TRAVEL WITH THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))

Friday, August 09, 2019

A MUCH BETTER DAY AND THE BONE SCAN WAS A BREEZE

IN THE GARDENS OUTSIDE THE STRATFORD HOSPITAL LOBBY

Yes it was a much better day right from the get-go. I was up twice in the night to use the washroom and each time the pain in my back was not as bad and as the early morning progressed I noticed the pain spasms fewer and farther between. Of course I am on pain meds which I'm sure are keeping things down to a dull roar but overall I think the pains are easing off.

Pheebs and I did make it out for a short run in and around Bayfield with a stop at the cemetery for a quick walk.

THIS MORNING'S UPDATE PICS FOR C AND G

<<<<< NEEDING A BAG TO CARRY MY KINDLE, CAMERA, AND A FEW MEDS KELLY GAVE ME HER COMPUTER CASE TO PUT THINGS IN. NO IT'S NOT A PURSE!!!!
Home again I cleaned the Jeep windows, grabbed a shower, and by 10 o'clock I was eastbound for the Stratford hospital again. And what an absolute beautiful morning it was for a relaxing drive through Southwestern Ontario's scenic rural farmlands. Luckily we can travel back and forth to and from Stratford on nice paved backroads with very little traffic and the hospital is at the west end of the city closest to us.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DRIVE TO STRATFORD THIS MORNING

It was 10:55 when I rolled into the Stratford Hospital parking lot and luckily found a parking spot right close to the southwest entrance I needed to enter.

LUCKILY FOUND A PARKING SPACE CLOSE TO THE WEST BUILDING ENTRANCE

And as the day played out my luck just continued to continue. No problem finding the Nuclear medicine bone scan area and couldn't help but notice there were hardly any people around anywhere. Bonus. Tiny waiting room with only 3 people but they were soon all gone. How nice to sit quietly reading my Kindle. No chatter noise. Nurse came along right on time at 11:15 and led me to another room down the hall. Big comfy chair, a few easy to answer questions like who am I and what year was I born. Not knowing anything about what they were going to do to me I expected this was where the 'ouchy' part would take place when they stuck that darn sharp needle in the back of my hand again but nope, never happened. I was expecting a plastic IV tube but nope that didn't happen either. Before I could even get myself into a good serious worry about all this she had painlessly injected my right arm with the nuclear supper sauce. It was all over in seconds and I hardly knew it happened. She said 'that's it' your free to go anywhere you want and eat and drink anything you desire for the next 3 hours. Just be back in the waiting room by 2:30. Wow, pretty easy peasy so far.

JUST LOVE THESE EMPTY WAITING ROOMS

From the bone scan area I headed straightaway for the lunch counter in the main lobby area and grabbed myself a ham sandwich and a coffee. Very few people in the lobby so I looked for the darkest corner I could find with soft seating. Landed myself a nice spot near the coke machines. Just me and my Kindle in the whole area. Bonus. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting there by myself eating my ham sandwich, drinking my coffee, and quietly reading. I so much like just hanging out by myself.

AND THAT'S WHERE I GOT MY COFFEE AND HAM SANDWICH

COMFORTABLY SEATED IN A QUIET CORNER I CONTENTEDLY SMILE AT ALL THE EMPTY SEATS

CONTEMPLATING MY HAM SANDWICH

After about an hour I headed outside with my camera taking a few photos around the small but nice outside seating area. A walk around the hospital grounds and Nurses Residence brought back a lot of old memories for me. I actually had a room a couple times in that Nurses Residence back in the 80's but that's a whole chapter of my life I've never written about. It was a very different world I lived in back then.

