Removing the stuffing.

We’ll get the medical stuff over with early – feel free to skip if you’re getting as tired as I am over the latest medical updates.

I got the follow-up mammogram this morning. Of course, as usual, there was a problem. Turns out that some undesignated “someone” at the radiology office went and returned my baseline films before I came back so they could get the additional views. So I still have to wait while they get their hands on the films again before I find out if I get the “all clear” or not. Most exasperating. It seems they found some “calcifications” on the right side, which could mean nothing or everything. I elect to believe it means nothing, and this whole episode is now officially a non-issue.

I then went to get another paracentesis done. Some turkeys get stuffed this time of year; I get unstuffed! Dear old Doctor Liver took one look at me and predicted we’d get at least six liters out. Three and a quarter liters later, the flow had petered to nothing, and the lidocaine had worn off. Damn but that needle stings when the anesthesia wears off! Anyhow, he said I’m “third spacing” the fluid, which means instead of just going into my abdomen it’s creeping into the tissues of my body. This explains why my legs currently look like giant sequoia tree stumps, I suppose. All he could suggest was keep my legs up and my sodium low. Neither one is easy, but I’m working on both.

I’ll be Thanksgivinging at the Elder Sister’s house. Neither she nor the Younger Sister would let me make/bring anything, so I sent her a really nice flower arrangement instead. I told the florist I wanted something in fall colors, but a little exotic. They’ve done nice arrangements for me in the past, and judging from the quick email thank-you note I got from Elder Sister this afternoon, today’s delivery was another success.

I’ve got some great pictures of the cats I want to put up. With any luck, tomorrow will be a slow day and I can at least download them from my camera and get them ready to be posted.