Still Not Well

Monday, August 11, 2008 – 7:25 P.M. I spent most of yesterday going from one store to another looking for swimming trunks. Wal-mart did not have any, and even though I bought something else, it was hard getting someone to help me check out. I don’t plan on going there again.   Since I absolutely needed the trunks by today, I decided that I would find some even if it meant going to every store in Denver. I finally found some at Kmart, where the clerks and cashiers were extremely kind in helping me find exactly what I wanted, and then helping me check out in a matter of minutes.   Kmart was located in a part of the city that I had never traveled to by bus, so it was somewhat of an adventure for me. I think it was a good experience as well. By the time I got back home, I had used five buses and one light rail train. That figure does not include the two Access-A-Ride buses that took me to Wal-mart and back.   I got home too late for the person who does my meal preparation. She had been here and left, which I completely understand, since she could not have known where I had gone, or when I would return home. I ordered a pizza, which took care of my dinner.   This morning I went to my first pool therapy session. I have to admit to being scared stiff (quite literally) by the time I got in the water, but that feeling did not last long. The warm water felt soothing, my legs seemed to be more flexible, and my therapist seemed to have an easier time stretching my legs and muscles. A second therapist was also in the pool to help me, and they had some type of flotation device tied to my waist. I was asked, and agreed, to use the pool once a week. (I am trying to use some positive thinking here.)   When I returned home, I called my primary care physician’s nurse to report on how I was feeling about the kidney infection. I told her that this morning, there seemed to be a lot of blood in my urine, that I was having hot and cold flashes, and felt nauseated. She talked with my doctor, and then gave me a choice of going to the E.R. or his office.   I did not know how to get to the nearest hospital except by ambulance, so I said I would be at the doctor’s office within two and a half hours. I went to the nearest bus stop, got on my “usual” bus, and took that to a somewhat new light rail, which I had never ridden until this afternoon. I had always been afraid that I would not be able to reach the elevator buttons (people can walk down a flight of stairs to the train platform, or use an elevator), but several others were also using the elevator, so that was not a problem.   As it turned out, using the light rail cut my traveling time by 45 minutes. I then took another bus to within three blocks of my doctor’s office, and rolled from there.  I was not happy with the results of my examination. I was running a fever, and there was blood in my urine. A specimen was sent to a lab, but the results will not be known until at least Thursday. If the problem is what my doctor thinks, I may need two shots a day for ten days. Ugh!   Upon my request, I was given a prescription for additional physical therapy. This time it will be on my hands and arms, which have been getting harder to move and use. I am not sure my therapist will have enough time to do this therapy considering everything else she is doing for me, but it can’t hurt to ask.   For those of you who asked, I was not swept away by the flooding we had during the weekend. The way I feel tonight, I am not sure whether that is good or bad.