Well, we’re home. Lloyd called me at school around 10 and said that they could discharge him today! I shared that will the preschoolers who were busy making ‘Get Well’ cards. (Actually, some of them were making ‘Thank You’ cards – oh well.) I got to the hospital around noon, and things looked fine. They said someone would come and talk to us, then he could go.
A very nice physician’s assistant came in and went over what we needed to know. I’ll never be able to get across how this sounded, but read it as if you were a preschooler and a grown up was teaching you a big word. Not condescending, just ‘big-word-y’. She said, “Now, I’m hear to tell you about your condition, which is called (holding up the folder of information with the title) ‘Heart Failure’.” Zoinks!!! Again, she wasn’t weird, it was just that first sentence It sounds much, much scarier than it is. One of his ventricles is just a little weak, so he needs medicine to help it get stronger (I think I talked about that before.) She said that since he’s so young and in pretty good shape, he really just needs to take it easy for a while and restrict salt from his diet. We went down the list of foods high in salt and….. well, let’s just say that snacks are right out. We scored bonus points for not eating out very much, although it’s due to my cheapness rather than health maintenance.
We asked to visit with the doctor again, because what he told Lloyd about ‘take it easy’ and what the nice p.a. said seemed very different. Well, as we all know, seeing the doctor is a tough task. We finally decided to just go, and ask questions over the phone tomorrow. As of now, we’re going with what we believe they recommend – Lloyd’s going to take this week off, then go in next week and just teach his 7th grade math, not the high school stuff.
So, we’ve unloaded the car, put the stuff away, I made a fairly salt-free dinner that was loaded with three different kinds of Mrs. Dash, and now I’ll show some pictures. If you click ‘continue reading’, all those pictures will come up Lloyd’s folks and my folks have dial-up, so it’s tough to load pictures.
Here’s Lloyd, waiting for the ambulance from Lincoln.
Here he is after getting checked in.  Note the time – we’ve been up for 4 1/2 hours. Dang it, Saturdays are for sleeping in!
This guy did not think it was amusing when I asked about taking pictures. I think he thought I was asking for a print-out, because he kept saying, “I think this printer doesn’t work”. Anyway, he didn’t know I took this picture. (Don’t tell him.)
This was the cool couch I ‘slept’ on Saturday & Sunday night. The photo is for demonstration purposes.ÂI really had a pillow and cover.
This is Lloyd’s patented ‘i.v. protection glove’ for taking a shower and keeping your hand dry.
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Ok, that’s all for now. We have to tape Lloyd’s second lesson.
Lauren's Dad says
We’re so glad you’re home, Lloyd!
Lloyd says
Thanks. I’m just sitting around not raising my heartrate.
Beth says
So…me bringing Totino’s pizzas over for dinner is probably out of the question for a while?
Lauren says
Yeah. We’re laying low with no excitement and no salt. (I’m really trying to ugly myself up, too, so Lloyd’s heart won’t race at the sight of me like it usually does.)
Peggy says
Better get rid of all the Naked Ladies in the garden too. Bummer.
Peggy says
FYI: If you get tired of coming up with appropriate meals, IAMS sells some nice bland food … and it’s all ready to serve, just open bag & dish … 3 cups oughta do it.
karla says
Just make sure it’s not one that’s been recalled! 😉
Kristi says
Okay, looking at pictures 1 and 3, I have to wonder if Lloyd is really pregnant.
Lloyd says
That is exactly what I was thinking this whole time. It would certainly explain any anxiety and chest pains that I was feeling. And that one technician saying, “Now just for fun, we’re going to use the ultrasound on Lauren too.”
Lloyd says
oops, I misread your comment and thought you said Lauren. Or maybe I just got confused.
Brad says
You had a tube thing under your nose? I’ve always wondered about them. Was that pure oxygen? I hear it’s a rush! Did it smell like anything? I imagine that pure oxygen smells like ozone but I wouldn’t really know.
Lloyd says
I didn’t notice anything really. It was slightly colder than the air around me, and there wasn’t an odor. You could tell that it smelled different, but it was a lack of odor. They had two places to hook the tube up. One said oxygen and the other just said air. I was hooked up to the oxygen, and I think someone said at some point that it was 30%, but I might be misremembering. They said it was so my heart didn’t have to work as hard. I told Lauren that the air one was to blow up basketballs.
Kristi says
Do I understand correctly that you will be teaching in Lincoln next week? You’re not allowed to drive, are you? Does this mean that you will be using a limousine or yellow cab? OR will one of your high school students be your driver? I love it… Driving Mr. Sommerer!
Lloyd says
We’re not exactly sure what next week will bring. I shouldn’t do anything that will “raise my heart rate.” I’m having some doubts about being able to teach middle school without that happening. They’re good kids, but something always happens.
Aunt Marcy says
Just wanted to let you know that you are in our prayers…and don’t be in a hurry to resume work. Take the vacation!! You two need to have a reality show on t.v….lots of good humor. Take it easy…God is good. Love, Aunt Marcy and Uncle Rich and the entire crew that we have created:-)
Lauren says
Aww… Thanks, Webers! Lloyd would say the same if he wasn’t in bed already. (He’s got resting down pat.)
Lloyd says
I wasn’t actually in bed, and I’ll say it. Thanks.
christina says
Dad says your stupid if you go back to work next week.
Mom says “I love you” and don’t go back to work next week.
Apparently they think all the work you did on the farm as a kid will more than make up for one week of teaching, so stay home. If you want to go to work, you can come chase cows, otherwise stay home.
Get well, before they remove your hair!
Love your sister.
Lloyd says
Thanks, I appreciate it alot, but I really do intend to keep things pretty low key at school. And all of the so-called experts seem to think that it will be fine. The heart rate monitor works, and so I know when I’m doing too much.
I plan on using one of those fancy digital visualizers hooked up to a video projector so I can sit down instead of walking around in front of the room. And the way my schedule works out, I can take 50 minutes to get from one room to another when I have to move. Or, if that’s not working for me, I’ll just stay in one room and have the kids come to me.