for fun: Do/Would you still put on all your makeup and decent clothes if you are quarantined

[awhfy]

Lois, I’ll be thinking about you. Glad you got a fast appointment 

[Lois R]

Good morning.........this quick appt was actually because my Oncologist got directly involved. She wants me to see this Dr before I have the hysterectomy. Long story short, originally the appt was not available until MAY/JUNE!  Well, I called the Nurse who has been so helpful and she got the ball rolling and what do you know, somehow they got me in today at 3.  

[cruisemom42]

The day is finally here. Two years after sending us all home from work due to COVID, most of our offices are opening up again this month. The problem is, no one wants to go in!  (Well, maybe a few.)

 

But business travel is also allowed again and my boss is flying over for the first time since 2019 to visit my workplace later this month.  Now I have to come up with a week's worth of nice office wear. And I just made that appointment for a haircut that I've been putting off...

 

😱

[cruise kitty]

5 hours ago, Lois R said:

Good morning.........this quick appt was actually because my Oncologist got directly involved. She wants me to see this Dr before I have the hysterectomy. Long story short, originally the appt was not available until MAY/JUNE!  Well, I called the Nurse who has been so helpful and she got the ball rolling and what do you know, somehow they got me in today at 3.  

Lois, that's amazing to get your appointment so quickly... good luck today!  

[cruise kitty]

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

The day is finally here. Two years after sending us all home from work due to COVID, most of our offices are opening up again this month. The problem is, no one wants to go in!  (Well, maybe a few.)

 

But business travel is also allowed again and my boss is flying over for the first time since 2019 to visit my workplace later this month.  Now I have to come up with a week's worth of nice office wear. And I just made that appointment for a haircut that I've been putting off...

 

😱

oh no!  I think I've gone in a handful of times since the new year...& even when I get all better, I'm just not going back.   Yesterday I worked on the Starbucks patio for 4 hours, then went in for about 30 minutes (Starbucks does not have a professional copy machine & scanner lol) 

 

The problem is, even though the office is fully open, no one goes, & everyone is expected to be available all the time still...  no thank you 😉    do you have an option of hybrid type home/office?

 

[Lois R]

Hi girls, I have quite a bit of fluid around my right lung and tomorrow morning I am going back to have it drained. Then they send it out to be tested........the results will come back next week. I asked the Dr what would have caused this and she doesn't know----I don't smoke and am not around smokers......so they can rule that out. So.......lets hope it is a virus because yes, one of the other things could be a malignancy.  She even took another ultra sound and her smartphone is capable of doing that.....pretty amazing. She showed me more pictures and I could definitely see the different between the right lung and the left.......the left is all clear.  She said I have about 1 liter of fluid😲..that is quite a bit.   

She was able to get me in at 9:30 tomorrow......have to be there at 9. She said they numb the area first so I won't feel anything (thank goodness). 

I really have no clue how this happened😫

[cruise kitty]

Hi Lois,   this is the exact procedure that I had....  I am a baby when it comes to needles/pain, & it was not painful at all.  I had 2 liters, but they were only able to remove 1.6.... because when they get near the end, your lung will expand, & you'll probably start coughing..  it was a good, weird feeling to have my lung expanding again...  best wishes for clear results 🙂

 

[Lois R]

6 minutes ago, cruise kitty said:

Hi Lois,   this is the exact procedure that I had....  I am a baby when it comes to needles/pain, & it was not painful at all.  I had 2 liters, but they were only able to remove 1.6.... because when they get near the end, your lung will expand, & you'll probably start coughing..  it was a good, weird feeling to have my lung expanding again...  best wishes for clear results 🙂

 

Hi Debbie, thanks so much🙂....I honestly have not had any trouble breathing but when the Dr put her stethoscope around and said "Breathe".......well, on my right side, she said she could not hear anything😮.......

Did they numb you up before taking out the fluid? She told me they would do that first.

The procedure is called a THORACENTESIS (for anyone interested).

[purduemom1]

Lois, so good that you got an appointment quickly.I sure hope it’s a virus that is causing the fluid. I’m intrigued by the ability to do an ultrasound with a smart phone.  Hang in there. I know we are all thinking positive thoughts for a good outcome.

