Human Kindness

I was caught in quite the "Catch 22" situation, and felt very frustrated.  For a  3 week span I ran a fever everyday, and all of the blood work and tests gave no answers.  My primary care physician contacted an 'ID' doctor [infectious disease] and after waiting a week for an answer, my appointment was for Sept 18th.  And then the fevers stopped as suddenly as they had started.
Already blocked from taking my arthritis meds for the 3 weeks, I called my rheumatologist and said,
"I don't have a fever, and I am not on any antibiotics.  Can I resume my meds?"
"No, not until after you see the specialist."
Geez Louise!  Say it ain't so!!
Last week, I called the ID office and spoke with Helen about that cancellation list, explained my personal perspective, and told her I didn't need much notice...[45 minute ride to get there].  So I needed a mere 46 minute notice.  I thanked 'Helen' for listening, and hung up the phone.
Today after a very tough start, I called again.  [Nothing ventured...nothing gained.]
"Hi Helen.  It's me , Mare, calling to see if you had any good news for me."
"No, not yet. "
"Any possibilities...any hint of anything before Sept 18th?"
"Let me look and see if there is anywhere that I can see a place where I could squeeze you in...like.."
"Tomorrow?" I said.
We laughed and then she said,
"If you can be here at 8:15 next Tuesday with all of your paperwork filled out , we will give it a try and there may be a delay or two as we slide you in there."
"I'll be there, and I'll bring a book to read."
And I will also have an armful of gladiolas for Helen.  It was her human kindness, [along with my nonthreatening manner of chatting with her] that made it possible to move that appointment to next Tuesday.
O happy day!
I  am always aware of the adage, "50% of anything you say...is HOW you say it!
Never miss the chance to help someone if you can help in some way. 
It's a beautiful thing.

That reminds me of.....

Thank God for Tylenol!  For some unexplained reason, I have had a fever ...everyday ...for two weeks. I have had several sets of blood work and cultures of basic bodily fluids.  I have had a chest Xray, a TB Test, a CT scan, and an echo cardiogram.  Tomorrow I go for a mono test and a Lyme disease test.  In the meantime, when my fever reaches the 100 mark, I take two Tylenol, and sweat it out.  It's been like the movie , "Ground Hog Day".  Of course, the next thing on the horizon will be the added joy of the results of no arthritis meds.  Anyway, no 'Woe is Me" intended...I actually want to share a positive yet unexpected moment of yesterday.

I had a 4:15 appointment for an echo cardiogram which is a test that I had not yet experienced.  It was in the same building as my primary care physician, and a feeling of familiarity settled in as I entered the waiting room. I had many appointments in this office thirty-five years ago when it was a different set of doctors' offices.
So, I was instructed to remove my clothes from the waist up, put on a gown with the opening in the front and get onto the table to have the test.  The doctor advised me to,
"Pay no attention to the sounds you will hear as they are a normal part of the test."

At first it was relatively uneventful.  Then I heard a rhythmic " swoosh-swoosh sound" that I recalled from years ago.  It was like an instant memory! It was so similar to the first time I heard the "swoosh-swoosh" sound of my son's heartbeat before he was born. What a thrill that was!!  Unforgettable.
And where did that take place some thirty-five years ago?  It was in the very same office that I was listening to the sound of my heart!  Because 35 years ago, it was my OBGYN's office where I went as a pregnant woman while gestating that wonderful 10 pound boy!!
What a far- out kind of deja vu moment that was and  might I add that it was pretty high up there on the 'smile meter'!!  Wahoo for that deja-vu!!!!



