" Saw my doc last week and scheduled valves for the other side. That should enable me to fly! There will be dancing in the street when I can finally dance in the street again.
But that day is not this day.
I am not in my happy place! I can't really even say I am starting to feel better since the valve exchange on March 27. My functionality decreased to about 25% that day, and I am still waiting for improvement. No wheezing, just no stamina or resilience. Literally 12 steps and I have to sit down. Went through a prednisone step-down, thinking it was an exacerbation, no help. Am way overloaded on albuterol, though the spacing is increasing. I've never been so disabled for so long. I haven't even come to my home office until today. Just no energy. No work has been done on my general store in two months. That was a major driver of my getting movement. Up and down the basement stairs at least daily.
Haven't been down there since.
Worse, I drove up to my pulmonologist's office in a wheelchair.
A WHEELCHAIR!!
He said, "I don't like seeing you in a wheelchair. It's not you."
And quickly assigned me to pulmonary rehab. We have a great rehab hospital here. The entire medical community is spectacular. We have four major hospitals, plus all the inpatient specialty care hospitals. My dad received outstanding care at St. Luke's Rehab quite a few years ago. He had had major strokes. After St. Luke's he was able to regain 95% functionality. So I have a positive outcome envisioned. I am of the hard-working German mold, so I will do whatever it takes, of course. Everyone who can, please tag on a little prayer for success starting on June 1.
Thanks. I will keep you posted.
"