Sharon

[Lois R]

Hi Sharon, it looked like a phone. It was connected to the small piece of equipment that she puts the gel on. The phone had the photo of the lung area. Not sure if that makes sense.  I might not have explained it correctly. The phone took the picture but the other little thing had the gel they use.

 

PH, I know you are the nurse. Did I sort of explain it right?

[cruise kitty]

2 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi Debbie, thanks so much🙂....I honestly have not had any trouble breathing but when the Dr put her stethoscope around and said "Breathe".......well, on my right side, she said she could not hear anything😮.......

Did they numb you up before taking out the fluid? She told me they would do that first.

The procedure is called a THORACENTESIS (for anyone interested).

yes they numbed me up good,   mine was called the same thing 🙂.   I had to take off my bra & wear a hospital gown,  but got to keep on my undies & shorts...they numbed my back on the side where the fluid was, then they do an ultrasound to find the best place to go in...  you're sitting up & leaning forward the whole time... I didn't feel anything other than a weird sense of relief,  & then a need to cough towards the end...  they monitor you for a few hours after.... I went home and slept 26 hours straight,  the relief of beige able to sleep without gasping for air was so wonderful!    I was very lucky, & got my results fast, I think it was about 3 days, & my dr. called me right away...  now I just need to do a few years of CT scans to monitor the nodules, & the level of fluid build up (hopefully will not be a thing).  

 

  I hope this is helpful....  I was so scared going in that it would be awful, & it was so surprisingly easy, pain free, & a big relief to have more breathing room....    & ps:  shorts are a good idea, because they use them to tuck in more sterile draping in case anything gets messy 🙂

 

hugs to you Lois, 🙂  you're going to do fine tomorrow 

 

[cruisemom42]

18 hours ago, cruise kitty said:

oh no!  I think I've gone in a handful of times since the new year...& even when I get all better, I'm just not going back.   Yesterday I worked on the Starbucks patio for 4 hours, then went in for about 30 minutes (Starbucks does not have a professional copy machine & scanner lol) 

 

The problem is, even though the office is fully open, no one goes, & everyone is expected to be available all the time still...  no thank you 😉    do you have an option of hybrid type home/office?

 

 

I think there is a growing understanding that being in the office is not the default for everyone -- however, there is still a strong message that we should come in for special meetings and events, which is fine.

 

😣Well, fine as long as it doesn't become more than that: as you might remember, my company gave up the lease on the building where many of us had offices. And within a couple of years they expect to move most of my function to a different site that would just about double my already-long commute. 

[awhfy]

Lois, you’re likely already at your appt. Hope for a good outcome for you. There are so many crazy viruses. 

[purduemom1]

Cynthia, I’ve know of other companies that also gave up leases or even sold their building. That happened in my brother’s case when the company realized that the employees were just as productive working from home. Perhaps your company will eventually decide that working from home can save them money? Hoping there will be a good outcome for you and that long drive to work will never happen.

Sharon

[purduemom1]

Cheers to Kat for starting this thread! We are now on page 200👏

[Lois R]

Hi girls, I am back home.   They took alot of fluid (looked like a lot to me) and 3 test tubes go to pathology for results. The rest went into a glass bottle and they said that it gets thrown away. The prep part was worse than taking out the fluid.  Debbie, I sat in the same position as you did  and yes, just took off my shirt and bra and put a on a gown. I didn't wear shorts though and it was no problem. It is rainy and sort of cool and ugly outside so I wore my Lou & Grey black pants. They are so very comfy.

After we finished, I had a chest Xray.  So now it is just the "hurry up and wait" for the results.  Oh, you said they kept you there for a few hours?? I was released within 15 minutes of finishing everything up.

 

I want to thank you all once again.🙂and when I get the results I will make sure to post on here. 

[Lois R]

Cynthia, sorry I never replied to your post........I hope everything goes well with the boss. 

[slidergirl]

lois - good to hear the procedure went well.  Still keeping the fingers and toes crossed for good outcomes!

