Bertha came today and then I went to the YW to use the treadmill to get in part of my trainer's recommended 90 minutes of walking per week. I did 36 minutes today and 20 on Monday. I will do another 20 tomorrow and probably 20-25 minutes on Saturday or Sunday. That should about cover that portion of my exercise for the week.
The dermatologist office called and the bacterial culture from the cavern left by the scab was negative. Nothing bad growing there so this is more good news. Don is hoping that all this is the start of a good year. After the past year, it is time for things to look up for a while.
4/23/09
4/21/09
04/21/2009 Tue
I went to see a dermatologist today about both the scab on my head that will not go away and my hair loss. Positive news about both, although we can't do much of anything about the hair loss until the sores actually finish healing on my head. As I was telling him how I had been trying to get the scab to loosen on the top of my head without actually forcing it, he took some tweezers and very slowly and gently started pulling on the scab and it peeled right out!!! He says the skin underneath looks like it is healing quite well and to use a shampoo which he had there in the office and some vaseline on the sores until they do heal. They need to be kept moist but not oily and vaseline will do that. As for the hair loss, he says that frequently women who have been through a physical trauma (often childbirth), have exaggerated hair loss for a period of time. He is hoping that this is what my trouble is. He said everyone goes through periodic shedding and after something like what I went through, the body just overdoes it at the next shedding cycle. If that does not turn out to be what it is, then we will try some other ideas but he wants to give the sores a chance to heal without the huge scab that was holding back the healing process. I sure hope he is right and that this will fix itself but if not, I have an appointment exactly one month from today to revisit the whole thing and make sure he thinks the sores are now finally healing appropriately. The sores are on top of my head and on the right side (which has been sore ever since surgery). I thought the sores on the side of my head might have come from the fall I had in December but he thinks not. They appear to be from the surgery and he thinks they stay more sore because I lay on my right side quite often when I sleep.
Anyway, I am so happy to have that huge scab gone, I don't know what to do except rejoice. Assuming the skin underneath heals now, I won't have to worry with another surgery. I am thinking that the healing is already underway and I sure did put vaseline on it tonight and will start washing my hair every day in the new shampoo.
Don also had a doctor's appointment today and everything looks good. Of course, there are blood tests that we need to wait for but there is no reason to think anything other than good about his results either.
A really good day.
Anyway, I am so happy to have that huge scab gone, I don't know what to do except rejoice. Assuming the skin underneath heals now, I won't have to worry with another surgery. I am thinking that the healing is already underway and I sure did put vaseline on it tonight and will start washing my hair every day in the new shampoo.
Don also had a doctor's appointment today and everything looks good. Of course, there are blood tests that we need to wait for but there is no reason to think anything other than good about his results either.
A really good day.
4/19/09
04/19/2009 Sun
Dear Diary: Church, Communion, Sunday School, Breakfast, Home. My favorite things and day. One of our couple friends joined us for breakfast but the other went to hear their son-in-law do a church service in town. They want us to join them sometime to hear both their son and their son-in-law who are both preachers. I hope we can do that soon as I want to hear them. I know they are very proud of them both.
Then home and I looked for a couple of jobs to apply for tomorrow. I seem to be having a harder and harder time coming up with viable jobs and I thought finding them today would be a VERY big head start on the week. I'm glad I found 2. I thought for a while, it was only going to be one, even with the best I could do.
I also worked on Milo's blog and found a few things I had been meaning to try and locate. I found them all but still don't find Don's drill that he misses so much. Then I petted both Gray and Milo. Poor Gray. He looks a little cold with his new haircut. I am glad we are coming to warmer weather and besides, Dr. Green says his hair should be growing back pretty good in about 3 weeks. I'll have to do a better job brushing and cleaning up on him from now on. He is getting a little old to do it all by himself especially straight down his back. He is a little arthritic and he can't twist enough to get that far back. Dr. Green is leaving me some glucosamine at the front desk and we will pick that up this week. Maybe that will help Gray out.
Milo missed the shower yesterday but he wasn't going to make the same mistake today. He was right in there and did not even move when water engulfed him. His tail looked pitiful when he got out and I needed to dry him off. What a brave little boy!!!!
Nancy invited me to join her and Ann's Bible study on Thursdays. I really want to try that out and am excited to do it with friends. Nancy and her husband are going on a long trip this week and I am loaning her some of my Bible tapes so they can listen as they go. They are a little behind and want to take advantage of their time in the car to catch up. I hope they get a lot done with it as it is hard to do too much at one time. My attention span just snaps.
Tuesday is our real busy day this week as both Don and I have doctor's appointments. I hope both go well. Mine is with a dermatologist and I will have to see if he can recommend anything about the sore on my head or the hair loss that will also suit my neurologist. I have been very meticulous not to put anything chemical on my head and I am still losing my hair. Oh, well, maybe this doctor will have a miracle cure with a pill. That would be great.
Then home and I looked for a couple of jobs to apply for tomorrow. I seem to be having a harder and harder time coming up with viable jobs and I thought finding them today would be a VERY big head start on the week. I'm glad I found 2. I thought for a while, it was only going to be one, even with the best I could do.
I also worked on Milo's blog and found a few things I had been meaning to try and locate. I found them all but still don't find Don's drill that he misses so much. Then I petted both Gray and Milo. Poor Gray. He looks a little cold with his new haircut. I am glad we are coming to warmer weather and besides, Dr. Green says his hair should be growing back pretty good in about 3 weeks. I'll have to do a better job brushing and cleaning up on him from now on. He is getting a little old to do it all by himself especially straight down his back. He is a little arthritic and he can't twist enough to get that far back. Dr. Green is leaving me some glucosamine at the front desk and we will pick that up this week. Maybe that will help Gray out.
Milo missed the shower yesterday but he wasn't going to make the same mistake today. He was right in there and did not even move when water engulfed him. His tail looked pitiful when he got out and I needed to dry him off. What a brave little boy!!!!
Nancy invited me to join her and Ann's Bible study on Thursdays. I really want to try that out and am excited to do it with friends. Nancy and her husband are going on a long trip this week and I am loaning her some of my Bible tapes so they can listen as they go. They are a little behind and want to take advantage of their time in the car to catch up. I hope they get a lot done with it as it is hard to do too much at one time. My attention span just snaps.
