Saturday, July 21, 2018

We've have an interesting, but good week!

Saturday evening I looked out the back window and saw one of the kittens limping up to the food bowls. It looked like her/his back leg had been dislocated or broken. I took our extra carrier out and put some food in it trying to entice it in, but it retreated under the house, just far enough that I wasn't going to reach in to try to grab it. Our back neighbor Paul came around his fence on his mower and asked me if I had an injured kitten. When I nodded he said that it had been stuck between 2 boards in his privacy fence and he had to take a board loose to get it out. It made it's way to the house next door with the other kittens and I worried about it all night.

Early Sunday morning Mistie came over and was able to snatch it up and get it in the carrier. She did get bit and scratched a little. We took it to the vet and it was late Monday afternoon before it calmed down enough for it to be xrayed. The leg is not broken, but where it was caught it's being treated as an open wound. They said she has calmed down some and is letting them treat her but she's going to be there for a bit. When she can come home we are going to release her again. Kitty did not like her being in HER house and was hissing. She will probably end up being our outdoor cat.

Wednesday was Bill's appointment with Dr. Burbeck, the pulmonologist and this is the really good part. His O2 saturation sitting with oxygen was 95%, which is what a lot of people maintain, without O2 it was 92%, which, while low, is very acceptable. But, when walking it drops to 87 which is low. His numbers from his Pulmonary Function Test had also improved over February. I haven't pulled all of the tests to compare the numbers, but Dr. Burbeck was really pleased. She said the bronchoscopy was just the thing he needed. So, we can reduce his oxygen flow from 3 liters to 2 liters and while he is sitting, even while eating, he doesn't have to wear his oxygen. He does have to wear it at night and while he's walking, but still only at 2 liters. He was having to turn it to 4 liters when walking. She does want it higher if he should get back to his treadmill which won't be a problem. She didn't hear any crackles or wheezes when she listened to him and wants to see him back in September. This is going to make it much easier to go somewhere, even to a local restaurant. We'll be able to use the smaller tanks more and not have to worry about running out while we're gone.

He's been a lot more active around the house and says he does feel better. A couple of times he forgot to put his oxygen back on before he walked, that will just take some getting used to. I did notice in the night last night that he got up a couple of times and his breathing seemed more labored, but once he took his pjs off, as it felt hot in the bedroom, and he also put extra toilet paper out and had to open a new package. Why he thought it needed done in the middle of the night when it's just the 2 of us here and there was more than 1/2 a roll is beyond me, but who am I to question.

Tammy from physical therapy came yesterday and was very please that he got through all of his exercises at the repeats she wanted with no trouble. He was tired after, but recovered quickly. She comes again next week and then Kevin, the head therapist will be back out to evaluate him to see if he needs extended. We'll also see the nurse for a couple more weeks just to be followed.

One thing that Dr. Burbeck was concerned with was his weight loss. So, I have to push him to eat more. He's done that the last couple of days. A lot of it is empty calories, but he's still eating better for meals now too.

I still don't have any results from my test. I did get an email late last night that they have received the report and I should know something later this week. I'm ready to find out what the problem is. I haven't had any episodes for a few weeks now, but I'm eating things I know won't bother me. I'm tired of casseroles! So, I'm going to cook what I want and just keep trying with small bites and eating very slowly. I ate a turkey cutlet and twice baked potato last night with no problem. So we shall see.

Ryan, my son, has to have his gall bladder removed. Not only did he have his first "attack" this week, he passed his first kidney stone. His dad suffered from kidney stones until he died and everyone in my family, at least all the females, have had gall bladder disease. He sees the surgeon Thursday. I thought that they were doing the surgery Thursday, but it's just the initial appointment with the surgeon.

My nephew's baby boy arrived Tuesday and he's a big one, especially for being about a month early, weighted more that 8 pounds. He is still in the NICU, but improving every day so maybe he'll get to come home soon. He looks just like his daddy!

I think that's all for this week. Maybe we'll have as good a coming week as this one was. Until then, stay cool. These hot days are getting to be a bore!

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