In the midst of all this, Hick has some fairly minor surgery scheduled this month. As a condition of that surgery, he needed to complete some tests to see if he is fit for it. Like an EKG, and a chest x-ray. Monday afternoon, he got a call from his regular Nurse Practitioner who has scheduled the tests for him. She was concerned about the chest x-ray.
"She thinks I have a partially collapsed lung, or the beginning of pneumonia. So I have to get an MRI to see what it is, and what they'll do about it."
"You've had this little cold for about a week. Maybe it's because of that. I don't hear you coughing up much stuff. Or if it's a collapsed lung, maybe you hurt something when you fell and busted your lip."
"I don't know. My upper right chest has been hurting a little for a while now. Since before I fell. I thought maybe it was from when I slipped on the ice getting in my truck at Casey's, and laid on the parking lot for a while. I hit hard. I guess I ain't gettin' enough oxygen. Maybe that's why I'm always tired, and I get dizzy."
"Do you feel like you have a fever? Like when I had pneumonia."
"No. I don't think I have a fever. She told me to make sure to take a lot of deep breaths through the day. You know my brother just got out of the hospital in Vegas, after having pneumonia. He was in there a long time, and they sent him home with oxygen. But he felt bad enough that he went to the emergency room."
"Maybe you had a little cold a while back, and it developed into pneumonia. They can fix you up with steroids and antibiotics if they catch it quick enough."
"You'd think she would have noticed that, though, when I went for my appointment last week and she listed to my chest. I don't know about a collapsed lung."
"When I think of a collapsed lung, I think of the show ER, where they'd slice open your side between the ribs, and jam a tube in there to drain out the blood that caused the lung to collapse! But those people definitely knew they couldn't breathe."
"I don't know. I guess we'll find out what it is after the MRI."
No idea how this will affect the upcoming surgery. Let's hope there's an "easy" fix for what ails Hick.
Oh no, poor Hick. How soon can he get the MRI? I hope there is an easy fix too!
ReplyDeleteHe's waiting on a call for an appointment. His NP asked if he wanted the referral to the local place that does MRIs and stuff, or the hospital one. Hick chose the hospital.
DeleteGood Luck to Hick. I hope it isn't anything serious health wise for him. Val, I was just catching up on some blog reading and see that you posted in your post before this one that Scarlett was a given-away dog. I was wondering what happened to Scarlett. I must have missed your post on her when you gave her away. That's why when you mentioned Pepper, I thought you had three dogs and not two:)
ReplyDeleteHick said he's not feeling any worse. But not feeling any better. He didn't even know he was sick, besides having a cold, until his NP called about the x-ray. Still no appointment for the MRI.
DeleteHick gave Scarlett away last year in February. It broke my heart. I told about it on my supersecret blog. Hick thought it was the best solution to Scarlett's roaming. She's in a good home. Not the farm we originally thought she was going to. The guy who took her liked her so much that he kept her, rather than giving her to his sister.
https://hillbillymansion.blogspot.com/2025/02/heartbreak-in-3-acts-finale-actual.html
Hi Val, Thanks for letting me know about Scarlett. Of course I had to read all the dog/puppy stories from Act 1 on Scarlett leaving to when you got Pepper:)
DeleteYes, there were some hiccups along the way, with the loss of Lucky, and the disappearance of Pupsie. But now we have perky little Pepper.
DeleteA collapsed lung (pneumothorax) is fixed by removing air from the chest cavity to allow the lung to re-expand, typically via observation, oxygen therapy, needle aspiration, or a chest tube. Treatment depends on severity, with minor cases healing on their own while severe or recurrent cases may require surgery.
ReplyDeleteGood to know! I just remember it from ER, when it was an EMERGENCY, and they'd jab a big hose in the side to let blood pour out.
DeleteI hope he has a very limited collapse! Don't you love the way they act so cavalier about any ailment. When The Man had the heart attack he refused to tell me what was going on in the hospital, told me to just stay in Minnesota as I had planned and he would be home by the time I got home in 2 days. Hick might need to slow down a bit until he catches his breath!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I'm rooting for a collapse or pneumonia. Whichever is easiest to "fix," I guess. Still waiting for that MRI and diagnosis! Your Man doesn't know how good he has it with YOU at the hospital keeping the staff in line!
DeleteJust doing my wifely duties. Should anything of that nature happen to me I will need my baby girl to whip the hospital staff in line!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite gambling aunt was good at that. She even made the nurses wake up Hick more often after his back surgery 25 years ago, because he was still so groggy from the anesthesia when they put him back in his room. Then we went off to the casino, sure he was in better hands.
Delete