Wednesday April 27 2022

No Stars In My Eyes, LPN · Apr 27, 2022

Another nice sunny, warm-but-not-too-warm day. Nannie looks out the window beside her recliner and about 47 times a day she says, "Boy, that sun is BRIGHT!" [Yuh, well, do you want the curtains closed?]....no... "But that sun shines so strong off the wrought-iron (painted white) chairs!" [Should we move the chairs?] ...no...[Do you need some sunglasses?] ...no... [OY! Reckon she'll just have to squint!] ?‍♀️

Yesterday afternoon the wind was so vigorous that it blew around 3 days worth of collected pollen all over the place. We actually though at one point that it was misting rain, but it was actually CLOUDS of pollen! It really was something to see! And though I don't have ANY Spring allergies (like 99% of the time) my eyes were itching and watering. I finally had to come inside and hit some allergy eyedrops. I don't think I've ever seen pollen-showers like that!

Hubby wanted to put a crockpot together for tonight and we didn't have all the veggies he wanted to add, thank goodness. I don't understand why he thinks the crockpot has to go all night and all the next day. Anyway, I got up early and went to the store to get the rest of his ingredients. He kept asking me, "Do you want some _____ added? What about ____? Do you think it would be good to put ____ in the pot?" You know what I said? I said, to each item he asked about, "Yes, fine, okay, whatever you want to put in there, add it." Unlike when *I* make a crockpot, whence he wants to add more to MY recipe and I have to tell him, "No-no-no-no... this is MY crockpot recipe!" We are using some leftover beef BBQ as the meat base, and he's adding about every carb-heavy veggie there is! It will be more 'stew' than 'soup', and quite filling. There's flaky biscuits and cornbread, too. (I don't care for cornbread much.) So later tonight we will waddle to the den and watch the ballgame and burp a lot. Don't expect the rumbling toots of gassiness will set in until tomorrow. Good thing my sense of smell ain't whudit 'usta be!

j22, Did you have an MRI of your hips or just a cat-scan or xray? IMHO, there's gotta be something going on that hasn't been found yet! I went through all that PT stuff first, too, and it would help for a little while, but it wasn't until they found the 'growth' pressing on T-4, T-5 spinal nerve and 'scraped it off' that the sciatic pain on the right side calmed down and went away.

Notice how well I remember medical terminology now that I am out of nursing?! I can't think of what they called the growth, nor can I remember the name of the procedure! It is a bit embarrassing to sound like a civilian!

Step-dgt's update: At home now and is on the same med as she was on before but the dose has been increased. She has an appt for after she's been on the increased dose for a week, to see if it is working well , or to see if she needs it increased some more. Don't know what it is, though. She is s'posta call hubby later and tell him the name of the med. (?A huge, honkin' dose of Thorazine, maybe?? I am SO bad!)

Welp, nuthin' more is going on here except for the sun being so bright....Uh-huh, it sure is!

TA!

Editorial Team / Admin · Apr 27, 2022

Hello all!

We were up early and on the road by around 7, to arrive at the cemetery a little after 8. Service was supposed to begin at 9, and not knowing what the morning traffic would be like, we set out early. We were the first ones at the graveside area, followed a few minutes later by the minister. Family arrived 20 min or so before the service. It was a small service -- only family, and probably 20 ppl. We did our music (one song at beginning, one at the end) and got to visit with our friends a little (it was her mom who had died; we are friends through bluegrass circles). We were invited to the family lunch, to follow the service, but we declined, so we could head home to feed the cats. Our herd of cats is used to eating *around* a certain time every day, and dh doesn't like to vary that by much.

Anyway, we are home now. May take a nap later. Will finish off the Greek lentil soup tonight. May make something different tomorrow.

Good health to you all!

No Stars In My Eyes, LPN · Apr 27, 2022

Hubby just said he was going somewhere to see some cats that someone told him about, at a shelter! We have thought about Maine Coon or Ragdoll cat(s). But for him to just say that out loud in front of Nannie kind of shocked me. He said he wouldn't bring a cat home without me seeing it first, too. I said, "Where are you going to put the litter box?" Not hard to guess where he said it would go.....in my room.

I would kind of rather have a cat that's little older, like one needing re-homing, than a young kitten, but we'll see what he comes up with. This is an interesting turn of events, I think. I'm not sure how Nannie feels about it, but maybe she'll have to get used to it! He really wants (and I think he NEEDS) a pet to cuddle with. (Ozzie wasn't much of a cuddler.)

UPDATE: It wasn't a shelter he went to and the guy there said they didn't adopt animals out. Huh! Hubby said there IS an animal shelter "not too far away", and that we could get someone to sit with Nannie and both of us could go and look, on another day. He said he wasn't looking to 'buy' anything today, any way.

By the way....

"That sun sure is bright out there, isn't it!"

Editorial Team / Admin · Apr 27, 2022

No Stars, agree: interesting development re: considering getting a cat! Keep us informed! (yes, the sun IS bright out there!)

Ado Annie, ASN, RN · Apr 27, 2022

Stars, that sun is definitely bright. A cat sounds interesting, and at least one of mine likes to cuddle. The other one does, but only when it's his idea. Maine Coon cats are gorgeously huge.

Stepson made it in and promptly headed off to a friend's house (good for him; I'm not complaining). Hubs left his wallet in the jeep that I drove to work today (maybe it's his turn for an ADHD week) and came to pick it up. Griped to me about Twins A and B not keeping an eye on his mother when he goes out to "get work done" in the garage. Part of me wants to remind him that they did not sign on to babysit their grandmother. He wants to have her here, he can by golly do the grandma-sitting. This time, he found crushed coke cans in her pockets that she got out of our recycling bin. But he doesn't see why he should have to always be the one to keep an eye on her when 2 able-bodied young men are present. Twin A goes back to work tomorrow.

I'm in a panic-mode effort of figuring out chart abstractions and "population and sampling" and ED throughput for CMS. Funny how all the people who are supposed to assist and support me in this are suddenly not available. Can't really accomplish any more today without some additional info that I'm relying on someone else to provide, so I'll just hit it again tomorrow and try to bulldoze through it.

Hope you all have a good evening.

Editorial Team / Admin · Apr 27, 2022

The crazy cat lady says, "Get a cat! Then get another cat to keep him company!"

I have four... 2 with special needs. And I love them all to pieces.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Apr 28, 2022

Yeah that son sure is bright.

Stars, hope you get an acceptable cat and one that likes to cuddle.

Work was okay. My orientee is in her final weeks and doing a lot of the work, but we're busy.