Nyel’s Door

The more time we spend around doctors and hospitals, the more we realize how little we know.  I sometimes think we should all be born with an instruction manual attached.  One with an up-to-date glossary and lots of diagrams.  It almost seems like a cruel joke that in all of the millennia of human existence, we still are breaking new ground with regard to our own care and repair and — very few of us know even the basics.

Right now, for instance, we are waiting for a decision by Nyel’s doctor which will be based on the numbers revealed by his 4:30 a.m. blood draw.  We were told, within an hour of the draw, that the results show a reduction in numbers for both his INR and creatinine but, until the doctor weighs in, no one knows whether those numbers (especially the INR) have reduced enough.

We feel “very much accomplished” at this point just knowing a tad about ‘creatinine’ and ‘INR.’   Creatinine – a waste product that comes from the normal wear and tear on muscles of the body and can be used as one indicator of kidney function.  INR – an abbreviation for reporting the results of blood coagulation tests.

The Most Important Meal of the Day

Terminology is a steep learning curve in itself – never mind the numbers, levels, and upward or downward trends involved.  Like every other niche in life, the medical profession has its own vocabulary – most of which we lay-persons learn about on a need-to-know basis.

Terminology and  complex definitions notwithstanding, though, what it all boils down to for Nyel (and the part that concerns him the most!) right now is that the sign outside his door says NPO.  Translation:  Nothing by Mouth.  Further translation: nothing to eat or drink after midnight last night because a ‘procedure’ is scheduled for one o’clock this afternoon.  The big question is, has that pesky INR level lowered enough so that it’s safe for the procedure to be done.  And, if not, can he get some breakfast?

Nyel is a great believer in the adage, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”  He is remarkably accepting of the NPO designation when needed but is feeling a little anxious that perhaps the procedure will not take place today, after all.  In which case, presumably, he can eat until midnight tonight and precious meal time is being wasted as he waits!  One thing for sure – there is nothing wrong with the man’s appetite!