EKG pick ups are numerous and placed on my hairy chest, each backed with adhesive, leads are connected to the monitor, monitor runs recording heart electrical impulses. Digital data records heart performance. Approach is to learn of said organ. Avoidance is the depilation pain.
I know what’s coming, Data has been recorded, leads removed, and there are all these stuck pick ups on my chest hairs. The adhesive is well stuck to hairs. Shit, this is going to hurt. Some I was able to wiggle free, others I slipped scissors between the stretched hair and the pickup,.
That’s in ER where fussing is overcome by need for immediate results. This year I prolly have undergone the above 10 times. Something twisted in my mind is are the women sticking the pickups up to something? Would take data gathering to see.
So, a week ago I became a room and boarding patient at ST Charles. I was determined to be healed to be released a week ago Sat. I was told of complication symptoms and should any occur better scurry for medical eval. Friday, while weld repair to the box carrier was completed. While waiting I felt lightheaded and weak, 2 symptoms. Plus I discovered a huge spread out bruise on the back of my thigh extending to my groin. Anxiety coursed my nerves. I called hot line and explained symptoms. Person on other end said she could not diagnosis over the phone but that I should let the ER sort my condition. Maybe later after I had my third scheduled PT appointment, the previous 2 were cancelled because of my knee issue This PT is for my right shoulder that’s taken a turn for not being happy. I made the PT clinic 15 min early still feeling same. Sense of urgency is growing. I was given permission by staff to relocate to ER. I so need my shoulder worked on.
Drove to ER entrance, parked right out front door, and turned myself in. Short wait until I was wheelchaired to an exam room. I was swarmed by techs per defined roles. EKG pickups applied by a guy. My thought was he was a sadist, maybe jealous because I lacked manly chest hair. What thoughts. EKG fine. Then the blood takers. First one turns out to be a mountain biker and is friends with the nurse who worked on me last time. She was tasked with insert an IV needle in a vein. Left arm was chosen. A poke responds with a tight grimace. First one blew, as did second. She called for another nurse who has his reputation. He needed a second go. Blood was drawn and sent of for analysis. My turn for CT scan came and I was pushed in my bed thru the hallways. Driver said he helped me previous. Into CT. This time I was able to slide myself onto the platen, not the board. Contrast was injected thru the IV needle. Pushed back to room. Results back: EKG OK, Blood work showed hematocrits in line and no indication of heart damage, CT reveled no bleeding. My symptoms were not the cause of what had been determined. I was reassured that I was not bleeding. The knee swelling really has hardly decreased.
Thursday night the heater was turned on to respond to thermostat command. I woke chilled. I noticed red LEDs were flashing from the control panel and the heater was not working. Count of sequence of 4 to indicate problem. Made up statistic is 98% of previous failures were ignition lite failure that I am still learning clear code to do. 4: clear exhaust and intake pipes of blockage. Means slithering under the van for that cure. I wanted a paved surface rather than pumy dirt. While at the weld shop, next door is the garage that installed the regulator and earlier this heater, I asked permission to come by later to use their compressed air. Drove off for above experience. I called the shop from the hospital, still open. Pulled up. A pleasant and helpful wrench greeted me. I explained my intended tasks. He lifted rear of van, I rolled under on a crawler, then removed the 2 hoses and shook out: all but clean. The exhaust pipe had a tear right at heater port that might have interfered with back pressure. Helpful wrench cut hose back and reinstalled. I put the fuse back in to energize the heater. 4 flashes. We might have solved the cause of the lights but not the resolution. I twisted the control knobs how I thought would clear code, still flashing. Late Fri afternoon. I called Seattle shop where I bought it for info. Voice Mail. Next was a CO shop: Closed 4 mins before normal quitting time. No help till maybe Tues.
That night I fired up the catalytic infrared heater I anticipated igniting. It did. Its temperature control is high, med, or low with no feedback. I switched to low for nighttime which too warm. I couldn’t sleep. Finally I gave in to getting out of bred and googling the problem. Understand that excruciating pain was sent from my right leg during sanding up. Again, Approach Avoidance. I wanted to learn in spite of the pain to be incurred. I found a solution which required going outside the van to get at the fuse socket under the passenger’s seat, and drizzle was falling. Wait till daylight. I installed the fuse, 4 flashes. The clearing method is sequential twisting of the control knob within a time fence. Second try I cleared the flashes. I then switched on turn on sequence: Heat. Back to a more enjoyable heat.
Last night with the heater turned on and I was comfy I slept very well, the best least pain free night in 11 days. there is a sound sequence dung heater start. First is blower with it’s motor noise. Then a piezo spark to ignite the plumbed in propane. A whoosh sound indicates ignition and a green LED turns on on the control panel which is installed on the headboard. Sometimes the first spark doesn’t ignite that starts a system generated restart. I wait with fingers crossed for ignition. With new regulator success has been high on restart. When backup attempt fails the heater turns off the blower and pulses 1 red LED. Solution is proper turning sequence and time of control knob to clear code then switch to turn on.
While in bed this morning I put off getting up until the heater turned on. I heard the start sequence. First spark caught turning the LED green lasting a few seconds then turned off. Ignition failed as did back up. I sent the proper code that cleared fault then switched on, this time it caught as has every time needed so far today. The short of this heater is not high degree of confidence that it will fire every time.
I moved my anchorage to my owned 1 acre plot north of La Pine. Almost early fall coming on. Sitting inside van buttoned up against chill of 65 degrees. My right leg is resting on a stool. So far today the pain is lessened.
Each of us have their own trials and tribulations. To me it is how we deal with and recover. I create my own solution. Mountain biking the States has been my solution. My knee injury has caused a reimaging of my solution as biking is many many days away. I can only walk short distances. My sister’s itinerary puts her in Victor, ID which is closer than Bozeman, MT. So far with the lack of reduction in swelling I will leave here then drive directly there. After that I haven’t figured as life is determined by knee healing. Summer’s gone and winter’s coming on.