I have been up and down, and up is definitely better.  The guru of knees doctor appointment lasted 3 hours and 22 minutes and was a test of patience both in waiting as well as 'lightening up' a lack of overt personality.  While I realize the importance of the doctor's knowledge, experience, and expertise...relating to the patient has its own health benefits. I have a May 15th appointment for a new knee, but I have to get my resolve into it a bit more. 
The best part of the three hours?
At the last moment, I decided that maybe I shouldn't drive myself the one hour drive especially since I was having trouble walking.  I called a good friend who not only drove me over to the doctor, but also sincerely voiced that the long wait was not a big deal.  Good friends...priceless.
The other amazing moment of the visit occurred in the very beginning of the 3 hours at the XRay wing. As I was directed to the place to stand for my knees to have their 'Kodak Moment", the friendly technician asked,
"Are you a teacher?"
Of course!  A former student whose name readily jumped to mind!  Better yet?  Her mother was in my third grade class back in 1975. [my first year in that district].
We chatted a bit and I asked her to relay my hello to her mom who had been my son's 'hair coiffer de choice' before he moved away from the area.  Isn't life funny...
I remember sitting with her mom in the nurse's office because she had fallen and hit her head in gym class. Brown hair, big brown eyes, and a smile and personality that lit up a room, she was an active participant who made teaching fun for that year. [There were other priceless cherubs that year, too.]
Then she became a hairdresser, and when I found out where she worked, I brought my son to her for haircuts.
Many years later, her daughter appeared as a transfer in mid- year to my 5th grade class.
And now...her daughter was taking my XRays!!!
I was sent back to XRay for a spine XRay as a prerequisite to the knee replacement, and I asked her to be sure to relay my smiles to her mom.
"Already texted her!  She sends her hellos back to you."
Full circle.
Tada!

The Mother of Invention

It happened in a flash...
And before I knew it my life took another unplanned detour.
I had let the dog out at 7 AM and turned around [in the house] to go up the 2 small steps into the kitchen.  I must have misjudged the first step, and tripped UP the next one.
I fell forward and...
fractured my right arm.
So for the next 8-12 weeks, I wear a velcro gizmo designed to immobilize my right arm so that it will heal and not get worse.
Let me just say that as I type this one- handed, I cannot believe the many ways it has impacted normal and routine functions!!
My Latin teacher in high school taught us that,
'Necessity is the mother of invention.'
Because there are no stitches and no cast, the good news is that I can get in the shower and that is a wonderful thing.  I did discover that washing under my armpits while not being able to move my right arm proved...impossible!!!! 
What a revolting development that was!!!
I have solved that problem:  I took a back scratcher and covered it with a fuzzy sock, put soap on the top, and....
VOILA!!! It's a done deal.
My toughest task is pulling up my underwear and then outer pants without allowing my right arm to move away from my body...even a little bit.  Ouch!!!  Getting the right side all the way up to my waist is ....ARRGGHH!!!!  I challenge everyone...TRY IT!!
I will even let you keep your dominant hand as the working hand.  [I am a lefty, and now I have a whole new respect for the right arm's assistance.]
So...your mission is...should you choose to accept it... to get dressed one-handed.
Be sure to maintain your balance.  I am not responsible for any mishaps.
Any suggestions are welcomed, but please no sympathy or advice along the lines of being more careful.
I was/am the most focused person I know in being careful. Stuff happens.
I'm not as angry as I was 12 days ago.  And I dare say that a swear word or two eminated into the atmosphere...
Besides, ...it's history, 
2 weeks down...10 weeks to go.

Gee Whiz!!

What an unfortunate series of events...
My foot surgery did not resolve itself in a timely manner.
This kept me off of my RA meds.
So then, the rest of my body competed for centerstage attention.
I had to redo the foot surgery and I am once again sporting a less than attractive boot.
My computer quit.  One year old and 10 days out of warranty....really?!!
Long story short, it was overnighted back to me today.
I was able to state my case in a normal tone of voice all the while talking with someone in New Delhi and/or the Phillipines.  I kept asking to speak with their supervisor when I got nowhere on my various calls.

It all made 'status quo' look good.
None of my trials and tribulations were problems.  They were inconveniences.  There are many people dealing with serious issues.  I am thankful that my friends and my health insurance were there for me.
The leaves are starting to show some awesome colors.
There were good times and funny stories...like Flo going to her caregiver's wedding.
Details and pictures to follow.

Was it Something I Said???

