Surgery--Again

Mmmmmmmmmmm.......what's your recipe?

Chicken Soup Recipe

Ingredients

water (about 3/4 to 2/3) of a two-quart pot
salt (I usually don’t add enough.)
chicken thighs (four or five depending on their size
one large onion
three or four carrots
four stalks of celery

Optional
sprigs of fresh parsley

or

sprigs of fresh dill

Instructions

Put the water in the pot
Add salt
Toss in the chicken parts
Peel the onion. Cut off the hairy part and cut an X in that end. Throw the onion in the pot whole
Peel the carrots. Cut them in halves or thirds, depending on how big they are. Throw in pot.
Cut the celery stalks in half and tie the pieces together. (I use dental floss.) Toss in pot.
If you’re going to use the dill or parsley, add it now.
Cover and simmer on a low flame for about an hour. (At this point, it will look like soup, smell like soup, and taste like soup. But it ain’t ready yet.)
Crack the pot lid so that steam can escape and cook for another hour.

I serve this with fine egg noodles. Slurping is allowed.

I think it'd be essential!

I haven't forgotten about the fasteners for your coat. Some lady coughed all over me at the grocery store and gave me her flu bug. Was waiting to feel better, but am still very contagious with a fever and don't want to do what she did and go out in public to give it to others.

So, I just ordered some hook and eyes and a couple other small things to be shipped to you. You should have them by the middle of next week.

Sorry to hear you're ailing. I keep telling people not to exhale in my presence, but do they listen? No!

Be well and thanks for the hook and eyes. Couldn't find them anywhere (within walking distance).

I received a letter from Bellevue re the results of my blood tests. I don't have diabetes. I'm borderline, which I've been for years. And my thyroid medication needs adjusting. I see the endocrinologist on Thursday. She'll probably order a bunch of tests and then adjust my medication.

I see the pulmonologist on Wednesday. He'll order a PET scan for me.

I saw the dawgs on Sunday. Joanie said that I'm the only person she knows other than herself who loves having two big dogs in her lap at the same time.

Heaven = 60 pounds
Holly = 75 pounds
Total = 135 pounds

Love every ounce of them.

My sainted social worker has another job and will be leaving my social services agency at the end of the month. I'm broken-hearted, disappointed, and snarly. I'll miss her a lot.

Is she able to transfer you to someone she believes will continue the fabulous partnership you two have developed??????!!!!!!

Very sad to hear this.

Deb, She won't be doing the transfer. The agency will. I'm hoping that they make a decision before she leaves so that she has the chance to talk to the newbie.

Well, phoooey!

Dammit, re your social worker.
Good or wait and see on the other stuff, but at least it's getting attention.

Love dem dogs, from here.

I saw the pulmonologist on Wed. He ordered a CAT scan for me, not a PET scan. Either way, my innards will be photographed. He says I look better than the last time he saw me. I feel OK (for me) too. I think it's the dogs. At one point I asked him how he's feeling. He said, "You're asking me how I'm feeling? Nobody asks me that. People just want something from me." "Well," says I. "I want something too. But I like you, and I want to know how you are." He's fine, and he was very pleased. Such a small thing.

I saw the endocrinologist earlier today. She increased the dosage of my medication. I'm eating so much and so often that it might be affecting its effectiveness. I'll see her again in three months, which is when I'll have tests--not so much on my thyroid as on my adrenal gland. She also thinks I look good. And I lost a lot of weight since the last time she saw me. She wanted to know if I'm trying to lose weight. Nope, I'm eating myself out of house and home. Weight loss and ginormous appetite are likely the result of emphysema. Don't tell Thomas. First he wanted me to make it big with the radiation diet. Then it was the rotting teeth diet. I'm not about to begin arguing with him about the emphysema diet, although of the three it's the best.

I made another batch of chicken soup. Not as satisfying as the last one. I think I was craving it, and it hit the spot. This batch was just same old, same old.

We're freezing our asses (and other body parts) off in the Big Apple. With the current wind chill factor, it's minus 11. Minus 11= nippy and a half.

Pretty good report.

From 9 p.m. Saturday to 2 p.m. Sunday I was in the Bellevue ER. Why? Chest pains.

