March 24, 2019

White Dog does not understand why it takes so long to see the specialists I need to diagnose my health issues and the delay makes her nervous. She and Steve travelled a similar road many years ago when I had congestive heart failure and that experience has left them both fearful...especially when I have a bad day.

From that experience I have learned a few care tricks and what data to watch but I am more than ready to define and correct what the problem really is. At those times when the Little White Dog of My Heart gets apprehensive because my numbers are high or my heart is irregular, I gather her into my arms and whisper:

"We WILL do this and recover; you must believe. There is no medicine more powerful than the love of you, dad and the White Dog Army. It is frustrating and a challenge to wait for treatment, but knowledge is also power. We are not without tools. You are my anchors and my strength."

Albuquerque has a severe shortage of medical specialists and wait times are extreme. In our less populous poor state we see the problems of broken healthcare up close and personal. My primary care group keeps close touch so I am not completely without support, still watching over momma has become the White Dog Army's biggest daily task...I still have 20 days until I can see the cardiologist, WD reminds me; which is a long time considering how long we have been on autopilot. This is one time i tell her it is all right to be a bit short sighted..."and tomorrow it will only be 19 days." And then I kiss her.