%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |
A metaphor for my take on life and how it affects me. |
|
|
| On my walk yesterday with Gracie, my Javanese dog, we encountered a large dog trying to work his way out of a broken fence. This particular house has 3 or 4 large German Shepards. They have always barked when we passed and it was scary to see the dog sticking his head and front legs between the fence slats trying to get out. I figured if one made it through the others would follow. Fortunately that did not happen. Once our walk was complete I went back over to the house and informed the owner about the problem and he told me had extra slats and he would take care of it. In previous post I've mentioned some of my medical problems I've had over the last several years. My journey continues! I was hospitalized the 1st 4 days of last month with Kidney stones. They didn't do anything other than give me pills to lesson the pain and help shrink the stones. I was released on a Friday and went back to the Emergency the following Wednesday with the pain. Again I was given some pain pills and released. My Urologist suggested I have Lithotripsy procedure that blasts the stones with radio frequency waves. I had this procedure done last Wednesday Nov 6, and I came out the same way I went in feeling fine. I haven't had anymore episodes after my last visit to the emergency but I still had 2 stones that needed to be demolished. It worked I haven't had any pain since. I feel like this is a Miracle! The horror stories I've hear over the years had me scared, fortunately I haven't experienced the pain of passing stones! Time to get to work on my chores for the morning. Rake leaves and mow the lawn, then walk the dog. I walk 1.11 miles with the dog then I take another lap around without the dog. Not bad for someone who is 70+. Life is Good and God Bless |
| I've tried several times to sit down and write in my blog, but I haven't been motivated, so I get up and walk away. Does that sound familiar to anyone else? I certainly have been busy with all the medical problems I've been experiencing, with some down time. All is good now and hopefully I can try again to get back to writing in my blog. If I can't follow through then I will shut it down again. I don't want to do that, but if you don't participate what good does it do to belong? I've met a few people online but since I quit writing, I'm no longer on their follow list so I will need to start anew. I will also need a refresher course in how to go about joining in the different writing blogs and contests. I want to figure out what my blog will be about. Do I want to write about current events or what's occupying my time. I think I'll stick with me and let someone else critique the current events. It's not that I'm more interesting, but I know me and what I'm all about! This is my first blog since my self imposed exile. More to come! Life is good and God Bless |
| It seems like the days slip by without my sitting down to jot down my thoughts. Can't believe that we are into August already, blink an eye and it will be Fall. I've had numerous Doctor appointments last month, with two more to come, in August and September. So far I'm firing on all cylinders, and I'm very grateful! I'm now walking 2 miles daily and riding the bike for 30 min. My youngest son is getting married, for the second time, in Las Vegas at the end of the month. We were concerned with the heat but now they're having an invasion of grasshoppers. I'm hoping that will be cleaned up by the time we get there and all we'll need to worry about is the heat. My wife and I used to be accustomed to the heat when we lived-in Needles, but Apple Valley is somewhat milder. Here's hoping we don't MELT! Two days after we get back from Las Vegas my wife heads back to Yuma, Az where she will cross the border and go back to the dentist who did her upper dentures and have the bottoms put in. She'll be glad to get it over with. We've been talking about taking some kind of vacation, besides Vegas, to get away and enjoy the ocean, not sure if it will be San Diego, Oxnard or Santa Barbara. We'll be gone for 3 or 4 days just enough to help us relax. A change of scenery is due and I'm going to look forward to it. Life is Good |
| My blood test was completed this morning with 5 vials drawn. Pulmonary Function Test tomorrow and Cardiac Doctor appointment on Thursday, then two more Doctor appointments on Monday. I would like to say my calendar is clear but I have another Doctor appointment in August and September. I'm keeping the economy going with Doctor visits alone. When we moved into our home two years ago we purchased a new stove. Since that time my wife decided she didn't care for it, so we bought another stove and the old one is in my garage. I put it up for sale on "Offer Up" and have had 2 inquiries, I've now reduced the price twice in an attempt to get some movement. I also posted it on My Neighborhood and no response from this app. Not sure what I will do if I can't sell it, maybe take it to the Thrift Store where my wife volunteers. The summer heat is upon us, it's 101 outside and will go up another degree or two before it starts to go back down. I'm not complaining these last few months have been wonderful and looking at Weather.com it looks like our temps will be in the 90's for the next week or two. For the High Desert you can't beat it. So much for todays writings. Life is Good |