Tuesday is our real busy day this week as both Don and I have doctor's appointments. I hope both go well. Mine is with a dermatologist and I will have to see if he can recommend anything about the sore on my head or the hair loss that will also suit my neurologist. I have been very meticulous not to put anything chemical on my head and I am still losing my hair. Oh, well, maybe this doctor will have a miracle cure with a pill. That would be great.
4/18/09
04/18/2009
We went to the Whitewater Park today and walked around the water and ate at the little restaurant there. The restaurant was very busy and we had to wait a while. Luckily someone gave us their place in line because they were leaving before being seated. I can't believe my luck with being offered first in line when I am much further back than that. It happened to me once before at the ESC when I just about could not stand any longer in line. I really wish I knew who did that so I could give her a proper thank you. Anyway we ate there and had a great time.
We also worked on how to get a slideshow on Milo's blog that shows his pictures through time. Don worked on it a lot this afternoon and early evening and he achieved success - and now I have some instructions in case I ever need to try and do that myself. I'm learning a lot about this blog stuff and it is fun. I like it way better than Facebook, probably because I don't have enough people to talk with on facebook and this is like writing a diary of my life. It exercises my brain without involving much in the way of interaction but it keeps anyone interested informed of what I am doing and things I am enjoying. See Milo's blog for the successful slideshow. You can click on the link on the right or the one below to go to Milo's blog.
http://milosadventures-withlsm.blogspot.com/
We also worked on how to get a slideshow on Milo's blog that shows his pictures through time. Don worked on it a lot this afternoon and early evening and he achieved success - and now I have some instructions in case I ever need to try and do that myself. I'm learning a lot about this blog stuff and it is fun. I like it way better than Facebook, probably because I don't have enough people to talk with on facebook and this is like writing a diary of my life. It exercises my brain without involving much in the way of interaction but it keeps anyone interested informed of what I am doing and things I am enjoying. See Milo's blog for the successful slideshow. You can click on the link on the right or the one below to go to Milo's blog.
http://milosadventures-withlsm.blogspot.com/
4/17/09
04/17/2009
Don and I went to see Gran Torino with Clint Eastwood late this afternoon. The movie was out at the end of the year so it is by now a little old for most of the movie going world. At first we were the only two people in the theater but then another couple came in. I had heard it was violent but all the real violence came at the end. It was Clint Eastwood kind of violence too. Draw out your gun and shoot. I can live with that kind better than some of the inventive torturous kinds that movies show nowadays. Both Don and I liked the movie very much. Clint Eastwood also was co-author of the script and it looks like his son wrote the music for it. I think Clint E also directed or produced it. He wore several hats in the making of the movie. Don and I loved to hear him growl at things he didn't like, like his granddaughter's pierced nose and text messaging during his wife's funeral. The movie is really about how he starts out prejudiced concerning anyone not of his own ilk and how he wound up loving a Vietnamese kid who lived next door. He had a dog named Daisy that Don and I worried about the whole movie because we were afraid someone would use the dog to get revenge on the main character (Clint) but not to worry folks. The dog comes out okay.
If you haven't seen it, we recommend renting it. It is certainly worth a small fee to see on a small screen.
I have a new blog, http://milosadventures-withlsm.blogspot.com/, which documents Milo's great indoor adventures and may even mention Grayson along the way. So check it out too or instead of this one. I have put a few pictures out on it as you know the pride I take in my boy-cats. (I have never had a girl-cat of my own. It's just the way the Lord made it happen.)
If you haven't seen it, we recommend renting it. It is certainly worth a small fee to see on a small screen.
I have a new blog, http://milosadventures-withlsm.blogspot.com/, which documents Milo's great indoor adventures and may even mention Grayson along the way. So check it out too or instead of this one. I have put a few pictures out on it as you know the pride I take in my boy-cats. (I have never had a girl-cat of my own. It's just the way the Lord made it happen.)
4/15/09
04/15/2009 Wed
Yesterday was consumed by having both cats bathed at the vet's office. The sweetest little girls (almost children really) brought my boys out to me so proud of how they looked. Milo evidently took the drying and brushing only to a certain point. Then he let them know he had had it and he was through with all the primping. Grayson, on the other hand, was his usual gentleman self and put up with everything without so much as a swat at them. I am a proud mama of that boy. But Dr. Green shaved him down his back as he had clumps of hair that would not brush out. He said Gray is getting a little arthritis and can't groom himself down his back and that is what caused the clumps. My goodness, he looks like he has a reverse mohawk but I'm telling him he has a racing stripe and it is very good looking. I really want his hair to grow back fast as Milo will take advantage of this naked back, I am afraid. Probably both cats will hide from me this morning, lest there be a repeat of yesterday's excursion.
4/13/09
04/13/2009 Mon
I worked out this morning with Mariel and did the treadmill for 20 minutes besides. I think I am getting stronger. I always feel a little stronger on Monday after having a day or two with few appointments or must-dos. By Wednesday, sometimes I feel I am dragging my body along behind me as I usually cram in lots on Monday and Tuesday. I really like Mariel as a trainer and wish I could afford her for several months. But I think another month will be about it. Maybe by then, I can keep practicing the exercises she has taught me - especially the ones we have been doing lately. I think she sees that balance is a larger part of my problem than pure strength (although endurance might be a bit of a problem too.)
The cats are scheduled for baths tomorrow. Gray has his little physical and some shots and then a bath (after clipping his claws). I am a little excited about having 2 clean animals in the house but a little nervous too as to how they may take the drenching. I used to bathe dogs all the time but have never gotten attuned to trying to bathe a cat. I think Gray needs one worse than Milo because Milo gets brushed all the time. Dirt doesn't stand a chance of staying on him long but maybe a bath will get some extra stray hairs out of him. I've never seen an animal that sheds as much as he seems to but I think it is partly just the long hair. (I wish he could give me some of that hair growth. I need it and he doesn't.)
