the set up his guy has. BUT, I noodled around and discovered a plug in to do what I want, created the icon, figured out how to install the plugin and make it work. I was pretty darned proud.
And then my brother got the ftp credentials so next time, I can just do it directly.
The Mariners are playing the Cubs tonight in a Spring Training game on TV. It will be good practice for all the baseball nights to come after next week!
---
It was lovely of all of you to join in my virtual pulmonary victory dance today. That kind of fun is always more funner when shared. So thank you!
My new phone arrives tomorrow and not a minute too soon. My old one has gone on to its new home and my backup phone is making me nuts. It's paving the way for me to LOVE the new one.
My thing with Amazon happens a week from Friday. I'm jazzed just to peek inside Amazon HQ. I think it's going to be very interesting.
I had a hard time picking out my next audiobook. I try to alternate between serial killers and chick-ish lit. But, my to-read-next is all chick-ish lit. I finally found a thriller. Not serial killer but still bloody, I think. I'm also backed up on my non-audio reading. I don't know how that happens. I have nothing but time and still run out of it.
I did score a victory on my brother's website. It has bugged the shit out of me that it has no favicon so when I have it in a tab, it's the ugly default 'nobody cares enough to brand me' icon. I didn't have an icon, I didn't have access to the FTP root and I don't know squat about Word Press or the set up his guy has. BUT, I noodled around and discovered a plug in to do what I want, created the icon, figured out how to install the plugin and make it work. I was pretty darned proud.
And then my brother got the ftp credentials so next time, I can just do it directly.
The Mariners are playing the Cubs tonight in a Spring Training game on TV. It will be good practice for all the baseball nights to come after next week!
---
It was lovely of all of you to join in my virtual pulmonary victory dance today. That kind of fun is always more funner when shared. So thank you!