Monday, November 25, 2019, 11:00 a.m.
I woke up at 9:30 a.m. and got out of bed then. I checked my blood then decided to take a shower and get clean clothes on, just so I would feel better. It was a sunny morning but very windy. I hit EVERY single red light at every intersection! I hope this is not predictive of how my Monday is going to be! There was no parking in the Fairway lot so I headed for the main lot, missed the turn into it, and had to drive all the way around to Fairway again. And–you guessed it–I hit every red light there, too! But finally I found my way to parking lot A and, miraculously, found ONE parking space. It’s a long way to the Kaiser entrance, but I need the walk. Too bad I don’t have my Garmin on today.
The lab waiting room was packed. The hallway was crowded with a flu shot line. But I got to the lab check-in machine and pulled my number: 207. I looked at the monitor and saw they were on Number 191. Okay, this won’t be too bad. I sat down to wait and to take a picture of the wall in front of me.
I pulled my Kaiser card and driver’s license from my wallet and held them with my number as I watched the monitor in front of me and listened to the computerized voices call out the next Reception number and the next Station number. I noticed that there was a warmth about this waiting area, a comforting warmth, as we all sat, got up one after the other, then sat down again until our number was called again.
When my number was called, I went to the reception desk and, wordlessly, handed the young man my number, Kaiser card, and driver’s license. He viewed his monitor as he did whatever they do, then printed out labels and fastened them with a large paper clip to my number, Kaiser card, and driver’s license. I sat down again to wait as I aimlessly leafed through the labels, trying to ascertain which tests they were for. “HbgA1C” was pretty clear. And there was “CBC,” “ALT,” and others that I wasn’t sure of.
“207 at Station 8” the computer voice called as the monitor displayed it. I got up again and found Station 8. It was in the far corner. I handed the phlebotomist the small sheaf in my hand. She worked quietly and spoke softly. I barely felt the butterfly needle as it pierced my flesh. I watched as the dark red liquid flowed through a tiny tube into the glass test tube. There were 3 tubes and she was done.
“That was quick!” I commented, smiling at her. Then, “And you’re really good!”
“Thank you.” She smiled back.
She handed me my Kaiser card and driver’s license. I put my jacket back on and grabbed my backpack from the floor. I put my sunglasses on as I was leaving the building. Amazingly, I remembered where I parked. What I did not remember was how to get out of here back onto the street until I had unnecessarily traversed through several rows of the parking lot, trying to find a way out. Which I did.
And, more amazingly, I hit all the green lights on the way home! I even pulled into our driveway, once again without knocking over any carport supports! Linda and Emily were still asleep when I walked into the house at 12:00 noon. I was starved! I felt the coffee pot in the kitchen; good, it was hot. I made our breakfast and poured coffee and sat down to write this.
Updates on Lab Test Results (11/25/19-11/26/19)
| Cholesterol | 193 mg/dL | <=239 mg/dL |
| Triglyceride | 77 mg/dL | <=499 mg/dL |
| HDL | 61 mg/dL | >=50 mg/dL |
| Low density lipoprotein calculated | 117 mg/dL | <=159 mg/dL |
| Sodium | 142 mEq/L | 135 – 145 mEq/L |
| Potassium | 4.4 mEq/L | 3.5 – 5.3 mEq/L |
| Calcium | 9.2 mg/dL | 8.8 – 10.5 mg/dL |
| Creatinine | 0.71 mg/dL | <=1.11 mg/dL |
| Glomerular filtration rate, non-African-American | >60 mL/min | >=60 mL/min |
| GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE – AFRICAN-AMERICAN | >60 mL/min | >=60 mL/min |
| ALT (liver) | 16 U/L | 0 – 41 U/L |
| ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE (liver) | 48 U/L | 37 – 117 U/L |
| AST (liver) | 17 U/L | 10 – 40 U/L |
| HbA1C | 6.3% | 134mg/dL |
Even though the doctor’s comment was, “Diabetes under good control” (yeah, given my age!), I need much tighter control. Ugh! Good thing I’m planning on starting my HOLIDAY FAST on Saturday night after Peter & Jose’s wedding reception!