A NICE WALK AROUND THESE PEACEFUL GARDENS

STRATFORD HOSPITAL STRAIGHT AHEAD AND TO THE LEFT....NURSES RESIDENCE ON THE RIGHT

OLD ORIGINAL HOSPITAL ON RIGHT AND THE BIG NEW ADDITION STARTS FROM THERE AND GOES LEFT

Back inside the hospital again I grabbed me an orange juice, popped a pain pill, and snuggled back into my dark little corner by the coke machines. The only times I'm getting pain in my back now is when I go to the washroom and it only lasts about 6 seconds. I had been worried yesterday about what would happen if I was still having those jarring pains when they were doing my bone scan. Luckily, I needn't have worried. About 2:15 I wondered down a few dark halls to the bone scan waiting room. Again, nobody there. What bonus day I was having. Ten minutes later a nurse came along and lead me to the bone scanner room. I was pleasantly surprised to know I did not have to go through all that disrobing and backwards blue gown stuff. She simply had me take everything out of my pockets, glasses and watch off and even my belt. The scanning machine looked similar to the Cat Scan machine I was in a few weeks ago. Shoes off and lay down on this rather comfortable long bench type bed. Lady technician said I would be with her for 45 minutes and I was to behave myself. Okay so she didn't say the last part but I behaved myself anyway. My attitude with medical people is this.....they are there to help me and I am there to make their job of helping me as easy as I can. It's just my nature. So Okay back to the scanner. Laying flat on my back with arms straight down my sides the bench slowly moved towards the big round donut machine. A big square screen type thing with a crosshair symbol on it slowly descended and stopped about an inch from my nose. I thought maybe I was about to be squashed flat. Geeezzz I thought, 'did I walk through the wrong door and am in the bone crusher room instead of the bone scanner room?? Now, a word of caution here for anyone who may be claustrophobic. This could be a difficult time for you because you might feel very confined in a very small space. The technician fired up the scanner and for the next 40 minutes or so it softly whirred away sounding like someone had a vacuum cleaner going in the next room. This machine was not as noisy as the Cat Scan machine which sounded like roller skates in a revolving dryer. The bed I was on moved so slowly in and out of the donut I hardly knew it. The screen part of the machine actually did most of the moving as it hovered and rotated over various parts of my body. Sometimes very close and sometimes back off a bit. Seemed to concentrate on the abdomen a lot. I didn't have to do a thing and I'm sure people have probably fallen asleep during this procedure. So if your headed for a bone scan at some point in your life I'd say not to worry. Well unless you are a loud snorer that is. I was back on my feet and out the scanner room door shortly after 3 p.m. Five minutes later I was in the Jeep and headed for home.

IN THE HALL OUTSIDE THE BONE SCANNER ROOM AWAITING MY TURN

Still a bit of pain in my back going to the washroom but other than that it was a great day and an equally great day driving home under sunny skies ballooned with big white and gray puffy clouds. Maybe it was such a great day because I had just come out of two back to back not so great days. Funny how things work like that sometimes but I've been aware of that phenomena for many years now. It's almost like 'go have yourself a really bad day so you can totally appreciate a really good day when it comes along:))

WHAT AN ABSOLUTELY MARVELOUS DRIVE HOME THIS AFTERNOON

GROANER'S CORNER:(( The European Union commissioners have announced that an agreement has been reached to adopt English as the preferred language for European communications, rather than German, which was the other possibility. As part of the negotiations, the British government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a five year phased plan for what will be known as EuroEnglish (Euro for short).In the first year, "s" will be used instead of the soft "c". Sertainly, sivil servants will reseive this news with joy. Also, the hard "c" will be replaced with "k". Not only will this klear up konfusion, but typewriters kan have one less letter. There will be growing public enthusiasm in the sekond year, when the troublesome "ph" will be replased by "f". This will make words like "fotograf" 20 persent shorter. In the third year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible. Governments will enkorage the removal of double letters, which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling. Also, al wil agre that the horible mes of silent "e"s in the language is disgrasful, and they would go. By the fourth year, peopl wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" by "z" and "w" by "v". During ze fifz year, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou", and similar changes vud, of kors, be aplid to ozer kombinations of leters. Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German lik zey vunted in ze forst plas.
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- I love you. Is it you or the beer talking? It’s me. Talking to my beer.

- A young woman went to see a fortune teller who told her: "You will be broke and unhappy till you are fifty." "What happens when I'm fifty?" asked the young woman. "Nothing," said the fortune teller. "But you'll be used to it by then."=================

Thursday, August 08, 2019

WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY'S POSTS.....I WASN'T AS LUCKY WITH MY LITHIOTRIPSY PROCEDURE THIS TIME

It was late and I was in not the best of shape when Kelly finally got me home from the hospital Wednesday night. I just couldn't put a post together as I had planned. I'm writing this paragraph for Thursday's blog, it's 5 a.m. and I'm not doing as well this time as last time I had this done in 2012. Nausea is gone but OMG the sporadic pain in my lower back, but more about that later. First let me get you up to speed with Wednesday.

A STEALTHY PHEEBS SNEEKS UP ON A GRASSHOPPER

CHICORY

SOME FLOWERS HAVE ALREADY GONE TO SEED

Wednesday morning Pheebs and I took full advantage of the morning's sunny cool weather and spent another pleasant hour in the countryside. Home again I spent a more time on the van before Richard and Gayle picked me up to take me to the Stratford Hospital. Great conversation all the way. Thanks guys.

FIELD OF BEANS

BEFORE A BEAN IS A BEAN IT'S A FLOWER....NOTICE THE HEAVY DEW

NOW I KNOW HOW JACK IN THE BEANSTOCK FELT

FARMERS ARE STILL VERY BUSY IN THE FIELDS

It was high noon when I found 'Surgical Services' on the second floor, took a number, and signed in at the registration desk. I don't know how many times I patted myself on the back for remembering to bring my Kindle reader. It certainly shortened my next two hours and fifteen minutes before my number was finally called.

