Monthly Archives: October 2021

October 22 2021

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I’ve been back at home for a week. In that time, I signed up for home health services. I have physical therapy at least two days per week and a home health nurse come in and check in on me a couple times a week too. I sleep a lot. Most nights I’m in bed shortly after sunset. I sleep most of the night except to go to the bathroom a couple times a night. I usually awake for good shortly before sunrise.

I have to take blood pressure meds three times a day. I still take my psych meds every night before bed. Sometimes the coming and going of nurses and therapists can be close to overwhelming. But it hasn’t gotten the best of me, at least not yet. I haven’t had any real serious bouts of depression, anxiety, or irritability since I came back home.

The weather is getting colder. Most nights it gets around freezing point. The leaves have turned and the harvest is going full effect. It is defineately autumn.

To keep myself occupied, I listen to audiobooks while I play computer games. I do exercises every day in accordance with my rehab. My strength and balance are good but I need to rebuild my endurance. I do use a walker when I am outside of my apartment. Part of my rehab is doing walking in the hallway. I also do a lot of standing leg exercises to increase endurance and balance. I still have to hold onto a walker when I stand on only one leg.

Continued to lose weight when I was in the hospital. Overall I am down over 80 pounds in the last two years. I hope that now I am more mobile I can continue the weight loss.

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October 15 2021

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Today might be just another Friday to most people. For me, today is the day I get to return to my apartment. I’m anxiously looking forward to eating my own cooking and sleeping in my own bed once more. I’ve been sleeping a lot these last three weeks. Of course I haven’t had much for caffeine since I went to the hospital. As it is, I’m on a few blood pressure meds and will be for life. But blood pressure issues run in my family.

I’m looking forward to getting back to my old routine. I’m currently at a small facility for physical rehab a couple hours drive from my hometown. Right now I’m just waiting on my ride to arrive. My parents are coming from out of state to help me get back home and get reestablished. They probably won’t be here until early afternoon. But, it’s good to be back. Three weeks ago I wasn’t sure I could even live on my own again. After three weeks of intense treatments and rehab, I’m ready to live alone again. I’ll still have my cleaning lady arrive every week. My neighbors will still help with laundry. And I still have at least a few places in my town that will do same day grocery delivery. It’s going alright.

Update On My Serious Health Scare

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It is Sunday October 10 2021 as I write this. My blood pressure is back under control thanks to a few blood pressure medications. I’ve been doing physical rehab for over a week. It’s looking like I will be able to go back home within a few days. I can get around in my hospital room without a walker. As part of my physical rehab, I’ve been outside several times in the last week. The weather is turning cooler the deeper into fall we go. Looks like my town might get it’s first frost by the end of this week.

I was retaining a lot of fluid. In the almost three weeks I’ve been in the hospital, I’ve lost 40 pounds in fluids. That was in addition to the 40 pounds I had already lost during the pandemic. Overall, I’m down over 80 pounds in less than two years. I still have a long way to go, but I’m off to a good start. I eventually want to be at my old college weight. It’ll take at least another three years.

The biggest thing I missed over the last three weeks was my own cooking. I’m probably going to cook some grilled pork and cheese soup for my first meal out in the world again. I’ll be ready for this ordeal to end. Haven’t slept in my own bed in almost three weeks.

Serious Health Scare

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On September 21, 2021 I called an ambulance to take me to the hospital. I was having real bad shortness of breath and pain in my thighs. I was diagnosed with severe high blood pressure. I also had lots of fluids build up in my body, even around my heart and lungs. I spent ten days in the hospital trying blood pressure medications and drawing off fluids. In the ten days I was in my local hospital, I lost almost 30 pounds (around 12 kilograms) of fluids. My clothes fit so much better. After several days in hospital, we found a combination of blood pressure meds that brought my blood pressure to normal. I’m currently in physical therapy for at least the next two weeks. I’m building back my strength to see if I can go back to independent living or if I have to go to assisted living.

At first I wasn’t sure I could go back to independent living. After several days of progress I’m thinking that independent living is not only possible, but perhaps even probable. I can get around pretty well in my hospital room with just a walker. I’m still rebuilding my strength and getting used to the new blood pressure meds. I am hoping I can go back to independent living. I forgot how much I was missing not having to deal with pains and shortness of breath.

I did not have a heart attack or stroke. But the doctors said with my numbers I came close. I’m glad I got the help I did.

Got weighed this morning. Overall I am down at least 70 pounds since the pandemic started. I knew I was losing weight just by how my clothes felt. The big things I did were give up bread, sugar, sweets, and rarely drank soda pop. Most of what I eat are baked and grilled meats, vegetables, and soup. I’m glad I kept lifting weights and watching what I ate during the whole pandemic mess.