There is the thought that many things often happen for a reason.  In reflecting on my weekend stay at St. Joe's Spa [hospital!], it occurred to me that I had a small part in someone else's script, unbeknownst to both of us.
My little unplanned jaunt began when my surgery incision needed some antibiotic intravenous 'boost' and I was sent directly from the doctor's office to admissions. My room assignment was on the 4th floor which was an orthopedic wing, and a pleasant surprise was that it had been reopened less than a year ago after impressive renovations. No one in the other bed,  I was tucked into the bed by the door, located the flat screen TV in perfect position, and was handed the ''Room Service" menu.  You got to choose from a varied assortment from breakfast [available at any time], lunch, dinner, salads, side orders, drinks, desserts, etc. Between the hours of 6:45 AM and 6:45 PM an order could be placed by phoning 4-FOOD and selecting your choices.  It arrived within 45 minutes, and was pretty darned good...for hospital food.  Wow!! Innovative for sure!
The rest of the experience was IVs, vitals and/or blood work at 4AM. {Really??}
On the second night, the other bed area was prepared for a woman who would be returning from surgery. When I woke up Sunday morning { I slept?}, there she was ...resting ...as I made my way to the shared bathroom.  This is where our two lives did a little 'chapter' together.
After I was back in bed, a little voice eked out,
"My stomach hurts."
I immediately pushed my nurse's button, and directed the nurse to my roommate whose stomach hurt.
The nurse explained to her that after surgery, it is very common to have trapped air that causes pain, and that was most likely the cause. [I knew this to be true, when 24 hours after delivering my son via C section, I got horrendous pains and buzzed the nurse's station saying,
"I thought I already had this baby...what the heck is happening?"
The answer was trapped air post- surgery, and when expelled, it's all  better. ['gas'tly but true].
Ten minutes passed, and the little voice from beyond the privacy curtain whispers..."I have to go to the bathroom."
So, I press my buzzer and again direct the assistance to my neighbor.  They gave her a bedpan and some time to concentrate.
Then I hear a whisper [kind of like my mom's] as if talking to herself..." I need more oxygen."
Whoa. Jeez... I buzzed the nurse and pointed 'over there' and related the 'needing more oxygen.'  I imagine that there are a certain number of buzzes when suddenly you are not seen as urgent but I didn't care.  On the next trip in to see the post op patient, she was mumbling as if her speech was affected in some way.  She thought her tongue was swollen.  Well, the pace and teamwork certainly began to accelerate at this point.  People flew in, doctors, machinery, an ultrasound 'whooshing' gizmo.
"This is not good."  They couldn't get a loud enough pulse or oxygen level or whatever.  There were now about 15 people over there as I quietly shrink into obscurity wide-eyed and wondering.
They decide to call for 'rapid response' followed by the decision that ICU would be a better place to more closely monitor this patient. They reach for her oxygen tank to travel and see that there is no holder for it.  They spy one behind my bed, and as a man reaches over my headboard to shed the tank to get to the wrought iron holder, he glances at me...to which I smile and whisper,
"Just pretend like I'm not even here."
Furniture moved, feet shuffled, directions were given, and the woman's bed rolled out with all the entourage as well.  It had lasted probably minutes and was fascinating to watch.  It was like being on the set of ER or Grey's Anatomy.  Pretty far out.
And then I was alone again. Thinking.  It reminded me of the book, "The Five People You Meet in Heaven."  I was one of hers. I think we'll meet again [in the future!!].  What if I wasn't there to push the nurse's buzzer?  What if I hadn't gotten involved?  Isn't life strange with the way we interact with each other when we least expect to and how it may change many things unknowingly?
Later in the day, someone came back to tell me that all was well and her family was there in ICU with the 'lil lady.
So, was that the reason I was in the hospital that weekend? 
I dialed up Room Service thinking that a small glass of wine would've been nice to unwind from 'my spectator trip to the ER... while on the 4th floor... in a place that I had never been to before.  I settted for cheesecake and coffee.
And a little bit of quiet time. 
Later the next evening,  I watched Dave, the nurse, who had been on all three 3-11 shifts run from patient to patient.  I even heard one in the next room tell him that she wanted to hit him!  He popped his head in my doorway and said,
"You are definitely my favorite patient tonight!!"

