Wednesday, March 30, 2011

WAITING....

The days crawl by as I await the professional visit April 8th with the Electrophysiologist (Cardiologist Specialty) wh0 will then set the date for the procedure described in the link.

I try to keep busy by getting certain affairs in order or up-to- date such as our financials and the computer and external hard drive returns.

The computer is ready: I am awaiting the prepaid box from HP. They have a 7-9 day turnaround. I wouldn't mind longer if I could be assured it was truly fixed. Rush jobs are not always the best route in repairs on computers, cars, and lots of complicated items.

'Silence is golden,' my Mother once said, but she never heard of blogging. Despite my absence from writing, I have been reading all of my wonderful bloggers' adventures.

Punxsutawney Phil's
Spring Hail Revenge - 2011
Remember, I publicly defamed Punxsutawney Phil, that fat ole rodent, predictor of spring, as being a liar. In retaliation he dumped a measurable amount of hail on me this past week, along with a wicked sounding couple of thunderstorms.

Never mess with a ground hog with a name of more than three letters.

If Luckie could read my Bible she would swear the days of fire and brimstone had arrived. The sound of hail on our metal roofing is a ferocious sound, much like good sized stones. She becomes extremely nervous of thunderstorms, trembling all over.

Luckie went berserk between the thunder and the hail on our metal roof. I was afraid she might have seizure breakthrough as she was really trembling, so I gave her an oral Valium. She has her own Rx. She weathered the storm laying by my liftchair with my hand on her throughout.

Luckie grabbed the
large bottle off my
nightstand Sunday a.m.
 It was lying on the Living
Room carpet in her
favorite spot to chew and
devour her treasures.
  If she doesn't stop stealing the bread off the table, and Sunday, my TUMS bottle (which she did not manage to open), she may see fire and brimstone from an earthly source.

After 11 years of co-habitation with her, I have lost complete meat loafs, bread loaves, Russell Stover chocolate coated diet candy, Tums--nothing is safe.  We scavenger hunt the house before we both leave for a few hours, and somehow she finds something.

 I am waiting for the day she opens the cabinet doors. I have seen her watching how I do it. There are no crumbs on the floor. She routinely checks out all our eating areas.

When I drop personal medication the floor, I spend much time finding it; I fear she might eat it, especially after the TUMS episode.

And despite all the harm that could come from her behavior, she has never suffered, but she is a rescue dog, so I guess she knows survival methods.

The last few days have been in the low 30s, so I stand by my defamation of PHIL , although later in the week we may climb into the 60s. I read PHIL's prediction accuracy is 38%.

In the meantime I'm been busy--like getting income tax done--Thanks to AARP Tax Aide for free. Oh yes, you do not have to be an AARP member, or age 55, to avail yourself of their services.

I have had two housekeepers. One retired due to several disabilities making it too painful to continue that occupation. She runs an area volunteer spay and neuter clinic, free gratis for her untiring labor-KUDOS.

The new housekeeper is just as efficient; which relieves me of dust allergies, and other labor which stirs up my heart rate. I still do wash, cook (not my favorite chore), keep the family finances in some kind of order.

I hope to find a local lawn service that will rejuvenate my flower beds. My husband still wants to mow. I have a name to check out this week.  I also have pest control coming this week, if it stops raining.

Interestingly enough, it took my nurse practitioner and myself to analyze my drug list and find an offending drug that was keeping the drug for A-Fib from working to the max. It was a stomach medication call Nexium which deters rapid absorption of anything passing through the stomach.

I find it amusing neither of us has M.D./D.O. after our names, but solved the problem. I have not had the awful palpitations in two weeks. A record for me.

However, I am still going to have the procedure as I want off this dangerous drug.

We discontinued the Nexium and am trying to get by on TUMS. However, the variety I chose has SORBITOL  in it which stirs up my lower digestive tract, so got to go back and read labels more carefully.

Most of you know I object to harmful additives like sorbitol and olestra, because whatever effects happen to an adult would be twice as bad or even disastrous, for a child or infant. ALLI and any number of other former prescription drugs I question safety as  OTC, especially in careless hands.

TeleCare
Updated
Flyer
However, my central attention the last few weeks has been my personal favorite public service, my TeleCare group. We have changed phone provider where we have no long distance charges, but not a cell phone. I guess we can now call  everywhere in continental US, but we are concentrating on Baxter and Marion Counties.

We have already signed on 4 new clients.

