a mini-update on health issues

[mellowtigger]

I just got back from the clinic appointment. I spent about 1.5 hours there this morning. Being objectively helpful, my left ankle today cooperated by showing measurable sign of swelling. They did an ultrasound of the main vein along my left leg. Good News: No sign of blood clot. They want me to try physical therapy for perhaps a hamstring injury. When I said I don't have a car, they scheduled it with the local hospital instead of wherever they would have sent me. They also said if anything gets worse, I should go to the hospital's emergency room to have an "official" ultrasound run too. But I'm happy with this news! I'm still walking with a limp, and this trouble goes through occasional improvements and worsening. Maybe physical therapy can help.

In less good news, I got an official notice from the city of Minneapolis this week that the "service line" (the pipe from the water main to my house) is made of lead.

Click to read the quotes from the City of Minneapolis letter...

The network of water distribution mains that run in the streets throughout the City of Minneapolis are made of iron and steel and are not lead. However, the City has determined that as of October 24th, 2024, the water pipe (called a service line) that connects your home or business to the water main is made from lead.

Ugh. I've been drinking this water for 9 years. I just checked my Epic Smart Shield water filter that I installed last year, and it does help filter lead. The city is apparently working with the state government to help pay for mitigations.

Until recently, public funds could not be used to replace private infrastructure like water service lines. This year, the City of Minneapolis began targeting water service lines that contain lead for replacement based on the following criteria:

• Targeting areas with lower-income residents and other disadvantaged communities.
• Targeting areas with children with elevated blood lead levels.
• Coordinating the replacement of lead service lines with other capital improvement projects for the most efficient use of grant funding.

It is important to note that the City's replacement effort is not an open "opt-in" program. State legislation requires the City to prioritize project areas based on the above criteria.

I guess I'll wait to learn more from their process. Still, though, I wasn't expecting that particular home cost, so adding air conditioning will probably wait another year. I hope to learn more in the coming weeks. We'll see how much of this cost I'll have to cover versus taxpayers via grants.

Comments

[darkoshi]

That is an unpleasant thing to find out. It's good you at least installed that water filter.