| It takes more than a small effort to sit down and write in this blog. Prior to my heart attack and bypass surgery, I could write a blog with no problem. Now I seem to be hesitant to put words to paper even though I have a plethora of things I could write about. I've been spending a lot of time reading these last two months and not doing anything that is productive. I've no excuse for this laziness and wish I could change and do something constructive. My wife never sits, she is always on the move and I feel ashamed that I don't have that same mentality, but I don't and I'm sure I never will! I had a scare yesterday when I got the results from CT I had for my shoulder. I was told I had a mass or tumor next to my lung, I was given a Dr's name and told to give him a call and set up an appointment and have the mass removed. Needless to say my mind went to the big C word and I wasn't sure what to do. I had a copy of the CT report and after discussing it with my wife, I stoped by my Primary Dr. and had them make a copy of the CT for their records and then went to my Cardiologist and did the same. The Dr. was there and he was handed my report and he said "what's this?" I told him "it was the report from my CT and the Orthopedic Dr said I had a tumor and needed to have it removed." The Cardiologist said "this is fatty tissue bound together and nothing to worry about. You don't need surgery unless you want cosmetic surgery!" So what do I do? I will wait, I have blood work on Monday, a Pulmonary Function Test on Tuesday, and appointment on Thursday with the Cardiologist to go over the result of the blood work and check my pace maker to see if I've had any A-Fib episodes. I meet with my urologist on the following Monday along with my Primary Physician later the same day. Will this ever end? I must admit I'm getting a little tired of all these doctor appointments and not knowing for sure what's going on! I'm going to a memorial in a couple of hours for a gentleman from my church. He had been in a convalescent hospital for over a year. I stopped by to see him a couple of times when I was down visiting my mother. The service is being held at my church and lunch will be provided afterwords. I think this is enough of my woes to last awhile. Life is Good |
| Have you ever felt like you're a pin cushion? I know when I was in the hospital I was poked a lot, but here lately I've had a quite a few blood draws for various doctors and reasons. I had a nuclear CT where they put some type of potion in me that burned at the injection site and made me feel like I needed to go to the bathroom. Two days later I had a nuclear Stress Test, and they kept adding shots into the catheter while I was walking on the treadmill. I'm scheduled to have a Pulmonary Function Test next Tuesday. I'm hoping that the end of test and blood work is near. I planned to take care of a leaking faucet outside. We had pipe laid from the main to the backyard to water our grass instead of using what comes through the house that is regulated. When I had this done I had them put in two faucets (after my wife requested one of them to be moved). He used a 3/4 inch galvanized pipe to come up from the T. This pipe had a leak, and I figured I could fix it with little or no trouble. WRONG! The job took me three hours and I had to wrap the threads with plumbers tape several times before I was able to get the leak stopped. After completing that project I got cleaned up because my wife and I had an appointment at the DMV in Victorville. My wife was renewing hers and we both wanted to get new licenses that are required by 2020. You must provide your birth certificate, social security card and two bills addressed to you. The place was busy but we managed to move through the process with little or no trouble. It was nice to get it completed and have it behind us. Life is Good |
| What the hell does that mean? Hello from the other side of What? I don't know, it was a catchy title and I used it. According to the note on my blog links section, I haven't written a blog in 4 months. Where does the time go when you're having fun? Out the door I guess because I haven't been sitting doing nothing for four months. I check in on WDC and look at the newsfeed, but I haven't been moved to sit down and put my thoughts on paper. I've been seeing a lot of doctors and trying to get my health up to par. My cardiologist told me I was bleeding internally after reading my last blood test. I scheduled a colonoscopy and endoscopy and nothing was found. I've been put on iron in an effort to get my blood count up. I've had my right arm begin to hurt and I was afraid I was having the frozen shoulder in that arm like I had in my left. Not the case the orthopedic doctor says it's bone on bone causing the problem and I've been going to Physical Therapy twice a week. He had me do a CT of my shoulder since I can no longer do a MRI account of my pacemaker. I due to see my urologist in a few days to see if my prostate cancer has come back. Getting older and having your body fall apart isn't any fun. I'm thankful all of this didn't happen earlier in my life, like what happened to my father. Wife went to Mexico last week and had all her upper teeth pulled and dentures put in. So she's recovering and eating soft foods till things get better. Then she'll go down and have some of lowers pulled and have bridges put in, so that shouldn't be as bad. My youngest son (43) is getting married for the second time in Las Vegas in the latter part of August, and we've made arrangements for a hotel and a show. Of course I'm picking up the tab for 8 seeing the show and dinner, and 5 for rooms. Family you have to love them, and I do! We're getting ready to head for Costco and pick up what we need, and a few other items. That seems to be the case at least with us. $$$ keeping the economy moving is my object. Life is Good |
