Allergy

Not much here today.  I have a general feeling of malaise about myself and it has been there most of the weekend.  Both the wife and I are feeling the effects of some sort of allergens that blew in last week.  Just not feeling much energy at all.  Obviously it is affecting the few active brain cells I have retained.  Can't really get motivated to write much or anything else for that matter.  Kim's allergy is much worse.  Sometimes is seems it may be terminal she gets so bad.  The Cedar Fever just tears her up and it is much earlier than normal and it isn't anywhere near the peak.  Gonna be a bad one for her if she is this bad already.  I'm not allergic to Cedar so not sure what mine was brought on by.  When trying to stay healthy so as not to delay the surgery, this episode has me a little aggravated that it has shown up now.  Not sure if I am more susceptible with something like this.  Hopefully it will clear up by next week. 

As I suspected I have started thinking more about the surgery the closer it draws.  Thankfully I am not at all distressed with these thoughts, they are just sort of matter of fact if that makes sense.  It's something that has to be done and I am ready for it to be done.   Starting to count down the days now, 9 to go.

Hopefully this malaise we be gone soon also, until then....

Happy Trails.

Open House

Saturday evening was Kim's Open House.  Rain and storms were predicted for the entire time frame with some possibly being very severe.  We're talking hail and tornadoes. 

 

 

In November?  I think the threat of bad weather kept some folks home. And it did come a thunder storm with some hail, but mostly heavy rain.  Got an inch in about 20 minutes.  It's still thundering as I write this.  Since we live well outside the city there are no lights for the city dwellers to use.  Probably safer that they did stay home.

 

She did sell a few things, not a lot but we are grateful for any sales.  She works at it very hard and long hours.   I also want to mention that I don't want to use this blog as a means to sell our wares.  I believe that if you have been coming here it isn't to be solicited and that isn't how you found me in the first place.   One of the husbands did come and we had a good visit, and we kept each other out of trouble for the most part.

The day at the Resort was not good at all either.  That is very unusual for this time of year.  It was raining which is also good for her.  It keeps folks inside looking for something to do and they come find her.  There just weren't many folks there this time.  I thought that was surprising being the week before Thanksgiving.  I figured there would be a load of folks starting a full week of festivities.  Wrong.  Next weekend they will probably be full.

 

Now that we got this show out of the way I can try to return to working on the purse project for the Granddaughter.  Should be able to get the leather colored and ready for stitching.  I think it looks pretty good so far.  Will try to color hers a little different than her Nani's but not to much.  Then turkey day will be here.  We have the traditional meal at lunch time with my Mom and Dad and my boys and their family.  Only one son is married with kids.  Then the oldest and his family will leave to spend some time at his wife's parents house.  Miss being able to watch our football team play with him.  Mom and Dad leave pretty early too but the fact that they can still drive out this far is pretty good.  I just wish our Tgiving with family lasted all day like they used to when I was a kid.  This one I will try to be on best behavior so we have extra good memories of this one before I go under the robot. 

 

Have been a bit under the weather with some sort of sinus thing.  It's not anything bit allergies I think but it has made us more aware.  Trying to stay healthy and have been avoiding a lot of things to keep from getting sick before surgery.  Don't want to delay that any longer due to illness if I can help it.  So am staying away from crowds and using a lot of hand sanitizer. 

 

Happy Trails.

Getting older

Kim had her annual physical yesterday.  The way things have been going the last couple years with us and the results we have had, I am always a bit anxious about what the doctor will say/find.  We had a real scare with her a couple years ago.  They found a tumor on one of her ovaries.  Had surgery and it was benign. (Her surgery was two years to the day mine is scheduled for.)  Let me tell you that the initial thought of what she might be facing affected me more than my own recent health concern.  It was a really rough couple weeks but we got through that.  All she needs now is to find out why her hips hurt almost all the time.  I assume it's from being in retail on your feet 8-10 hours a day for 30 years.  It's difficult to watch her when she simply tries to stand from a seated position.  She rarely complains but I can see how she struggles with it.  It hurts me to watch.  She will get some X-rays and see where we go from there.  Hopefully it won't be anything really serious but I suspect she will need some sort of anti-inflammatory to help her function better.  Not trying to do the doc's job but I hope and suspect it is arthritis and nothing more serious since it's both hips.  Other than that he says she is very healthy, YAY!

