Wednesday August 24 2022

Tweety, BSN, RN · Aug 24, 2022

Good morning!

Joe, hope the cat is okay.

I was talking with my doctor that my new sleeping regimen seems to be working well, even said so to best friend who asked and of course last night I couldn't sleep. Kind of like the day before I got covid I posted to a WaPo article about people that never got covid saying I'd never had it.

True story. Once at work a coworker was talking about a flat tire she got on the way to work and I mentioned "gee I haven't had a flat in years, but I do know how to change one" and got to the parking lot after work and had a flat.

I'm paranoid to throw good karma out there, or to even count my blessings.
Feeling a bit nauseated today. Maybe the Italian sausage sandwich I had at the Italian market was a bit much for my usually vegan gut. It was good though.

On load #3 of laundry, mopped, and cleaned the bathrooms since I couldn't sleep and got out of bed at 5AM.

My debit card was messed up and I called yesterday and they fixed it. I used it at the Italian market but it got denied at the movies. I think I might just go to the bank and talk to someone in person while I'm out. I'll try it one more time at the grocery store. Very annoying.

Ado Annie, ASN, RN · Aug 24, 2022

Joe, I hope the cat's OK and the vet not too $$. Both my cats are due for some checkup/services and I've been putting it off.

Tweety, I have almost the opposite paranoia, as if I had better acknowledge and be grateful for my blessings or they'll be taken away. It is not a very trusting or faith-full way of thinking, and it's not rational, but there it is.

Hubs picked up the convertible yesterday and we drove it to actually go to a bar and see live music (don't faint that Hubs actually suggested going out!). Only because one of the guys that plays with them sometimes was playing. He's very talented, and it was quite good.

Choir practice this evening. I think Hubs might come with me... unless his mood swings again.

Tried the gabapentin last night, curious about how sedating it would be. I couldn't really tell that it did much; I still itched and ached and never felt groggy, but I did sleep better than usual.

Editorial Team / Admin · Aug 24, 2022

Hello all!

Awwww, so sorry your cat is not feeling well, Joe. That is always worrisome, especially if there is no clear cause. Sad you will miss the convention; hope the cat improves.

Tweety, hope your stomach feels better. And yes, just when we think we have a good sleep pattern, it changes!! Hope you got your card straightened out. We have a gas card, of which each of the kids has a copy and permission to use. Sometimes when youngest uses it in the state in which he lives, the bank will put a "hold" on it while they email me for clearance for that purchase. All in the interest of preventing fraudulent use, I understand that. But when my first clue that I have received such an email and hold, is that my card is declined when I'm getting gas? It is quite irritating. The fix is simple, it's just -- I hate the surprise!

Ado, live music is always fun! And wow, a convertible!! Fancy! We do acoustic music, and have had people walk up to listen, then look around and exclaim, "what, no midi or any amplifiers??" Nope! Glad you enjoyed the music!

Lazy day yesterday but I did go for a walk with my friend S. Slept OK. Today is -- hmmmm, not sure what to do today. I have a couple projects pending. May go to the HFS for some vitamins. Need to do a load of laundry. SO exciting!!

Have a good day!

Ado Annie, ASN, RN · Aug 24, 2022

dianah, I agree that it's frustrating to have your card declined as your first clue that they're concerned about fraud, even if it's easy to fix with a phone call. Ugh.

The convertible (it's a 2005? Sebring) belonged to my next door neighbor who passed away in January. Hubs bought it from her son but it needed major engine work so we just got it back and running. We're having mild weather and it was fun to take a drive. My cousin, who Hubs goes to play music with, told Hubs to check out the venue for him because he doesn't want to go if it's too loud. I thought it wasn't too bad but one mike was a bit loud so Hubs will probably tell Cousin Bill that it's too loud.

