MarilynParker

By MarilynParker

No more tests please

The photo is of a house not far from ours. I love to see this. Every year they make a great display.
I had made a start on getting our Christmas decs up since Terry got them down from the loft this morning and was about to break off to get ready to go to the GP surgery for my asthma review when I opened a letter that had just been delivered. The results of my recent CT chest and spirometry.
I really don't want any more tests because none of them are coming back with good news!
This letter tells me the CT chest showed calcification of my coronary arteries and it stated "unsurprisingly" so maybe I should feel better about this result?!
The spirometry result showed asthma (which I've had a long time) but also said the results indicate that a diagnosis of COPD should be considered. 
AT GP surgery I saw the nurse and she confirmed the COPD but that it's mild. I was more concerned about the coronary arteries which she could not discuss as it was not what I was there for.
She isn't changing my inhalers or medication but gave me an asthma plan which is really what I have already been doing for decades! She is referring me for pulmonary rehabilitation which involves some exercises to help my chest. The tests showed there is room for improvement - I don't know what the pulmonary exercises are but I thought I was exercising my lungs as it is by not giving in to the gasping! I can walk 3 miles and yes, I struggle on the uphill, even a slight uphill can have me struggling, but I just stop  a few times to get my breath back and carry on. Maybe the pulmonary exercises might be breathing ones - we'll see. Anything's worth trying. Got to have some blood tests too. She was concerned that my BP was raised a bit despite having had my BP medication but I told her it was bound to be raised as I'd been dashi9ng up and downstairs and climbing on the settee and window sill putting decs up then reading the letter about my results just half an hour before my appointment! Anyway, I now have to do twice daily readings at home for a week!
Still not got an earlier Derm appointment and the nurse said to be sure to show them my fingernails when I go - I said, "I will, if there are any left!"
Off out caching tomorrow to take my mind off all this cr*p.
No fun getting old but the alternative is worse.
Our house is looking a lot more festive inside but still a fair bit to do and the tree isn't up yet.

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