BLB's Xanga

Friday, July 18, 2008

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:38:19 GMT

Well I'm just moving right along. Temp hit 102.4 last night. That's after a bout of horrible chills of course. This morning I logged in at 101.6 I believe. Can't eat breakfast, took only the antibiotic which ended up leaving a nice metallic taste in my mouth. Finally I took my Glipizide and Prevacid so I could have some cooling no sugar Blue Bell vanilla ice cream. Is that no sugar or no added sugar? What the heck.

It is 9:36 a.m. and I guess my UA culture isn't back yet. Can't imagine why not since I left it at 8:30 a.m. two days ago.

I wonder if I could just run around the house in the nude and maybe I'd cool off.

Here let me just leave something funny I got.

George Carlin's Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

'How old are you?' 'I'm four and a half!' You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

'How old are you?' 'I'm gonna be 16!' You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life ! You become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony. YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But! wait!! ! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and make it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into ! your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; 'I Was JUST 92.'

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. 'I'm 100 and a half!'
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:03:25 GMT

Well that sums up why I'm not updating at the big journal. I'm trying very hard to move about in the hopes I can get rid of the painful areas of my back. Fat chance. Besides I'm tired of laying down.

Last night I hit 101.8 and this morning I logged in at 100.8

I've heard nothing on the MRI they did yesterday. That was a hoot! Talked to Jovie in the morning when I left labs to come home. She would give me time to get home and she would call me when the test was scheduled.

By 1 p.m. I figured either the fax didn't go through or she was too busy to call. In clinic ya know. So I played phone tag and one lady put me on hold and called MS Imaging. Doctor wanted it down today she said, but she saw 9:30 and no date so she assumed it would be for today. But I was to go out and they would squeeze me in.

My husband was so mad he didn't want to see me have to carry a cushion to sit on and wait a long time. He wasn't going to take me. I had to draw him up short and tell him he could call the doctor and tell him that I wasn't coming.

As it turned out I checked in at 2:15, they had me on the schedule for 2:00! I told her it would of been nice if someone had told me. I didn't have to wait long.

You ought to lay in one of those machines with a fever. I told the guy I was hot so he came and pulled the sheet off so I could feel the ventilation fans. Then when he went to put the contrast in, the vein collapsed when he still had 5 cc's to go. He apologised for the hematoma I was going to have.

He was printing the pictures to take upstairs to my doctor as I was getting dressed. I haven't heard anything so I guess there is no abscess on the spinal column. Perhaps it is a kidney infection after all. That culture won't hit my primary until tomorrow. Do you suppose they will call or let me wait until next week since I'm on an antibiotic anyway?

I complained yesterday they don't talk to each other, well the record of talking to the patient is questionable. Shoot they can't just call cause they couldn't bill Medicare for a phone call. grumble grumble.

I'm gonna get in the shower. I have no appetite whatever today, but I ate good yesterday.

Thanks for the well wishes. I don't like to complain about health issues but shoot that is what is happening in my life right now.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:00:40 GMT

Kovels Komments reports crystal skulls, the basis of the movie "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls." A Paris museum discovered a few months ago that its crystal skull was not an Aztec carving but a fake, and this month the British Museum and the Smithsonian Institution also found they had fakes. All of the skulls were made with modern tools. Maybe the legendary skulls of the movie are still to be found, or maybe it's all just a good story.

Yesterday morning my temp went to 99.6 so I didn't call the doctor. By 6 p.m. it was 101.6 and this morning still 101. I was out for my usual diabetic A1c and had asked yesterday if they could run a WBC to see if I had an infection. Forgot to tell them I have been on an antibiotic since they put the trial stimulator in. So this morning I wrote a note and left it for my doctor.

Why can't doctor's communicate with each other now days? Couldn't Dr. Alvarado ask Dr. Mieras to order labs? Oh I know Doc's can't presume to tell another what test should be done. But gee Dr. A could of sent a report to Dr. M what was going on couldn't he?

So on the way home I called Dr. A's office to let them know about the temp and that I went in for a CBC and urinalysis. But the nurse said they would fax the MRI request any way.

Since I came home and curled up on the bed feeling crappy.

Feel like this.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:39:43 GMT

Last night I sported a low grade fever. This morning still there. There is no incision, they thread the leads up through a needle into the spinal column. With pain around the area from the procedure I was not able to adjust the stimulator until that healed.

