Friday.

Some musings of my week - 

Yesterday was a good retirement day.

It's this kind of thing when I realize I am retired and it's not about just doctor appointments.

I watched Opening Day of baseball in the middle of the day.

I wasn't so ill that I couldn't sit up and watch it to really get into the game. 

Everything worked out just perfectly. We even won.

I don't think there will be a lot of that this year but it's a nice way to start.

Especially with Boston losing. I always love to see that and the cheatin' Astros lose. But enough of my baseball pettiness.

Rick is now so damn sore it's funny. His wrist was sore yesterday. 

He moans when he sits and moans louder when he gets up.

I made a sick comment about his sore wrist and while he laughed he said, "I wish, but it's the way I was holding the drill and yada yada yada."  

I didn't hear it all but I knew what he was referring to. 

He said it feels very good to be so active again. Apparently, standing at the lathe making jewelry boxes, bowls, etc is not so tricky on one's body. 

He says he misses this kind of labor. 

Oh heavens, I don't, but good on you Rick. 

Lowes called and now we get the big posts on Monday. 

They called at 6:30am. Rick was still asleep and I look at who was calling on his phone and if I should pick up. I saw it was Lowes so I picked up.

After the news I received, I told him he should be thankful he was speaking with me and not Rick this morning. 

I too was livid, I just speak far more kindly than Rick would be speaking to him about now.

Rick is at a standstill on finishing the deck and fence, can't get more done until he has these posts and he is so angry about this. 

I kind of think it's a nice reprieve on his body. 

So he is not working on the deck on Friday but in his workshop. 

Saturday will be very high winds and rain so no work outside on Saturday. 

I think by Monday he will feel great and then get to do it all again. 

We actually had the last landscaper who arrived last week on the day scheduled and within 5 minutes of the scheduled time - How about that?

He sent the estimate via email within 24 hrs just as he promised. 

Again, Imagine that will ya!  I called immediately after downloading the contract and signing it. I paid the deposit of 50% and we are scheduled on April 14th. They tell you all the things that can make this change like the weather to CYA themselves and I understand. Then they sent me a paid receipt for my deposit. All professional and nice to work with. I pray they continue this streak of professionalism and show up to do the job.

Fingers crossed!

I have to go to Walmart today. I don't care for Walmart.

I never went to Walmart in my life but once. My dad was a Walmart greeter.

Oh the stories he would tell me. Some offensive but that was my father.

One day he said to Rick he saw a woman with all these kids she is trying to wrestle into carts and grab their hands and he went to help her. He said when he saw her she was so fat and ugly he couldn't understand how she got those kids. OMG. Rick said something to him about it not being nice and my father made a grunting noise and poo-pooed Rick. 

Anyhoo, I went to see him at the store once.

Otherwise, I was not a Walmart shopper.

Sadly upon moving here that is less than 2 miles from my house so I tend to go a lot now. Oh, it's a fascinating place. I think this is a hillbilly haven.

I should be sending Rick, this is their home base it appears to me.

OH, the things you see there. Rick still talks about the woman who used duct tape to hold her buttons closed on her blouse. 

Anyway, neither Rick nor I can get our health insurance to cover our thyroid medication. So without insurance even good rx is more than Walmart so we go to Walmart and pay $20 instead of $65. Rick's is a higher dose so he pays even more but still far less than his original $95 for 30 days.

Insurance doesn't cover it because it is not a pharmaceutical pill like Synthroid. You know they grease the palms of congress so you know how it works. Too bad that drug didn't work for me because it is cheap. Oh well.

Wish me luck. If nothing else I can take photos of poorly dressed individuals with duct tape holding them together for your entertainment. 😁

Beach Chairs Baby!!

We bought new beach chairs. So that means, it's official!

I'm going to the beach soon. I see it on the horizon.

Rick promised me beach time after my surgery and head to the shore.

It's only 1.5-2 hours depending on what part of the shore and yet I haven't gone since getting here because I have been ill.

I am a beach person. 

Sitting by the water and just smelling it will be heaven for me.

On the water, in the water, or near the water, yes it's just the water. 

It is my happy place.