The cats are scheduled for baths tomorrow. Gray has his little physical and some shots and then a bath (after clipping his claws). I am a little excited about having 2 clean animals in the house but a little nervous too as to how they may take the drenching. I used to bathe dogs all the time but have never gotten attuned to trying to bathe a cat. I think Gray needs one worse than Milo because Milo gets brushed all the time. Dirt doesn't stand a chance of staying on him long but maybe a bath will get some extra stray hairs out of him. I've never seen an animal that sheds as much as he seems to but I think it is partly just the long hair. (I wish he could give me some of that hair growth. I need it and he doesn't.)
4/11/09
04/11/2009 Sat
Good lunch with Marla yesterday. Next month, we might add some shopping time to our excursion. She likes TJ Max and Marshalls and there is a Marshalls near to where we usually go eat. We may go to Cafe Monty's next time. We haven't branched out much in our times together and this might be the beginning of some variety.
Don and I went to Good Friday services last night. Very dramatic with the lights dimming more and more throughout the service and going to total darkness when Jesus died in the Matthew reading. Then everyone left in total silence. Great spiritual songs as well with George Washington singing 2 solos. What a God-given voice he has!!! No one could develop a voice like that. So POWERFUL. You have either got it or you don't. I ordered last Sunday's CD of the service just to have a solo he sang there. I think he should make a cd of songs.
Not much planned today. I need the break, I think. We may go to the grocery store later, I hope and I might need a refill from Giant Genie (but I can get that delivered Monday). Milo and I already had our shower and I uncovered the drain enough to let him think that maybe he had pushed the water away with his front paws. He is such a cutie and I like to let him think he has won sometimes. He sure thought he had from the look on his face - it was like, "How about that. I finally got that water to go the other direction." Is this cat lucky or what to have a "mom" who takes this sort of time on his behalf. He gets a bath on Tuesday. Oooooooooh, I hope it goes well but I bet he doesn't like to be drenched in water. We'll find out.
Don and I went to Good Friday services last night. Very dramatic with the lights dimming more and more throughout the service and going to total darkness when Jesus died in the Matthew reading. Then everyone left in total silence. Great spiritual songs as well with George Washington singing 2 solos. What a God-given voice he has!!! No one could develop a voice like that. So POWERFUL. You have either got it or you don't. I ordered last Sunday's CD of the service just to have a solo he sang there. I think he should make a cd of songs.
Not much planned today. I need the break, I think. We may go to the grocery store later, I hope and I might need a refill from Giant Genie (but I can get that delivered Monday). Milo and I already had our shower and I uncovered the drain enough to let him think that maybe he had pushed the water away with his front paws. He is such a cutie and I like to let him think he has won sometimes. He sure thought he had from the look on his face - it was like, "How about that. I finally got that water to go the other direction." Is this cat lucky or what to have a "mom" who takes this sort of time on his behalf. He gets a bath on Tuesday. Oooooooooh, I hope it goes well but I bet he doesn't like to be drenched in water. We'll find out.
4/10/09
04/10/2009 Fri
I was exhausted yesterday since it has been such a busy week. I was up late Monday with the Carolina game and win. Tuesday, I visited church-related people who were in the hospital. There were 4 people on the list to visit but they were in 3 different places. It took 4 1/2 hours. On Wednesdy, I went to exercise at 9, then "Career Connection" (really great presentations for tips and traps to finding jobs when you are unemployed), then the dentist for a cap, then ordered "business" cards that just gave my name, address, phone #s, and email address, then back to church for dinner, then to Costco. We did go to church Thursday night for the Maundy Thursday service. They had communion and stripped the altar at the end. It was a very moving and solemn service. The best thing came out of the Career Connection meeting this week. I had said I wasn't going since I had a dentist appointment and Don insisted I go even though I had to arrive late from the exercise session. It was about interviewing skills and a guy from Dale Carnegie gave the presentation. A guy I was next to wanted to pair with me for mock interview session and I conducted the interview with him using the recommended technique from the presentation. It turns out the guy just got a job as a RECRUITER for GMAC which is coming to Charlotte soon. I like that now. It turned out the two of us had in common that we love animals (he got a puppy for Christmas whom he just adores) and the trainer at the Y that I go to is also his trainer. And he knows the guy who runs the company that the trainers work for. I could not believe I got that much information out of a total stranger and that we share such common interests. He's going to get a copy of my resume, believe me.
Yesterday, Bertha came and we cleaned for about 2 and a half hours (not counting the 2 I did before she came). I was worn out by the time Don picked me up and then I went to the YW and did the treadmill for 30 minutes. I could hardly walk by evening time. I came home from the Y and took a nap only to be awakened by a call from the ESC. I can't believe someone actually called me. You can't get an appointment there with a human so I had emailed them my concern over the length of time they have had my application with no action taken. Anyway, here is the story:
ESC finally called and the person has finally gotten my app for unemployment moving, at least it appears so. She said to give it 3 more weeks as she is sending it to a true decision maker. At last. Even if denied, she STRONGLY urges me to appeal. But it hasn't been denied or approved yet so I am hoping for approval. This has been a long haul and I guess the number of unemployed contributed to that wait. But I am content now that action is coming very soon - she said maybe even in 2 weeks but for me to consider 3 weeks just in case it is slower than that. At this stage, I could probably hold my breath that long. It has already been 9 weeks since I first requested consideration. I figured my old employer had protested my having approval but the lady at ESC said she wasn't going to ask them. She was going to leave it entirely to the ESC. She seemed human and sympathetic so it was nice to have someone with humanity to talk with about the situation. I told her in brief everything I could recall about the whole ordeal and she said it is not the first time she has heard the same basic story.
I was excited to get this moving yesterday and I am hopefully going to have a pretty free day today. We have another church service tonight and one of my old friends from work may come and go to lunch with me if her workday allows. That is a fun thing to do so I do look forward to it. But I will need to try and get presentable for the occasion and with this hair situation, that is quite a trick. Still have more than a week to go before seeing the dermatologist. I called the brain surgeon's office manager and asked for a few business cards as I need all my doctors communicating with this surgeon. I don't want to put anything on my head or in my mouth that will do more harm than good. Business Cards are the way to go with such needs, I have discovered. That way, they know as much as I do about how to get through to talk with the doctor and doctor- to- doctor talks are easier to achieve than me getting to him.
