CRAZY TOWN WAITING ROOM - TESTS coming up? All Stages Welcome.
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I have always wanted to do a driving vacation around the US. When I was a kid, we did that, driving west through the south and then east through the northern plains states. Gas was around 40 cents a gallon, back then. I've also had these fantasies about dropping the kid off at college a year from now (August or September) and then driving somewhere wonderful. The trouble with those fantasies, though, is that I'll have to go home right away to earn the money to keep him in college.
If someone handed me a few (thousand) bucks and told me I had to go on vacation right now, though, I think I'd head for Europe. Italy, France, England, Greece.... But especially my beautiful, wonderful Italy. (No, I'm not Italian in heritage. Just love it very much.)
We were lucky enough to have a reason (DH's work) to go to China about ten years ago. I'd love to go back, or, really, anywhere in the far east.
Enough of that. Here I am in NYC, and surrounded by CSA vegetables, at this time of year mostly leafy greens. Bread just out of the oven. Salad for supper, I think.
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hmmm, gee the thought of a cross country trip, has me drilling
Need to do some pondering
Meantime, neurologist call in order to straighten out this back stuff
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Always wanted to drive cross-country and up & down both coasts--in fact, we’ve been fantasizing about doing Highway 1 across southern Canada from the Maritimes to BC (ferries as well as roads). There’s a California chunk of the Pacific coast we’ve never been: from Big Sur at the north to north of Los Angeles County. If we drove that, we’ve done the entire West Coast of the US from “BC" (the Gulf islands north of Vancouver and the southern shore of Vancouver Island to the Pacific) to “BC” (Tijuana). Along the East Coast, we’ve gone from Nova Scotia through Maine & NH, into MA, CT, NY, and down the Jersey Shore (trips as a kid to Lakewood & Atlantic City). But we’ve never done the actual coasts of NB or New England (except Capes Ann & Cod), and our trips down through DE and MD to DC and VA have been strictly inland. Would love to explore more of the Chesapeake, MD’s Eastern Shore, the coastal VA Tidewater, and coastal NC (incl. the Outer Banks) down to Wilmington (where I’ve played twice). Driven the stretch between Wilmington & Myrtle Beach; but nothing south of that till Port St. Lucie, FL. And the only part of the Gulf Coast I’ve been is between Naples & St. Pete, and the Honey Island swamps of w. MI to NOLA and then along the River Rd. to Baton Rouge. I’d also love to see northern AZ & NM, go through the part of the far N. Plains to see Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands, Glacier & Yellowstone Nat’l Parks and Devil’s Tower. Would also love to see Yosemite---and take the Inside Passage cruise to AK and also see Hawaii.
As to the cataracts, I’ve known I’ve had them going on 10 years, and that they were starting to ripen about 2 yrs. ago, but I am sure that their rapid progression is due to AIs. Meanwhile, I’ve been assured that the MRSA is superficial and that doxycycline will knock it out from the inside and Hibiclens from the outside. Today I got a call from LensCrafters that my new glasses are ready. Too good to be true--they got the R lens correct but the L was way off--everything was blurry and my astigmatism was worse. Couldn’t figure out why, because the optometrist at their Edgewater store refracted me and said that my prescription hadn’t changed. When I got to the Lincolnwood store (which actually makes the glasses on-site), the clerk couldn’t tell if the L axis was 085 (which was what it looked like to me) or 005 (with a European zero or a “phi” instead of the 8). The optician went into the lab, checked my current glasses, and said it was 083. So the clerk called the Edgewater store and asked if the number in the L axis was a zero or an 8. Don’t know if she asked the optometrist or the clerk, but she told me “they said it was a zero.” Obviously, they may have misunderstood her question as to which zero--they probably thought she was referring to the first digit. SO she in turn probably typed it in as”005.” The clerk today (a different one) said, “oh, new glasses take some getting used to.” I replied it was practically the same prescription. He then said, “well, you’re going from standard MVP progresses to the AVP, which has a larger reading area.” I replied that everything in that L lens was distorted. I asked the optician to read both my current glasses and the new ones--and sure enough my current ones had a L axis of 085 while the new ones were 005--a drastic difference in astigmatism correction. He apologize, “yeah, we messed up and will have to remake them,” and they’ll be ready tomorrow. In the immortal words of Bullwinkle J.Moose, “this time for sure!"
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Sandy, if you do the Big Sur to LA part of Highway one, and are afraid of heights (as I am), do it in the other direction: LA to Big Sur. (south to north). That way you are on the inside lane, which is much less stressful! (besides, the driver should pull over to look at views, although granted making pull outs on the ocean side may be easier going north to south.) The most dramatic part of that stretch is between Hearst Castle and Big Sur (Hearst Castle of course is a good reason to do the stretch in and of itself; make tour reservations in advance! Staying overnight near Hearst Castle is a good way to break up the trip, and at some times of the year they have cool evening tours.)