God bless all of the people who dedicate their energies to help others in need. It's quite an important job, and I think the folks in health care are more often taken for granted...or not appreciated enough.  So, share some compliments and a smile or two along the path of life.  Supply some mirth and merriment.  Be a positive force.

Me??  I found it exhausting even from the perspective of the 'mouse in hiding'..just watching!!"

Cue the Music, please...

 Starting on July 30th...
Mon & Tues:  Taught a Safe Driving Class
Wed:  Call 911 and Flo to the ER and back home again that night 
Thurs:My surgery foot rears an oozing, infected and red appearance.
Quick trip to my primary care dr and started on Keflex[antibiotic]
 Things got seriously worse overnight.
 The redness began to travel.
Fri:-Mon:  Placed in hospital for antibiotics intravenously...
                  Hold arthritis meds. [Wah-wah-wah!!]

Tues-Fri: Home again on oral antibiotics...fever enters center stage
Sat: 102.2 and back to 'after hours clinic'..take tylenol and push even more fluids and sweat out the fever...then ' it's back' .
Sun:  More Tylenol and more fever sweats.
Mon: Foot doc changes antibiotic to 2 different ones.
I take one of each...and break out in a [!#*!+#'] rash within hours.
Really??  An allergic reaction???  ARRGGHH!!
Tues-Wed.:  Stop the 2 new drugs and return to the Keflex to which I did not have an adverse reaction.  Lots of fluids...Thank God for The Olympics for distraction.
Thurs...TODAY...Cue the music please....
Two days with no fever over 98...and I feel alive with an element of spirit.  I begin humming the 'Theme from Rocky'..

-------------------------------------------

 Yes!  Wahoo!!  Wheeee!
"Gonna Fly Now!!"

                                      And I can be a determined soul!!

One Moment in Time

This is a great story and a true story.  I know this because I was there.
A little bit of background to better appreciate how that 'one moment in time' came about.

 Arthritis has sculpted my hands and feet into some unusual patterns.   Nodules [roundish bumps ] appear and sometimes they need to be dealt with for a variety of reasons.  Since I believe in accepting the things I cannot change, I do try to change the things that I can.

             Twenty years ago, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hand[iwork!] haha...began to help keep my hands functioning as well as possible.  I was impressed from the first office visit when I noticed a kid's artwork on the examining room wall, and the doc said his seven year old daughter had painted it.  It was certainly more attractive to me [elementary school teacher]  than the sterile walls that usually had graphic posters of anatomy [ for educational purposes].  It was my good fortune to find a fantastic surgeon with amazing  'people skills and empathy' and who practiced medicine in a consistently encouraging way. 

It was at my rheumatologist's office that this perfect storm began to gel.  He recommended that it would be wise to shuffle my feet in the direction of someone specializing in feet!  I asked if he had any recommendations and  he gave me a note with two names on it.  I immediately recognized one of the names.
"Any relation to my orthopedic surgeon?"
"Yes, his son.  He graduated from "XXX" [ highly regarded institution of learning] with a specialty in feet!"
I made an initial foot appointment, and coincidentally  my yearly check-up appointment for my hands had already been scheduled just prior to that one.  This conversation [with the father] began with my explanation:
"It is clear that there is foot surgery in my immediate future.  I have made an appointment with Dr. Foot [his son]."
He smiled and voiced his confidence in 'the good doctor'.
I asked, "Any chance that while I am in altered states getting my left foot operated on that you might remove a few nodules from my right hand?"
He answered, "Well, that would depend on what the foot doctor says relative[haha] to whether I would need both hands while recovering one- footed.  It would be his call."
Very pleased to meet the younger version of my favorite doctor, the son was a clone in appearance and personality which was a very good endorsement.  After the foot exam was done, I shared:
"In my yearly check-up with my hand surgeon...
He smiled and voiced his confidence in 'the good doctor!'
"I asked if I could get some nodules from my right hand removed 'at the same time' as I was having the necessary foot surgery.  He told me that  decision would be the foot doc's call due to the recovery involved.  And that would be you."
"Sure thing...I think that would be possible.  It's a matter of scheduling both doctors in the same place and time.  Since my father has the busier schedule, I would start with his availability and then I would join his allotted surgery day.  The two surgery-scheduling secretaries can set the whole thing up and contact you as to date and time.  "

