Seems like Rotzy’s philosophy is becoming, “The older we get, the more concerned we become with medical examinations.”
As The Days Go….
….last Tuesday was not one of the better ones for Rotzy. I got ‘cut’…….’chopped’. No, not as in ‘lascerated’, nor was I ‘diced’, like an onion. Worse. I was ‘dropped’ from the roster of ‘my team’….not ‘fired’, but shall I say ‘removed’ or perhaps ‘relieved’ of my duties?….’my team’ being the ‘Canadian Blood Services Donors’. Quite a catchy name, huh? Anyway, the appointment for my SIXTH donation in just over a year was at 2:15 last Tues at the church a mere stone’s toss from here at 555 Harris Place. ‘Twas a tad early when I registered, took my temp (the olde-fashioned way) and went to fill out the electronic questionnaire with my ‘tamper’. There must be 25 or 30 questions, and following ‘have you paid for sex’?….’have you had sex with a man’?….’have you ‘been around’ monkeys’?….’in the last six months’….(I’m not making this up!)….another query wonders if ‘a doctor has attended you’ and/or ‘hospital procedures’ were carried out? So…SO….in to the staging area where my name is #1 on the overhead TV monitor and R/N Kathy (not her real name) grabs the bloodletting kit and calls me in, as always going over all the questions again in rapid fire. Until she comes to ‘the doctor and hospital’, wondering aloud what that entailed? and when I said congestive heart failure and COPD, I/we knew it was all over but the crying. I told her ”Hey, I won’t say anything to anybody if you don’t”….and ”you know (by my blood type) I’m a ‘rock star donor’, eh”? Then one last shot….”Look’it here….pleeze….I’m not much use to anybody, but this donor thing is ONE thing I still CAN do….so….”! Nurse Kathy (not her real name) ‘has been doing this for 23 years’ and explained the Blood Service’s position with ease. ”Sorry” she said sympathetically. ”S–t” I replied.
Readers Write
This particular reader makes no bones about his/her feelings toward COVID and how a number of people are handling/mishandling their behaviour and attitude towards the overall situation. *While most people develop normally, some get stuck in the ‘you can’t make me’ stage. *(*note* this one is “R’ rated***) Remember that time when you got polio? No you don’t because your parents got you f—ing VACCINATED!! *The ones refusing to wear a mask will be the reason why we close down again. And THEY will be the ones bitching the loudest about the closings THEY are responsible for. *I’ve moved on from Be Kind, Be Calm and Be Safe to Grow Up, Shut Up and Mask Up. (*many thanks to this ‘particular reader’ for ‘saying it’ rather than just ‘thinking it’.)
Health Update
It was Saturday 8:50 AM when I started this part of “From Nakina”, approximately 20 minutes after I got home from my 8:00 o’clock appointment with the VON down on Grey St…..the second such get-together to have my legs wrapped from toe to knee, and changed every THIRD day….which was/is because Dr. S. decided to treat the swelling in my legs/ankles/feet/ by ‘compression’ after seeing the results of the second Ultra-sound I had done (*see below) on Wed May 5 at 8:30AM. (*by the bye, for some reason she also ultra’d my tummy at that tyme….then on the way out methinks I heard one teckie say to the other ‘something about twins’ (so I quickly assured myself “No way Toad, NO WAY”!) But aside from U-sound Wed. morning, the VON in the afternoon, Thursday morning at 9;00 I got to meet my new cardiologist, Dr. Y. (not his real name either)….after first being checked out by some ‘wannabe doctor’ (did somebody tell me the ‘wannabe’ is Dr. Y’s son?) And I’m thinking I did OK with just about everything. My BP was good, 220 lbs on the Toledo’s*tm, he/they seemed fine with the ECG readout, and he only prescribed one change in my ‘pee pills’. PLUS….he doesn’t want/need to see me again until November! Hence, yours truly was/is only mucked up in ONE area….but it is a MAJOR shortfall!! (no pun intended) Whilst I stood on the scales, the nurse said ‘OK, now stand as tall as you can, Robert.’ And I did. S–t!! She slid the measuring device down until it sat on Rotzy’s pumpkin 5 foot 7 inches above sea level!! Lord love a duck!! When I played Junior Football in high school (1960) I was 150 Lbs and 6′ even….in my under’s and my sox. In a 1963 football team picture (age 18) I was 6’1′ or more. Goodness me! The Incredible Shrinking Man. Whoa!! I’m gonna get Miz. Jo (who is now nearly as tall as me!) to remind me to fone Dr Y’s nurse to get Cda Weights and Measures in to check their equipment!. I thought it best NOT to question/doubt her when she announced my height because she’s even taller than yours truly was in 1963!
Reactions….And Other Stuff
Rotzy has come to learn the hard way that it’s NOT always wise to even make mention of the word ‘cardiologist’ when folks ask ‘how are you doing’? You can use ‘doctor’ or even ‘another doctor’….BUT….when you say The ”C” Word….even if you just murmur it….it means you have ‘had a heart attack’ to a whole lot of people. Hell, I even had a cardiologist up in Thunder Bay Regional who thought like that. Dr Andy (not his real name), along with my neurosurgeon Dr. Robert (not his real name either) was ‘heading up a team’ of several doctors for a MAJOR operation on my lower lumbar. Don’t know why, but I became a patient of Dr Andy’s AFTER the successful operation and EVERY tyme I saw him it was “and how are WE since the heart attack”? And I ALWAYS gave him the same reply…..”don’t know about you Doc, but I haven’t had a heart attack and I’m doing good”. So with friends/neighbours and the like, all too often they instantly have this olde guy with one foot in the grave and the other in a puddle of WD40. Hence I try my best to let ’em know Rotzy’s not ready to ‘catch the bus’ yet. I mentioned ‘compression’ treatment in the above item….started out with a VON-supplied tensor bandage ‘sleeve’ I could pull on or off myself….then….last week I ‘graduated’ to the 24 hour a day model which they apply at their clinic and I get a new one every three days! Two different kinds of ‘clingy’ tensor wrap knee to toe (*see above) then they slide a BLACK NYLON SOCK on to cover the whole works! ‘Twas tyme for my ‘debut’, hence Miz. Jo and I went for a walk around the compound, coming up the home stretch 4 or 5 ladies sat around in their walkers in a circle with Weiner (not his real name) at the front so I sidled up and said ”So am I pretty hot looking, you think”? He replied very firmly in the affirmative, suggesting that perhaps my next ensemble could be a black-mesh-type sock….so I asked when I showed up Sat morning at VON. No dice on that plan, but they may have a deep purple available if the socks (sans the tensor wraps) are to become a permanent thing. I don’t (usually) wear sox of ANY kind from June to November….so I guess I could let Miz. Jo and Weiner (not his real name) decide what to go with. Stay tuned.
*Thought Of The Day…Once you carry your own water you will learn the value of every drop. (*from someone in Canfield, Ohio via Miz. J
