friday hither and yon!

Racking up savings as I went, too!

I started with a free movie at the St. Joseph/Candler Smart Senior center at 1 PM, with a room full other members laughing at "The Legend Of Bagger Vance" as we enjoyed the bag of popcorn and soda that Elizabeth gave each of us.

I truly had forgotten how feel-good this movie was!

While I was there, I went ahead and registered for the Halloween Party the center is having on October 30.

Just $8 and I used my colon study card to pay for it!

(smile!)

Then I was off to CVS to get more Vitamin D3 and Lactaid pills.

The first was on sale as a BOGO - that saved me $12.99 right there!

The other was BOGO 1/2 off - so that saved me another $5.80.

Ah, but I wasn't done saving yet!

I also had a coupon for "$5 off of a $20 purchase", plus a $10 ExtraBucks Reward.

All total, I saved $33.89, for a whopping 68% discount!!!

I do believe that's the best I've ever done!

(smile!)

Next, I took advantage of a $1 Movie Night reward from Comcast.

Last week's had gone toward a movie in Dolly Parton's memory.

This one was for Tim Curry.

I know all the theatre folk are all gaga about "The Rocky Horror Show", but I credit Richard O'Brien for that.

O'Brien is the one who wrote the book and the songs, the one who created those characters, the one who talked Curry into taking the role. 

Interestingly, O'Brien credits David Bowie, glam rock, and 'Ziggy Stardust' for the inspiration for the goth-rock musical.

I can totally see that! 

But that musical wasn't the how I was introduced to his acting ability.

Surprisingly, "Annie" was the intro for me, either, as that musical didn't become dear to Mama until it came out on video and she could share it with her first granddaughter, Christina Ann.

See, Mama would have grown up with that character in her life.

I'm sure having Carol Burnett and Yul Brynner in the film endeared it to my mother even more.

However, it was "Clue" that landed the talented Tim Curry on my radar.

That came out while I was going to Armstrong State College in 1985.

Chock a block with stars I knew - Madeleine Kahn, Lesley Ann Warren, Christopher Lloyd, Martin Mull, Michael McKean, Eileen Brennan - of course I loved it!

Curry was right in the heart of it as the butler, 'Wadsworth', and the scenes at the end, when he's racing about putting the pieces of the mystery together, were delightfully madcap!

With his good looks, he reminds me of Errol Flynn, and I would have loved to have seen him in some of those swashbuckling roles!

Alas, the closest Tim Curry ever got to being a sword-wielder was as a pirate in "Muppet Treasure Island", though that wasn't until 1996.  

He spent most of his career as a voice in a variety of animated features (like "The Wild Thornberrys" and "The Rugrats") or video games.

I'm so glad I had a "Clue" to his real talent!

(smile!) 

Next, I popped in on Dane for a quick visit before I hit Jalapenos.

He'd be getting dinner a little late, so time for a treat to tide him over!

Honestly, after I gave him that crunchy collagen bone, I don't think he even noticed that I'd gone back out!

(smile!)

I'd called Smitty first, to make sure we were still having the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta, as we were missing some folks.

Tony and Laura are in Missouri and Robin is in Montana.

But the brother still here assured me were still dining together!

I had him pose for this photo to show off his eyes.

Last month, he had cataract surgery on his left eye, which is now in the best condition it's been in since the retina repair.

Just look how blue and clear that iris is!!! 

The right eye had its cataract surgery just two days ago, but the blue is back in that one, too.

The doctor's assistant even commented on how blue his eyes are!!!

Very nice!!!

I ate shrimp ceviche, as it's been a while since I treated myself to that.

And Mark had driven in right behind me and noticed my flapping trunk.

After we all had our goodbye hugs, he came over to look at the trunk lid to see what might be a solution, so maybe he'll fix it for me!

That would be wonderful!!!

It's been ten years since I had a trunk that I could securely close, instead of using duct tape to try to keep it down. 

(smile!) 

My next stop tonight was for gasoline, as Murphy's was rewarding me with fifteen cents off per gallon for this Labor Day weekend.

Christina had told me some time ago that Murphy's was the gas station for Walmart, so I headed over to the one on Montgomery Cross Road.

There, the attendant politely told me that Murphy's was -not- affiliated with Walmart and never had been.

Well, fine, I'll have to let my first niece know she was wrong.

(smile!)

So I drove out to the sole Murphy's in town, out by Savannah Mall.

Sure, I only saved $1.35, but I needed to get gas anyway.

Better to have saved something than nothing!

And now, I'm back at Tony and Laura's and Dane has been fed.

Now to find another movie that I haven't yet seen!

(smile!)

she remembered me!

"Who's that, dearie? Someone's child that you've recently seen?"

 

Nope! That would be Marilyn, the nurse for UHC's Optum House Calls, who came by this afternoon as part of that Medicare Advantage program. I allowed the visit, as it was going to net me $50 on my UHC card. Usually it would have only been $15, but this time of year they up the ante. Hooray!

 

"Good for you for working the system!"

 

Oh, you betcha. Anyway, Marilyn Harris had been the one to see me a couple of years ago for the House Call. How do I know? I hadn't remembered her, but she sure did remember me!!! She was so glad to see my upbeat self was still in place! She even asked me about my volunteering for the Savannah Music Festival - how about that? I had to tell her that the inguinal hernia had kept me from doing that this spring, as I had a hitch in my giddy-up and didn't feel the need to be hobbling there. Then I led her into the dining room and showed her that I'm still going to concerts and musicals and plays!

"Good for you! You showed off your blessings wall, didn't you?"

 

Yes, ma'am, I did. She was so impressed with all my blessings2026 that she took a photo! So I did, too. She was really impressed that all of those souvenirs are from events in just the first six months of this year. I wouldn't be surprised if she recommends that other clients keep a blessings wall!

