Updates

On Rick ... Dr. Devinney said that the nerve on the top of his shoulder (the one that runs from his spine to the rotator cuff) is definitely damaged. 3 options - (1) total shoulder replacement - no guarantee that it would make it better, in fact ... could very likely be worse; (2) shoulder fusion - which would give him NO movement in the shoulder; (3) wait it out, because there is a slight chance that the nerve will heal and he will get back at least 70% use of the arm, given time. Dr Devinney asked (again) what kind of work Rick was doing when this happened. Driving a milk truck - which included not only driving, but getting up and down from the truck, and climbing up and down on the tank to read the tags. Dr Devinney shook his head and said, "No more of that! You should be able to work doing something, but no more of that." 
... Rick took his urine and dialysis bags into the dialysis center. Again they were amazed at the amount of both! His numbers have IMPROVED!!!!! =) Praise the Lord!!! 
We trained on the cycler for 2 days ... nurses delivered the cycler on Thursday. We have now used it for 3 nights. Rick said it is going to take some getting used to, but not so bad. At least we don't watch the clock during the day for a manual exchange! And the biggest plus to the cycler? He said he feels so much LESS full all the time, not so tired. 

On me ... went to Dr on Friday afternoon - during the discussion with her, she noticed me touching my chest. She asked, and I told her - I have been having chest discomfort and some pain for the last 4 weeks, off and on. Nothing so major - more just annoying. She ordered an EKG at the office - showed an abnormality. So, off to the ER we are sent (and go). 5 hours later ... EKG's ... blood work ... X-rays ... heart monitor ... And?
Still abnormal EKG ... but blood work is good, shows NO heart attack of any size - PRAISE THE LORD. 
Heart monitor shows good ... X-rays were clear ... 
I was allowed to come home - under protest from the doctor, but there was nothing that the hospital would do over the weekend. Not on just an abnormal EKG. I told the doctor that I was not going to play around with this - that I had faced death too close twice in the last few months to not take this seriously. 
Dr wants me to have a chemical stress test ... I will call the cardiologist tomorrow. And she wants me to have a mammogram to rule out anything there. 
She did tell me that it looks like I have about 20-30 pounds of fluid on me, which would account for the pressure and discomfort in the chest, as well as the pain over the rest of my body. 
Now taking Lasix and Potassium. She also added fish oil, cranberry, aspirin. 
I wait to see if the care program at the hospital will cover these next 2 tests - hopefully, prayerfully, they will ... cause sadly, we have no money and no insurance. Trusting in the Lord - He is the Great Physician.