I got up this morning bright and early and finally found a second job to apply for this week. It had been posted a mere 7 hours earlier than I applied so if "the early bird catches the worm", I should be "in like flynn". I looked and looked off and on all day yesterday with no result. It really does get harder and harder to find a job to ask about. Many of them are temporary positions nowadays and in a year, I'd be in the same boat as now and some of them are phishing expeditions for insurance sales "opportunities" or employment agencies trying to get you to pay them to find you a job. I have even had calls saying they have set up an interview time with me WITHOUT ASKING ME FIRST. So, needless to say, none of these interviews were on my calendar and usually there is a conflict. I don't like these tactics at all and I don't trust those who engage in them.
Yesterday, Bertha came and we cleaned for about 2 and a half hours (not counting the 2 I did before she came). I was worn out by the time Don picked me up and then I went to the YW and did the treadmill for 30 minutes. I could hardly walk by evening time. I came home from the Y and took a nap only to be awakened by a call from the ESC. I can't believe someone actually called me. You can't get an appointment there with a human so I had emailed them my concern over the length of time they have had my application with no action taken. Anyway, here is the story:
ESC finally called and the person has finally gotten my app for unemployment moving, at least it appears so. She said to give it 3 more weeks as she is sending it to a true decision maker. At last. Even if denied, she STRONGLY urges me to appeal. But it hasn't been denied or approved yet so I am hoping for approval. This has been a long haul and I guess the number of unemployed contributed to that wait. But I am content now that action is coming very soon - she said maybe even in 2 weeks but for me to consider 3 weeks just in case it is slower than that. At this stage, I could probably hold my breath that long. It has already been 9 weeks since I first requested consideration. I figured my old employer had protested my having approval but the lady at ESC said she wasn't going to ask them. She was going to leave it entirely to the ESC. She seemed human and sympathetic so it was nice to have someone with humanity to talk with about the situation. I told her in brief everything I could recall about the whole ordeal and she said it is not the first time she has heard the same basic story.
I was excited to get this moving yesterday and I am hopefully going to have a pretty free day today. We have another church service tonight and one of my old friends from work may come and go to lunch with me if her workday allows. That is a fun thing to do so I do look forward to it. But I will need to try and get presentable for the occasion and with this hair situation, that is quite a trick. Still have more than a week to go before seeing the dermatologist. I called the brain surgeon's office manager and asked for a few business cards as I need all my doctors communicating with this surgeon. I don't want to put anything on my head or in my mouth that will do more harm than good. Business Cards are the way to go with such needs, I have discovered. That way, they know as much as I do about how to get through to talk with the doctor and doctor- to- doctor talks are easier to achieve than me getting to him.
I got up this morning bright and early and finally found a second job to apply for this week. It had been posted a mere 7 hours earlier than I applied so if "the early bird catches the worm", I should be "in like flynn". I looked and looked off and on all day yesterday with no result. It really does get harder and harder to find a job to ask about. Many of them are temporary positions nowadays and in a year, I'd be in the same boat as now and some of them are phishing expeditions for insurance sales "opportunities" or employment agencies trying to get you to pay them to find you a job. I have even had calls saying they have set up an interview time with me WITHOUT ASKING ME FIRST. So, needless to say, none of these interviews were on my calendar and usually there is a conflict. I don't like these tactics at all and I don't trust those who engage in them.
4/7/09
04/07/2009 Tue
http://benwitherington.blogspot.com/2009/04/tar-heels-mobetter-in-motown.html
Again with the Ben blog. This one is about his dad's love for Carolina, having been a cheerleader for its teams in the past. The picture is of Ben's mom and dad whom Don and I have known for years as two of the sweetest people ever. It is at Ben Senior's funeral where Ben III (writer of the blog) sang "Hark the Sound of Tar Heel Voices, Ringing Loud and Clear" all in honor of his dad's love for the school. The ushers also went out to the beautiful pipe organ playing a Carolina song. I wish I could have been there because I loved Ben Sr. and I believe this is one funeral where the content was tailor made to the person being eulogized.
I did the hospital visitation today, or rather visitations, would be more like it. I left at 12:15 and got home at 4:30. I saw 4 people at 3 different locations (but the locations were close to one another), and 3 of the 4 had other people in the room and I visited with them also. It went very well. I was a little nervous about one of them, an older male, who I know as a pillar of the church. Unfortunately, "no peripheral vision me" leaned on his orchid and he let me know it. But then we talked about orchid care for 5 minutes or so and I made my goodbyes and left. Another interesting visit was the first one. She had a really bad shoulder and had had surgery but was on a morphine drip, in and out of the conversation. Her friend and I chatted away and it turns out her friend used to be a cheerleader at college. She said although she was a cheerleader (the head one in fact), she doesn't really understand all the ins and outs of basketball. She would be asking her squad to cheer, "GO...GO...GO" and someone nearby would be waving no at her as she should be leading her squad in "DEFENSE...DEFENSE...DEFENSE." Even when she did get the cheer right, the play would happen so fast that she needed to change it right in the middle. I loved it. I thought everyone on the court knew all about every sport they had a hand in but it looks like I am wrong about that. I told her I do know a little about the game but mainly I know when the ball goes through the hoop it means SCORE.
She told me that I should try cold then hot treatments on the scab that won't come off my head. You put ice on it for 10 or 15 minutes, then get a washcloth as hot as you can take it and put that on the same spot. The expanding and contracting of the skin in the area sometimes can accelerate healing and it makes more sense to me than just wetting the area (which is doing nothing.) She learned this working in the athletics department at Univ of Alabama (I believe).
Anyway, a good day but a busy one. Hope you all have had a great day too.
Again with the Ben blog. This one is about his dad's love for Carolina, having been a cheerleader for its teams in the past. The picture is of Ben's mom and dad whom Don and I have known for years as two of the sweetest people ever. It is at Ben Senior's funeral where Ben III (writer of the blog) sang "Hark the Sound of Tar Heel Voices, Ringing Loud and Clear" all in honor of his dad's love for the school. The ushers also went out to the beautiful pipe organ playing a Carolina song. I wish I could have been there because I loved Ben Sr. and I believe this is one funeral where the content was tailor made to the person being eulogized.