Got the blood drawn and peed in a cup and various forms filled out at the hospital for the upcoming surgery.  No idea how many forms there were but it was a lot.  A little less then 2 weeks to go now. 

This getting old ain't for pansies.  My parents didn't spend as much time as we are at our age going to the doctors.  At least it doesn't seem like it.  But I have been a regular with the doc's going 2-3 times a year for the last 17 years to stay good with my diabetes.   I hope we can get a bit of relief from doctor visits, but I doubt it will.  There will be many more appointments due to my recent issues for the foreseeable future.  The alternative isn't so pleasant is what I tell myself.  Grateful for good insurance and not that government supported mess.

Always thought it strange to hear folks say, when you ask them how they are, 'well I'm still here' or something similar.  Now I do it, when asked how I am I say, 'still this side of dirt.'  Better than the alternative lol.

I know I say this all the time but, it really could be worse.  We have a lot to be thankful for and try to focus on that.  Regardless of how what I write here sounds , we are doing really well and are not depressed or anxious about things.  This is just for me to document events and thoughts as they happen as I have mentioned before.

Happy Trails pard's

TBT #5

Throw back Thursday

Got a phone call from my cousin that I only see or talk to once or twice a year.  This is the second time in a month.  He calls to check on me since hearing about my cancer and has apparently been feeling very nostalgic about the days we shared with our grandparents.  He and I share many of the same memories.  I think about the old days a lot, almost to much according to the wife.  In my defense these were all good times with folks I love and I have always been very sentimental.  There are a few things different about how we remember certain things but not enough to argue over.  We focus on the good things and get a laugh or two. 

My Grandfather (we called him Granddaddy) was an avid hunter.  Mostly deer and raccoons.  He had a bunch of dogs we would trail at night hunting the raccoons walking miles and miles with just a lantern and a few flashlights.  We have a lot of good memories about those times with him.  He was a great and righteous man.  We both miss him very much.  Cancer took him to early.  He was not even 75 and had been very active as he got older.  It was devastating to watch him fade away.  Still chased his dogs while hunting raccoons at a late age. 

No one could ever tell a story like he could.  Just watching him tell them was a treat in itself as he would get so animated and even act things out at times.  He would make up his own songs while we were riding around with him, they made absolutely no sense but he made us laugh.  We drove all over the countryside helping sell watermelons out of the back of his truck, what a treat for us cousins to spend that time with him.  He got free labor out of that.  He didn't need the money had a good job, he just loved to make deals with folks and the 'art of the deal' was invented by him.

These next few photos will be in honor of him and the many great memories we have of him.

He is on the left. 

                                                                         Middle

                                                 He is on the left I am in center, circa 1975

 

With my youngest boy, circa 1981

 

At my brother's wedding, 1980, the cancer was taking it's toll.

 

My cousin says he can hardly wait to see him again, I have to agree.

 

Happy Trails

Prepping

The title is not what it means in today's context.

 

Leatherwork, that's the word of the day.  Got almost everything completed for Kim's Open House.  Just finishing touches to add and then over to her so she can add her magic.  Hope there is time, lots for her to do still to get prepared.

Dropped off the pre-op prescriptions.  While there I was advised the pain med was improperly prescribed.   The federal law governing those type meds changed the day I saw the surgeon.  The Feds are making it much harder to get substance controlled pain meds.  Consequently if you need a refill, good luck.  You will have to make an appointment with the prescribing doctor, pay your co-pay and get your pain meds from him and pay for those.  Making it harder on the patient and more expensive by adding a doctor appointment instead of a phone call to the pharmacy.   At least that is how I understand it. 

 

The pharmacy contacted the doctor and they decided to prescribe them when I get released from the hospital.  I assume that since it will be from the hospital pharmacy it will be 10 times as expensive.  We will see, I may just have him write a proper one and take it to my pharmacy myself. 