 

"That would be a very good thing. It's easy for folks to feel like they're missing out if they're not mindful of all they've been to."

 

Right? Just because I'm retired doesn't mean I'm staying home all the time. Hallelujah!

 

"Hallelujah!!! So what else happened with this visit?"

 

Oh, the usual, at first. She checked my blood pressure and all that. Then she told me three words to remember, had me draw an analog clock face set for 11:10, then asked me the three words. I passed all that with flying colors! Plus, she was delighted that I'd chosen to make a square clock face instead of a round one - that was different! Then she checked my feet to make sure they felt the little plastic needle - that was ticklish near the arches! LOL! While she was doing that, she noticed that the toenails on my left foot were pretty long. The one on the pinky toe was even curling over! I told her that the pain in my right thigh was still ongoing, even though the inguinal hernia had been repaired. That prevented me from being able to clip those nails. So then she asked if it would be alright if she did that for me... wow!!! So I gratefully accepted her offer.

 

"Wow!!! I am so happy Marilyn did that!!!"

 

Oh, it gets better. After she did that and was wrapping up the paperwork, she told me she had a gift for me. A gift for me!!! She had remembered that I loved the ocean and she had made a wreath with that theme... just for me!!! She calls her side hustle "Mae Emma Creations" and the wreath is gorgeous!

 

"Well, just look at that!!! It even has nautical twine and a real sea star!"

 

I was very touched that she made that for me! Then I suggested that I'd put it on the wall by "Oceans, Tumultuous" and she was touched by that. "You want to put it on the wall with your art work?" I assured her I did... and then she hung it for me! I like the counterpoint between the feminine wreath and that masculine mixed-media piece. Very nice!

 

"Oh, I like that, too!"

Now, I need to get ready for Marcia to pick me up. There's no music bingo tonight because of all that FIFA soccer, but we're all still getting together for dinner. We're meeting up at Panera. I'll make sure to have a salad to offset all that rich food Smitty brought me earlier. Smoked macaroni and cheese, grilled short ribs, candied bacon... even a piece of apple pie! I haven't eaten all of it, but I've put a dent into it.

 

"I just bet you have! Okay, have fun with the girlfriends!"

not going lytely this time around

Not that I've been given a choice about which colonoscopy preparation solution I would like to toss down my gullet today.

Maybe things have changed since I last had this exploration for polyps and the solution will actually be tasty.

Somehow, I doubt it.

I think it's more a matter of different doctors having their own preferences.

Dr. Craig prescribed the SuPrep solution, so that's what the pharmacists in Charleston has sent for me.

This is to be taken twice, not once.

The first time will be at 5 PM, though I somehow doubt it will seem like a 'happy hour' cocktail.

One of the 8-ounce bottles will go into the mixing container, to be added to 8 ounces of water, then drunk.

Another two 16-ounce volumes of water are to be drunk within an hour.

Then, tomorrow, I get to repeat all that at 5 AM. 

Oh, joy.

I've already been peeing more than usual, as I haven't had anything solid to eat since dinner yesterday.

That was a delicious 'big salad' (as 'Elaine' of "Seinfeld" would order), with lots of tuna, using the Publix Makoto Honey Ginger package.

Truly was marvelous! 

Ten years ago, I drank the Go Lytely stuff and then rode the shuttle from the Savannah VA Center to the Ralph Johnson VA Hospital in Charleston, where I had the colonoscopy as well as the surgery for the carpal tunnel in my left hand.

Christina was up in Summerville, South Carolina, visiting her boyfriend, so she came to the hospital to pick me up and bring me home to Savannah.

Amazingly, she will be coming to my rescue again on Monday!

She'll be dropping off her girls for their annual camp at the Fresh Air Home at Tybee Beach, so she won't need to make a special trip to town.

i thank You, God.

And what shall I do to pass the time today in between trips to void my bladder and my intestinal tract?

Well, Comcast has given me a $1 movie rental, and I chose "Merrily We Roll Along", a musical from last year - hooray!

It's based on the eponymous Stephen Sondheim musical from 1981.

I've already watched it once and am quite pleased with Daniel Radcliffe's work.

No wonder he won a Tony for that role in 2023 when the musical was revived on Broadway - good for him!

I already had an item to help the time pass, though: a baseball game!

This will pit the Savannah Bananas against the Savannah Party Animals.

The venue is Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon... LOL!

Why does that make me giggle?

Well, it will be one of those right place, right time moments for me.

My first husband, Keith Schiller, called that town his home and I got to visit it, for the first and only time, when we returned to the States from Galeta Island in Panama.

Wouldn't it be funny if he was there watching the game, too?

Hahahaha!

another 5 for the may a*list

Yes, I'm going to go ahead and call it: no last minute movie Thursday.

With my actual birthday fast approaching, I simply have too much going on to try to fit in a movie or two.

Last week, I managed to see two movies, and the same is true for this week as it turns out.

Busy, vibrant woman, even with a hitch still in my giddy up!!!

Oh, have I told you Dr. Whipple's explanation for that?

The protrusion of the inguinal hernia into my left upper thigh distorted the muscles there for seven months until I had the surgery to repair it.

The repair put those abdominal contents safely into the Teflon mesh bag, so that was the good thing.

However, that left an empty space in those distorted thigh muscles.

The body doesn't like empty spaces, so that got filled with fluid...

which still put pressure on the thigh muscles of my right leg...

which has continued as that liquid is slowly redistributed out of that hole...

as my thigh muscles return to their former, proper, shape.

I'm finding that doing squats seems to help the best.

Now, back to the movies, shall we? 

 

So, here's what is listed on my A*List dance card on the AMC website for the week of 15 through 21 May.

I've already mentioned seeing "The Sheep Detective" with friends for Sandy's birthday.

For Tina Tuesday last week, I took myself to see "Into The Grey", primarily because I just love Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal.

What a wonderful, fast-paced, crime caper it was, too!

