Even in his dream world…

…Andy is ready to chase mousies!

=(^+^)=

My doctor’s appointment yesterday was after dialysis. It came down to “go home for a short time to change my oxygen canister and feed the kitty” or “stay at the hospital, sign in after dialysis but wait a bit more than an hour (instead of 30 minutes) for my 11 AM appointment”.

There are small O2 canisters that are managed easily but last three-ish hours depending on usage level, and large ones on carts that last five-ish hours, again depending on usage level. I had a small one that I’d partially used but felt would last me till 11:30 or so. Well…my oxygen canister ran out, leaving me without oxygen for an hour and a quarter.

I monitored my blood O2 level with my Pulse Oximeter, noting my heartbeat became more erratic as my oxygen level dropped to 87%. I was concerned, of course, and mentioned it to a nurse for another doctor who came out. She (fortunately) got me a large oxygen canister. My blood O2 quickly rose to a happy 99% saturation! Better, my heartbeat evened out. Whew! I’d would be oxygenated sufficiently to drive home after all!

I was exhausted – dialysis leaves you very tired – so I put my head down to rest as best I could in a refrigerated waiting room. (Why are hospitals always so cold? To slow patient bleed out?)

I eventually got in to talk with the doctor’s nurse for the preliminaries… four hours after I started my wait and three after the appointment time. I finally left the hospital at 1:20 PM. Remember, the appointment time was for 11 AM!

Turned out, however, the doctor flies to Alliance, his plane had mechanical issues, so he had to drive the four hours to town. He had a good reason for being behind. Someone could told me that, eh?! I understood that delay but learned about it from the doctor’s nurse at the end of a long, long day.