Today I woke up with far less pain. I am surviving the day with no painkillers at all, just a little tenderness in the general area of the tooth that had the root canal, and some swelling and tenderness on the other side of my face, where I had the biopsy. Much better to be back among the world of the living. I even ate a sandwich, a bit more to chew than the soft and mushy food I have been surviving on all week.

Today is one of those special days. Clear air, low humidity, warm but not hot, and a slight breeze. The leaves are just beginning to turn on some of the trees, and the sky is taking on that pure, gorgeous autumn blue. We took the jeep up to the corner hardware store, with the top down, sun in our faces, and the wind in in hair. It is the type of day that is just perfect for driving down the road, enjoying the scenery and listening to some good music. It is the type of day that we call a “Grateful Dead day”, because every brushstroke off Mother Nature’s pallette seems to resound with the same exquisitely positive rhythm and harmony as found in their music…

So I present to you, Dear Reader, adifrentdrumr’s choice weekend song lyric:

 

 

Paradise waits,

on the crest of a wave, her angels in flames.

She has no pain,

like a child she is pure, she is not to blame.

Poised for flight, wings spread bright,

spring from night into the sun.

Don’t stop to run,

she can fly like a lie, she can’t be outdone.

Tell me the cost;

I can pay, let me go, tell me love is not lost.

Sell everything;

without love day to day insanity’s king.

I will pay day by day,

anyway, lock, bolt and key.

Crippled but free,

I was blind all the time I was learning to see.

Help on the way,

well, I know only this, I’ve got you today.

Don’t fly away,

cause I love what I love and I want it that way.

I will stay one more day,

like I say, honey it’s you.

Making it too,

without love in a dream it will never come true. 

– Grateful Dead – “Help on the Way”  –

lyrics by Robert Hunter, music by Jerry Garcia

© Ice Nine Music

 

I really feel like howling now…

This morning I had the biopsy of the lump on the right side of my jaw. The doctor stuck five needles in it!

I should find out the results from the lab sometime in the beginning of next week.

***

Tuesday I had a root canal on the far back lower left molar.

So now I ache on both sides.

And the Vicodin the dentist prescribed doesn’t even seem to be working anymore. I had to stop taking it at about midnight, so I could be clear-headed enough to drive to the hospital for the biopsy, but as soon as I got back and had a bite to eat, I started taking it again. I got a little bit of sleep this afternoon, but now I don’t feel like sleeping, and the pain isn’t going away. I have been putting ice on both sides of the jaw, and that isn’t helping either. I have another hour before I can take my next dose.

…oh why don’t they still sell these at the corner drugstore??

Thanks to everyone who left me birthday wishes and sympathy on my dental woes. It really means a lot to know there are folks out there who care.

The lemon cake was delicious, and my friend Andrew stopped in after work last night to have a piece with me. Bernie doesn’t like lemon cake, so all the rest is mine, all mine!

Angel is in the living room asleep on my footstool, Pearl is snoozing on the floor behind me and Dolly is curled up on the daybed. Tommy is sound asleep, sprawled out in his usual spot under the kitchen table. Bernie is in bed, getting his much-needed rest so he can get up early in the morning and go to work. It’s a lovely scene of domestic tranquility. The only missing pieces are Ziggy, who still insists on staying out in the garage, and me, very close to pacing the floor in pain…

I think I will go get that icepack again and count the minutes until my next dose of painkillers…

 

Happy Birthday to me.

I got a root canal.

Yesterday I went to the dentist — first time in five years (yes I am a bad girl) for a routine cleaning, check-up and x-rays. Haven’t been having any serious problems, but suspected a cavity in one problem area next to a tooth that was capped, where it seems that stuff always gets stuck every time I eat. I just got used to it, as a sort of “flossing reminder”.  

Sure enough — the dentist said the x-rays showed a cavity. He said he had a little time so he would fill it right then, but he ran into some problems. It was deeper than he thought, and the tooth was cracked. I have always required a lot more novocaine than a normal person, and it takes a long time to take effect. He said that I probably have an extra thick jaw. (good to know if I ever decide to become a boxer)

So he drilled, and it hurt, so he stuck me with another needle, drilled some more and it hurt again, stuck me with another needle…and so on. Until he discovered it was down to the nerve. Aha! no wonder it hurts. So he went on to do a root canal, right then and there, plus a post and core. I have to go back next wednesday for the temporary cap and impressions for the permanent one.

So yesterday was:

Four hours in the dentist’s chair.

Prescription for some nifty painkillers.

And some of the worst pain I have had in years.

Today I have been spending my birthday in bed, snuggling with my dogs, chock full of painkillers.

I have been up for a while now, made myself some scrambled ham and eggs and a bowl of grits. And now I am baking myself a birthday cake (from a boxed mix, I am not that ambitious) It is the first time I am baking in my brand new oven. It’s a lemon cake. I am going to make some lemon filling (also from a boxed mix) and I bought a can of vanilla cream cheese frosting at the store the other day. It should be yummy. And at least a cake is soft enough that I can eat it now. Hopefully the painkillers won’t wear off until after it’s out of the oven. As soon as I take the next dose it will be sleepytime again.