Thankfully Rick loves this too. Whew.

Oh, the fun beach vacations we have had over our 36 years. 

We got married in a flower-filled gazebo on the beach in the Carribean. 

Yep, beach people.

We bought these great chairs about 20 years ago at Costco. 

We had no intention of purchasing chairs when entered, but you know how it is once you enter Costco. 

Hell, you don't need 3/4 of the shit in your Costco shopping cart and you know it.

But somehow while walking your cart the size of an economy car down the aisles those throw pillows just fell off the top shelf into my cart. 

Rick saw them first. He did his sales pitch to me when I said, "aren't those a bit expensive for beach chairs Rick?"

"Look they fold up to nothing. We can put them on the boat and when we decide to park on an island we can pull these out and be comfy. 

Look you'll have a footrest (only if I slump in the chair my feet don't easily touch that footrest) and a place for our beverages and a pocket for sunscreen or your sunglasses etc. You know you love organization."

Well, let me tell you that last line of his made me laugh out loud and people looked at me. Boy, he was selling it. Okay, fine, let's get them. I thought they were a bit expensive but in those days we had high-paying corporate jobs so I was thankful it didn't hurt us. 

I ended up loving these chairs. We used them all the time. 

For the amount of use, they were a steal. 

Now I would be thrilled to only pay $59.99 a piece!

We finally had to toss them when we moved. The straps were frayed. The mesh pouch ripped. My footrest broke, not from use that is for sure. 

And the bag had a piece that held the back to the rod of the chair and it broke off. Mine was a hot mess. It was obviously time. They were Eddie Bauer chairs that are no longer made it appears. The chairs were great and the nylon case that they folded up into was great for storage on the boat.

Rick and I looked for them all over the internet but nothing out there could be found for less than $250 each. Nope, not gonna spend that. Rick said that is a helluva inflation price what did we pay? I told him they were $59.99 a piece + tax so whatever that is, is what we paid.  

Rick said, "God I sound like your father don't I?"

"Yep, you are an old man now and everything is expensive to you (us) just like Dad."

We continued to both look when we had a minute for reasonably price lawn chairs for my spoiled Big Guy. I found 2, not the same but nice. They were $89.99 for BOTH. I hit order and after I hit enter it said sold out. Gee it said hurry almost out of stock, I just assumed that was a ploy. Oops nope. They had one color left (red) and I really didn't want a bright red and they were $10 more. 

I showed this to Rick. 

He said to get them before they are gone. Ok, I did and they are on their way.

But I have my concerns about a zero-gravity chair. 

For some reason, it appears to me to be a lot of ab work until you get this figured out?  No? Only me?

I'd sit in one of these plastic beach chairs that fold into 3rds. 

I am fine with these. This is all I wanted. 

Too low for the Big Guy he tells me. I take him at his word because what does this short gal know about being too tall for this low chair. I think he's just too old to get down in the chair and back up, but I let him think whatever he wants. 😉

So these are the ones I just ordered.

Because the above chairs are zero gravity chairs I fear me having a "learning" curve. Just me?

To me, It seems like this would go back if my feet don't go down far enough. I fear it reclining me when I just want to sit!

I will practice at home so I don't have another beach day of falling off my chair and no one helping me get upright. That was a damn good laugh but I'd prefer to have these problems in my yard than at the beach in front of everyone. 

As Rick said, "Oh this will be fun to watch" 

Thanks for the confidence you little stinker. (I know he's right damn it)

The Gray one below is the Eddie Bauer Chair. 

We had two, but mine was beginning to fray at this point so I went with the red one on this day. 

Rick enjoying his chair.

Our new Chairs

No, I will not post the video of my butt in the air after I can't sit upright. 

OH, I know he'll record this he is mean like that. 

He will tell stories for years of how I couldn't get out of this because my knees don't reach where the chair begins to go down. 

I see it all coming. Mark my words. 

You know how I always whine that I have no talents? 

I lied, I am very gifted at clumsy Lucy moments. 

Oh, who cares? I'm at the beach in my mind already. 😎

Soon...

Books

I know what I am going to write about will get some panties in a twist. 

