Round Trip to Roseville

[kevin_standlee]

My doctor's office ordered a metabolic panel because we're just over halfway through the initial course of Ozempic plus a potassium supplement. Unfortunately, because it's highly impractical for lab results to move between medical systems, that meant I needed to go to the nearest Sutter Health lab, which is in Roseville, 150 miles from Fernley. However, the weather has stayed dry (which is otherwise unfortunate), so this morning I left for Roseville at 6 AM and got to Roseville three hours later, which is pretty good time including two restroom stops. My total time at the lab was only 30 minutes including check-in and my own fiddling with my phone before I checked in. The draw itself took only a few minutes and was routine.

As I had been fasting for more than twelve hours for the blood test, even with the Ozempic suppressing my appetite, I was hungry. I left Roseville and headed up to Emigrant Gap to have breakfast at The Rustic Table. My timing was good, because the place was nearly empty when I arrived, but shortly after I put in my order, others started showing up, including a very large group that had reserved about a third of the restaurant.

My breakfast was just fine. I deliberately ordered something smaller than I typically get, and it was the right amount. Fully satisfied, I continued toward home. Unfortunately, I realized that something was wrong, as the charger wasn't recharging my mobile phone. Stopping at the vista point outside of Reno, I checked and discovered that the fuse controlling the dome and other interior lights had failed. I stopped by O'Reilly Auto Parts and bought an assortment of fuses. To my relief, the replacement held and didn't immediately fail again, which would have been a sign of something more serious. Not so good was discovering that the switch that adjusts the brightness of the instrument panel lights and also turns on the dome light was stuck. Luckily for me, it was not stuck in the "dome light on" position, which would have run down the battery. I expect that we'll be able to get at the switch and (I hope) and get it back the way it should be.

I stopped at WinCo Foods for a small number of things that Lisa asked me to buy, although I did forget one item for which I hope she will forgive me. I had a few other errands as well, which took a while, and I did not get home until 4:30 PM, more than ten hours after I left.

I also think that I've developed a sinus infection. That persistent nasal drainage that the Ozempic induces I think leads to infections having a path into my sinus. I'd use something like Actifed/Sudafed, but it's contra-indicated for high blood pressure.

I have set no alarm for Sunday morning. Luxury!

Comments

[a_cubed]

Crazy. I'm not sure how good the interoperability of Japanese health-care information systems is, but I can go to any clinic that accepts insurance (they almost all do, but there are a few purely private systems) and they'll accept my insurance and treat me. When I dislocated my shoulder a few years ago I got taken by the ambulance to a hospital coincidentally just over the road from my University lab, because I needed emergency treatment (out of normal hours). After the initial tests/treatment they asked me if I would be coming back to them for follow-up treatment, but I asked for a referral to the hospital 3 minutes walk from our house, which they provided. I can't recall if the nearby hospital was able to access my original x-rays, though. I don't recall if they took new X-rays on the first visit, to be honest, which was the following day, or if they had access to the ones taken during the emergency treatment (before and after the re-setting of the shoulder).