My day started out with the nurses coming to take my blood
at 7 a.m. Today was the big day to see
if my blood had thinned enough to be within the International Standards that
they use as a guideline so they could talk about sending me home. I was very hopeful for the results, but very
disappointed to learn that the numbers, despite all the heparin and warfarin,
had not changed at all! Yes, I shed a few
tears. I want to relieve the stress that
David is feeling and be able to get back to doing the things I was sent here to
do in China. It’s pretty boring to just
be here and not have things to do. Thank
goodness for those who come to visit!
Nancy came about 9 a.m.
I had already had my breakfast and we planned to wash my hair
today. I have been feeling pretty gross
with no shower since Friday. We had to
plan how to do it so that I was not standing on my legs for very long. There is no hot water available in the hospital
until sometime in the afternoon, usually 3 to 11 p.m. or so. Nancy got some of the hot water from the
thermos jug that Lisa had bought for me the first day I was here. I think she knew that I would be needing
it. We see the students carrying the
large thermos jugs all the time. They
have to go get water in the morning when they can and then they can use it
later in the day for drinking and washing clothes or their bodies, it they can’t
get to the shower.
Nancy took the end table that sits between the two chairs in
my room and put it in front of the sink in the bathroom and I knelt down on it
while Nancy quickly washed my hair in the sink.
Then she took the time to dry it with her blow dryer that she had brought
and style it a little. She’s not used to
doing other people’s hair, but she did a good job and I was just grateful to
have it done. Dr. Tricia had said I
could have a shower if I just held my hand with the IV in it above the water
and not get it wet. I just didn’t see
how that would work with the hand held shower head in the bathroom.
Nancy left shortly after the lunch that Eva had bought for
me to have delivered today. David was on
his way here, so I didn’t mind being alone for a little bit. The cardiovascular surgeon came by after he
had seen the numbers and asked if I was taking the medicine like he said. I told him I was. He decided to change the warfarin to two
tablets per day and decrease the heparin shots to one in the morning and one at
night.
Dr. Tricia had also suggest that I have my thyroid checked
while I was here, so they took blood for that.
That specialist came in and said that I should increase the dose of my
thyroid medicine by ¼ more tablet per day because my numbers were low there
too. This was the head specialist in
that department. Dr. Tricia always goes
to get the top doctors in the hospital to check on you.
David and I watched a movie, Night at the Museum
before he went home tonight.
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