Remember this is my blog and just my opinions.

I read Spare in 2 days. 407 pages. I couldn't put it down.

Here are my takeaways. 

• The Crown it appears is incredibly accurate.
• Camilla is as awful as she has always been portrayed. I have always found her to have an unfortunate face and hoped her insides were at least pretty but nope. She is inside as she is outside it seems.
• The Brits sure don't think too highly of Americans.
• Jealousy and the fear that someone can get ahead of you are ugly traits in all companies. And the monarch is a big corporation/company.

I feel like I know Harry. I understand Harry to my core. I think what his family did to him is shameful. I hurt for Harry. I get why he did this. I don't understand how people think he is whining. Oh my goodness, hardly. 

I did have to look up words that I didn't know along the way while reading the book.  'Biro'.  That is a pen I learned and in the UK it is called a biro. There were several words I had to look up. I did know the word boot was the trunk of your car and that was written several times. That is how they hide from the paps, getting in the trunk or book of the car. But for the most part, I had to google things which I found pretty funny. 

I was on a waiting list at the library for this book. I was number 548. 

I can't believe I got this so quickly. I was a bit bored during all the military shit but I really understood why it all meant so much to him. It made such clarity of that whole situation and I was so glad he got that life for himself no matter how short it was for him.

Knowing myself well I know I could never ever be in that fish bowl. 

I wouldn't want to be told what I had to do each and every day. May I join the military? What I can wear? What lies must I tell today? What truths must be buried? What family member will sabotage me to make themselves look good? It's just like any other firm, corporation, or office politics. It's horrific.

It did so remind me of office/company politics and games.

And to never hug your child just boggles my mind. 

I'd be a Harry. Don't lie to me that is the biggest sin.

I have never thought the monarch was something we should have in the 21st or 20th century. But then I'm not from the commonwealth. So what do I know except for what I read, learned in history class or see on TV.

That and what my friends from the UK share. 

They too dislike the monarch but tell me stories of their parent's generation and their love of all things King and Queen. It fascinates me. It seems so cult-like.

I had an American friend who married someone within our company from the UK. She moved to the UK after they got married. She couldn't take it. She said they were cold, pretentious, and self-righteous. They were mean to her because she was American and her children were ridiculed. Then she added and I will never forget the tone, "and boy are they racist bigots"

I was shocked. I was convinced she wasn't reading her situation right. 

That was my thought but I always kept that to myself! I just listened.

Perhaps she was right all along.

I do know she is happy to be back in the states.

Then I met Bruce from Ireland who spent 23 yrs in the UK. He agreed with my American Friend. I don't wish to believe it. It would be like saying all of America is gun-happy and racist. To the outside world, we are just that. 

But there are some of us who don't own guns (because I'd use them) and who aren't bigots. We just don't get the attention as much as the loud rednecks. 

Reading this book made me think my friends were correct but I'm still holding out hope that it isn't that bad. 

But damn it was a good book said this ugly American. 😁

Wanna Bet? Will they Show Up?

Rick has built 5 decks. Family, friends, neighbors, and our own.

This is one he built for a neighbor in NoVa and her dog Mattie who was almost as much our dog to be honest. She traveled so we got Mattie most weeks. It was perfection!

We have a tiny deck off our kitchen between the house and garage.

Here it is right after we moved - I'm standing at the back door in the kitchen.

Well, Rick wanted to build a bigger deck. 

I wanted new floors in the house this year. 

Rick wins, of course.

The weather here is so nice all year long I know we'll use it. We loved our deck at home and lived on it spring, summer and fall.

He decided to begin measuring. He calculates how much wood and accessories he will need.

The wood was delivered yesterday (Monday)

Last week he dug holes for the footers or whatever they are called.

Because this will be seen from the road and the neighbors across the street Rick is also putting up a fence for privacy across the back in cedar.

Now, usually, a deck would take Rick a weekend.

