Another Device

I love this otherworldly shot of Stonehenge from Reuben Wu. It’s a variant of his cover image for the August 2022 issue of National Geographic. The monument is lit from above and behind with drones, which created some logistical issues: “[We] had to call the Royal Air Force each time we launched the drone and spent months getting permits and approval to do this. Even then we still couldn’t fly it above the stone circle (for fear of damaging the stones).” They had to call the RAF because the monument is in military airspace. 

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I was up early yesterday to get everything ready for the trip to Nanaimo. We caught an early ferry to avoid delays and went to the park for a walk before going to the hospital and its pacemaker clinic. It was an iffy day, but I was glad to feel there’d be no heavy rain.

After the appointment, I went up island to Walmart to get pet supplies. Then we walked again in a park before going to Dami Suchi where I had my lunch. Yum! Then we came home. And oh, how good it felt to get on the ferry.

I unloaded all my purchases, and then I had a nap. I get very fatigued by my every trip to the big island. I came home happy. The sun was out, and I have five days ahead of me with nothing pressing needing doing. I expect that today I’ll do some prep work on the new foundation for the studio firebox. I’m looking forward to doing the work.

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It seems that the incidents that cause me to have so much fear are due to arrythmia. 

The pacemaker technician was perfect. Yesterday’s visit with him was my second appointment with him, and now I like him. He was terrific with me in every way. He explained things, telling me how the pacemaker works, and how well my heart is doing. 

The last time I saw him, my ventricles were assisted by my pacemaker 92% of the time, and my atria were assisted only 12% of the time. Since his adjustment, my ventricles have worked at 0% assistance!!!

But the best news is that I now have a new device—this one for my heart, not for communication. I have a heart monitor now, right beside my bed, and if I ever feel anxious about what’s going on with my heart, I just push a button on the monitor and lie down on the bed. When I press the button, all the data in my pacemaker is downloaded and sent to the pacemaker clinic, and from there, someone will call me.

I have peace of mind now about my scary episodes.

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Today I must work on the extension to the firebox riser. It means using cement and I’ve never used cement before. It’s not a big job, but it is a job that takes me way, way outside my comfort zone. However, doing the job myself will cost less than $50, and were Frank to make the firebox compliant without me building the extension, it would cost well over $500 because the smokestack would have to be replaced. I’m going to get to this work during the morning so that I can relax through the afternoon.