And so it came to pass...
One patient...one operating room complete with appropriate staff...one anesthesiologist...
And history was made for them...the hand surgeon and the foot surgeon...the father and the son...simultaneously operating together for the first and only time.  My right hand and my left foot made a special appearance in that unique chapter in their respective lives...and it helped me, too. 
I was happy to be the connection for their historic 'one moment in time' together while in my favorite place to be...altered states and dreaming!
When you reflect back to the birth of a baby, I wonder if 'said father' as he held his newborn son... could have possibly imagined that one day in the future they would be two surgeons operating together simultaneously. Whew! 

Priceless

So Many Plates in the Air!

No deep meaning to this photo.  I saw it and smiled. 
As I maneuver my way through all that has changed, I feel like I am in some kind of Limbo trying to get all my ducks in a row....Mom [in a nursing home...ugh], Me , my son, the dog, the cat, my arthritis, the grounds, errands, phone calls, dr. appts[mine].
I've got some stories to share...today before it becomes tomorrow.
"Cause yesterday sure got away before I was done with it!!

CastAway!!

It has been one week since my cast was buzzed from my right foot. And even though it was explained to me exactly what I would see and hear, I must admit that it was kind of scary.  Never had I experienced an electric spinning pizza cutter-like device that had  been directed so close to my body while making a loud industrial noise.  Imagine the fear that kids must experience!  Whew!  And there it was...my right ankle and foot looking not very unusual except for the dried, pealing skin that hadn't seen daylight for six weeks!The prognosis:  I must be careful.[ That's what I thought that I already was!!]  It wouldn't be good to reinjure the same ankle, and it would be more difficult to heal the second time.
The compression fracture of my ' L2 ' back issue was re-x-rayed  showing exactly the same picture as the  one from casting day to the three week checkup and then the six week one.  With technology at the doctor's fingertips bringing onto the screen all previous x-rays, there was that same fracture in 2010! 
The good news is:  My back injury is an old one...not a result of my landing from the uneven parallel bars exiting the shower. 
More good news:  Obviously it has not worsened over the two years.  And that is encouraging.  The serious backpain immediately folllowing and for a week after the fall was most likely 'bruising'.
The result:  A new dexa-scan to evaluate the strength of my bones as compared to the one from three years ago.  I hope that it will be the third bit of 'good news'.  While some may wonder whether my two breaks in the last three years could be from osteowhatever...I personally attribute it to the "sudden impact" on both occasions.  I have decided to cancel my gymnastic application to the next Olympics.
And there ya have it.  The cast-off...and hopefully the end of the saga.  Which began on Dec .4th, and two days later as my favorite orthopedic doctor came into the room and said,
"Well, I'm not so happy to see you here like this.."
Well, I'm not so happy to BE here like this."
"What can I do for you?"
"Just shoot me."
"Well, I can't do that.  But I can help the healing begin."

I am so thankful for his decision to become an orthopedic doctor and surgeon, his dedication, and his sense of humor.  I hope he realizes the extent to which he makes a huge difference in the lives of his patients.  I told him how much I truly appreciated his help and care.  I'll bet he doesn't hear it often enough.  Give your doctors some positive feedback if applicable...I'm bettin' they hear a bit more of the negative feedback.

The Eyes Have It!!

It is said that the eyes are the windows to the soul.  They are also the windows to your brain. I recently had my two year eye checkup, and  I was looking forward to it.  I knew that the doctor's examination would be an opportunity to check out my CPU [central processing unit...aka the brain] that keeps me going.  He had told me of a couple of instances where he was the one to alert the patient that there was something awry.  Nice to know.  Within my circle of family and friends,  there are several people who have glaucoma, and pay very close attention to the medications that keep it in check.  I think that you wouldn't want to find out in 'hindsight' that there was something needing attention that could have been fixed.

Yesterday I posted about how NATURE fascinates me.  The brain with its ability to multitask like nothing else is in the same category in my book...amazing!!

