Ardith...   
      
   AH>Better late than never, I say!  I do appreciate your retyping all this   
   AH>stuff meanwhile, though, because I can take longer to think on our system.     
      
     That's why I like the QWK Mail feature on the BBS. I can download   
   messages and reply at my leisure.   
      
     On another note, I went to the E.R. again 2 weeks ago, with moderate   
   chest discomfort.   
      
     The good news is that it apparently is NOT cardiovascular   
   related...the heart enzymes in the blood were OK, the EKG was normal,   
   and there was no evidence of problems on the chest X-Ray, or blood clots   
   on the CT Scan.   
      
     The bad news is that it may be digestive tract (stomach and esophagus)   
   related. I'm going in for an EGD (upper GI) procedure on Wednesday.   
   They'll put me to sleep for it, but the only prep work is that I'll have   
   to not eat or drink anything after midnight...but I might go on clear   
   liquids the day before. However, unlike prep for a colonoscopy, I don't   
   have to purge the colon this time...and I don't have to get naked for   
   this procedure.   
      
     They will spray the back of my mouth with a medicine to numb the gag   
   reflex, then put anti-nausea medicine in the I.V. (I've never done well   
   with anesthesia), then administer the anesthesia. The procedure itself   
   should only last about 20 minutes, and they'll inspect my mouth, throat,   
   esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (the upper part of the small   
   intestine). I may have a sore throat afterwards, but otherwise, should   
   be OK.   
      
     To play it safe, I'll spend the night at my Mom's place, then come   
   back here the next day. I just hope no additional surgery is required. I   
   had just one more payment from an Emergency Room trip in   
   February...looks like I'll have a lot more now. I may end up with around   
   $3000 in medical expenses this year...and while that'll help when the   
   rent recertification is due again, it ruins any chance of other   
   activities either inside or outside the Little Rock (Pulaski County)   
   area. Even though the National Square Dance Convention is in Little Rock   
   next week, I can't go...not only for that procedure, but I don't have   
   the extra money to spend.   
      
   Daryl   
      
   ---   
    þ OLX 1.53 þ Bad Restaurant: Hospital map on the back of the menu.   
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
                                                                                     
   --- Virtual Advanced Ver 2 for DOS    
    * ORIGIN: The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org (1:19/33)