7:30 a.m. this morning I called and left a message for the nurse. Figure the earlier the better. 9:30 still no call back. Hello people fever of any degree could mean infection. 10:30 I got smart and called the other doctor's nurse figuring perhaps since my doctor was out all week they were too. Nope they were there and just hadn't taken any messages off the machine! She said she would call Dr.K and get back to me in 10 minutes so he must be in town.

By 11:30 I was in their new office and saw the partner in the business. I told him to take the darned thing out! He wondered if the fever could be from flu, or sinus infection or kidney infection. Well run a blood test and check the white blood count. Nope he took it out and said if I'm not better tomorrow he wants an MRI. Now what the heck will that show that a blood test wouldn't?

So at least now I can put my back against a chair and I can get up without wanting to scream. I still have left flank pain though so will swallow muscle relaxers and wait that out. Tonight I'm eating chicken noodle soup since all I could get down today was a couple pieces of toast that left me nauseated. Still have the low grade fever.

Oh and I never felt the leads coming out at all.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:49:37 GMT

I can't wait for tomorrow morning to see who is filling in for my doc this week. I can't evaluate the darned stimulator because the procedure site is still bloody painful! I doubt the relief doc would take it out but I'm sure going to ask!

I walked Saturday morning and this morning. Maybe not far but enough to keep moving. If anything, either I'm just tired of the pain on moving or it has gotten worse. I am sitting on the edge of my chair to type this. The minute that back touches anything I want to scream. Getting up and getting down is also painful. Reminds me of how I felt five years ago after the fusion surgery!

Of course my blood sugar is up and no matter what little I eat it isn't going down with the stress of pain.

I did dust two shelves within reach in the dinning room and had Wil pull the knick knacks off the top shelf and he dusted it while I dusted knick knacks. Then he put them back. That left me wanting to sit down. I can't stay upright and walking about all day ya know.

Turning over in bed amounts to standing up and laying back down for the most part. When I lay on the left side the stimulator doesn't 'tingle' and when I lay on the right side it is too hard and I had to lower it. ??

I had hub take a picture of my back so I could see if I could see any redness. Nope, just dried blood under the adhesive. Of course looking at that and all the fat I have has left me depressed! If I would lose weight I can't imagine where all that flab would go.

OK I've sat long enough without support on my back so I don't know when I'll be back.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:52:21 GMT

The trial of the back stimulator went in yesterday afternoon, painlessly I might add. No one warned me today my back would feel like they tap danced on it! Can't put any heat or cold on it, so now what? As for adjusting the stimulator I have been through all 4 settings and can't hit the one that controls the nerves in my back! My upper thighs tingle nicely, my hips tingle and when I turn it up my stomach tingles! Not the lower back?

Brian did tell me the stimulator will do nothing for the pain from the procedure. So how am I to evaluate the thing as that pain is going to hang around a couple days at least! I am to see them the 21st and if nothing changes I will be glad to tell them "thanks but no thanks".

Reading the little book on the way home I looked at Wil and said I should of read this before they put the trial thing in. I don't think I will risk the implant. It includes the test results on such type of contraption and shoot going through any metal detectors would be a blast, never could a doctor order an MRI if they wanted to see anything in my back, the list seems endless.

Phone just rang, it was Brian and he will call me back later and explain some things and try to help get this adjusted for me. Some how I bet he will hear "I've tried that" from me. He did say I could slap cold on my back if I'm assured it isn't going to leak. So if you will excuse me...

Mystery Flag

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:19:31 GMT

It has six stars, hub couldn't hold his arms wide enough to show it. This is what it would look like on a flag pole, gromits are on the left. I doubt it was ever flown as it is in good condition.

I've gone nuts looking through google for officer flags. Highest they go in Army is 4 star General I believe, so that wouldn't be it. I've searched medical flags, and navy etc.

This is a cotton flag. That possibly ages it, though you can get cotton flags still.

I've also searched world flags to no avail.

Sun in Robbie's Group found it here. I had started to search this page but I guess I didn't go far enough. Now to let the guy at the flea market know.

Saturday, July 05, 2008

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:27:15 GMT

Hasn't rained on our side of town today. Thought it was going too. That's OK they say more rain is coming in this week.