This reminds me of a book that I read and would recommend.  It is called, "My Stroke of Insight" by Jill Bolte Taylor.  She is a Harvard- trained brain scientist who had a stroke at the age of 37.  She recognized what was occurring, and her account of the eight year total recovery gives immense perspective to the brain...including the right brain/ left brain differences.  I loved it!

So, get your eyes checked.  It may seem costly, but it is actually...priceless.

All in favor...Eye!!

So you see...

The 'eyes' have it.

Oops I Did It Again...

Last  Wednesday I made the conscious decision that I had to get out more and have more of a life.  Mom celebrated her 100th birthday, and we have the perfect caregiver to be with Flo when I am not here. There is no time like the present.
The next day I drove to see my favorite son and we had lunch together and took the Grandpup to the park to play.  Great fun to watch...lots of smiles involved in watching a dog playing with his/her owner.  No one loves you like your dog!  Then we left to have dinner with his significant other and family. The two hour drive home was sweetened by some homemade chocolate chip cookies. 
On Friday I volunteered at the hospital for a couple of hours.  Saturday morning I had breakfast with a kindred spirit who also is caregiver to her 98 year old mom.  We made plans to go to the movies on Sunday at 3:30.
The longest journey begins with a single step.  So does the bathroom nonskid bathmat begin to move with a single step that propelled it across the floor and sent me airborn.
A crashlanding to the floor,  I just couldn't flippin' believe it.  It felt so similar to my fly through the air when I broke my leg two years ago.  Because of that experience, I have been super careful.  Really careful. Really super careful!!
So I am kind of angry.  I'm sitting on the couch with a cast on my right foot and a sore back. Reflecting back about my conscious decision to get out more......I'm now making a conscious decision to read more! And I am grateful that I didn't land on my head!
Count your blessings 'cause the direction you're heading in can change in a second.  And...lesson to be learned...'nonskid' is not set in cement...but my right foot is!!!

Random abstract...unscripted!

My day began yesterday in its usual routine...let the dog out, feed the cat, get a cup of coffee and a banana, back to the bedroom, check on Mom [10 days to 100!], communicate with my son via computer, put the Today Show on TV, play my Wordscraper [Scrabble] games on Facebook, back under the covers for a few 'quiet moments' until the day begins...
So yesterday, I was aware that there was a possibility that another [different] tooth was talking to me.  I had given it several days to resolve itself, but it was not cooperating.  I decided to call the dentist [whose house I am helping to add on sizeable addition with my dental monetary contributions].  I explained my situation and the receptionist said,
"How about in a half hour? or Friday morning?"
WWhatttt?"
Hadn't planned on a trip to the dentist.
Alrighty then...out of my bed and into my clothes...bathroom, etc. ...and I'm off to my least favorite destination...that would be the dentist's chair.
An exam and several xrays later, I have a thin crack in the farthest upper molar.  I am now brushing with specialty flouride toothepaste in an attempt to calm it down for now..  Otherwise there is a crown in my future. To join all of the crowning royalty thay already exists in my mouth.
The school where I taught was 2 minutes away and I stopped by to pick up my painting[from 2002] that had fallen off the wall and needed glueing....hadn't planned on going to school.
I stopped by a local apple orchard [whose two daughters were former students] and bought a big bag of Jonagold apples.  Hadn't planned on an apple excursion.
I drove back into town to go to the only thing that was planned for the day...a massage...Ohhmmm!
Twenty minutes to kill...what to do?  what to do? My  random abstract right brain in charge led me to a local little bakery/specialty shoppe[pies and pasta] that I had never actually been inside of but had tasted many fine examples of deliciousness as people often bring Maggie's cookies, cakes, and pies to functions and friends' houses. I went inside with a lone $20 bill.
Like a kid in a candy store...I selected 2 half moon cookies, chocolate chip cookies, a couple of pumpkin spice treats, a lemon square, a pair of scooter pie-type old fashioned mud cakes, a raspberry almond bar, ...and four raffle tickets to a local charity's fundraiser.  It was kind of serendipitious.
I had no idea I would be shopping at this little shoppe of paradise!!  Nope, had no plans for that, either!
Off to my massage...life is good.  This had been planned. It is better than any pain pill for my RA.
Back home by 1:30 for  my caregiving with Mom.
The world is made up of many different people with their own attitudes, choices, behaviors, plans...
Some must plan everything and are uncomfortable with random changes of plans.  And that's fine. Not me. I have flown by the seat of my pants on more than one occasion.
Eclectic am I.
Now, if only I could be lucky enough to win something from that raffle of 10 different $100 gift certificates.