This one will take a month at the least. :-)

Rick was putting those cement footers in the ground. He was carrying them from the car to the yard. He drove the car onto the yard so he didn't have to carry them so far. After he was done putting those in he came in the house for some more water and proclaimed, "This is my last deck I've got in me"

I knew that but it was nice that he knew it as well. He told me that this was easier in his 40s compared to 68. I told him he has 8 weeks before he is 68. He said, my body doesn't know that!

But he loves this shit. He is out there this morning singing his little heart out to some rock 'n roll on his headset. I opened the back door and asked if he needed anything. I brought him some water. He said he was fine. I asked if he was cold. He said it is the perfect weather to work outside. (61)

Okay then. 

To me, it's a bit chilly but I'm sure busting your butt doing this physical labor keeps you warm. 

Lowes delivered the wood and the cedar for the fence yesterday. 

But they didn't bring the fence posts and some other big posts. 

Rick was livid. He called them and they said they could have them there in a few days, hopefully, this week. He told them he needed them for his contractor to get started today. So with that big fat lie he is having them delivered today sometime. He was so angry because he said he went over this order so many times. He went to the store. He felt he did everything right but got the wrong things. 

He can only work so far until these big posts arrive. He may not be singing for long.

In other news. 

We have this big mound on the corner of our property. It has a sign saying, South Ridge. It is our neighborhood.  Last year we weeded, planted, and mulched all year long to keep this looking good. It was such high maintenance. The guy across from us has the same sign but he let his juniper grow up above the sign. When we first moved here we heard comments from other neighbors about that. They were happy we were keeping our sign visible to visitors. 

Here are some pics I got off google -  This is the neighbor across the street. See the sign under that mound of snake-filled brush? yes, the neighborhood has sent him a letter asking him to fix it. We shall see.

Here is my mess below in the dead of winter. I should have taken photos in summer/spring when everything was lush. But you get the idea. It's maintenance I don't wish to have so we are leveling it and leaving the sign that will be lit. I bought solar lights for it. 

It's time because we've I've had enough. I was always out there weeding, watering, and pruning. Remember Rick wanted land. I'd have been happy in a condo. But if it's messy and looks awful you know I'm gonna clean it up and he wouldn't. Aargh!

We contacted 4 landscaping companies. All worse than the one before them. No one shows up. Or when they do show up they do so days later than your appointment. They won't give a price in writing. We accepted one offer to never have him show up or hear from him again.

He said it's a small job I'll do this at the end of my day if that works for you. Sure. He said he'd call that evening when he got home to get us on the schedule. But he didn't call. He never showed up. We tried him by phone and text but he has vanished. What the hell? I guess only $1500 isn't enough to entice them to work. 

Now we are on our 4th one & we hope it is the charm. They are going to remove the big mound and level it with our yard. Seed the area so it grows grass and put the sign back. This needs a big ole piece of machinery that we just don't have. We considered renting one but I said to Rick have you ever driven one? Nope. Do you think you can? Oh, sure I can. No, just because you think you're Bob The Builder does not mean you are.  Well, that was all I needed to hear. He's not doing it. Besides the cost to rent was several hundred dollars, (almost 600) just suck it up and let some young buck do it for the money. I could only see forking out the money for this and then Rick messing it up, hitting something he shouldn't, getting hurt. All costing us far more than 1,500. 

We signed off on the project today. We'll see if they show up!

When we were in business we showed up and we showed up on time. That was our most often comment in a review. We showed up at the time of the appointment and the men were professional. Imagine that. If the boys were running late they'd let me know and I'd call the customer for them. Sometimes they just did it on their own if only running 15 minutes late or sitting in traffic on the beltway. 

I guess everyone has too much money and just doesn't care about making any more. I wish I had that problem. I get it, it's a small job. But like Rick used to say a small job can lead to a far bigger one. It always did for us. 

I recall a guy who only had a chip repair ($200) He was so blown away we ended up doing their kitchen and bath. So that little $200 ended up being a 5 figure job. We showed up. We were professional and we did good work. Is that out there anymore?

I'm taking bets. Will they show up? Will they set an appointment after I sent them my signed contract? We shall see. Odds are not in my favor.

Anyone wanna bet if they show up?

Yankee Curse

Rick said something about me not dying on him. 

