"If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back."

And, yes, I would.

*****

The past two days I've been a little quiet. I was having a lot of trouble with my 02 saturation. It was quite worrisome. I can't emphasize enough how I don't like to worry my children. I try to think through problems and possibilities so I don't have to bother anyone. I keep very very very quiet until I can't figure something out and then get hysterical.

Yesterday I bought a pricier oximeter (measures 02 saturation) and kept a detailed journal of every step I took. None of it made sense! It wasn't until today that I was more confused than ever. The numbers were erratic - and I was having trouble breathing - not enough 02. It was scary.

It ends up there was an equipment malfunction that was veryveryvery easy to fix. And now my saturation stats are reading as they should and the rhythm of breathing is as it should be.

This is a classic case where living alone and being a committee of one can become a problem. But it all ended up fine.

I called the pulmonary clinic and was *firmly* advised that ANYTIME I experience wide swings in saturation, I should call immediately because the drop in 02 might not even be related to IPF. For example, I may have had a collapsed lung or a pulmonary embolism.

*****

I also have a go-to person at Cleveland Clinic! Yay me! Yay to moving forward! I called this morning and got my name in the system and the process is processing. There's always some pain-in-the-behind task, but I can take care of it when I'm in Nashville this Thursday. I need to retrieve and send to Cleveland a paper report and CD of the heart catheterization I just had. (This just might mean I won't have to repeat it since it's so very current.) Just the thought of going to Medical Records at Vandy is daunting. Surely technology will play an important role in making this an easy task?

That's all I have for you at the moment. It was a good day.

As always, thanks for listening.