As for Yosemite, anyone who really wants to see it should remember that I have a guest suite, and the Valley is only 80 miles away :-) Mi casa es su Casa for CT residents! We do Yosemite as a day trip several times a year, to picnic, hike and bike ride, though we prefer spending the night, especially if heading to the high country, which is more of a drive than the Valley from our place....Indeed, our first Yosemite high sierra weekend was supposed to be this weekend, but we cancelled because of the uncertainty of my sister's situation. As it happened, we didn't head over to visit sis this weekend but I really needed some time to catch up on stuff at home. Yosemite will still be there when things calm down. Besides, while I wanted to check out the falls this weekend (the rain and snow this winter means that there is a lot more water than there has been this time of year in a long, long time) so did the Obama family. I'd have loved to have shared the views with the first family, but it was apparently quite crowded with intermittent closures of certain areas for security reasons...Glad they got to visit though. Everyone should see Yosemite at least once in their lifetime. I feel lucky that it is in my back yard...
Rain, I had salad from the CSA for supper also. Unfortunately for my waist line, I made spaghetti with bolognese sauce also (hey, just because I have never been to Italy doesn't mean I don't love the food! :-))
Octogirl
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Octo, when we made it down to Big Sur (after driving from Seattle to 101 down the WA, OR & CA coasts and then 1 down into the Bay Area), we stayed in a lovely little 9x9 umbrella tent at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. We were in our early 20s, and could do stuff like sleep in mummy bags on ensolite pads. We brought our own full-size pillows--our one concession to luxury!
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Oh. No, Octo, I should clarify. Salad for supper was because we had a late Father's Day lunch at the Mexican restaurant. There was nothing low-calorie about the day. Leftover Aztec soup in the refrigerator for lunch, if someone I'm related to doesn't get to it first.
Bread: the dairy guy in the Greenmarket had a special: $3.25 for a half gallon of buttermilk. So I used some in the bread, as well as a little rye flour. It was wonderfully sour without being a sourdough. Interesting.
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ChiSandy: my shoulders are now hurting as I remember camping (with my father) when I was in high school. Those ensolite pads! Oof.
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I saw some mention of Yellowstone National Park. In our college years, my husband and I worked there every summer. We love it there!
Had my mammogram today. They didn't ask for any additional views, so maybe that's a good thing.
It's also our 29th wedding anniversary.
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Mazel tov, Poppy!
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Congratulations Poppy! Great photo!
Octogirl
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Congrats, Poppy! No additional views sounds good to me, too. That cake inferno looks scary, LOL!
Slow, I've never seen a road sign like that, so I'm going with your interpretation. Looks like you guys are having fun.
Sandy, that trip across Canada would be cool. I think my family did a good part of that journey, unfortunately before I was born. My brother and sister have talked about it. It's a shame they didn't take more pictures in the Canadian Rockies, but photos weren't so cheap back then. I love road trips, I wish I had the time and money to do one.
It's been a nice break from doctor's appointments, but it's time to get on the Crazytown train again. I'm hoping my blood tests are all good so I can finally start the next phase of my treatment. And apparently I don't have enough stress in my life, because I decided to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist NP to get an assessment of my various freckles.
Hugs to everyone. I have been thinking of all of you often.
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In your pocket at the derm, Cubbie. (And make sure everything that touches you during any biopsy is sterilized six ways from Sunday).
I’m still jittery about tomorrow. Went to my monthly shrink visit today, and after telling him about the melanoma scare, my friend who died suddenly at only 80 (with no cardiovascular history), the MRSA dx, the cataracts and tomorrow’s mammo, he asked “Got enough Xanax on hand?” Bless him!
Also got my monthly statement from Humana Enhanced Part D. Only halfway through the year and I’m already only $1K away from the dreaded “donut hole.” (And might not emerge into “catastrophic coverage” by the end of the year). No idea why they’re calling my generic bupropion a “preferred brand-name drug” and my generic letrozole a “non-preferred brand-name drug.” The latter, they should just say “not on our formulary w/o unsuccessful anastrozole step therapy” and the former? I am going to ask them where the brand-name appears on my bupropion--it says right on the bottle “substituted for Wellbutrin.” They’re paying nothing for either of them, though I am getting their “discounted” price for the bupropion. I effing HATE insurance companies--they take your premiums and don’t give you much of anything in return.
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PoppyK and hubby,
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Well, it just got crazier. My fridge (especially the icemaker) is acting up again--vegetables freezing in one of the crispers and meats not defrosting on the bottom shelf after 24 hrs; ice crystals in the freezer; and most annoyingly, the icemaker leaking and refreezing, so I have to take out the hopper and hack at the congealed blocks of ice, not to mention keeping kitchen towels everywhere to catch the dripping. Had a repairman in once before and he said--and I quote--“these things happen." $3500 for a fridge should have bought me more than four years of peace.