I did the hospital visitation today, or rather visitations, would be more like it. I left at 12:15 and got home at 4:30. I saw 4 people at 3 different locations (but the locations were close to one another), and 3 of the 4 had other people in the room and I visited with them also. It went very well. I was a little nervous about one of them, an older male, who I know as a pillar of the church. Unfortunately, "no peripheral vision me" leaned on his orchid and he let me know it. But then we talked about orchid care for 5 minutes or so and I made my goodbyes and left. Another interesting visit was the first one. She had a really bad shoulder and had had surgery but was on a morphine drip, in and out of the conversation. Her friend and I chatted away and it turns out her friend used to be a cheerleader at college. She said although she was a cheerleader (the head one in fact), she doesn't really understand all the ins and outs of basketball. She would be asking her squad to cheer, "GO...GO...GO" and someone nearby would be waving no at her as she should be leading her squad in "DEFENSE...DEFENSE...DEFENSE." Even when she did get the cheer right, the play would happen so fast that she needed to change it right in the middle. I loved it. I thought everyone on the court knew all about every sport they had a hand in but it looks like I am wrong about that. I told her I do know a little about the game but mainly I know when the ball goes through the hoop it means SCORE.
She told me that I should try cold then hot treatments on the scab that won't come off my head. You put ice on it for 10 or 15 minutes, then get a washcloth as hot as you can take it and put that on the same spot. The expanding and contracting of the skin in the area sometimes can accelerate healing and it makes more sense to me than just wetting the area (which is doing nothing.) She learned this working in the athletics department at Univ of Alabama (I believe).
Anyway, a good day but a busy one. Hope you all have had a great day too.
04/06/2009
Carolina WON!!! I am thrilled as I really thought they would win all day and wasn't a bit nervous about this game. I really felt the coaches did things (like put in third string players) to hold down the victory margin. It looked so easy for us but Tyler Hansbrough was SERIOUS the whole game until the last minute and fifteen or so seconds. He finally smiled and I knew we really did have it. I don't think I have ever loved a team so much and I am so very happy for them and their families. They must all be on cloud nine as it is certainly a long haul getting here even just counting one season. Some of them have played and waited out four seasons to get here.
Milo got bored with the whole thing and found himself a paper shopping bag to get in for sleeping tonight. Trouble is, it makes noise when he moves in it so I don't know that we are going to make it through the whole night with these sleeping arrangements. Of course the bag is in the floor in my bedroom. I have a feeling he will want something softer to lay on in a little while so there probably won't be a problem.
I've had a good day. I went to exercise this morning and did well - much better than Wednesday of last week. I could hold some positions for the full time Mariel asked whereas last week, I was holding a while and then resting and then holding a while longer. Mariel thinks my body is responding to the demands placed upon it and she surely does insist on straightening up my back and holding my head high. Don loves that as he has seen me slumped over right often. (Actually, right now, I didn't know I wasn't looking pretty straight but I guess awareness is the first ingredient toward a fix.) I enjoy the treadmill and during this pollen season, it is great to have a way to "walk" without being out in it.
Tomorrow is my day to visit church members who are in local hospitals. I really hope this goes well as it meant so much to me to have folks come visit. But I understand some people are just too sick to want company and it can be difficult. I'll just play it by ear and leave soon if it is looking like visiting is a hardship and stay a little longer if someone is enjoying the visit. I won't get the list until tomorrow sometime so I am hoping to get the visiting in during the day. I really don't want to do it in the evening. We'll just see what the routine is and determine if it seems to be something valuable that I want to keep up. My church also has a lady trying to start a pet ministry and I want to find out more about that. Heaven knows I am a big believer that animals can make a positive difference in people's lives if they, like me, love the whole world of animals. So I'd love to be part of that if it is possible.
Milo got bored with the whole thing and found himself a paper shopping bag to get in for sleeping tonight. Trouble is, it makes noise when he moves in it so I don't know that we are going to make it through the whole night with these sleeping arrangements. Of course the bag is in the floor in my bedroom. I have a feeling he will want something softer to lay on in a little while so there probably won't be a problem.
I've had a good day. I went to exercise this morning and did well - much better than Wednesday of last week. I could hold some positions for the full time Mariel asked whereas last week, I was holding a while and then resting and then holding a while longer. Mariel thinks my body is responding to the demands placed upon it and she surely does insist on straightening up my back and holding my head high. Don loves that as he has seen me slumped over right often. (Actually, right now, I didn't know I wasn't looking pretty straight but I guess awareness is the first ingredient toward a fix.) I enjoy the treadmill and during this pollen season, it is great to have a way to "walk" without being out in it.
Tomorrow is my day to visit church members who are in local hospitals. I really hope this goes well as it meant so much to me to have folks come visit. But I understand some people are just too sick to want company and it can be difficult. I'll just play it by ear and leave soon if it is looking like visiting is a hardship and stay a little longer if someone is enjoying the visit. I won't get the list until tomorrow sometime so I am hoping to get the visiting in during the day. I really don't want to do it in the evening. We'll just see what the routine is and determine if it seems to be something valuable that I want to keep up. My church also has a lady trying to start a pet ministry and I want to find out more about that. Heaven knows I am a big believer that animals can make a positive difference in people's lives if they, like me, love the whole world of animals. So I'd love to be part of that if it is possible.
4/5/09
4/4/09
04/04/2009 Sat
I slept "okay" last night. I woke up a couple of times and spent a little while getting back to sleep. The good news is that nowadays I can get back to sleep most of the time. I have figured out that when the newspaper guy comes, he must leave his car running and that wakes Gray up and Gray wants me to feed him so he gets me up to join his party.