In a word....trobbing!

Trobbing' was Ray's word.

My mom's second marriage was to Ray. She was in his first wedding as a bridesmaid and many years later as his bride. After my father and then Ray's wife passed along to whatever is next, the widow and the widower joined forces and were very happy. They were good for each other, and he made her laugh as they shared their 60's and 70's. Flo still misses him and it's been 27 years since he uttered those words...
"My joints are trobbin'!! He had rheumatoid arthritis which has genetic causes. So when I was diagnosed with it, I thought...

Hey! He was my stepfather which is not a blood relative. So how come I got it?

Oh well, just injecting some levity because when I told my mom that 'My tooth is trobbing' it brought her a 'Ray smile' followed by her concern for my pain.

Toothache pain, earaches, and headaches command your attention. It is literally all in your head. Unlike other pain where if you sit down and be still...the pain may cease, at least temporarily.

At 6:30 AM I called my dentist's office expecting to leave a message on their answering machine. Imagine my surprise when a real person answered the phone!! At 11:15 I was sitting in the chair for a diagnosis to check out exactly what tooth problem had become the focal point of my thoughts.

Tap... tap....tap. Does this tooth hurt? No.

Tap...tap...tap. This one? Yowser!

An x-ray later, I have an abscess beneath a crown and I need a ...no-o-o-ooo...

Root Canal! Damn...

Accept the things that I cannot change, change the things that I can, and be smart enough to realize the difference.

I am now on an antibiotic and have two appointments next week to spend somewhere between $600 and $1,000 for a flippin' root canal. But if it stops the 'trobbing' I will happily comply.

And there ya have it. My RA pains have been trumped by a tooth pain....

What a nerve!!! {literally}

48 hours

It all started with a sharp pain in my left side three weeks ago which was diagnosed as diverticulitis. [bad news] Two simultaneous antibiotics for ten days made the sharp pain subside [good news] along with the side effect of bumping me off of my arthritis meds.[ bad news] Ten days later I still wasn't feeling great and my left sided pain seemed to be making an encore. With the weekend in sight, I went to the doctor. Blood work showed an elevated white count along with a fever and a CAT scan was scheduled right then. Two large cups of thick stuff and a scan that was read before I was to leave resulted in the words,

"We want to admit you. The left side showed nothing to be alarmed about but there is an inflammation on the right side of your colon that should be addressed especially due to my immune system's RA history."

Have you ever gone to the doctor and the next thing you know you are in Room 204 A on a clear liquids menu with a window view of the sky?

Lions and tigers and bears...oh my!

The result was an unplanned hospital tour of 48 hours with IV antibiotics and a complimentary [not!!]nightgown that was definitely not particularly flattering to my kiester!

There was some fancy footwork done with the help of friends to plan Flo's weekend [who thought I was visiting my son for the weekend], and I had more than one 'AHA' moment while meeting some pretty unique people.

The good news: I do not have diverticulitis.

The bad news: The jury is still out on what's got the right side of my colon bent out of shape.

There are stories to tell and lessons to share very soon.

Here's just one:

My roommate had a kidney stone and I certainly wouldn't have wanted to trade places with her. I did want to murder her husband when he arrived armed with Wendy's french fries, fried chicken sandwiches, and rich chocolaty Frosties. The aroma wafting through the room was overwhelming. I was on the other side of the curtain sipping chicken broth, hot tea, and deciding to pass on the 'antifreeze blue' jello.

I don't think there is a jury in the continental United States that would have found me guilty of murder. Temporary insanity gained absolute clarity in my mind.