Then, I went upstairs to shower and get ready for the bandage change. Just as I was about to gather everything up I heard a loud sound like cellophane cracking rapidly....it was a freaking wasp that had gotten in through the vent. (Hope that doesn't mean a nest in the attic). I am terrified--not just for the LE or MRSA but because I’m allergic. It retreated into the vent just long enough for Bob to change my bandage...and then emerged again. I screamed and closed the bathroom door. Now nobody can use the bathroom till we get an exterminator--or at least someone has the guts to go in there with a can of hairspray (did I mention we have to go in there to get the hairspray) and a flyswatter or rolled up magazine. On top of that, our entire phone, TV and internet service was down for an hour due to lines down in our neighborhood (despite the fact that we didn't get any wind or rain).
I took an entire .5mg Xanax so I could sleep before tomorrow's ordeal....and now I won't be able to. Not only that, I still have to figure out when to get my cortisone shot for the trigger thumb and schedule my cataract surgeries (or at least the worse one) in time to recover for our trip....assuming we can get to take it. (At least the wound seems to have stopped draining. But one wasp sting could set me back months, if it's on the wrong arm). And because of the stupid MRSA I'm paranoid about every little paper cut and minuscule cat-claw “ding."
If I take any drink, it could interact with the Xanax and maybe wake me up prematurely. (Not to mention make me forget I have to go downstairs to pee, for my own safety). So I think I will have a small chocolate egg cream to calm my nerves, even if it stops my weight loss in its tracks for a day.
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Poppy...Happy Anniversary 🎉🍾🎉🎈
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Poppy............pretty picture.....happy anniversary...............
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Oh, ChiSandy! I'd go into your bathroom with hairspray and a rolled-up copy of the European Vogue any day.
Wow. That was one of the wierdest things I've said in years. But I would.
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Cubbie!!! Welcome back!
Poppy--what a beautiful, romantic photo. Happy anniversary and congrats on the clean mammo results.
Sandy, what queen said! Is the exterminator there yet?
I've watered the plants, thus ensuring it will rain.
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So good to see you Cubbie!
Sandy, so sorry. I am not allergic to wasps but they scare the bejeebers out of me also!
Let us know how the mammo goes, and sending hugs!!
Octogirl
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Down the shore with my DIL since last Saturday......my son was down the weekend too, but he left to go back to his office around 6am this morning...........nice day here, but expecting a thunderstorm sometime today......will be here for the whole week, and come home next Tuesday, then back down on Fridy the 1st of July for anohter week, this time with my daughter who just bought the new home.......hugs everyone
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ducky, good to hear that you are getting some shore time and some family time. Hugs!
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Poppy - Happy Anniversary and congrats on the no drama mammo.
Sandy - at this point, things can only get better - or a little less crazy. There must be a strange disturbance over Chicago today.
Ducky - enjoy your time at the shore with family!
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oh goodness on the wasps, i have nests of wasps that take up residence behind my shutters, they are scarey and andmi sre would yell for exterminator, meantime find any thing poisonous
Ducky, enjoy the shore and eat fresh fish and drink beer for me!
Sandy, best wishes for all your dang tests
Me, nervous about this mri on my back but glad I have appt with doc on Friday and hope to figure this out
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Iris, I hope you get some answers and a plan for your back! Hi Cubbie! Ducky, enjoy your family time at the shore. I got my mammo results finally. Birads 2. I can now go for my prohy umx without worry!
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molly, brass 2 sounds good and best of luck
Yeap, backs are funky and need some sort of help, sure hope the new nuerologist is good
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Well, haven’t seen the wasp today--maybe it’s nocturnal. We might cover over the vent in the bathroom, since it’s basically the Vent to Nowhere (it was put in when that was actually the back wall of the second story).
But good news: my mammo revealed nothing new but the seroma! It was noted that it is smaller and more oval than on the rx-planning CT last Oct. Am scheduled for a “short-interval follow-up” in Dec. to see if it’s shrunk any more. (So I stopped for nonfat, sugar-free fro-yo instead of Smores pie on the way home). Got a referral to a different hand surgeon for the trigger thumb shot, so I am waiting for the callback. Meanwhile, it doesn’t look like I can get my cataracts done before Italy: I have gigs this Sat. and Wed. July 14, and a derm followup (for the MRSA) June 30. So unless I can get rushed in early next week or right after the 4th of July (and I’m not sure when my optho is going on vacation), I will have to drive sparingly at night in Tuscany--and use my brights. It takes at least a week before you’re allowed to bend over or lift anything heavy.....like a suitcase or a guitar case, in either hand. So realistically, I’m going to have to wait till at least the second week in Aug.
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thank you for all the anniversary wishes!
Molly, congratulations on the good mammogram results. I hope your surgery goes well and that you have a quick, uneventful recovery.
Ducky, glad to hear you're at the shore making family memories.
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Sandy, congrats, I know how stressful testing can be.
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Ducky, glad you have been at the shore! I hope it's been beautiful there.
Sandy, yay for a normal mammo! I wonder if that wasp went back outside. If the vent does go nowhere, it might be better to close it off since it's just going to let wasps that got into your wall all the way into your bathroom. I had wasps in the mailbox last summer, what a mess!
Molly, yay for more good results!
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