Another annual visit is in the books! It's been a crazy, exhausting, frustrating trip, but the bottom line is that they were pleased with Bill. They realize that most of his problems now extend from the COPD and emphysema and they were not upset that he has slowed down so much.

There is a small growth on his left ear that the dermatologist froze. He didn't say if he suspected anything with it, and since he just froze it I suspect it was not cancerous. Bill is susceptible to skin cancers because of the immune suppression meds. I would think that if Dr. Hall thought it was cancer he would have done more.

All of his labs were good, the chest xray didn't show any difference from the last one except that they could see the emphysema on the films. Dr. Hosenpud said that everything went fine with the heart cath. His arteries are clear, his pressures were good and the heart looked good. I don't know if there were any changes in the echo, but we should find out tomorrow when we get the results of the biopsy. I think they did a complete right heart/left heart cath and biopsy. They took him back about 7:45 and got me about 9:45. He was already back in holding and the sheath had been removed. He only had to stay flat for an hour and we were back at the hotel by a little after 12. He's still taking it easy and can shower and remove his dressing tomorrow.

We finally got the oxygen replenished yesterday afternoon. It took 2 different phone calls to our provider before we found out that this Lincare didn't deliver and we had to drive across town to exchange the tanks! When we turned them in Bill had less than an hour of portable oxygen left in the original tanks. And, this morning as I was changing tanks in the hospital to come home, the new tank was empty! But, I had 3 of the big tanks still in the car and he could stay on Mayo air as far as the car. Makes me kind of leary on getting home, but I'm going to trust these big tanks are full and will get us home.

We've had storms this afternoon but since rain is badly needed we've just sat and watched. We had brought pizza in last night and had some left over so we had lunch without going anywhere. I may go bring something in so that Bill doesn't have to go back out. There are also frozen dinners in the snack room that can be charged to the room so we may do that.

I'm mentally and physically exhausted. We had to be at Mayo at 6 Monday and today. This was the first time that knitting didn't relax me while I was waiting. I had 2 projects with me and completely ripped one out and I've knit back the other one twice to where I started. I also couldn't concentrate on reading which isn't like me at all. I think I'm just tired.

All that's left to do is pack and go to sleep. Of course Bill isn't able to lift anything which bothers him more than me. I'd rather do it myself anyway. I want to leave pretty early to get out of town before rush hour starts. We're going as far as north Alabama tomorrow. It's about 40 miles north of Birmingham. It will be a good drive, but then it won't be as hard on Friday.

So, that's what we've gone through this week. We still have to do stool samples after we get home and mail them back, but that isn't hard to do. I don't think I will update after we get home. Take it on faith that we made it home with no problems. Talk to you in a week!