I looked up my dear Dr. Bullock on line. He only works 3 days per week now and says he has no plan of retiring as he tried that once and did not enjoy it. Anyway, this is the only doctor I can recall who calls me HIMSELF to ask how I am doing - especially if I have been in on one of his days off and had to see his substitute. He has great "bedside" manner in my opinion. He will also talk with you about what ails you and give his ideas on what to try. I am really impressed with his call to me this week about my hair situation. He asked me if I didn't want to leave it alone as no hair would mean such a savings in hair care products/cuts, etc. Of course I told him I would rather save money somewhere else, not on my hair, as I wanted it back. He said the blood tests show no abnormalities but he recommended me to a dermatologist anyway as the specialist may be able to come up with other avenues to explore. Trouble is the appointment is not until the 21st so I am going to call at least once a week to see if there has been a cancellation I can take. I want to get this show on the road. I may have to get the plastic surgeon first anyway since I can't put anything chemical on my head until those scabs go away.
Big basketball day. The final 4 are playing and Carolina plays Villanova (who has already knocked off several great teams). It makes me nervous and of course the Carolina/NOVA game is scheduled to start at 8:47 p.m. so I have all day to think about it. I wish they played at noon.
Cats are doing great. I need to give Gray a little extra loving sometime today since he feels rejected sometimes due to Milo's jealousy. Gray has trouble getting a head scratch in because Milo has to head-butt his way into the middle. Gray is not even allowed to sleep at the foot of the same bed that Milo is on without getting attacked. I don't think I have ever had such a problem with aggressiveness in an animal. It is a GOOD thing Gray is a pacifist because if he fought back, Milo would be history.
I spent some time this morning looking for a couple of movies I wanted to see. I caught the tail end of Apollo 13 with Tom Hanks the other day and I want to see the whole thing. It is on AMC on April 11 at 8 p.m. And Gone with the Wind is on TCM on April 14 at 8 p.m. and I have a desire to see that again also (a nostalgia for my childhood as well as being a great story and great characters). I went to the two channels (AMC and TCM) and just searched for the tv schedule of these two movies. Kind of neat. To my surprise both of them showed up as being on the schedule and pretty soon too. I didn't think I would get Gone with the Wind. The web sites let you put in a reminder email to come one week and then one day prior to the showings. I was happy to discover all this wonderful stuff.
Guess I'll shower so Milo can go somewhere besides the bathroom today and then fix something for lunch.
Talk to you all later.
______________
It's later - sooner than I thought it would come. I was just watching the pregame NCAA talk and found out Tyler Hansbrough's brother had a brain tumor as a small child. It was at his brain stem and they did get it all (in what was then a new procedure). It took him a long time to recover and I think it affected Tyler his whole life because his brother was his best friend as well. No wonder I feel a kinship with the Hansbroughs.
_______________
Carolina won and it is early a.m. Sunday. The game was more difficult than the score reflects, I think. But I am wide awake and trying to settle down to get some sleep in a few minutes. I'm especially glad for Roy Williams as he seems such a down-to-earth, hard working type of person and I want him to get rewarded for all his efforts over the years. He also seems to have kind words for the opposing coaches and players at the end of every game. I admire this in him and hope I am interpreting it right. I guess he can afford to be kind with all the success he has had but I have a feeling that it is part of his nature.
I just emailed a lady in my SS class about Gone with the Wind coming on tv on the 14th. She says she has seen the movie 200 times at least. I love the book and the movie as it was dear to me in childhood but she has me beat for times seen/read. (She first saw it in 1939, the year it came out.) I have read it more than one time and seen it more than one time but nothing like hundreds of times. Anyway I am going to record it when it comes on TCM on the 14th. I think I tried this once before but it cut off before the movie ended. I am going to set it for more than the 4 hours advertised - just in case. Looking forward to it as a matter of fact.
As Paula Dean would say, See y'all later. Love to all.
I looked up my dear Dr. Bullock on line. He only works 3 days per week now and says he has no plan of retiring as he tried that once and did not enjoy it. Anyway, this is the only doctor I can recall who calls me HIMSELF to ask how I am doing - especially if I have been in on one of his days off and had to see his substitute. He has great "bedside" manner in my opinion. He will also talk with you about what ails you and give his ideas on what to try. I am really impressed with his call to me this week about my hair situation. He asked me if I didn't want to leave it alone as no hair would mean such a savings in hair care products/cuts, etc. Of course I told him I would rather save money somewhere else, not on my hair, as I wanted it back. He said the blood tests show no abnormalities but he recommended me to a dermatologist anyway as the specialist may be able to come up with other avenues to explore. Trouble is the appointment is not until the 21st so I am going to call at least once a week to see if there has been a cancellation I can take. I want to get this show on the road. I may have to get the plastic surgeon first anyway since I can't put anything chemical on my head until those scabs go away.
Big basketball day. The final 4 are playing and Carolina plays Villanova (who has already knocked off several great teams). It makes me nervous and of course the Carolina/NOVA game is scheduled to start at 8:47 p.m. so I have all day to think about it. I wish they played at noon.
Cats are doing great. I need to give Gray a little extra loving sometime today since he feels rejected sometimes due to Milo's jealousy. Gray has trouble getting a head scratch in because Milo has to head-butt his way into the middle. Gray is not even allowed to sleep at the foot of the same bed that Milo is on without getting attacked. I don't think I have ever had such a problem with aggressiveness in an animal. It is a GOOD thing Gray is a pacifist because if he fought back, Milo would be history.
I spent some time this morning looking for a couple of movies I wanted to see. I caught the tail end of Apollo 13 with Tom Hanks the other day and I want to see the whole thing. It is on AMC on April 11 at 8 p.m. And Gone with the Wind is on TCM on April 14 at 8 p.m. and I have a desire to see that again also (a nostalgia for my childhood as well as being a great story and great characters). I went to the two channels (AMC and TCM) and just searched for the tv schedule of these two movies. Kind of neat. To my surprise both of them showed up as being on the schedule and pretty soon too. I didn't think I would get Gone with the Wind. The web sites let you put in a reminder email to come one week and then one day prior to the showings. I was happy to discover all this wonderful stuff.
Guess I'll shower so Milo can go somewhere besides the bathroom today and then fix something for lunch.
Talk to you all later.
______________
It's later - sooner than I thought it would come. I was just watching the pregame NCAA talk and found out Tyler Hansbrough's brother had a brain tumor as a small child. It was at his brain stem and they did get it all (in what was then a new procedure). It took him a long time to recover and I think it affected Tyler his whole life because his brother was his best friend as well. No wonder I feel a kinship with the Hansbroughs.
