The sun is trying to send some joy through the smoke.
The other day, I drove down the mountain to Bakersfield to get my lung function tested and see the pulmonary nurse practitioner, someone I hadn't met before.
Her name is Kerry and she's just great. I got so much more information from her than I ever managed to get out of my doctor. I will never see him again if I can help it.
The test results were so, so. Lung function was at 70% and had been reduced by 2% since I was last tested, a year and a half ago. Normal function is 80 - 100%. I think 70% is OK as long as it stays in that vicinity.
And I was diagnosed with asthma. From the fires, said Kerry. I was so surprised, I didn't ask any questions about it at all. And started beating myself up about that as soon as I got in my car to drive home. But I will collect my questions, because I will probably talk to her soon again. She ordered more tests for this coming week. And a CT scan of my lungs for October.
So Kerry is very pro-active, smart and caring. So glad I was ill and had to cancel my doctor's appointment or I may have never met her.
The Washington Post, which I read on my Kindle Fire, had this to say about covid hospitalizations in Bakersfield:
They were comparing places with high vaccination rates to those with low. Only a couple of people I know here in the canyon are vaccinated, so this is not surprising to me.
Compare this to:
I will let this data speak for itself.
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