We are all glad to see the end of April, a month that ended horribly. Today was a chilly start to what should be balmy days. Predictions are for milder weather in the coming days, though.
Up at 7 a.m. to get ready to go to an orthopaedic doctor appointment. Skipped my exercises this morning.
The appointment was for 10 a.m., so we left the house around 9:30. I wore a long-sleeve blouse and a sweater, as well as a padded jacket. It doesn't take long to get to the clinic, but I knew I would be required to fill out paperwork, since I am a new patient of this doctor.
I was required to download and complete a new patient packet on my computer, which I did yesterday, but today the receptionist required my health insurance info and my driver's license. Hubbie thought the best thing to do was to make a copy of all this information yesterday, so that I wouldn't have to present my cards.
No dice, I was still required to present the actual cards. Well, drat it, I'd failed to take the cards out of the copier yesterday, so I didn't have them with me. I felt pretty stupid. But the receptionist said I could bring them on my next appointment (two weeks from now).
I didn't have to wait long to be called to an office, where an employee interviewed me about my health background. I went back to the waiting room after that. The wall decorations in this room feature antique wooden crutches, and a wooden peg leg. Strange.
A few minutes later I was escorted to an exam room to have my blood pressure checked (it's good), and be asked more health questions.
Then I was escorted by a nurse to the x-ray room, where there is a long metal table. "Go to the end of the table," she instructed, as she dragged a chair there. Putting one foot on the chair, I started to hop on the table. "No," she said, "sit in the chair, and put you hand on the table." We both had a good laugh over that, and she assured me I wasn't the first one to do that.
For these x-rays, I had turn the upper part of my hand toward my chest, lay my thumb on the table, and hold back my fingers. Awkward. But she got good clear x-rays on the first try, and then escorted me back to the exam room.
Shortly, the doctor arrived. He looks about 14 years old. He gave me three choices for helping my thumb...take a course of oral steroids for six days, and then return in two weeks; or receive the steroids by needle directly into the joint. Yikes! I hope it doesn't come to that since he was pretty direct in saying it'd hurt like hell. The third option, of course, is surgery, which he assures me would also be very painful. I chose the oral steroids. I pray that'll take care of the problem!!
Back home, it was lunchtime. Mother had her usual lunch, and Hubbie and I had PB&J sandwiches. Afterward, I gathered baked potatoes and an onion for Mother to peel and dice. Then I washed two quarts of strawberries for her to cap and slice for the freezer.
While she was busy with this, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the roadside market to get another flat of strawberries; to the newspaper office to drop off this week's word search puzzle contest; to the post office to mail coupons to Granddaughter; to a pharmacy to pick up the steroid prescription; to the greeting card shop to get a Mother's Day card; to another pharmacy to use a coupon to get two cartons of hair color; and the WDCS for a couple of makeup items and a few groceries.
Back home, Mother was ready for another project, so I washed strawberries for her to slice. Hubbie helped with this project, since my thumb is back in a splint again. I set eggs on to boil for making potato salad. After a while, Hubbie peeled potatoes to boil for the salad.
Later, I sauteed the baked potatoes and onions, and sliced meatloaf for sandwiches. It was a good meal, followed by whole strawberries dipped in powdered sugar (thanks to Sis leaving the sugar here...I'll replace it for her).
I began my course of steroids today, after calling the pharmacy to make sure I understood how to use them. The tablets come in a blister pack, with arrows pointing everywhere instructing how many to take before breakfast, after lunch, after supper, before bedtime.
I thought I'd need to start the course tomorrow morning, but I decided to read the extremely small print stamped in black on the silver foil. I had to use my glasses and a magnifying glass to read it. It stated that I was to take today's dose.. all six tablets...today, no matter what time I had seen my doctor.
The pharmacist informed me that this was right...take all six tablets, either all at one time, or by spreading them out over the rest of the day. So I took the first two after lunch, and second to after supper, and the remaining two at bedtime.
I was warned that the steroids might cause weight gain and sleeplessness...ain't it grand.
Mother was ready to go home after supper, so Hubbie accompanied her. Then he and I watched TV for the evening. I meant to go put drops in Mother's eyes around 8:30, but I forgot until it was nearly 11 p.m. I figured she would be in bed by that time, but her lights were still on, so I hurried over there and took care of it. Too many things to remember around here.
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