 

I can't believe we've hit 201 pages!!!  Thanks to all for the friendship and our willingness to allow us into each others' lives.  Thanks to CC for allowing us to cross some boundaries now and then 😉

 

Cynthia - good luck back at the office.  I telecommuted from my house in Utah to Santa Clara, CA for about 10 years.  I only flew to the mother ship once in awhile to see live bodies, do a presentation, or go to group fun activities.  With all the technology available, it's really hard to go back to an office once you get used to working alone!!!

 

Tomorrow is going to be a b!tch of a day at work - 8 arrivals, which is a lot of work.  We have everyone working - even changed days off of our maintenance guy so he will be around.  I may have to wear my running shoes - it'll be hectic!

 

ootd:  just a sweatshirt and joggers.  It was a tad chilly this morning - it is 8 degrees now at 10am.  

[awhfy]

Lois, glad you’re home, now have a nice glass of wine & relax

[PurpleHays]

22 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi Sharon, it looked like a phone. It was connected to the small piece of equipment that she puts the gel on. The phone had the photo of the lung area. Not sure if that makes sense.  I might not have explained it correctly. The phone took the picture but the other little thing had the gel they use.

 

PH, I know you are the nurse. Did I sort of explain it right?

Maybe some sort of CT-guided procedure? I know we use mobile X-ray machines, so maybe this is something similar.

 

I don't have fluid, but I've had lung nodules for over 10 years. They are in the area where the trachea divides and goes to each lung (the hilar region). The largest one was over two inches in diameter. I use a steroid inhaler when I need to. I usually go in once a year, but the last time I saw my pulmonologist, he said I was OK for every other year--in other words, my condition is stable. I saw him in 2018 and am finally going back next month. Damned covid delayed me.

[Lois R]

Good morning,  this is what the Dr did in her office on Wednesday.........she used something called a a Butterfly....here is a link to see it.......modern medicine.......

https://www.butterflynetwork.com/

 

So when I said it looked like her phone? It was her phone LOL.........

[cruise kitty]

lois, that's crazy!  modern medicine indeed!

 

Purple, thanks for sharing about your lung issues, it's very comforting hearing about people living with these problems 🙂

 

[slidergirl]

11 hours ago, Lois R said:

Good morning,  this is what the Dr did in her office on Wednesday.........she used something called a a Butterfly....here is a link to see it.......modern medicine.......

https://www.butterflynetwork.com/

 

So when I said it looked like her phone? It was her phone LOL.........

did you take a look?????   I drive my MDs crazy because I want to watch.  Closest I got so far was my GI guy gave me a photo of my intestines and my ortho gave me a photo of the stitches he put in my shoulder...   I always want a local if I can.  I mean, I told the ladies to take a photo of my shattered leg while I was sitting on the trail waiting for the EMTs.  I was hoping I could watch my ortho take some of the screws out of my leg - I mean, I was back in the kitchen cooking that night.  

 

BUSY day at work, but my French co-worker came through and helped me out!  She's only here 4 hours a day on Friday-Sunday, but she's picked up things so fast.  The boss was busy with owner stuff, so the two of us did all the departure inspections and arrival inspections.  It's 5:45 and I'm still waiting for one more arrival before 7pm - the other one is at 8pm and has late arrival instructions.   2 owners made surprise appearances today - good thing their condos were cleaned!!  

 

OOTD:  my jeans and an old light pink Vneck lightweight sweater.  Back in the day (+50 lbs), this fit like a sweater.  Now, it's more of a "boyfriend tunic".  I've always loved it.  Oh, and my hi-tops.  

[Lois R]

Hi Kat, I looked after she plugged her phone into the computer that was in her office. It was sort of upsetting to me to see so much fluid. So no, I didn't watch as she put the gel on me to actually do the ultrasound.

[purduemom1]

Gosh 3 people in our small group with lung issues. Could this be more common than we realize? 
 

Kat, we flew over your neck of the woods yesterday and it looked like a lot of snow. Here in Minneapolis it is really cold. Wind chill below zero! Snow many places but not on the streets. 
 

Our  granddaughter’s first birthday celebration was a big hit. Just her parents and her 4 grandparents (all flew in from CA). Originally planned a much larger party in CA but with Covid and an unvaccinated baby, plans changed. So thankful we could be here with her. 
 

Heading to bed-that little girl tires all 4 grandparents out!

 

OOTD: Dressed up for the celebration and even put make up on.