| Every time I think I'm getting ahead or bouncing back, Wham, you take a nose dive! Here I was moving along (at what I thought was) a good pace of recovery, when next thing I know my stomach is cramping and I can no longer go to the bathroom. This went on for 5 days until I finally went to Urgent Care on Saturday. I had continued to hope, the over the counter medication I was taking would kick in, instead it just kicked my butt. It had gotten to the point I didn't want to go on. My wife and I talked about it, and we weren't sure what a doctor would suggest or do. She thought they might give me an X-ray and see what was the problem. I was fortunate to have only two people in front of me at Urgent Care, so my wait wasn't very long. After completing all the necessary paper work I was taken into a room to wait for the doctor. The Doctor came in, she was a nice Oriental woman, and asked what's up? So I explained my situation and how bad my discomfort was, and she asked some more questions. Then she told me, "you need to take Prune Juice and take two Colace a day for 3 days." I was stunned, I had been expecting more. She also told me to "eat steamed cabbage and fish, sushi preferable if I liked it." She continued to tell me that westerners don't think much about what they're eating, because things like meat, milk and cheese bind you up. She suggested I discontinue using milk and cheese for 6 weeks. I knew Prune Juice was a laxative but I had never drank it before. I can't say I was looking forward to it, but I stopped at the store and bought a bottle along with a bottle of Colace. She didn't tell me how much Prune Juice I should drink so that was up to me. I added ice to a glass and poured, I was surprised and happy that I didn't find the taste to be offensive. I drank 4 glass of the juice and took 2 pills as instructed. I continued the next day with only three glasses of the juice and low and behold on the following day things began to move. Hallelujah! My stomach has continued to be a pain but now with things flowing it's improving. I figure it will take to the end of the week before I'm back to normal. During this ordeal I continued to eat small amounts, like 2 eggs and 1 piece of toast, a PBJ sandwich, or sometimes I wouldn't eat at all. So I lost several pounds, not the way I intended but I'll take it. I've been sleeping in my Lazy-boy recliner ever since my pace maker was put in. So my nights haven't seen much sleep, but I've high hopes this will improve in the coming days. Life goes on, this was a bump in the road, and my recovery will continue. Looking forward getting back on the road in my daily walks with my dog Gracie. The bike sits in the bedroom waiting for me to climb aboard and take it for a spin to nowhere! Life Is Good |
| Several post back I said "I would try to be more involved with WDC". The last two days I have reviewed several writings and have enjoyed giving feedback. I do my best to keep it positive and informative about my take on what was written. I forgot how good it feels to express my thoughts about someone else's work. The weather person got it correct concerning our forecast. The sun is out and (at the moment) the wind is not very strong though it has been projected to be gusting pretty good. I checked the Thermometer when I came in to write and it was reading 38. I hope to see it reach 42 or 3 before I take Gracie out for our walk. I dusted off the bike yesterday and rode for 45 min. It felt good and hope to make it a daily habit also. If I don't watch out I might get healthy or make that healthier! My wife tells me we're going on the strait and narrow (whatever that means) for the next month or two. Salads, Lean Cuisine, and all the other healthy foods that fit into the category. I've done pretty good with the sweet stuff, since I'm type 2 diabetic. We have been eating sugar free cookies for quite awhile and they don't taste bad. I have stayed away from the chocolates but my daughter brought over some candy she was given from her employer. I've dabbled some and my wife brought home some soft chocolate chip cookies and I fell over the cliff. I par took more than I should have and my morning finger stick showed that I've been bad. What can I say I'm human and easily fall off the cliff. Life Is Good |
| This is Tuesday and actually I came home on Saturday. I'm a little behind but what the hay! Things went well and all systems are go, at least that's what I've been told. My hospital stay was good, the nurses in pre-op, operating room, recovery, and in room were fantastic. Polite, friendly, and always trying to find out if I needed any assistance. Can't ask for much more, if I did I'd be a winer! I came home with a splint on my left arm, more as a reminder not to lift it up or make any movements that would pull the wires out. That would require the procedure to be repeated, and I don't want that. I was told it would take two weeks for the wires to cement in place but they would prefer if I extended that to a month. Be careful and use common since when using your left arm. No Golf for sure, but I can drive at the end of this week. It rained last night and I believe it may bring the season to a close, at least according to weather.com. They don't show the chance of rain for the rest of the month. I was ok'd to walk and ride my bike, so it looks like after today I will hit the streets and take a ride to nowhere on my bike. Actually I'm looking forward to it and I'm sure Gracie is also. I feel good with a minor pain now and then in my left shoulder, but Extra Strength Tylenol has taken care of it with no problems. In fact since the surgery I've only taken the Tylenol, the heavier pain killers knock me for a loop. I do my best to stay away from them. It was the same with my bypass surgery, once the first week was over. Life Is Good |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