Today I am paying for sitting on the floor yesterday dusting the bottom shelf on the TV table. I started to dust the bottom shelves on the barrister bookcase, used for VHS and DVD's. I wouldn't let my husband know how much pain I was in and I didn't call for his help to get up either. I know how protective he gets.

Good thing I didn't. He came in to scrub an area of the floor that something landed on that I didn't know was there and the wet Swifter wouldn't take up. I think one time when it rained in the window it must of rolled down that way and dried from the looks. He had a horrible time getting up off his knees. He wouldn't say if it was his knees or his back bothering him. He just said he had nothing to grab hold of. Now I know I often need help getting up but I didn't think of him having the same problem. Something else with aging I guess.

So I've been on ice or heat most of the day when we weren't out walking around the flea market near us. I wanted to check into renting a space to sell some of our knick knacks. That place is out. Looks like they only want to rent cubicles to full time people. I never saw so much junk in my life! That and a lot of music and VHS and Tshirts, some with less than nice sayings on them.

The only tables I saw were out the back door where I bet few people wander too.

This is the old KMart store and if I'm not mistaken perhaps a store that used to be beside it. Been too long for me to remember.

I happened to like the old Kmart, then they built the super variety and now it is now closed as well.

When the flea market first opened you wouldn't see one of these Sheriff patrols on bike in the parking lot. Does that signal the kind of flea market it turned into?

I can gurantee nothing I have for sale would even be glanced at here.

Wil thinks opening an Ebay account probably wouldn't bring us any better luck. In this day and age with folks generally saving for gas money and groceries it is unlikely they are looking for the little mice we used to collect.

Or the few plates or the couple angels we have.

It's a horrible feeling in a way knowing that some day the kids will be left to cart stuff off. A worse feeling to think they may do like one guy I remember that threw stuff in the trash when his Grandma died. Yes I agree with the friend that said she doesn't care if her kids sell things for a quarter, but to think of it in the trash is a bit much for me right now.

This cute little guy is a bank I bought at a flea market one time. Think I forked over about $12 for him which was more than I really wanted to spend at that time. Just couldn't resist him.

We thought of maybe a yard sale when the weather turns cool. But all people seem to want around this area is clothes and toys. I'm wearing all my clothes.

There are collector's I've seen in the Good Will store buying up stuff I know they are going to sell somewhere. I should ask them some day if I see them again where they sell them. One Good Will store had a locked cabinet with collectibles a few years ago and they didn't look like they were going then.

I did bag some VHS things I taped years ago and haven't looked at and will donate those to Good Will. I took out time to lay and watch "Homeward Bound" and cry and laugh through that Disney movie once more.

I am also going to make an appointment to cart some of my LP's up to the record store. Not to try and make lots of money of course, just to thin them out. I don't get around to playing them much now that I can only load one at a time on the record player.

What really got me to thinking was watching a tv show called Cleaning House, or something like that. Mine isn't that dirty as the one who won for this year. But it got me to thinking more.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:29:10 GMT

Xanga when I click on the link to make an entry that is what I want to do. I don't want to take your survey!

Someone else made this, not me. I just thought it looked like me. Though the cat is the wrong color.

We got quite a downpour this afternoon. Thank You Lord! Of course now the sun is back out. May not be hot enough that I have to go cover the sunburned aloe vera again. Yup that is why my aloe vera turn brown and yup covering it one day it started to turn green again. Of course I had to use sheets to cover them as they were too big for a box.

I wondered if the plants were sunburned, imagine a cactus being sunburned, and a friend researched it for me.

Today I got rained on inside the indoor pool. I stayed in that lane and let the cold drops hit me. Had some young girls laughing cause I said it had been years since I played in the rain. I should of gone out and played in it after it rained here.

Have a safe holiday, eat a hot dog and watermelon for me. If I feel well enough tomorrow I just may wash the living room curtains. We have all this African dust in our house. I'm serious, that is where it blew in from. Haven't had any windows open since I turned the AC on, so it must of snuck in the doors.

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:14:37 GMT

The drought continues on our side of town. I think I heard the Medical Center area got some rain yesterday.

Want to see something really interesting? Have you ever heard of dive mining? Have you any idea how they mine diamonds? Some answers are here, along with some interesting pictures of large holes.

Here is something I made yesterday.

May look real simple but I had to remember how to get the background in so that took some work. Only two attempts so that isn't bad for me. Especially since animation is my weak point.

Today is pool day. Maybe I should take time to do a rain dance too.