Their principal mission is to protect 'Mother' (Eiza Gonzalez) as she attempts to convince a mob boss to repay the money he stole from an asset management firm. 

I had hoped to see that one again, but it only stayed one week.

Then there's that third movie - the one I bought an advance ticket for but didn't get to see because the hospital didn't release me in time.

 

That worked out okay, though, as it was the first one I saw this week.

I want to state upfront that I've never seen the TV series upon which that movie is based, as it airs on a streaming service I never bought.

Even so, I never felt lost for a minute while I watched "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu".

I don't know if it's a summation of the story in the series or if it's a unique, stand-alone offering, but I very much enjoyed it!

That said, I'll know in the future when it's safe to get up and go pee during this overly long movie.

There's at least a ten-minute sequence when the bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal) is flat on his back in the forest, having been poisoned.

That means at least ten minutes of the muppet bouncing around looking cute and trying to make sure the comatose man is safe from others.

The emphasis is definitely on 'Grogu' looking cute.

Otherwise, it's a pretty nifty piece of Western-styled scifi.

Then there's Keke Palmer's latest, "I Love Boosters", which is a totally different type of science fiction!

I'd very much liked her last movie, "One Of Them Days", about two roommates who have to deal with fashion-collecting gangsters, but this one was nothing like that.

I should have noticed that Boots Riley was the writer, and that LaKeith Stanfield was also in it.

Then I would have expected the scifi shenanigans!

After all, those two were responsible for "Sorry To Bother You" several years ago, one that left an indelible mark on my memory.

Seen with the physicist, I'd loved it!!!

I liked this one, too, but the whole bit with the stealing of fashionable clothes, with Demi Moore as the designer, just didn't draw me in.

Will I watch it again if I see it on Peacock?

Most likely... I do like LaKeith.

He has such nice eyes!

(smile!)

blueberries to disperse fog...

That's what I've been told, so that's what I'm trying.

Yesterday, I ate some frozen blueberries while I was at home taking care of emails and computer stuff.

Then, when I picked up dinner from Panera - only cost me 30 cents, for a Grilled Mediterranean Veggie sandwich, thanks to AARP Reward Points - I also purchased a blueberry muffin.

That was breakfast, along with some yogurt.

Nice way to start the day on this third day of my post-surgery vacation!

After tending to my duties, off to home I went to tend to the mail, both actual and of the 'e' variety.

Then I attended my first play of spring!

Such great fun it was, too, and I laughed and laughed!

When I returned home, "Keeping Up Appearances" was recorded, so I went ahead and watched the episode, "Early Retirement".

Ah, poor Richard, pleading with his boss to stay on!

Hahahaha!

Then Rose has her new boyfriend come to fetch her from Hyacinth's house and all hell breaks out.

The man parks his big dog in the driveway and that just won't do...

and, while trying to move the dog, Hyacinth ends up being the one moved!

Hahahaha!

Thank goodness I don't have to walk Stella or she just might drag me along at this stage in my recovery.

Speaking of, I need to bounce back to Georgetown!

Later, y'all!!!

today, i went to a play!

"Good for you! That's the first one this month, isn't it?"

Of course it is. That hernia surgery really put a crimp in my style, or else I'd be going to several plays this weekend. The Savannah Stage Company has "Blackbird" at the Sentient Bean, but all performances are after 7 PM, so those are out. Savannah Arts Academy has "Six Degrees Of Separation" at the Tybee Post Theatre, but two of the three performances are at night. Not that it would matter, as it's still too far to drive for me at this time. However, there's this matinee today, by the Garrison Arts Academy, and it was at Yamacraw Performing Arts Center and that was just perfect!!! "Myth-Understood" was exactly the comedy needed to bring smiles to my face and laughter to my heart!

"Most excellent!!! Was it Roman or Greek mythology?"

It was Greek! I don't recall being into those works in the 5th and 6th grade, but these kids sure were. The two-act play was done completely by those students! I sat near a mom who had seen it last night and was back with her son's siblings so they could enjoy it, too. A family day with live theater!

"Good for her! So, tell me which stories were spoofed!"

That's just it, these were supposedly the real stories, from the very lips of the gods themselves to the two teens writing a report for their class. Hermes had fetched the girls to Mount Olympus so Zeus and Hera could bring forth the others to clarify the myths. For instance, Prometheus had been punished for stealing fire from Zeus, right? Well, what actually happened was this: Prometheus claimed to have invented fire. He was punished for lying about that.

"Oh, really?" (one eyebrow arched)

For sure, as the two girls found out. He took their phone, then claimed to have invented the phone! Later, he would claim to have invented the internet, youTube, and door-dash! Such a rampant liar! LOL! Then the girls heard the true story of how Persephones ended up with Hades in the underworld. Persephone wanted to go to hell so she could dress dark and be in a band, so she followed Hades. He didn't even know she was behind him! Then, when she got there, she found two others and they became rockers known as Queens of the Underworld! Her mom didn't like it, but Persephone did agree to come back above ground once a year to bring spring.

"Queens of the Underworld? Really?"

Yes, yes, and that's not all. When Eurydice died and went to the underworld, she became friends with them.

"Say what?"

Yeah, it turned out Orpheus was a bit of a stalker, so she deliberately stepped on a snake so she would die and get away from him. Then, you know what happened, right? He followed her down there, too! He even asked Hades to let him have her back. So Hades cut him the deal that they could be reunited if Orpheus didn't look back to make sure she was following. Ah, but Eurydice tricked him by saying, "Hey, there's Mick Jagger!" Hahahaha!

"Oh, that's funny!!! Such a nice coincidence! His name came up yesterday!"

I know! Right place, right time!

"Pretty amazing how often that bit of mythology gets plucked for retelling. I bet that tale has been told at least four times in the last decade."