Today one of the local credit unions provided lunch for the hospital employees. It's from chick-fil-a and included a nice salad and nice fruit. Makes me think of my son telling me that someone at the zoo was tone deaf because they had chick-fil-a supply food for a Pride event. ? We don't have a chick-fil-a in town and while I like the food OK I wouldn't go out of my way to get it. I gave up trying to boycott businesses based on politics because (a) it's hard to be really consistent, and (b) I love Papa John's pizza (though we don't have that here in town either). But, like I said, I don't go out of my way to get it. The Baptist church has started having a chick-fil-a food truck come to their parking lot on Fridays. This I'm hesitant to support because I do think there's some political motivation behind it. But if I were with a group that wanted to go there I wouldn't make a fuss. Oh, well, enough of my ruminations about chicken.

nursej22, MSN, RN · Aug 24, 2022

Good morning.

Joe, I hope your kitty is okay. Yes, vet visits can be pricey, especially if many diagnostics need to be done.

Yes, I've had the frustration of a declined card. There was a local gas station that was notorious for locking out your card, but unfortunately, it was one of the cheaper ones. I got locked out one night after attending a class in Seattle, My intention was to spend the night in a motel because I had an early exam in the morning. I lost my car in the giant parking lot at the University of Washington, in the dark and pouring rain. Then I I stopped for gas, and when I got to the motel my card wouldn't work to let me check in. I was just about in tears because my cell phone was drowned. The nice clerk let me call long-distance to reach hubby for the credit card number.

I've never had Chik-fil-a. The nearest one is about 50 miles away, and I keep forgetting to stop and try it to see what all the fuss is about. Yes, odd to see that brand at a gay celebration.

I have a half day to work, then an appointment for a pedi/mani, and a pharmacy run for dh. He got a call that his usual pharmacy can't get his insulin, so I will have to find one that will, it will likely be Walgreens. And I need to start packing, for flight to Las Vegas. I hope the clothes I hung out last night are dry. Dryer repair guy is coming in the morning.

I've taken gabapentin in the past, it didn't seem to do much at all. Maybe I wasn't actually having nerve pain at all.

I've slept really well the last 2 nights, likely because it cools off to the 50s at night. It is supposed to heat up to 85 today.

Tweety, what you need to do is say I haven't had unexpected money come my way in a long time. And then poof, maybe a $1000 will appear.

No Stars In My Eyes · Aug 24, 2022

Well, HEY, *I* haven't had any unexpected money come my way in a LONG time! Now I'm a'waitin' for the $1,000! ? ? ?

I slept like the dead last night; must've been more exhausted than I thought. When I woke up, it was obvious to me I hadn't changed my position in quite a while. I was groaning from pain in my hip and knee and...shins, which had been resting against each other because I had apparently kicked the pillow out that I always have between my knees. The pain from that area suddenly getting blood back into the area, was OWCHIE...a red mark about 2 & 1/2 inches by 1 & 1/2 inch. First I thought "oh no, is this a blood clot?" But fortunately it was not warm to the touch and faded over 10 minutes or so.

As I was sitting up, hubby walked by my door and said "Are you going to sleep all day?" in a kind of ugly tone. This was after last night when he told me he didn't care if I stayed awake a long time reading. (Uh-huh, Thanx.)

Then he went down to the kitchen, and as I was putting on my pants and socks, from the kitchen I heard a tremendous KA-BOOM...and yes, it was hubby falling AGAIN. He blamed his shoes again (clogs). I helped him get up to sit in a kitchen chair. Then I got dressed the rest of the way and took the basket of bandages down to the kitchen. He had two 11 inch long skin tears on his right fore-arm, and on the back of his left hand just below his ring finger about 1 & 1/2" in diameter, and a few smaller skin tears along his wrist and forearm. Again and again he said he was "so embarrassed" for falling again, and blamed "these damned shoes" on which he said he stepped on the back rim at the heel just prior to his fall.

GADS! I told him to throw away the clogs and put on the canvas shoes a nice neighbor brought over after hubby blamed his clogs for the last time he fell. They were a bit tight at the heel when he pulled them on, but it is only because his socks are too thick. The neighbor said he had a friend who sold shoes and he could probably get me some free shoes, too, if I wanted.(!) I am very hard to fit, so I don't know about someone just bringing me some shoes; I can't get shoes ordered through the mail because of that. But, now, hubby could use a few other pairs!

Braves game started while I was still asleep. I came down to the den and it was already in the 6th inning and the score was something like 9-0 our favor. Now it is the bottom of the 9th inning, and the score is 14-1. Two more outs by the Phillies and we've won another game.This will be the 1st time the Braves have swept a series (7 games) against the Phillies. W000000t!! End of game, 14-2. YAY!