I said, "No way, we're going together.

hmm...Murder-suicide, he says dryly.

OMG, that was the best laugh I've had in weeks. God love this man. 

It hit me at the perfect time and made me laugh out loud. Probably not funny to anyone else but me but that's all that matters. 😊

Okay saw my surgeon yesterday.

I had Rick come with me because he has a lot of questions and I wanted him to get the answers from the doctor.

She was as pleased as me about my results from yesterday's colonoscopy. 

I see the gyno on April 5th. Then the two of them will sync up schedules to do my surgery and I will be better because I refuse not to be anything else. The doctor and I are assuming around Easter but not knowing the other doctor's schedule she couldn't say for certain of course. 

Rick loved the doctor and said that her bedside manner was great but her compassion and her ability to explain and lay it all out in such a good way to understand and answer all your concerns was impressive. I told him this is why I like female doctors I find them more compassionate and they explain it all very well and not in a condescending way.

On our drive home from the doctor's, we saw the mean man walking his dog who called me a damn Yankee and then refused to speak with me. 

Rick said, "hey maybe that guy gave you a Yankee curse. I mean since moving here everything bad has happened to you."

I said, "True but then why not you? you're a Yankee too."

He said, "Yeah but I'm a hillbilly so they give me some grace"

True.

3 Fine Looking Doctors

Here is the ugliness of the last 2 days.

Tuesday's horror began at 2pm and stopped on Wednesday around 12:30p

My appointment was at 11am for my colonoscopy. 

I had nurses come in and do their thing with me. Then an anesthesiologist came in and went through the questions and how it all was going down.

I finally get into my OR at 12:30p. 

I am again meeting the anesthesiologist, but it's a different one now. 

I meet the doctor and another man. 

He may have been a nurse, he said it to me but I did not hear him well. 

Masks, machines, and difficulty hearing were a trifecta for me.

But oh my goodness these were 3 very good-looking young men. 

Masks or no masks you can tell!! 

My first thought was - 'Oh, great, what one of you gorgeous hunks is shoving a camera up my butt?' 

There is no dignity in this setting.

The results were no surprises from what was seen on the CT Scan when at the ER. That's a good thing and I know it was everyone's concern.  My diverticulitis is still inflamed, but not nearly as bad as it was. He saw the surgery that was needed and told us both that I needed to have surgery and why and we told him we were seeing the surgeon tomorrow. He was happy about that. 

Once I was back in my room the nurse was checking on me and I mentioned the good-looking men. She laughed and said she's heard that a few times today from other women. Then she leaned in maybe so Rick didn't hear her I'm not sure why, and she whispered, "They sure are, aren't they?"

So if you are going to have to go through this I am not sure if it's worse or better to have them look like movie stars or if you want them to look more like Wilfred Brimley.  (you youngsters can google him)

Rick has been a big worry wart. Until I am out of my next surgery and he is told I am perfectly fine he will be a spaz. 

Tuesday I was up all night long. He went to bed. 

But he said he woke up a few times and he heard me so he knew I was okay. Once he did come out and knock on the hall bath door to see if I was okay or needed anything. That was around 2 or 3am.  That made me giggle. Nope just sitting here having the time of my life babe.

When he got me home it was like he could finally relax. I know Rick felt better knowing that there were no surprises on the colonoscopy. 

He said to me, only 1 more to go. He meant the surgery and hoping no surprises there. 

After we got home he begged me to eat something so I had some leftover mashed potatoes in a custard cup to keep him happy. While I ate this he sprawled out on the sofa and fell asleep instantly. 

He slept there for 3 hours!

I think the stress just got to him. 

I so wish I wasn't causing him such stress. 

He's a fixer and he can't fix this and I swear it drives him crazy along with his worry about me.

Today he told me he misses his ball-busting buddy. 

I laughed and said, "Oh you sweet talkin' romantic fool you!"

I'll be back, it's just taking a bit longer than we both like.

 

I'm Still Here

 Hi Blogger Buddies.

Well, where do I begin to update you?

Is there anything worse than an old woman going on about her ailments?

I will try to make this as brief as possible.

I have been to many doctors. I need to see one more that my GI surgeon is sending me to.