Yep, that would be my count! Now, who else got to tell their side of things? Well, there was Pandora, cursed by Zeus to be overly curious, then given a jar - not a box - and told not to look inside. She got her husband to open it, so he's the one that should be blamed for all the ills of the world. LOL! Then there's the story of Medusa, who just wanted a hairdo that would stand out at school. Athena knew she was a herpetology fan, so that's why she gave Medusa a head full of snakes. Just helping a girl out, you know?

"Hahahaha! 'Be careful what you wish for!' LOL!"

The thing is, Medusa really liked the new 'do, just not all the teasing from the other kids. Then what was there? Oh, yes, a dating game spoof called "Apple of His Eye", in which Paris has to pick which goddess he favors. That's them in the seats out front: Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera. Of course, he chooses Aphrodite, who promises to make Helen of Troy fall in love with him. We all know how badly that went!

"Yep another case of someone getting what they wanted and having the world collapse all around them. So, how did the teacher like the girls' report?"

She gave them an "F"!!! She said they didn't even try to research, just "made it all up" instead. Everyone on Mount Olympus was shocked! They had listened in and thought the report was fabulous, as the girls told their truths, but I guess the world just wasn't prepared to hear that from two 11-year-olds. At least the teacher gave them a chance to make up the bad grade by trying again.

"LOL! Yes, who's gonna believe two 6th-graders? The gods must have been crazy to think that would work."

That's my guess. Now, I need to finish up here as I have places to be! Such a nice afternoon this has been!

today, i had a party on the patio

Oh, did you think the party was for me?

No, no, no! 

It was for Stella and Coco.

Every day, at 5 PM.

It's the only time either dog gets to socialize with other dogs, so it's important.

I'd gone home earlier to give Stella a break and to take care of the mail and such.

However, I forewent the Friday Fiesta to make sure I'd be in Georgetown on time.

Sure, I got to socialize with Susan and her husband, Terry, on the patio behind their house.

We listened to WRHQ as we chatted and swatted at sand gnats and discussed Mick Jagger's age.

I don't know how it started, but I did my spiel about him and Keith Richards, then said they would both be 74 this year.

Lol! Susan is 71 and she knew they had to be at least ten years older than her!

She was correct, of course.

Perhaps I would have done better using the information learned from "Sad Animal Facts".

Take this one: "An alligator's brain weighs less than an Oreo [cookie]."

As Brooke Barton cites in the prologue, a 400-pound alligator has a brain that weighs 8 grams.

Lets make the units of measure coincide, shall we?

Then, a 181,600 gram alligator has a brain that weighs 8 grams.

That's a much scarier fact, isn't it?

It certainly shivers my timbers.

(smile!)

The weather, however, isn't scary at all for the next seven days.

Warm, warm, warm, with blue skies all the way!

Yes, I do believe I will regard this as my post-surgery vacation.

It won't be a stay-cation because I'm not at my house.

And I will be waking up somewhere different, as I did this morning.

"Post-surgery vacation" - I do like the sound of that!

The fact that I'm dog-sitting is simply one of the activities for this trip.

Very nice perspective, right?

Now, I have movies to watch: "Indiana Jones And The Ark Of The Covenant", "Monsters, Inc.", and "Point Break".

Sweet dreams for me! 

right foot, left foot

It's 0555 in the morning and here I stand.

I'm in one of the pre-surgery prep rooms here at Memorial Hospital.

Allie left me here to put on the compression socks and slipper socks myself.

Of course, that means the left foot is clad and the right one... well, I've already let her know that I cannot contort to do that one, so she'll have to for me.

I don't think she really understands the ramifications of someone having an inguinal hernia.

At least I won't have it much longer.

final friday fiesta of march

I was the last one to arrive, and, somehow, that put me at the other end of the table... I wonder who might have orchestrated that?

My guess is it was my sister-in-law, Laura!

See, this time, I had to sit down by Mark.

Get the picture?

I wanted to make sure she knew I was onto her conniving!

That's why I ordered the Tacos Pancho, the dish she has ordered many times over the last two years.

Grilled shrimp, cabbage, and a great sauce - very delicious!

However, it was also $5 per taco, so the joke was on me!!!

That's okay, I needed to talk to Mark anyway.

See, two weeks ago, he'd been absent because he was helping his boss replace stadium lighting for a high school football field in Bluffton.

That's what he told me last week, right?

So, tonight, I made sure to get the business card for Kintz Electric.

I got the info for Jimmy's boss, too, at OECI. 

I'm passing that along to AMC in the survey that's waiting at home for me.

Hopefully, those dark parking lots at the cinema will become a thing of the past and I'll feel safer about going to night-time A*List movies.

I bet those lights have been out for as long as I've had this hernia!!!

Speaking of which, I checked the weather for next week.

The WSAV weather song shows a dip for tomorrow, but that's followed by steady increases in the temperature.

By the time the hernia repair surgery date arrives on Wednesday, I'll be blessed with blue skies and warm days!

i thank You, God!

Now, I'm going to watch a movie reward from Comcast.

Yes, it's time for me to have a $1 Movie Night again!!!

I wonder what I'll find to catch my fancy?

(smile!) 

surprise! chili cookoff!!!

There I was at the Savannah VA Center for my first meeting with my new PCP, LPN Tiffiny Duchene.

All went well, too, and she was thrilled with my lab results!

Total cholesterol was just 153, my TSH was right where it should be, and even my Vitamin D level was good.

Plus, my blood pressure was 124/82, so that was good, too.

I told her about the increased tremor in my left hand and asked her about changing my blood pressure med from Ramipril to Lisinipril - done!

I told her about some of my moles being crusty and dark and asked if I could get a dermatology consult - yes, she would do that!

I told her about the upcoming hernia repair and those appointments and she made sure those were reflected on my chart.

I even asked her about getting a temporary handicapped parking permit because of that inguinal hernia... and she'll have it for me next week!

