Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment - Day Two
**This post was transferred from the now defunct "The Long Ease" blog.**
Treatment Day: 2
Arrival Time at Lutheran Hospital Wound Healing Center: 7:48am
Appointment Time: 8:00am
Doctor Arrived and I got to go back to where the tubes are: 7:58am
Notable things about self as I prepare to enter the tube: Since yesterday, I’ve felt like I have cold symptoms – stuffy nose, crackly ears, sinus pressure. Still not sure if this is because I HAVE a cold or if it is side effects of the treatment. Also, the “industrial” piercing I have had for 21 years desperately wants to close up… or HEAL, I suppose, after having only been out for a few hours yesterday.
Blood Pressure Before: She didn’t say it out loud.
Treatment length: 2.5 hours
Physical things noted during treatment: Ears only pop as they bring me “down” and then “back up” but feel completely normal while I am “at level”. Stuffy nose disappears completely while at level. Abdomen feels… busy. I have no other description for it. It just feels like things are happening down in the pelvic area. Wonder if this is psychosomatic. Definitely very thirsty. Breathing through the mask for the air breaks was much less nerve wracking today. I think I’ve got the hang of it.
TV station the nurse put on for me: HGTV
Things happening on HGTV today: House Hunters International marathon, including irritating Australian couple looking for a home in Italy, even more irritating Scottish couple looking for a home in Australia, considerably less irritating Canadian couple looking for an apartment on the Isle of Man, Florida couple about whom I could not formulate any opinions or judgments looking for a home in Barbados, and young Kansas couple with no personality whatsoever looking for an apartment in Belgium.
Things this made me think about: I still really want to find a way to buy our dream house out in Sheffield Lake. We need someone to write us a private mortgage, if anyone has any rich friends who do that sort of thing.
Things I thought about not relating to cable television shows: I hope this IS just a cold and goes away soon because I don’t want to feel crappy for two months. I need to clean up my art room because I have a show in October for which I have ZERO things done, as well as a challenge from an Instagram friend to make a “functional” piece, and also a cover for a spooky novel! I need to do my laundry. Ryan seems to be in a better mood the last couple days. That’s nice.
Arrival Time at Lutheran Hospital Wound Healing Center: 7:48am
Appointment Time: 8:00am
Doctor Arrived and I got to go back to where the tubes are: 7:58am
Notable things about self as I prepare to enter the tube: Since yesterday, I’ve felt like I have cold symptoms – stuffy nose, crackly ears, sinus pressure. Still not sure if this is because I HAVE a cold or if it is side effects of the treatment. Also, the “industrial” piercing I have had for 21 years desperately wants to close up… or HEAL, I suppose, after having only been out for a few hours yesterday.
Blood Pressure Before: She didn’t say it out loud.
Treatment length: 2.5 hours
Physical things noted during treatment: Ears only pop as they bring me “down” and then “back up” but feel completely normal while I am “at level”. Stuffy nose disappears completely while at level. Abdomen feels… busy. I have no other description for it. It just feels like things are happening down in the pelvic area. Wonder if this is psychosomatic. Definitely very thirsty. Breathing through the mask for the air breaks was much less nerve wracking today. I think I’ve got the hang of it.
TV station the nurse put on for me: HGTV
Things happening on HGTV today: House Hunters International marathon, including irritating Australian couple looking for a home in Italy, even more irritating Scottish couple looking for a home in Australia, considerably less irritating Canadian couple looking for an apartment on the Isle of Man, Florida couple about whom I could not formulate any opinions or judgments looking for a home in Barbados, and young Kansas couple with no personality whatsoever looking for an apartment in Belgium.
Things this made me think about: I still really want to find a way to buy our dream house out in Sheffield Lake. We need someone to write us a private mortgage, if anyone has any rich friends who do that sort of thing.
Things I thought about not relating to cable television shows: I hope this IS just a cold and goes away soon because I don’t want to feel crappy for two months. I need to clean up my art room because I have a show in October for which I have ZERO things done, as well as a challenge from an Instagram friend to make a “functional” piece, and also a cover for a spooky novel! I need to do my laundry. Ryan seems to be in a better mood the last couple days. That’s nice.
Suggestions made by the nurse for things to amuse me other than TV: They get 2 radio stations. I believe the stations she mentioned were country or classic rock. So, no. Then she said they could try to put a CD in the DVD player, if I wanted to bring in some music. Or a book on CD. (Then she said something I couldn’t understand about “50 Shades of Gray,” which I have no interest in.) She did not, however, suggest bringing in a DVD. She made it sound like the player is quite temperamental.
Most difficult moment: Trying not to stare at the person in the tube next to me. Yesterday, I was the only one in there. Today, about an hour before I was done, another patient arrived in the neighboring chamber. It was hard not to try to get a look at him (and hard to see him anyhow, as I mentioned I am blind and unable to wear my glasses or contacts). He was definitely black (that was easy enough to see, contacts or no) and looked young – like early teens. I am so curious about what other people might be there for, but know I can’t ask! Stupid HIPPA.
Blood Pressure After: 110 over 78. I remembered this time.
Time Left Lutheran Hospital: 10:58am, but I went out the door by the Wound Healing Center and walked all the way around the OUTSIDE of the hospital instead of all the way through the inside since it was lovely out. I also put myself back together (contacts, hair clip, makeup, deodorant, jewelry) in the restroom there, instead of trying to do it in the car. Much easier.
Arrival Time at Work: 11:10am
Noteworthy After-Effects: Ears crackly, though less so than yesterday. Voice is still hoarse, but drinking lots of tea. Nose still very stuffy.
Treatments Left: 38
Most difficult moment: Trying not to stare at the person in the tube next to me. Yesterday, I was the only one in there. Today, about an hour before I was done, another patient arrived in the neighboring chamber. It was hard not to try to get a look at him (and hard to see him anyhow, as I mentioned I am blind and unable to wear my glasses or contacts). He was definitely black (that was easy enough to see, contacts or no) and looked young – like early teens. I am so curious about what other people might be there for, but know I can’t ask! Stupid HIPPA.
Blood Pressure After: 110 over 78. I remembered this time.
Time Left Lutheran Hospital: 10:58am, but I went out the door by the Wound Healing Center and walked all the way around the OUTSIDE of the hospital instead of all the way through the inside since it was lovely out. I also put myself back together (contacts, hair clip, makeup, deodorant, jewelry) in the restroom there, instead of trying to do it in the car. Much easier.
Arrival Time at Work: 11:10am
Noteworthy After-Effects: Ears crackly, though less so than yesterday. Voice is still hoarse, but drinking lots of tea. Nose still very stuffy.
Treatments Left: 38
Number of times I had too pee between end of treatment yesterday and leaving for the treatment this morning (I believe this will end up being a very telling category): 13
A picture I took of the place:
A picture I took of the place:
Until next time. Xxo,
Phoebe Marie
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