Hopefully, this will be negative and I won't need that doctor in with the GI doctor during surgery. 

I have a colonoscopy on Wednesday. So as you all know I can't leave the house on Tuesday.  The way they do the prep for a colonoscopy here is how they did it in the 80s. It's a bit backward and outdated but with the same results. It's just miserable for me.  

I then see the GI surgeon again on Thursday to be sure that nothing surprised them from the colonoscopy. They did a CT scan with contrast when I was in the ER and they are using that as what needs to be done and will compare it with the Colonoscopy.

Have you ever had a CT Scan with contrast before? The contrast makes you feel like you are peeing yourself while lying on this table. You get all warm and it feels exactly like you just peed yourself.  But nope, thankfully, you didn't. It is such a weird feeling, to say the least. The first time I had this they told me it was coming but then all of a sudden you get that warm feeling and I knew they told me I wasn't peeing but it freaked me out. This was the 2nd time so I knew what was coming but it is still weirdly unsettling.

If everything else is negative then I will be having surgery to remove a small portion of my colon. It is done laparoscopically. So you'd think I'd go home that day.  BUT they keep you in the hospital for 3 -4 days until you poop. Lovely. They want to be sure everything is running as supposed to.

I will give you more info later but that gives you an overview.

I am not so nauseous today and the room isn't spinning today so I could sit here and write. Remember when you were young and stupid and got so drunk as you lay on your bed the room would be spinning? 

That awful feeling is how I've felt for the last 3 weeks along with nausea or vomiting or lucky me both. 

I arrived in North Carolina 1.5 yrs ago only taking one pill a day. 

A thyroid pill.

I have never had indigestion in my life. Now it's constant.(should go away after this whole colon thing)

I had low blood pressure my whole life. Now it's high, they said that was from the chemo/steroids.

I moved here, and Betty grew to 3x its size. 

I had chemo/steroid hell for 6.5 months. 

Now, this. I have not been well since I crossed the state line!  

I don't think NC likes me much.

They believe this was brought on by the high dosage of steroids more than anything. The tummy pain I was having we all thought was from the oral chemo. The side effect is even stated in the literature as stomach pain. 

But it wasn't that. 

I had a fistula from my colon to the back of my vagina. I also had a flare-up of my diverticulitis. Because this is close to my bladder the infection traveled there and gave me a very bad UTI. Let's just pile it on Peg shall we?

My body couldn't fight the infections because I was immune compromised (as we hoped for my eye) so my body was not fighting the infections and I was just getting sicker by the day. 

Now fighting 3 infections and all those drugs were also giving me side effects but I couldn't stop them I had to get rid of it all. 

So to recap - steroids and chemo will #*!* you up!

Rick has a sister in California who just had the same operation just after Christmas. She only had the colon piece, not diverticulitis. She had all these symptoms and said there were days when she thought she was dying. Yep, been there. But she is doing great now. She is having no issues at all and all the pain and suffering for her is over. Fingers crossed it will be for me too. They take that piece out, sew it back together, and off you go. 

I did not know I had 6ft of colon, so my GI doc says.

Yes, I am leaving a lot out. There is so much more but I don't wish to bore the hell out of you. I just wanted to give you a quick overview.

I am alive and hanging in there. Tonight, doing fairly well, hell, I'm upright!

I have a wonderful nurse named Rick. 

He can be a bit overbearing but he means well. 

That man is so good to me! 

This week is jam packed with medical fun so I don't know if I will get to blog this week. If I am not hanging over a commode or the room isn't spinning then I will try to drop a line. 

Thank you for all the nice comments.

I hope you all are doing well.

Spring has sprung here and I hope it has in your neck of the woods.

🧡

Being Away

Hi Guys.

Look I leave a lot here but a lot I don't, believe it or not. I don’t wish to bore you with medical issues or have you say, geez not again, I just can't deal with that right now. 

I am far sicker than I let on and it's so much worse than just dizziness.

I am taking time away from here a bit. If something miraculous happens may be I'll be back in a week. 

Right now I do not have a timeline but hope it's sooner than later.