Wow!

I felt like I'd just visited my fairy godmother!

Then I went to the desk to make my appointment to see her again in the fall and wound up invited to the chili cookoff that was going on.

How about that!

As shown above, there were four contenders, so I used different little cups and spoons for each to keep from affecting the tastes. 

The first was a bit bland, but had beans and some beef.

The second had a good mix of beef and beans, as well as cumin and cocoa!

The third was a traditional chili, with plenty of heat as well as corn.

The fourth had a lot of beef in a thinner broth; as I told the other two people, it would be very good on garlic toast!

After I voted for my three favorites, I was invited to stay and have lunch.

My bowl had mostly #2, but with a dollop of #3 to spice it up.

Very nice!

And the nurse who made #4 gave me a cup of it for home so I could try it out on toast!

How very kind of her!

Now, I'm off to see the latest McKenna Grace movie, "Slanted", which looks to be science fiction with teens.

Hope it's a good one!

parting gift from my nutritionist

When I went in to the Savannah VA Center for the meeting with Elizabeth Carley, I had been expecting the news would not be good.

I knew my weight would be up.

Between the inguinal hernia pain and cold weather, I had not been moving as much and had been eating more comfort foods.

I had no idea that she was leaving.

She has a more exciting job working with a new company in New York.

In true form, she had made plans for switching me to a new specialist, but wanted to discuss the options with me first.

Such a professional with a heart she is!

But she did one thing that my new PCP, Tiffiny Duchene, should have: she followed up on the Community Care I was supposed to have received in December.

Elizabeth found out I was to have started that on December 23, 2025.

Instead, I had not yet heard from the local surgeon who was to repair the inguinal hernia that's been paining me since mid-August.

Elizabeth wrote down all the information: the phone number, name, and address of the clinic as well as the Community Care Authorization number issued by the Ralph Johnson VA Hospital in Charleston.

I called the Surgical and Bariatric Care clinic at Memorial Hospital as soon as I got home that day.

They didn't have the paperwork from Charleston, but would call them.

I immediately went into VA Health's website and sent messages to the Community Care in Charleston and also to PCP Duchene.

That was on a Thursday.

I waited until Tuesday, February 17th, and called the clinic again.

Yes, they had the VA CCN!!!

The first available appointment was March 3rd.

Later than I'd hoped, but it was still more progress than I'd had!

Today, I was at the office of Dr. Oliver Whipple thirty minutes ahead of time.

I'd spent forty minutes on Sunday night filling in all the paperwork for the online check-in, plus I'd filled in the eight pages sent to me two weeks ago. 

I gave him the disk with my CT scan - from November 18th - as well as all that paperwork, then we talked.

Mostly, we talked about my previous surgeries over the years, but in particular about the cardiac ablations I've had.

After a talk with Marsha, the one in charge of surgery scheduling, I walked out with pre-surgery paperwork, though a date for that hernia repair has not yet been set.

First, they have to get clearance from my heart doc, but that should not be an issue after the results from the heart monitor study.

Dr. Whipple liked that Dr. Cobb was down to seeing me every 6 months; that's a very good thing!

However, the biggest hurdle to a surgery date is Dr. Whipple's upcoming two-week vacation coming up... after next week.

Timing is everything.

So, now, it looks like I won't have the hernia repair until late April.

Then, there will be about three weeks of recovery, they say.

Dr. Whipple told me he will be using a robot-assisted laparoscopic technique to remove all the scar tissues in my abdomen, starting from the ribcage down to the right groin, then insert a mesh pocket to hold the abdominal contents in place.

I'm hoping that will all go as planned.

He was surprised when he heard about the scar from my tubal ligation, then surprised again when I told him about my Polar Express from the hysterectomy.

I just wanted him to be forewarned about all that scar tissue, and the adhesions from three abdominal surgeries, waiting inside.

I'm not looking forward to the surgery, but I can't wait to be rid of the pain I've had for more than six months. 

None of this would even be in progress without the aid of my nutritionist, Elizabeth, taking action on my behalf.

My gratitude to her.

I sure am going to miss her.

squeeeEEEAAaaak

Last evening, I logged into the VA Health website and left the following message to the Community Care representative in Charleston.

I also copied the message and sent it to my new PCP here.

 

"More than two months ago, I was issued a Community Care Referral (VAxxxxx) to Memorial Hospital in Savannah to have surgery to repair an inguinal hernia.
To date, I have not yet received a call from them to schedule the surgery.
When I called them last Thursday, I was not called back.
When I called them today, they had no record of the CC Referral.
I gave them the Referral number but they did not have it and I was told they would call Ralph Johnson VA Hospital to request it be resent to them.
The phone number for Memorial Health Surgical & Bariatric Center is 912-350-3438.
They suggested that Community Care in Charleston may have an incorrect fax number for their clinic.
Please contact them. 

I need to have this surgery that I've waited for so long.
Thank you."

 

Amazingly, I had a call from that clinic at Memorial early this afternoon!

I now have an appointment for a surgical consult on March 3rd!!!

That's definite progress after frustrating months of sitting idle.

 

And look at this: I won a 10-dollar gift card for Macy's on AARP!

Once a day, I can play for a gift card for 50 of my AARP Reward Points.

This time, I was fortunate enough to win!

I think I'll take another chance and sign up for some volunteer gigs downtown.

The Savannah Music Festival opened the portal moments ago for us to choose which concerts we'd like to usher.

I've chosen four, to start.

3/26: NOON30: Alicia Olatuja & Christian Sands - Shift 11:30-2pm
3/28: Sarod Trio w/ Maestro Amjad Ali Khan - Shift 1:30-4:45pm
4/3: Noon30: Darrell Scott & Rob Ickes - Shift 11:30-2pm
4/4: NOON30: Le Vent du Nord - Shift 11:30-2pm

Those are all nnon30s except one in early afternoon.

