Out Of The Recliner And Onto The Bus

You know, if you're going to have a life-threatening episode that puts you out of action for a month, it's best to do it while you're unemployed, provided your spouse IS employed and has health insurance. Even my mother said that at the end of week one of life totally flat on my back.

Yesterday I took a bold step. I left my oxygen behind and walked to the midday bus stop, 1 1/2 miles away, caught the number 2 to Montgomery Road and the number 5 directly to UNM Hospital for my weekly Coumadin Clinic blood test. It was a more difficult journey than in months past, but I made it in good shape. My leg didn't even hurt. I wasn't out of breath, either. That's good. My blood tested at 3.9 - still too high.

The return trip was easier because after 3:30 the bus takes me to within a quarter mile of home. Even so, I was pretty tired. I slapped on my oxygen and hit the recliner. Kitties came from all over the house when they heard the reclining action, and we had a warm-up love-in until Carmen got home.

Tomorrow I do about the same trip for my Discharge Clinic appointment with Dr. Pierce (not Hawkeye) who will undoubtedly officially take me off of oxygen. I'm debating whether to haul my little tank with me for the appointment. It would make the trip ever so much harder, but I fear a chewing out for presuming to take myself off of it. It would be much harder to lie about it if I don't even have it with me. Hmmm, something to think about for the next twenty-five hours.

Meanwhile, it's around and around the job search wheel again. Things are even more dismal now than they were a month ago - and that's going some!