My Life Blows Up

My life had settled into a routine.  Too busy, but something I was accustomed to: dialysis Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; a variety of activities on Tuesday and Thursday; weekends devoted to writing. 

Then last week my life blew up. 

I caught a cold.  I told myself that it was temporary; I live surrounded by old people who have chronic, constant pain.  Later I learned that my runny nose and persistent cough was “Something that is going around.”.  All I knew was that for the past week I’ve felt miserable.

The real blowup came on Friday (February 19).  When I pushed my walker, carrying oxygen tanks) into the dialysis center, I found the lobby full of people.  A nurse came out and said, “Our water pump is broken.  We cannot dialyze anyone here today.  We are looking for other places to send each of you.  You will have to find your own transportation.”  She added they were contacting dialysis centers all over Dallas.

An hour later she came out again and told me they had found a place for me somewhere on the other side of Dallas.  I called the office of the place where I live.  The director said, “We can not take you there this afternoon.  I’m telling our diver to bring you home.”

I came back to the apartment and collapsed in a panic.  I was so upset that I could not get out of the recliner for the rest of the day.  Then my dialysis center called and told me they were getting the water pump replaced.  I could come to dialysis on Saturday. 

That’s what I did.  It totally ruined my weekend. 

I could not find the glasses I wear to watch television.  After hours spent looking all over the apartment, I found the glasses sitting on my walker.  I never wear them outside the apartment.  I do not know why I set them down there.

I lost my manicure scissors. They have not turned up.  My finger nails are long and ragged.  I feel like the witch in the Wizard of Oz.

I use little pill boxes to keep track of the various medications I take five times a day.  Two of my  boxes disappeared, first a purple one then a blue one.  Now I have only three little pill boxes: yellow, green, and another blue. 

I have not balanced my check book or verified by credit card purchases.

All these things are trivial. My nose still drips – difficult to deal with as the oxygen tubes stick into my nose.  The dry cough continues to chock me.  I feel too weak to walk to the dining room.  But I try to look to better days ahead.  The weather is gorgeous: sunny with a high in the low 70's.  I should enjoy it.  But, meanwhile, my life is a mess.