BOX SCORE
|
7/12/24
|
|
|
Element
|
Current
|
Std. Range
|
Trend
|
Hemoglobin
|
11.9
|
13-17
|
^
|
Platelets
|
163
|
140-375
|
^
|
ANC
|
5490
|
1800-8300
|
^
|
A week ago yesterday, we got in the Ford to go to the clinic for my Friday blood tests and an infusion of magnesium. When Jill started up the engine, I noticed it ran just a little rough for a few seconds. Before we started to move, it was back to its normal, reliable self. The following day, we were headed for Walmart for a curbside pickup of our groceries for the week. Again I noticed a little roughness when the motor fired up. As we left Walmart, the "Check Engine" light on the dashboard lit up. It took me a few minutes to noodle my way through what to do. We got home and unloaded our haul.
I decided to look for a way to get the "Check Engine" checked. Then it came to me out of the recesses of my mind, like a ghost from my past..."Goooo to AutoZooone...GOOOO TO AUTOZOOONE." I looked up the closest AutoZone. It is about three blocks from Walmart! Wouldn't you know. We went in the store with our tale of woe, and the helpful AZ (no, not Arizona) employee grabbed his OBD II reader and followed us to the parking lot. He quickly got a code and took us back inside, out of the heat, where he connected the reader to the store computer. In a few seconds he had an answer: Misfire on cylinder 4. For you gearheads out there, that's code P0304.
The report, which the fellow printed out for us, says the most common causes are a faulty ingnition coil or faulty spark plug. We had the spark plugs, which are designed to be replaced every 100,000 miles, replaced about 10,000 miles ago. I concluded that it must be the ignition coil pack.
Now, I haven't done much work on cars, beyond washing them or waxing them or occasionally topping off the fluids, in the era since electronic ignition became the standard a couple of decades ago. When I read "ignition coil pack," I pictured the spark coils in my 1949 Chevy and the one in my 1953 MG (see A Dream Come True). They looked a little like this:
There was one of them, about 2 1/2" in diameter and 8" long. Usually they were in a difficult place to get to, and although they only required two wires and a spark plug cable to hook them up, routing the cable over to the distributor, which had several other cables connected to it (one for each spark plug), could be challenging.
I decided to see where to get one, but first I decided to go to, you guessed it, YouTube, to learn how to install one in on our car. The video I found was 3 minutes 40 seconds long. In that span, the mechanic removed one bolt, unclipped one wire, lifted the cylinder #2 "coil pack" from the top of the engine, inserted the new pack, replaced the bolt, attached the wire clip, and voilá, the car ran like new. The most important thing I learned is that, nowadays, each spark plug has its own coil pack, so our car has four of them, but they are all identical. Piece of cake!
I went to, guess where, Amazon, and ordered a new coil pack, which was inexpensive, and due to arrive in 2 days. It arrived on Thursday afternoon. It looks like this:
**
It was hot out! Friday was scheduled for a clinic visit. So, today, Saturday, I sallied forth to the landlord's driveway with part in hand and a song in my heart! I got out my Harbor Freight 130 piece tool kit (yeah, I know, Harbor Freight) and set to work.
I popped off the snap-on engine cover. You know, that fancy trim piece they put on top of the motor these days that makes it look like the motor is missing. I think they do that to intimidate shade tree mechanics into taking their cars to a dealer. So, I get the cover off, and there in front of me, just like in the video, is coil pack #2!
What the video didn't clearly show, is that where the other three coil packs are concerned, there is "some disassembly required." In the case of #3 and #4 cylinders, the air intake is in the way. It has to be removed first, and only then can you do the 3 minute 40 second coil pack swap. Now, the only tool I was missing was a 13 mm by 1/4" deep socket for my ratchet handle. I tried every workaround I could think of, but in the end I knew well enough that ya gotta have the right tools! Undaunted, I'll order one (it's cheaper than paying a mechanic. Did I mention I am of Scottish descent?). Mission: Abort.
I mentioned above that we had a clinic appointment yesterday. When we arrived at the clinic to check in on the 11th floor at the infusion center, we learned that I would be seen on the 12th floor. The receptionist was able to check me in, and we hopped on the elevator. Soon, we were seated in a chair in a lovely wide open room with spectacular views of the West Hills of Portland. The nurse did a blood draw and then hooked up an IV bag of magnesium to drip. This is a routine that happens Mondays and Fridays.
When the results of the blood draw started coming in we were astounded. The results are available on a phone app. The Box Score above shows some of them. My Hemoglobin hasn't been at 11.9 for many months. And ANC is squarely in the middle of the "standard range," which means my new immune system is growing stronger. What it doesn't show is that, before I started receiving the magnesium, the blood level of this electrolyte was already in the "normal" range. That meant I only needed one bag! They take about an hour to drip into my vein, so receiving only one bag is a bonus.
Later, I did receive a small bag of saline, because Dr. Meyers thought I was a little dehydrated, based on other things that showed up in my blood tests. While I was receiving that, she came for a visit. She went over the blood results with us and did a quick physical exam (heart and lungs and ankles, looking for swelling, which was not there). She said I am doing great. She suggested I increase my intake of magnesium pills so that I can raise my plasma magnesium a little higher and get off of the IV magnesium altogether. She also suggested I stop using the corticosteroid cremes every day, and only use them if a rash appears.
Then she announced that I will only need to be seen in the clinic once a week. I will get a blood draw, have the dressing on my PICC line changed and have a visit with either Dr. Meyers or her NP, Tracey. Wow! A 50% decrease in clinic visits. It appears that, unlike me, Dr. Meyers has been using all the right tools! Misson: All Systems Go!
And of course, as Scripture reminds us, God does the healing.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his... (Psalm 100: 1-3a)
Jill and I left the clinic feeling like a couple of kids who had just been promised an afternoon at the pool, followed by a trip to Baskin Robbins! We have been in a celebratory mood ever since. Yesterday, Jill said, "I can't seem to wipe this smile off my face." Me neither.
**https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C18W1Q5K?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
*
**
This is such amazing news! I can't wait until you two are able to head south on I-5 towards home. I know it is a coming!!! :-) Donalynn
ReplyDelete