I was EKGed, blood tested, X-rayed, hooked up to machines, etc. I had one of those oxygen in your blood finger things affixed to my pointer finger on my left hand. Going to the bathroom was a mega production.

I was interviewed and checked by at least four doctors and several interns. I was taken care of my two nurses and several techs.

After all this, what did they come up with? Several possibilities, but not my heart. Quelle relief. They made an appointment for me to see an internist to find out what's causing the pain. The possiblities: Digestive problems (I have acid reflux), anxiety, low potassium (they gave me some supplements and told me to eat bananas).

I didn't see the dogs this week. I was ERing. Phooey.

I am very glad you went.

A couple years ago, mom had a similar episode (twice) and we spent many many hours in the ER while they ran every test they could think of with no answers. They finally agreed that what I said in the first place was probably it. She was having a reaction to some new medication she'd just been started on. The symptoms mimicked heart problems.

Many years before that, in yet another episode with mom and the ER, her rapid heartbeats were the result of very low potassium and they did the same thing, gave her liquid potassium to take regularly and told her to eat more bananas and potatoes. Seems to be a chronic thing with her that we've been able to control with more potassium rich foods and less of the liquid potassium.

I hope that is all it ends up being with you.

While you were there, did they refill your meds for you so you don't have to venture out in the cold and snow?

The good news is that while they were snooping under the hood, they didn't come up with anything else to investigate. So, you've had enough medical drama for now. Let the snow melt and the daffodils pop out before you do this again, eh?

I relate to that (the blackout at the computer, which after near five days at the hospital turned out to be what I thought it was, my bp pill.)

You can also call me banana fan (oh, wait, that's a sexual image). That's one way I'll ingest yogurt (early yogurt hater, my mother was a Gaylord Hauser enthusiast), via smoothies, banana plus almond milk, yogurt, and cocoa. See, I think cocoa is the cure for everything.

Dogs, you need dogs.

Boidy, I've had a ton of trouble with low potassium and low sodium levels the past 12 months. I take a potassium supplement every morning, and I keep a can of frozen orange juice in the freezer in case I run out of bananas or frest orange juice. Last month I started having chest pains in a salon, I carry nitro tabs for emergencies so I used one and felt better. When I got home and checked my meds I realized I had forgotten my potassium pill 2 days in a row.

I'm also seeing an endocrinologist to hopefully find out why my levels drop suddenly. But I'm more diligent about my meds, really hate those hospital rides in the ambulance. Way too much drama.

don't scare us like that! or yourself! Glad it's not heart.

This potassium business is new to me. Live and loin. I love bananas and eat them occasionally as a treat (with sour cream--a childhood comfort food).

Butrfly, I don't get my scrips at the hospital. I get 'em at a drugstore in my neighborhood. I call in a refill and they deliver.

Another angel story: (Remember my previous angel stories? I don't know how I find these people.) I asked about potassium supplements, and they told me to eat bananas. Then I left. I was waiting for a cab when one of the techs came running out of the hospital (no coat) to give me two liquid potassium drinks and some apple juice to erase the taste. She didn't have to do that. I think she liked me. Hell, I was in the ER for 17 hours. People get to know people. A doctor saw this happen. He had hailed a cab for himself. He graciously gave it to me, as I commented on the wonderful tech. This is a public hospital. A zillion people are patients here. Also it's the oldest hospital in the US.

Deb, More scary stuff coming up. Getting my lung photographed again on Wed. Next week I have to return for more mammograms.

I would also like to throw in a thanks to my heart--one of the few organs I have that's actually behaving itself.

PS: One of the interns looked up my records. More than 300 visits to Bellevue. Too damned many visits.

Roberta, I don't want to intrude or anything, but I just want to let you know that I do actually read up on your thread when I have the time.
This is unusual behaviour for me, as I usually avoid anything medical (ostrich syndrome) on A2K, but your writing just reaches out and grabs.

Just want to say that you're a bit of an inspiration, if that makes sense.

Getting older ain't for sissies! You'd just better bloody be able to have fun with us in May! Or else.

I think you're brave. I'm an ostrich.

I need to know if you have a new wonderful social worker or just an ordinary one?

Re the dogs....a colleague is heading off for training in horse therapy. Not sure if there's good research on it or not, but your dog stories have been related to her.

I think sebastian would be a great cat therapist....except for his biting obsession!