was released form the hospital about a half hour ago. Just enough time to let everyone know I’m all right and to still make tipoff of tonight’s ESPN ACC/Big Ten Challenge match. It’s being broadcast by ESPNU and I will be in my regular seat 5 rows behind the visitors bench – I’m on the aisle on your right.
Larry Update Below!!
Why No PSU Update?
What’s up? What is Larry doing? Everybody is wondering…. “Where’s Larry?”
Yes, only one thing could explain this dereliction of duty. Larry’s in the hospital.
His initial diagnosis is pancreatitis caused by gallstones.
He went in Saturday afternoon, hopes to be out Tuesday.
Right now it seems that he may have surgery to remove the stones sometime in the next couple weeks. First they have to get the inflammation and/or infection reduced.
Don’t feel too bad. Larry always has a way to make the best of any situation. He tells me the hospital is staffed with babes.
Just got a text message from Larry. His gallbladder was removed today and he expects to be home tomorrow.
Passed my first winter health test
I would say I’m probably 95% recovered from my asthma episode. I still have a little wheezing when I’m lying down at night and if I start laughing hard it will turn into a cough. Occasionally, I will cough up a very little sputum.
One of the things that the doctor told me to look out for was cold weather because it could trigger a coughing attack also. Last night was the first time I was out when the temp dipped into the 20’s – it was actually 18 when I got home. While I wasn’t outside for any real length of time, maybe 10 minutes at any individual moment, I had no ill effects so I’m particularly happy with that.
I also, unfortunately, gained back most of the weight that I lost. I weighed 216 yesterday evening when I got on the scale which is 15 lbs heavier than my low point at the end of September but 5 lbs lighter than before I fell ill. I’d really like to stay under 220 and will probably start working out to keep it down (OK – maybe not probably).
Even so, I’m still 15 lbs lighter than when I started the year so that’s good news. If I can keep that off then drop another 15 next year I’ll be very happy.
Health report
Had a visit with the doctor on Thursday.
He still believes I have a mild case of asthma. The asthma causes my lungs to be susceptible to viral irritation so if I get the flu the coughing can turn severe. Right now, under most circumstances coughing isn’t a problem but laughing triggers a series of coughs – the doc that’s typical and that cold weather might also trigger coughs – guess I have to move to Az or Fla 🙂 .
He told me to stay on the Singulair for the next few months – he thinks my coughing will continue to improve and will likely go away. Recommended that I continue to use the QVar inhaler twice a day like I have been (he says I am on the lowest dosage of the QVar) until we have had two frosts (which could happen very soon since we have a frost advisory for tonight). A couple of frosts will evidently kill any pollen that might be floating around causing me problems. After that he says I should just take the Singulair (thank goodness for insurance – the damn pills are almost $3 a piece but insurance covers $2 of it). Also suggested that I call him in a couple of weeks to get a flu shot.
Unless something changes for the worse, I’m not scheduled to go back to see him for almost four months.
When I first when to see him a month ago, my blood pressure was like 165 over something. He said that was “a little high” and I should watch my salt intake. I told him that wasn’t normal for me at all. When I went in to see him today, my blood pressure was 112 over 60 – the nurse said it was “perfect”. I confessed to the doc that I didn’t believe the first measurement so hadn’t changed my diet at all. He laughed and said “who knows, the problem might have been with the person taking the BP not you.” He’s going to run a bunch of blood tests just to make sure my vitals are alright – I suspect he won’t like my cholesterol when it comes back but I’m pretty sure everything else will be alright.