NICE OUTSIDE AREA AT THE STRATFORD HOSPITAL AND I'M SURE I WILL BE SPENDING TIME RIGHT HERE FRIDAY

ON MY WAY TO THE SECOND FLOOR REGISTRATION I PASSED OVER THE 'IMAGING' WAITING ROOM WHERE I HAD MY PROSTATE BIOPSY AND CAT SCAN AWHILE AGO

IN THE WAITING ROOM I HAD TO GET AS FAR AWAY FROM ALL THE TALKERS I COULD TO CONCENTRATE ON READING MY KINDLE

I was led into the pre-surgery waiting room where I disrobed and slipped into the usual backwards blue hospital gown. Propped up in bed there was more paper work to be done and blood drawn. (By the way it was a bi-lateral Lithiotripsy) procedure I was having done. Wished I had been asked for a urine sample before putting on my awkward flowing gown. That was quite a juggling act in the washroom. Back on my bed and thankfully propped up a lady with a portable machine on wheels stopped by and painlessly relieved me of some right arm blood. An 'ouchy' intravenous line was later plugged into my left arm. More self pats on my back for having my Kindle with me because again it no doubt shortened up the next two and three quarter hours I spent in the pre-op room. I knew we were coming down the home stretch when the pleasant anesthesiologist guy dropped by with a few questions and saying it wouldn't be long. He dropped by again about 20 minutes later apologetically saying I had been 'bumped back' due to another emergency patient. Oh well, back to my Kindle reading. Ten minutes after that he was back again saying things had been worked out and I was ready to roll. Hmmmm, wondered what happened to the other emergency situation. A pleasant operating room nurse appeared at the end of my bed and minutes later she pushed me off to the operating room. I asked her what time it was and she said 5 o'clock. (I would be in that operating room for over an hour) Parked in the hall outside the operating room I struggled my stiff self off the bed and hobbled through the doors and climbed myself onto the operating room table. I saw four people in there including Dr. Bukala. Sure glad it was Dr. Bukala I saw and not Dr. Frankenstein. My arms were stretched straight out like on a cross with a blood pressure band on my right arm and something on my left arm. Monitoring pads on my upper chest. Nobody was messing with my parts swabbing on the yellow disenfectent stuff this time. Thankyou. It was done after I had soared off into space somewhere. Looking up at the configuration of lights above me which were not turned on yet I slowly became aware of faint voices and sounds from somewhere out of a distance mist.

WELL HERE I AM AGAIN IN ANOTHER GUCCI' HOSPITAL GOWN

TUCKED INTO MY WEE TRUNDLE BED

THAT WAS THE ONLY 'OUCHY' I HAD FOR THE WHOLE PROCEDURE

I'VE GOT MY WHOLE KIT AND KABOODLE IN THAT PLASTIC BAG BEHIND THE KINDLE....EVEN MY SHOES

LAST SELFIE READING MY KINDLE BEFORE BEING ROLLED INTO THE OPERATING ROOM ABOUT AN HOUR LATER

As those few remote sounds edged closer I began making a bit of sense out of where I was. And I wasn't in the operating room looking at the lights anymore. A voice near me asked me how I was feeling. Yep, the laser procedure was over, it was 6:15 and I was safely back in the recovery room. And this time little did I know this recovery was going to be different from the easy recovery I had from this same procedure seven years ago. Comparing time lines with Kelly later it seems I was nearly an hour and a half in the recovery room. After a couple great tasting cookies and a slap of orange juice I began feeling sick and that was to stick with me for the rest of the night. I had no pain but felt very weak and fragile. It was a struggle to get myself dressed and the nurse had to put my socks on. Thank heavens they had a wheelchair right there. Thought for sure I was going to throw up several times and almost did. They wheeled me over into a washroom where I was clumsily able to maneuver myself around to urinate and yes there was blood in the toilet but luckily it only felt like I was peeing some slightly hot water. There was no screaming pain from the kidney stone shards. Luckily two stents had been put in to help with that. I have to go back sometime in the near future to have those stents removed. As I recall from last time that removal wasn't a problem. Now about the sickness I was experiencing. I think it was my own fault that I was sick. The week before in Doctor Bukala's office the lady said I was to have a 'good' breakfast Wednesday morning and drink lots of fluids. Guess I forgot that part because all's I had to drink was a cup of coffee and my morning shake probably didn't qualify as a solid breakfast. My sick my fault. And let me add once again here about the medical staff. Everyone I've met and come in contact with has always been great. Friendly and caring. And the two shift change nurses who looked after me were no exception. From the washroom I was wheeled down a couple hallways to the elevator. Down we went to the first floor, through the hospital lobby and out the front door. Recognized the Jeep right away and there was Kelly on the sidewalk and Holy Smokes there came Pheebs running to greet me. How about that for a nice feeling. I clumsily exited the wheelchair and hauled myself into the Jeep. Still feeling sick they sent a barf bag along with me. Luckily I didn't have to use it but I was sick and groggy all the way home tipped back in my seat with my eyes closed. I remember Kelly talking to me and Pheebs snuzzling me from the back seat. I also remember Kelly saying something about some nice clouds but I felt too sick to even open my eyes or reach for my camera. Finally home I slowly wobbled my way into the house and headed straight away for my living room chair where I stayed. Still no pain but feeling weak I never even got out of my clothes for the night. However.........when I got up around 3 a.m. to use the washroom the kidney stone pain (which I am very familiar with) in my lower back doubled me over all the way there but then quickly vanished by the time I got back to my chair. There is still one more kidney stone to come out at a later date and I'm hoping it isn't that one which is causing the pain. I did dig out some old out of date 800mg Ibuprofen pills from 2012 that had really helped me out with kidney stone pain in Tucson Arizona at that time. But not this time. I think they were too old.