We have new fliers so I am mailing to groups which may have contacts with persons for which the service is designed: persons of any age with some insecurity or fear of living alone. Should you be reading this blog and live near me, I will be glad to send you literature, if you are interested in organizing a similar service, I'll do my best to help you.

Along with a co-chairman (we have 3) I appeared on a local TV station and have a radio appearance sometime in May if I am not in some medical state. We have backup in case I cannot keep this appointment.

Meanwhile I am also distributing fliers to pharmacies, medical offices, home care businesses and churches--any business or facility with access to persons living alone.
Mushroom? Mold?

Finally, at the home of a member of our church Life Group, I spotted this strange, colorful mushroom or mold formation on a dead tree limb. It looks almost calcified. Can any of you identify it?

I started out to write a short ditty, but it surely has grown to epistle!

[All photos - my work. The Tums composition is one of my first attempts using a light box. Still have a lot to learn.

Below is a SOOC (Straight out of the Camera) shot of the weird mold.]

10 comments:

Rosaria Williams said...

You sound better than on your previous post. Good to see you blogging and sharing.

Pat - Arkansas said...

I'm glad to hear that the discontinuance of Nexium has allowed your A-Fib meds to work; that must be a relief. It's a wonder more of us who take multiple medications don't suffer from bad combinations of drugs.

Perhaps Luckie has Pica or, like a kid, is playing monkey-see, monkey do.

CHERI said...

You are one busy lady...always doing something, even if it is something like taxes! LUCKIE sounds like such a fun friend...even if he does eat everything imaginable. I do believe you are one of the most intelligent women I've ever known. I just love reading all you have to say.

faye said...

Enjoyed your post. You do stay
busy. I had a schnauzer that was
a lot like Luckie.. she would
go through a purse or bag and take
out what she wanted. She was also
known to steal a sandwich if it was left unattended.

oooh... your use of the lightbox
turned out better than my attempts.
I finally dismantled the box.

Arkansas Patti said...

Wow, medicine interactions should be a required course for doctors but I guess it would be almost impossible to keep up. You pharmacists sorts are the best defense we have. Glad you caught the culprit.
The way to slow time down is to anticipate something. Know you will be glad to get going on this proceedure.

Lorna said...

Interesting that your Telecare service is for people living alone. My mum and I volunteered for a service called Telecare that was an all-purpose distress line. Both my parents worked there for years,but I had to give it up because of a clash with the Christian-based board---not that I clash with Christians; just some of their more stringent and inexplicable principles.

Lisa said...

I love the comment you left on my blog! I have to say "Oh! My Gosh! I'm a younger you!"

I home school my kids, We have two cars...one my husband drives and the other one is mine. I share with the boys...;) We have one T.V.. It is in our bedroom and would toss it if my husband would let me. He love football. It never fails, after football season we have "the talk" about how we should get rid of the T.V. and so on. He just can't do it! :)

Movies...are censored!!! The computer...we need it for school. Debate research. We don't do facebook. No one has a computer in a bedroom ~ My husband takes the motom into our room at 10 every night.I keep the computer off line at my convenience and allow computer time after school and chores are done.

We could also talk about Friends for my kids. . .I am friends with my kids friends parents. When my oldest son tells me he is going to such and such's house ~ I don't have a problem calling the mom.

Could we be related or what???? LOL!

I'll be back to read your post. I just wanted to comment on your comment. Gotta get my little one to a birthday party.

Hope your feeling well.

Dimple said...

I'm glad you ferreted out the drug culprit, also. I have a special dislike of drugs which make one worse instead of better...but I won't go into that now!

I think Luckie uses food for comfort when you're gone! And she doesn't know that the stuff which smells good might be bad for her...

I can't name your tree fungus, but we have similar outcroppings here in dead and dying wood. They are really interesting to look at.

Blessings, and may your procedure accomplish what it is intended to without a hitch!

Grandma Yellow Hair said...

lol those are some strange looking pictures you have here.
Luckie sounds like he has consumed everything he can get his paws on. Just make sure he does not get a hold of any gum. My daughters dog ate two packages of Orbit and ended up costing me a thousand dollars to save her baby. Now I am waiting on her to save me back. lol
You are right about your mom had no idea about missing our blog time. What would I do if I lost all of you...I would be like Luckie and eat everything I could get my hands on.
Love ya
Maggie

Liz Hinds said...

How busy you are!

It's the 8th today; hope all went well.

Poor Luckie suffering through the storm but lucky Luckie habving an iron stomach - like George's I guess.