Walk-In Clinic

So, I called my doctor’s office ithis morning n the hope of getting an appointment today since the coughing had got worse and I had heard myself wheezing this morning. The nurse called me back and suggested it would probably be a Good Thing if I got my almost 74 year old butt over to the walk-in clinic. Well, she didn’t actually SAY those words but there was a mention of the fact that pneumonia and/or bronchitis is dangerous for Officially Old people. She said they would fax my records over and so without having lunch {a big mistake} I drove over there.

To my surprise, they seemed to be pretty busy and after they had ascertained what I was there for and that I wasn’t having symptoms of a heart attack, I had quite a long wait. I finally got behind a curtain and had the blood pressure check, the pulse-ox thingy on my finger and a device to blow into. I always score low-normal on those things but judging by the look on the nurse’s face, this time it was just Low. And the pulse oxygen was showing in the middle eighties which even *I* knew was not good.

Eventually I saw a nice doctor who sent me for a chest x-ray followed by still more waiting. Fortunately I had brought a book. So, I read and coughed for some considerable time. it was coming up on 4 pm now and I was starving. I called Fred and told him I was waiting for results and that I was going to wait until 4:30 and then leave. I said this loudly, and, coincdence or not, in about 15 minutes, along came the results. There was no sign of pneumonia or of heart problems which I hadn’t even considered. What I have is, apparently, a viral bronchitis. I got a prescription for an inhaler which I will fill tomorrow. I also had to agree to see my own doctor for a follow up in a week and told to come back to the clinic if the wheezing and.or coughing got worse.

So, on the way out to my car, I called Fred again and he told me he was working on food for me right then! We have lived together long enough that he knows how I am if I miss a meal! As I walked theough the door, the microwave beeped on warming up leftovers of a delicious meat, cheese and veggies we had had yesterday. And by the time I was halfway through that, he had a small salad done as well!

I feel much better and, as long as I am not moving, I am not coughing. I will go to the drug store tomorrow and then, if I feel ok, I will go to the library.

QUOTATIONS:

"Step by step. I can’t think of any other way of accomplishing anything."

Michael Jordan

None will improve your lot If you yourself do not.

Bertolt Brecht, 1933