HERE I AM TAKING A PICTURE OF KELLY WHILE SHE IS TAKING A PICTURE OF ME (BELOW)

AND HERE COMES THE PHEEBS TO GREET ME:))))

FEELING VERY SICK HERE I SLOWLY BACK MYSELF INTO THE JEEP.....DID YOU SEE PHEEBS NOSE

GUESS MY HAND WAS LITTLE SHAKEY TAKING THIS PHOTO OF LITTLE MISS HAPPY FACE

Okay it's now Thursday and I wrote all the above paragraphs early this morning while things were still reasonably fresh in my memory. So how are things now Thursday afternoon. In a nutshell, not the best. No pain urinating except for a slightly hot feeling. Legs a bit on the weak side still and the nausea is gone. But OMG the sporadic lower back kidney stone pain spasms are bad doubling me over at times. Luckily they only last for about ten seconds at a time but I don't know when they will hit. Could be the shattered bits of kidney stones moving along on their way out. I was lucky enough not to have any of that happen last time. Somebody slipped up somewhere in forgetting to give me a 'required' pain med subscription and I of course never thought to inquire about that while at the hospital Wednesday. Anyway the pain was so bad this morning Kelly phoned Doctor Bukala's office in Stratford and they immediately faxed a prescription to my Pharmacy at Walmart in Goderich. I didn't waste any time in getting up there to pick it up. I had one spasm in the store where I gritted my teeth, hung on to a shelf in the Pharmacy department and tried to look as normal as I could in case anyone was looking my way. Soon as I got my pain killer pills back out to the Jeep I popped one of them in my mouth just as a second really bad spasm hit me. I was so glad nobody saw me writhing and contorting around in the Jeep because if they had they would have been on the phone saying there's a crazy guy in the Walmart parking lot. Good thing I had the windows closed up tight too. A third spasm nailed me just as I got out of the Jeep back home but it wasn't nearly as bad as the one that dinged me in the Wally World parking lot. I had one more bad one about 20 minutes later followed by a much lesser one half an hour after that but I think by then the pain killer was kicking in.

SOME YOUNG BLONDE AND RED HEADED CORN COBS EMERGING FROM THE STOCKS

Okay back to first thing this morning and yes I know this getting confusing but I want to keep things in order. Pheebs and I started our day off on wet roads after a few early morning showers. Headed to Clinton's Tim Hortons for a coffee to go and motored over to the Hullett Marsh where I let Pheebs out for a run and took a few photos. We weren't there long before my kidney stone pain sent us scrambling for home again. I worked away on the Freedo Vandito Van's exterior for awhile until I headed off to Goderich for the pain meds.

LOTS OF NICE WILDFLOWERS IN THE HULLETT MARSH THIS MORNING

SOMETIMES FLOWERS BLOWING IN THE WIND NEED A HELPING HAND TO STEADY THEM FOR A PICTURE

Tomorrow (Friday) I will be back to the Stratford Hospital again for approximately another five hours undergoing a bone scan for my prostate cancer. That is the final test needed before meeting with my urologist Doctor (Bukala) on August 14th. That is when I will find out what treatment I will have to undergo for the cancer. Sounds like two options so far. Surgery or radiation. Nothing said about Chemo Therapy. Gotta love all this Golden Age stuff eh!!!! Hope I haven't confused you all too bad but that happens whenever I miss a blogging day...……….