I'm hoping for close parking spaces, so I won't have far to hobble.

What a relief to have progress!

Now, I'm going to settle in and watch "The Notebook".

Comcast gave it to me as a reward for Valentine's Day.

Watching Ryan Gosling and James Garner seems like the right thing to do to celebrate these welcome changes!

(smile!) 

the verdict from the pcp: surgery

Remember that I was awaiting a phone consultation about my inguinal hernia with my new PCP? 

She called while I was at the hospital with Christina and family for the birth of Chelsea's little girl.

I took the call, of course, stepping into the bathroom for privacy.

The call lasted all of 11 minutes.

I tried to impress upon RN Tiffiny Duchene the need for surgery sooner rather than later.

I tried to impress upon RN Tiffiny Duchene that I had already discussed the CT Scan results with Dr. Oberle there at the Savannah VA Center.

I tried to impress upon RN Tiffiny Duchene the fear that I have of all this acetaminophen doing damage to my liver.

I tried to impress upon RN Tiffiny Duchene that I have already been experiencing pain since mid-August, when the hernia must have occurred.

She tried to reassure me that she was there for me, that the Community Care request for the surgery to be done in Savannah had been approved, that my liver would be okay as long as I didn't exceed 3000 mg per day of  acetaminophen.

The upshot is this: I continue to wait, in pain, living for the better days.

Please, let this not drag on into 2026.

news from Michigan

As I mentioned before, the ex is going to have to get his gallbladder evicted in the near future. I had requested to be kept in the loop and he's been doing a great job of that, I'm pleased to say.
The following are our "talks" (textings) for the past few days about the topic, as well as ramblings about others.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Thursday, January 2, about 1:30 until 2 in the afternoon:

ex: Chemical stress test set for two days next week. Back on the high blood pressure medication, too.
me: My my. You have a busy schedule. Wish it was for better things.
ex: At least there are generic versions of the medication now, 4 bucks a month, not $70.
me: Def a better deal! Which one is it? What about cholesterol meds?
ex: Lopressor. That and baby aspirin. That's all he gave me.
me: Thats good. Those are the only ones you take these days? i guess your blood work has greatly imporved. That is good.
ex: Um...this is the first time I've seen a cardiologist, or any kind of doctor, since I left Savannah. My life has been pill free. maybe not smart, but it is what it is.
me: THAT is what I thought. Playing with fire. Seriously. At least you DID go to the doctor now. You must have been really hurting.
ex: This is all fallout from the pancreatitis. The GI specialist wanted me to get a stress test, given my background, before the cholecystectomy.
me: I realize that. I just looked up that word - i hadn't remembered the gallbladder removal having such an odd name.
ex: It IS weird, isn't it?
me: Yeah. sounds super scary. Not that nay surgery isn't scary.
ex: Yeah, I'm not looking forward to it.
me: Great website is www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus - great data.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Thursday, 9 Jan (about 1 pm)

ex: My first stress test today. Injected with radioactive dye, told to go out and get a greasy burger and fries and then come back to go into an MRI. Doing it again Monday.
me: What a dream come true: the doc sanctioning that meal! lol.
ex: It actually made me angry and confused. "This is the shit you have been trying to get me off of." I've been eating whole wheat toast, yogurt, and hard boiled eggs for a month.
me: I would have thought they would say more vegetables.
ex: That too. Broccoli primarily.
me: Well, keep me posted, please.


*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Friday, 10 Jan (starting about 9:25 AM, going about 40 minutes)

me: Did you know that pimiento is a type of red bell pepper?
ex: That makes sense. Pimenton, a kind of smoked paprika, is quite peppery.
me: And the same bacteria that makes penicillin also makes bleu cheese?
ex: Funny then I'm not alllergic to blue chees. If I was, just kill me.
me: Things I learn on Cash Cab. :)
ex: G_d damn it I miss that show. I used to hang out at a bar at happy hour that used to watch that show.
me: I try to make sure I am up at nine AM so i can watch with my coffee. Did the fatty meal upset your gallbladder?
ex: I weren't right that day. I'm not sure why. That burger didn't agree with me but it wasn't a gallbladder episode. I felt a vein in my head throbbing for a while off and on but I doubt it was the burger and felt more like it could have been that radioactive dye.
me: Could have been. Did you call the doc to report it?
ex: I didn't really notice it until after hours.
me: Well, it is good to let them know so they can keep a record of it. You know, when I was having the gallbladder issue, a meal like tat would have had me up at two AM throwing up and diarrhea. Remember?
ex: All I remember from the later years is broccoli slaw as sir fry :-)
me: I am talking about the Buddy's pizza incidents when we visited your mom.
ex: This was before you had it out? I have to admit, all I remember is being with you in the hospital post surgery.
me: Well you do sleep like the dead so i guess my repeated trips to the bathroom didn't wake you.
ex: You may be right.
me: Like Billy Joel says.
ex: I thought about singing that!
me: :-)


*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Monday, 13 Jan (just before 3 pm)

ex: hello dear. I just got back from the dctor's office an hour ago. The doctor will discuss the test results with me in about a week, the technician said.
me: Wow. The bad thing about working with specialists is all of the wait time involved. How are you feeling?
ex: I feel fine. Remember, this is just a precaution that the GO doctor thought might be prudent before going after the gallbladder. It wasn't brought about by any pain I was feeling.
me: I was thinking more about gallbladder pain. :-)
ex: No more flare ups. I wonder if I should go this alone and say f*k the surgery.
me: NO. You need to know what your body is doing. Seriously. Please.


