This past week I completed cardiology and physical therapy appointments. Prior to cardiology, my provider ordered a series of lab work to check for any chemical imbalances. The results of my lab work are posted in the blog.
All parameters were within normal ranges except for liver enzymes. All my liver enzymes were out of balance from almost day one when I was admitted to the ICU in January 2021. This reflected the drugs and treatments I was receiving. Currently I am still taking steroids for my lung inflammation, an antibiotic to ward off infection because of my suppressed immune system, and a prescription to reduce blood cholesterol levels. I still use supplemental oxygen. My next cardiology appointment is in 6 months.
The diagnosis of chronic diastolic heart failure has been “resolved.” I put that in parentheses because although it has been resolved it remains a factor because of my age and past lifestyle. My left ventricle is thickening and has affected my hearts ability to pump oxygen rich blood to my organs. But I can manage this.
The physical therapy appointment looked into my balance and left shoulder I injured in the mini bike accident on Jan 18, 2020. The balance issue is also resolving as I have become more active thanks to my portable oxygen concentrator. The shoulder has inflammation and is not setting or moving correctly within my rotator cuff. As there is not a surgical option, my physical therapy is focused on increasing strength and range of motion. These exercises will now become lifelong.
Lastly, our adopted deer leg chihuahua has provided us with moral support after the untimely death of Kona, my Covid companion. We still miss Kona deeply but cherish the time we had together.
This week I will also receive my first Covid vaccine. It will be the Moderna vaccine based on availability. In two weeks I have follow up pulmonary appointments to see where I am at with my lung inflammation and steroids. I do feel the steroid treatment and time are reducing the inflammation. But, I also felt that 30 days ago and ended up disappointed. I suspect relative to other hospitalized Covid patients I am somewhere in the middle of the pack, improving, but still recovering and uncertain what my health will be like a year from now.
So for now I can only focus on one day at a time and be thankful for past daily progress. The steroids seem to have affected my irritability levels and I am experiencing insomnia. I am writing this blog at 2:30 AM. Since starting the steroids this has become my new post-covid activity pattern. Rather than trying to fight it with sleep aids, I am trying to use the time more productively and take advantage of it.
As I have improved, my spouse and I also are discussing how best we can thank all the providers who worked to keep me alive and all those whose thoughts and prayers were a huge part of my recovery. How do you thank someone for saving your life? Well, we are exploring establishing a philanthropic foundation that will provide a mechanism to use the resources of our estate to pay forward. We clearly don’t have access to the resources that the Gates Foundation has, but that shouldn’t stop us or for that matter anyone from finding ways to give back and paying forward. It’s seems like the right thing to do.