 

There is also the pre-op testing of the blood.  I called the hospital lab a month ago and they told me that they would call me the week I was supposed to come in.  Guess what, no call yet.  I called twice yesterday, no answer and left voice messages.  They finally returned my call after hours.  Better than nothing.  Thursday 10 AM.  Also tried to contact my regular doctor.  Again, voicemail and no return call even though the voice on the other end promised a return call within 24 hours.  Nothing.  That one was not that important but will need to follow that one up before the end of the year.   

Is it really this hard for everyone to get a simple returned phone call?  This may not seem like much but this happens ALL THE TIME with my doctor.  I couldn't function as a person in my job knowing I had an unreturned phone call.   It would bug the snot out of me. 

 

 

I handled inquiries and complaints from the public and internally in my job.  It would have been so easy to use voicemail and never return a call, just because I didn't want to.  I never did that though.  Ever.  Every call, email or voicemail was answered promptly.  If you hate dealing with the public GET ANOTHER JOB!  No one seems to know what the word integrity means anymore. 

 

 

Oops, sorry rant over.  I am usually very patient in regard to how I treat others and the job they are doing, especially when it is serving me in some manner.  Much more than my sweet wife.  You don't want to make her angry due to your poor job performance.  They are just trying to perform a job, I tell myself and treat them as I would prefer to be treated.  Maybe too many years serving the public taught me that.  I probably tolerate too much at times.

It could always be worse....I need to listen to this more it seems.

Happy Trails.

Open House

Not a lot going on here Monday, worked a little genealogy and some leather.  Kim has scheduled an 'Open House' for her jewelry next Saturday evening.  So things should move into high gear over the next few days.  Quite a few folks have been asking her for something like that since she only displays her wares at the Resort and doesn't do craft shows.  While she will do 'in home' shows and will give nice hostess gifts, that hasn't happened very often.  Not sure why that is at all. 

 

She is in 'make more stuff mode' which also affects me.  She wants more leather items that she combines with her jewelry.  I should have guessed but I didn't, so I am way behind on what she wants.  I had mentioned picking up some things from the leather supplier and she automatically assumed that I meant those items for her 'Open House.'  Oops.  I hadn't even given it a thought.  Some of those items would have taken quite a bit of time to complete and there were at least three projects that were completely new to me.  One week is not near enough time for any of that.  I messed up due to a lack of communication.  I was wanting those items because they were 'on sale' and they could be added to the inventory easier and be more profitable.  The sale dates weren't conducive to the Open House anyway.  So I am trying to get a few minor things completed ASAP, she still has to do her magic on the leather for them to be complete.  Not much time available with everything else this week. 

 

I have to figure out a way of staying out of the way that day but being available for leather questions while watching college football, all right around supper time, and appear like I am enjoying it all  :)  . 

Reminds me of something we used to say at the office, 'poor planning on your part doesn't make an emergency on my part.'  Was wrong then every time and probably am now. 

It could always be worse.

Happy Trails

Pre-op week

This week I go have blood drawn for prior to surgery.  Not real sure what they look for with those tests.  Hope nothing shows up to postpone the surgery any longer. 

 

Was also advised to start filling the prescriptions needed prior to and after surgery. 

 

Not really that many

With these things in mind I started reading the surgery information.

Was aware of most if not all but figured there may be something in there that wasn't mentioned.  Didn't get through it all.  There was nothing encouraging and yes there was one or two surprises. 

Maybe I will make a copy and post it so you can see for yourself.  But I wouldn't want that to discourage anyone from getting checked or having needed surgery.  Since one of my goals is to get men to get their prostate checked and possibly save their life I have serious concerns about how much of the not so good issues that will have to be dealt with.  I'll have to think about that some more.  If you have an suggestion please let me know in the comments.

It's starting to get real.  Had another night thinking about surgery and the aftermath.  Not good for helping you sleep.  Don't get me wrong, I am not obsessing over this like it may sound here.  I get over any dark thoughts pretty quick and they really don't show up much at all.  They could if I let them but I refuse to do that.  I don't want to be that person no one wants to be around because he is depressed and in a bad place with his state of mind so I refuse to let that happen.  Prayer helps with that.  There truly is a Peace that passes all understanding. 

It could always be worse.

Happy Trails.