*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Tuesday afternoon (14 Jan, from about 3:30 to 4:15 pm)

me: Knock knock.
ex: Who's there?
me: Irish stew.
ex: Irish stew who?
me: Irish stew in the name of the law!
ex: You have to sound it out and think about it for a second but it's good!
me: I thought so too! I heard it in a Jacki Chan movie today and had to rush and write it down.
ex: It makes me think of Sean Connery as Malone in The Untouchables.
me: The movei was The Spy Next Door. Guess you could stretch that into a link with Sean!
ex: No shit. Which one? One of his older ones or one of his newer ones?
me: It must be old. It was on the tv guide channel this morning.
ex: I don't know that one.
me: It was very funny and brought to mind Adventures in Babysitting.
ex: Or was it on TV quickly becasue it was awful. IMDB, Rotten Totatoes, and metacritic all agree that this was a real stinker. Was it straight to video, I wonder?
me: That i do not know. Lots of kid time in it.
ex: I'm seeing the term "family film" attached to this. Not much of Jackie's famous chop socky?
me: Oh yeah! He is the spy who is newly dating a woman with three kids.
ex: I see also that the two biggest stars besides him are Billy Ray Cyrus and George Lopez. Nnnnnnnnn.
me: Oh! That's who that was! Billy was Jackie's sidekick spy. Looked like he was wearing a bad wig.
ex: He's always looked like he was wearing a bad wig. :-) I should talk. I was rocking the "Billy Ray with a perm" look for our wedding.
me: :-)
ex: I don't recall that you went with me to Claxton for that itty bitty circus. Who took the picture of me on their elephant? Did I have a camera at one point that I would have given to somebody to use?
me: That was me. I was there too!
ex: Because I remember that that was in the early evening of a weekday. Unless I'm wrong.
me: Not sure about the time of day. But i recall you riding down the street on that elephant. :-)
ex: I wasn't about to get myself into another situation like the one with Ringling Brothers. :-P
ex: Are you sure? I;m thinking that the only reason I consented to ride another elephant was because it was only going to be a few dozen feet from where I started to the tent.
me: Well... I may be confusing the two times.
ex: Ringling Brothers was early morning, up Louisville Road. You actually wrote a caption on the picture with the name of the other circus. Wow, I'm confused on how all of this could have come about.
me: Beats me. Maybe someone at the station took the pic.
ex: We may never know.
me: 4 realz. :-)


Well, enough of this for now!
One of the nice things about texting is this: I can look back at the conversations, mush like reading a letter, remember things I might have missed in the frenzy of response.
However, my phone only allows so much storage of old texts and saved voice messages and memorable photos. And I have found, in the past, that if I don't take care of deleting some things, my phone will arbitrarily clear out a block to make way for new stuff. Or I will hit a wrong key and lose some important items. Yikes! That's how I lost three text messages I had been saving from Sam.
Perhaps that is my reason for leaving these scribblings in the sand...
Thank you, my dear beach.

bad gallbladder! BAD!

The conversation had begun on the 16th, late at night. As is usual for him, he broke the topic with a cryptic text: "They gave you your gallstones after the surgery, right?"
Apropos of nothing, out of the blue, no precursor.
So, I texted back that I thought they did, what's up? Eventually, I tired of texting and made sure he knew he could call if he wanted to talk.
So, he did.
And we talked for over an hour, until the clock had gone into the hours of the next day.
He had been having intestinal problems. They thought initially that it was pancreatitis, but eventually ruled that out. Now, they were thinking gallbladder. Testing had confirmed that his bile storage unit, aka gallbladder, was full of gallstones and no longer functional.
Not a big deal, I had assured him. The surgery was laparoscopic, so there would be a few small scars and some extra gas for a while, but moving around would not be an issue. The bigger problem, I had told him, would be recovery from the anesthesia. Especially as we age, that recovery time lengthens into ridiculous spans and includes no decision making for up to a week.
He hadn't recalled that recovery from going under had been an issue for him when he had the four stents placed into his heart (two in February 2004, two more in February 2007). I told him that perhaps he had not, but that he should expect to now as he was now older.
I don't think he cared for that, but, as he would say, "there it is".
He was mostly bummed out that he would not be making his usual drive south to visit his daughters during the holidays. His consultation with the gastrointestinal surgeon was slated for the day after Christmas. So, he could drive down, but would miss seeing the girls on Christmas Day as that day would be needed for the return drive.
Also, I don't know that he would have been physically able to perform that 17-hour drive in his current condition.
I don't think he wanted to admit that aloud, true or not.
So, in Michigan he would remain this December.
His 49-for-the-first-time birthday was last Friday, the 20th. I sent him a text, knowing he would be at work and not answering his phone. I then sent a few reminders to folks about his birthday and then hooked up with my first niece and her family for a last night with their three foster children.

Last Sunday, I was awakended at 5:30 AM with diarrhea.
I rushed to the bathroom, barely making it in time. Afterward, I got back in bed and had just snuggled into the warmth when I had to rush out of bed again. And again.
Continuously.
Then, at 8:00 AM, my body added vomiting to the repertoire.
Thank God for the little plastic trashcan by the toilet.
After that, it was repeat, repeat, repeat.
I have no idea where my body was still getting the stuff it was spewing out of me.
All I could think was: I haven't been this ill since my gallbladder went bad six years ago.
Same symptoms, same nasty results.
Was this what he had been going through, too? Most likely. Given the fatty foods he loads into his diet, I was sure his body had been as violently rejective of input as mine was being.

The physicist texted me later on Sunday night.
bfe: Yo! You be going to Odd Lot tomorrow?
me: I certainly plan to do so. Have been crazy sick today.
bfe: That's not good. if your nose is running I hope you catch it! ha ha.
me: Thank you. My nose is fine. It is my stomach and digestive tract that have had me running to the toilet since 5 AM. Hope it is just 24 hour. Going to try to sleep again.
bfe: I'll check with you tomorrow to see how you are feeling. Get some good sleep and rest Faustina. Have pleasant dreams and feel better.