What would your verdict be if you were on the jury? Would I be doing additional time for bad behavior? [the murder, that is].

Other insightful memories will be shared after a couple of nights of the comforts of my own bed and favorite roommates...Flo [Mom] and Gracie [dog extraordinaire]!!

And there you have it.

Shots, shots, Hit Me With Your Best Shot...

The week: News in Review Good news...bad news!

My trip to the dentist was a scheduled one to address a tooth on its last root.
Hello ....king me! That would be a stunning $975 crown!! Less 5% if paid by cash or check. Credit card companies charge the dentist to use their services, and so the office passes it along to those who use it. In my case that is would be $48 less, and as a result, my home equity line will go up by $900 more !! More or less...less is more....

The hardest part was the Novocaine which I think...mind over matter...for a matter of [peace of] mind because I knew there'd be a whole lot of drilling. I had brought my Ipod and ear buds which proved to be a decent distraction in trusting the Novocaine's effectiveness. A temporary crown now rests in place for a couple of weeks 'til...Dah-da-da-Dah!!! The official coronation. Oh yeah...the good news? The tooth that I had lost a piece of while eating some trail mix the week before was THE tooth in question. I said to the dentist,

"That is good news. Hey! I wanted to chip in and make your job a little bit easier!! "

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On my way home, I stopped by one of the schools where I taught and dropped off some gladiolas. I wanted to see a couple of people for sure as well as others. In the parking lot, I recognized a parent of a student that I had taught many years ago. [Geez! Pretty amazing when you recognize the parents, too! That's the 'ole right brain's snapshot ] .
When I asked her to relay my 'hello', she said,
"He remembers you! He used to tip/rock on the back legs of his chair and you took his chair away!!"
Ooof! I didn't see that one coming!!

I have a pretty clear conscience relative to leaving bad memories with the kids and so I quipped, "Would you have preferred a concussion? And he must have had many warnings to lose that chair for just about 5-10 minutes!!"

We laughed about it, but I was thinking 'Jesus, Mary, and Joseph...are ya kidding me?'

I had a good time walking around the building and seeing familiar faces as well as those of new people. When I tracked down the one person who I really wanted to connect with, she asked if I had mental telepathy because she was talking about me that morning. Kindred spirits.

In the lunch room when I related my conversation with the parent, this 'kindred spirit' said,

"I remember when I started working in the district, there was a PARP [Parents as Reading Partners] campaign going on, and there was a [relatively unstable] kid who wouldn't be able to reach whatever goal had been set to be a part of the ice cream sundae party due to 'circumstances beyond his control.' I was asked to let this kid read to me because she told me that when he was eighteen years old he'd come back and shoot her because he didn't get to go to the ice cream party!!!"

I'd prefer to think my intentions were more altruistic!! Really!!

While this story didn't totally surprise me, this situation was also one that I had forgotten. Within my final years of teaching, there was a message written on the playground equipment about 'Beware of something [bad]happening on Sept 31'. Even though we knew that there were only 30 days in September, it still made you think.

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When we took Flo to the doctor as a follow up to the last visit, I called ahead to ask if flu shots were available. Whoever answered the phone informed me that,

"Yes we have them, but there are 3 clinics set up for that purpose. You will have to get it then."

I could not believe the ridiculousness of this and stated[nicely],

"What? I have to bring my 98 year old mother who is in a wheelchair back at another time to wait in line for a flu shot when she is coming in today and you have them there? I am not one to 'shoot the messenger', so thank you for the info." And I hung up.

As Flo's actual visit was concluding, I asked the [wonderful] physician's assistant who inquired..."Anything else?"about the possibility of a flu shot. Her answer was,

"Absolutely! And one for you, too!"

In my head as I checked out at the desk, I was thinking...NAH-nah-nah-NAH-nah!!

That wouldn't have accomplished anything positive, and so I smiled a big smile, and left.

And there you have it.

Shots of Novocaine, a flu shot, parental shots from the past, my arthritis shot...

I think there's only one shot left to be had....that would be the one in a 'Tequila Sunrise'!!!

Care to join me?

Omm-mmm!