We've also had troubles with a debit card being declined. I got a new one, because the old one had a scratch across the whatever-it-is where you insert it in the machine. Then it happened again, particularly at Pizza Hut where they kept telling us we gave them the wrong zip code! I checked with the debit dept and with the bank and they said our zip code was correct, but it took us a few more times and finally talking to the top area manager before it was straightened out. We've been living here since 2017 and suddenly our zip code is wrong? I don't think so. I believe the first employee that took our info got our zip #'s reversed. NOT OUR FAULT! As if we were pulling some con-game and got 'caught' with giving the 'wrong zip code'. Ppfftt!

The game is almost over and it will soon be time to decide what we want for take-out for supper. My least favorite time of day. "I don't know, I don't care, just let me find something in the fridge when I get hungry." is not an acceptable answer to hubby. OH WELL! We will figure something out. Last time we had some food from the Fish-house restaurant, I got Oyster stew and a 'shrimp salad' which was just a bowl full of cold, peeled boiled shrimp. I had been getting the so-called clam chowder which had disgustingly rubbery clam strips, and taking out the strips. This time when I decided to try the Oyster stew, I was pleased to find they actually use the oyster BELLIES (the bellies which they should use for the clam chowder). I dumped the shrimp into the stew and all was fine. I had leftover shrimp so I made a shrimp roll, a bastardized version of a lobster roll, and was satisfied with that, as well.

Joe, I hope your kitty feels better soon. (how old is it?)

Tweety, Sorry you jinxed your improved sleeping.

j22, I have never tried Chik-fil-a, either. If it is better than Zaxby's, which is often toooooo salty, I will search out a relatively close one to try them

Hey, dianah!

The supper question is being asked now. Gotta sign out for now!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Aug 24, 2022

Stars, sorry about your husband falling again.

I'm superstitious and paranoid and believe in the power of "the jinx". I can wait for an hour for an admission but start thinking about lunch and heat up my food and they call for report. This has happened to me probably a dozen times to the point that I accused PACU of having a camera on me and calling only when I heat up my food. Or I can wait hours on an ER admission only to have them call at the same time as PACU.

I had my card declined when I tried to buy a refrigerator from Sears online, or other out of the ordinary things. But they are good at calling me saying there was a suspicious activity so I can go back and get what I want.

I decided to go to the bank and speak to a live person about my card issues, but first went to the grocery store to be able to tell them it's still being declined and don't you know it worked? Oh well, saved me a trip to the bank. Kind of like the time I had my car towed to the repair shop because it wouldn't start and got there and it started right up.

I'm not all together political with my spending and a bit schizo about it. I do try to buy products like shampoo, soaps, etc. that are not tested on animals and don't have animal products in them. I also like buy ethical chocolate and cashews that are certified not to exploit workers. As a gay man Chick-Fil-A crosses a line with me and with plenty of other options out there they are easy to avoid. Otherwise I don't really boycott very many companies.

No Stars In My Eyes · Aug 25, 2022

Here's something scary....4 homes, within 2 miles of where I live, STILL have big 'ol Trump banners visible from the road, one under a carport, another on a mailbox. If it wasn't for surveillance cameras being so omnipresent, I'd get me a paint-gun and splat those banners.

I had forgotten about Chik-fil-a and the froo-fraw they caused...I do not even know where the restaurant in this area is.

MEDFET, CNA · Aug 25, 2022

Im not hip wjat did the chick fil a do to upset the scrodfather

No Stars In My Eyes · Aug 25, 2022

Look up "Chik-Fil-A Controversy". Basically the founder was homophobic, and in (?) 2017 or so they did not approve of same-sex marriages, and the LBGTQ community was up-in-arms over the restaurant taking a stance on that; boycotted them.

Of course, Chik-Fil-A now says they welcome everybody and all that...

Ado Annie, ASN, RN · Aug 25, 2022

From what I hear from my kids, who follow this more closely than I, the company donates to political action committees and the like that have anti-LGBTQ+ policies and goals. So their "welcome" rings a bit hollow to those in the community and their allies.