On the 23rd (i.e., the next afternoon), he did check back in;
bfe: Hey, Faustina, how ya feeling? I know how much it sucks to be sick.
me: Better. Mostly been sleeping a lot. Had some chicken soup and it stayed so that is good. :) That was five hours ago. Making some pasta now.
bfe: Sounds like you might have had a bought with da flu. :( It both is good and it sucks to get sick on your own time.
me: Possible but i may also have overloaded my system on fat at a Christmas party Saturday night.
bfe: Ever since I texted you yesterday my nose has been running. And I have been sneezy. Did I catch something from texting you yesterday?
me: My NOSE is fine. :) I just need to be more mindful of beef and chocolate and such.
bfe: Oh, that's not good for you at all. I'll look on eBay and see if we can find you a gently used gall bladder.
me: I am still not sure about Odd Lot tonight. Are you going?
bfe: I was thinking of going but I am going to pass. A cursory search on ebay has not turned anything up so far.
me: Drats. I think the sale of body parts is discouraged. At least in this country.
bfe: Marilyn Monroe had gall bladder surgery.
me: Really? i wonder how old she was. I was 49 when i had my gall bladder evicted.
bfe: She was 34 years old when her gall bladder was removed. Joe DiMagio was standing by.
me: That was sweet. Sorry to hear about your nose. :(
bfe: It's ok... More annoying than anything else.

Odd. I hadn't mentioned my symptoms as being those of a gallbladder in distress, but the topic had risen of its own accord. From flu to gallbladder distress in one fell swoop. Oh, and some Marilyn thrown in, too, as we must remember at all times about the thirteen-year-old boy.
(Smile.)
So, back to the topic at hand: the ex's dilemma.
Today, the day of his GI surgical consult, I waited for his result. I didn't want to text him, partly because I had no idea what time he was to see the doctor. Better to wait for his call or text.
Finally, at 5:45 this afternoon, word came.
ex: Cardiac stress echo scheduled for January 2nd. Wants to make sure there are no surprises, given my medical history.
me: What about the gallbladder surgery? When is it scheduled?
ex: One thing at a time.
me: Well, at least it will be after the new year. What kinds of tests are to be done?
ex: Stress echo, just like I used to have at Hardigan's office.
me: Have you talked to Auntie about all this?
ex: Thursday, I think. Her card played that hamster song you used to adore! And thank you for the tree, honey.
me: You are very welcome. And don't use energy worrying about the cardiac test this next week.
ex: I'm not worried about that. Stress echo? I can do that in my sleep.

He probably can. He's had lots of practice these past ten years.
I hope all will go well.
I really do.

feeling taller

No more pap smears! Woohoo! The doc looked under the hood today and declared me good to go! Whew!
Very good to know. On January 2nd, I had a sneezing marathon and pulled an abdominal muscle. I was in SUCH pain. It was bad. I was popping 800 mg ibuprofens like they were manna from heaven. I limited myself to no more than two a day, but sometimes, a third one would sound like a really good idea. The pain went on for a week and then, one fine day, I woke up and the worst of the pain was gone. I still had an ache, but at least I didn't feel crippled by the monster.
I had wondered if I should return to the doc, have him check around and make sure all was well. After all, the day of the sneezing fit was just shy of three weeks post-surgery. But I told myself that if my bowels still worked as they should, then I had pulled a muscle, not anything more serious, so going to the doc wouldn't help. If the bowels were NOT working, then I would have to go and see what I had damaged by my full-body sneezes. And my bowels DID work, so I kept to an ibuprofen regimen until all was much better.
I did mention all of that to the doc today and he listened and seemed to indicate that I had done the right thing. And all checked out just fine - I'm "all healed up!" he said! I just have to remember to "go slow and easy" for a while, listen to my body, let it tell me when I've pushed too hard.
I can do that. Hey, did I tell you I feel taller? I do!

so, i sez to the doc

Dearest Mama,
A week ago Wednesday, the railroad ties were removed from my traintrack. No one had said anything to me about any anesthesia and the procedure was to be done in the doctor's office. As a preemptive measure, I took an 800 mg ibuprofen, just to dull the edges of any forthcoming pain.
As I was lying on the table, the doc told me the staples were definitely ready to be taken off. My body was hard at work rejecting them, pushing with all the strength the surrounding cells could muster. I told him I was regarding the site as my personal Polar Express traintrack. He paused and looked at me and said he had never heard anyone refer to it as that, but he liked it because that story was one of his family's favorites. I told him it had been one of yours as well.
So, he starts removing hardware. And removes more, moving from one side of me to the other to get a better grip on some of them. I ask what will be done with the staples and he asks if I would like them. After the briefest pause, during which I wondered if he might think me mad, I replied "sure!" Then I mentioned that I had some nephews who might get a kick out of them, but really, truly... I wanted them for ME. I wanted to be able to hold them and count them and examine them, these bits of metal which had been protecting the sutured site beneath.
Eventually, the doc tells me that the last few might hurt a little. He was impressed that I had taken measures beforehand to minimize any pain. Then he set to work, freeing those just above the pubes. Sure enough, that DID hurt, but not overly so. When he asked me if I was okay with the pain, I told him the truth: it really wasn't that much different from plucking hairs from my chin. He looked at me to see if perhaps I was joking, saw that I wasn't, and told me he had never had a patient tell him that before, either. I thought it a good comparison to liken the staple removal to facial hair maintenance. It certainly made the whole procedure more tolerable and put it into the proper perspective. You know?
All in all, not a bad experience. I think this gyn doc (David Byck, who is also Susan's gyn) has a different impression of me now and I hope he might share it with his wife, who just happens to be MY general doc. She'll get a kick out of my revelations!
That's all for now. I just wanted to share that story with you before it dimmed from memory. I know how you always loved my stories!
miss you still and love you always

postscript: In case you wondered, there were fifty-seven bird-shaped staples removed. Those silver birds are now safely caged for display!