_______________
Carolina won and it is early a.m. Sunday. The game was more difficult than the score reflects, I think. But I am wide awake and trying to settle down to get some sleep in a few minutes. I'm especially glad for Roy Williams as he seems such a down-to-earth, hard working type of person and I want him to get rewarded for all his efforts over the years. He also seems to have kind words for the opposing coaches and players at the end of every game. I admire this in him and hope I am interpreting it right. I guess he can afford to be kind with all the success he has had but I have a feeling that it is part of his nature.
I just emailed a lady in my SS class about Gone with the Wind coming on tv on the 14th. She says she has seen the movie 200 times at least. I love the book and the movie as it was dear to me in childhood but she has me beat for times seen/read. (She first saw it in 1939, the year it came out.) I have read it more than one time and seen it more than one time but nothing like hundreds of times. Anyway I am going to record it when it comes on TCM on the 14th. I think I tried this once before but it cut off before the movie ended. I am going to set it for more than the 4 hours advertised - just in case. Looking forward to it as a matter of fact.
As Paula Dean would say, See y'all later. Love to all.
4/3/09
04/03/2009 Fri
Finally a day at home for me and for Don. Felt good to me and he said it felt good to him too. It's nice to have a little "rest" sometimes although I think we both had enough to keep us occupied around our respective places.
(Charlie did eat some of the baby food we got him yesterday. I hope this is a sign he can regain some strength. We love you, baby and we're rooting for you.)
Milo was fairly still today. Maybe he needed rest also. I didn't take a shower until late so he probably was frustrated with my unclean and abnormal behavior. I'll go back to normal and clean tomorrow. Tomorrow is basketball game day for the final four so I need to be ready in case I need to cut the tv off and go on to bed early. I can only stand to see Carolina win. I can't take losses and close games nearly cause heart attacks.
Love to all who read this blog whether it is boring or interesting and no matter which team you pull for.
(Charlie did eat some of the baby food we got him yesterday. I hope this is a sign he can regain some strength. We love you, baby and we're rooting for you.)
Milo was fairly still today. Maybe he needed rest also. I didn't take a shower until late so he probably was frustrated with my unclean and abnormal behavior. I'll go back to normal and clean tomorrow. Tomorrow is basketball game day for the final four so I need to be ready in case I need to cut the tv off and go on to bed early. I can only stand to see Carolina win. I can't take losses and close games nearly cause heart attacks.
Love to all who read this blog whether it is boring or interesting and no matter which team you pull for.
4/2/09
04/02/2009 Thr
We made it through April Fools Day. I went to exercise and Mariel has upped the ante somewhat on the weights and the exercises. There are LOTS more than we have been doing. We did fewer reps in order to get through the whole list but I am going in today to work on some of the new ones and to get in some time on the treadmill. I do enjoy her but the PRICE is out of sight if you do this for very long. Oh well, I discovered my tax refund had come in while I was working with Quicken yesterday. Nothing so mundane as a check, it was a direct deposit. I must have signed up for that and didn't remember it. Still, a nice surprise. The dentist will likely eat up most of it with the new cap he is putting on next week. I think insurance will pay half but half a fortune is still a fortune.
Good high school game on tv last night. Many of the recruits for UNC were among the players. We are surely going to miss our basketball once the NCAA is over. I believe UNC plays again on Saturday evening and Don and I'll be watching. However, the Bobcats are doing better lately so maybe we'll get more interested in them than we have been. (Larry Brown is the coach.)
Charlie is disinterested in things right now so we are afraid this is a bad sign. However, he seems to be resting comfortably so we are just letting him be. Sometimes sleep can do miracles and I hope it does so this time too. Unfortunately, Dr. Green is out of pocket for a few days so we might need to see one of the other vets at his office if we should need to take Charlie in. They are all good too, but I am just spoiled by Dr. Green and his infectious optimism.
In the meantime, Milo gets up anytime I do thinking that I might get in the shower without him and he is not having that happen. Grayson gets up too but he wants FOOD. I'd say Grayson is showing the more typical cat behavior. But I am getting aggravated about the 4 a.m. feeding that he insists is necessary. All that time I spent being unable to sleep and now a cat is wanting food at 4 a.m. I have to put a stop to this somehow. I continue to be "bemused" about Milo's fascination with shower water. Now he will continue to lay in the shower stall even if the water is pooling up on the floor right under him. I pick him up and put him outside the stall as I don't want wet cat running all around the house. Plus if he washes it off himself, it is bound to be mixed up with soap and YUCK, I bet that would taste bad and be bad for him too.
Don has his men's group at church today. Before he goes to that meeting, he is dropping me off at the Y to allow me plenty of time to play with my new routine. A lady at church tonight told me she does water aerobics there almost every morning at 8:30 a.m. It sounded interesting and I might try it sometime. What I want to try again is yoga. I used to do that and I might like to try again. I have gotten a bit stiff from all the time in bed the last few months. The Y offers classes and so does my church. I guess I am mostly after variety as I get bored with one routine.
There is a picture of Ben on his blog from yesterday, April 1 (at a place in Texas where he spoke. He is pretending (I guess) to rock climb and making a face like he is having a hard time hanging on. There are some beautiful pictures of the place and its surroundings if you are interested. His blog's address is
http://benwitherington.blogspot.com
I know I keep recommending him to you but I really enjoy his blog and admire his varied interests.
I joined the hospital visitation team at church and our first meeting is April 14 but I have taken April 7th as my first date to do visitation. Evidently, you are given a list of everyone in the hospital and you are expected to go visit them all. We go to local hospitals, not ones out of town or across town in University area. I think they let you know those names too but you go only if you can. I know this poor old guy from my SS class will be on the list and we have been asked to coordinate those visits with family because he seems to get worked up when someone comes. The staff at the hospital doesn't think it does him much good and causes them to have extra work trying to deal with the aftermath of the visit. He thinks he is in jail and wants to enlist everyone to help him get out - and believes no one is visiting him even though his two sons are there every day. One of them is taking a sabbatical from work in order to spend more time with his dad. I remember all too well my mom being in a nursing home and really being disoriented for a while. It was gut wrenching for me to try and leave after spending all day some Saturdays. She just wanted to be around family and there was so little of it left as she was the youngest child. I am sure she thought her children didn't do nearly enough visiting - but we did a substantial lot of it in truth.
______________________________
Finally got a call-back from my GP office and given a referral to a dermatologist for checking on my hair loss. My GP says the blood tests all look normal but he thinks it best to see a specialist anyway in case there are other things he knows to look for. My GP suspects I have felt more stress than I have exhibited and that this may be the cause of the problem. He says I need to give myself some credit for having coped with brain surgery and job loss all at the same moment in time. I felt he was very thoughtful in how he handled the call and I appreciate him very much. Anyway, I have an appointment with the dermatologist on April 21 at 3:30 p.m., his first available. The nurse or scheduler I spoke with said she would call if he gets a cancellation so I can see him sooner if possible. I did tell her about the October surgery and I could hear her typing away. This doctor has his initial forms online and I have printed them off to fill out prior to my first visit. Info about the practice is at www.nclaserderm.com. Address is 2310 Randolph Road. Sounds like it in the same area as all (or most of) my other doctors. The doctor's last name is Thompson and the person I talked with today was Nancy. Phone was 704-376-9849 and there was an alternate number in the phone book, 704-376-7546. Fortunately Don was here and heard my side of all the conversations.
Now, my new method for printing is to take hold of Milo around his shoulders - firm but not too hard, hit print, and then, if necessary, set Milo on the floor. He absolutely ATTACKS the printer anytime it is running. He is either going to break the printer or himself one of these days.
Good high school game on tv last night. Many of the recruits for UNC were among the players. We are surely going to miss our basketball once the NCAA is over. I believe UNC plays again on Saturday evening and Don and I'll be watching. However, the Bobcats are doing better lately so maybe we'll get more interested in them than we have been. (Larry Brown is the coach.)
Charlie is disinterested in things right now so we are afraid this is a bad sign. However, he seems to be resting comfortably so we are just letting him be. Sometimes sleep can do miracles and I hope it does so this time too. Unfortunately, Dr. Green is out of pocket for a few days so we might need to see one of the other vets at his office if we should need to take Charlie in. They are all good too, but I am just spoiled by Dr. Green and his infectious optimism.
In the meantime, Milo gets up anytime I do thinking that I might get in the shower without him and he is not having that happen. Grayson gets up too but he wants FOOD. I'd say Grayson is showing the more typical cat behavior. But I am getting aggravated about the 4 a.m. feeding that he insists is necessary. All that time I spent being unable to sleep and now a cat is wanting food at 4 a.m. I have to put a stop to this somehow. I continue to be "bemused" about Milo's fascination with shower water. Now he will continue to lay in the shower stall even if the water is pooling up on the floor right under him. I pick him up and put him outside the stall as I don't want wet cat running all around the house. Plus if he washes it off himself, it is bound to be mixed up with soap and YUCK, I bet that would taste bad and be bad for him too.
Don has his men's group at church today. Before he goes to that meeting, he is dropping me off at the Y to allow me plenty of time to play with my new routine. A lady at church tonight told me she does water aerobics there almost every morning at 8:30 a.m. It sounded interesting and I might try it sometime. What I want to try again is yoga. I used to do that and I might like to try again. I have gotten a bit stiff from all the time in bed the last few months. The Y offers classes and so does my church. I guess I am mostly after variety as I get bored with one routine.
There is a picture of Ben on his blog from yesterday, April 1 (at a place in Texas where he spoke. He is pretending (I guess) to rock climb and making a face like he is having a hard time hanging on. There are some beautiful pictures of the place and its surroundings if you are interested. His blog's address is
http://benwitherington.blogspot.com
I know I keep recommending him to you but I really enjoy his blog and admire his varied interests.
I joined the hospital visitation team at church and our first meeting is April 14 but I have taken April 7th as my first date to do visitation. Evidently, you are given a list of everyone in the hospital and you are expected to go visit them all. We go to local hospitals, not ones out of town or across town in University area. I think they let you know those names too but you go only if you can. I know this poor old guy from my SS class will be on the list and we have been asked to coordinate those visits with family because he seems to get worked up when someone comes. The staff at the hospital doesn't think it does him much good and causes them to have extra work trying to deal with the aftermath of the visit. He thinks he is in jail and wants to enlist everyone to help him get out - and believes no one is visiting him even though his two sons are there every day. One of them is taking a sabbatical from work in order to spend more time with his dad. I remember all too well my mom being in a nursing home and really being disoriented for a while. It was gut wrenching for me to try and leave after spending all day some Saturdays. She just wanted to be around family and there was so little of it left as she was the youngest child. I am sure she thought her children didn't do nearly enough visiting - but we did a substantial lot of it in truth.
______________________________
Finally got a call-back from my GP office and given a referral to a dermatologist for checking on my hair loss. My GP says the blood tests all look normal but he thinks it best to see a specialist anyway in case there are other things he knows to look for. My GP suspects I have felt more stress than I have exhibited and that this may be the cause of the problem. He says I need to give myself some credit for having coped with brain surgery and job loss all at the same moment in time. I felt he was very thoughtful in how he handled the call and I appreciate him very much. Anyway, I have an appointment with the dermatologist on April 21 at 3:30 p.m., his first available. The nurse or scheduler I spoke with said she would call if he gets a cancellation so I can see him sooner if possible. I did tell her about the October surgery and I could hear her typing away. This doctor has his initial forms online and I have printed them off to fill out prior to my first visit. Info about the practice is at www.nclaserderm.com. Address is 2310 Randolph Road. Sounds like it in the same area as all (or most of) my other doctors. The doctor's last name is Thompson and the person I talked with today was Nancy. Phone was 704-376-9849 and there was an alternate number in the phone book, 704-376-7546. Fortunately Don was here and heard my side of all the conversations.
Now, my new method for printing is to take hold of Milo around his shoulders - firm but not too hard, hit print, and then, if necessary, set Milo on the floor. He absolutely ATTACKS the printer anytime it is running. He is either going to break the printer or himself one of these days.
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