 

Well, I guess this is one way to be sure I take the day off for my birthday. Not exactly what I had in mind, though.

And tomorrow morning I go for that biopsy.

What a week.

Oh well, life goes on. When I look at the Big Picture, this is just another bump in the road. A day to be (legitimately — doctor’s order’s) stoned and sleepy, and some loving furballs to cuddle with.

It could be worse.

Way worse.

 

 

I sense Autumn coming on
The mist has hung low all day
Small birds gather on the wing
Preparing to make their way.

The trees begin to show
A trace of brown among the green
Bringing back the memories
That only you and I have seen.

I sense Autumn coming on
The sun sinking red and deep
The fires burning in the fields
As late Summer falls asleep.

The leaves begin to scatter
As the North wind calls their name
Folding gently back into
The silent earth from which they came.

– David Cousins (Strawbs) - “Deep Summer’s Sleep” (part II of “Autumn”)

 

Just popping in…

 

The concrete removal is going quite well. I am more than 2/3 of the way done with the walk around the side/back of the garage. Got a little help from Bernie, even.   I also dug up the curbing on one side of the old parking area, which is going to be enlarged on that side. I figure when we are done with this, we will have room to park 8 cars on the gravel parking area — so there should be no reason for folks to continue driving on my lawn when they are trying to come or go, or turn their vehicles around. Of course the number one offender here — my dear husband, who drives for a living, yet can somehow manage to take up enough room to park 3 cars and a dumptruck when he parks the jeep outside the house!

My muscles, especially in my arms and the sides of my back, are sore, but not too much so. It just feels like I have had a very good workout. And Goddess knows those are areas that need a bit of firming and toning! I have been pacing myself, and taking ibuprofen to keep any inflammation from getting bad. I also have been getting my nice hot bubble bath after I am done working….

ahhhh, hydrotherapy!

I went to the doctor yesterday and he told me that the sinuses are not as bad as when he did the last surgery, so because we caught it early this time, it should be less extensive and the recovery may even be a bit easier and quicker. With nasal/sinus polyps, there is always a chance (more like a probability) that they will return, and the ones that are plaguing me just happen to be right in the area of the highest concentration of olfactory nerves. Hence the loss of the sense of smell. Also the occasional tenderness on the bridge of my nose that I have been experiencing, which makes it very uncomfortable to wear glasses. And of course, the sinus headaches which are in a place where it feels like they will make me go cross-eyed. 

I am so ready to be rid of this congestion and everything that goes with it. Looking forward to enjoying all the fragrances that come with the holidays as much as I am looking forward to breathing more easily and getting rid of the headaches. The doc says it is okay to put the surgery off for a little while, so I am planning on scheduling it for sometime in mid-November, after I am done with my yard work for the year. Then I will be able to sit back and relax, and hopefully be recovered in time to dive into the winter holiday season and everything that goes with it.

I have to call back in a couple of weeks to make the appointment, because they book surgeries from four to six weeks in advance. And the big bonus is, I will be getting the snoring surgery at the same time. It is not covered by insurance but Bernie is happy to pay for it, to get some peace and quiet around here at night. And since I will already be in the hospital and under anesthesia, there will be a considerable savings in cost.

happy! happy!

As for the other issue, the “mass” on the side of my face, just in front of my ear, it seems to be either a parotid tumor or a lymph node. (or a marble, but I don’t remember having one installed in my face ) The next step is a biopsy, which will be done with a needle, guided by ultrasound, next thursday. I talked to the doctor at the hospital where it will be done today, and he reviewed the pictures from my scan with me, and explained what will be done. It should take about 15 minutes and I can go home right away. This should give a better idea of what is going on in there, which is probably nothing to worry about.

Actually, I am more worried about seeing the dentist for the first time in 5 years or so on Tuesday than I am about getting the biopsy on Thursday.

And incidentally, my birthday falls right in between. On Wednesday I will be 29 with 17 years’ experience.  No big birthday plans, we never really do much to celebrate…

Eh, that’s about it… this weekend is the end of Bernie’s two weeks vacation. As big a pain in the ass as he is, I will still miss him when he goes back. I kinda got used to having him around again…

But on the other hand, it will be nice to be able to clean the house and have it stay that way for five minutes…

 

 

 

Not much exciting to report…life goes on…

Bernie’s two week vacation is rapidly nearing its conclusion. I have gotten used to having him around again, despite the inevitible mess he seems to make everywhere he goes. Today he went to the dentist, for the first time in years. He got pretty good news. I hope when I go for my appointment next tuesday I am so lucky. It has been about 5 years since I have been to the dentist myself. About time for a cleaning and a checkup, I’d say!

Things have been going remarkably smoothly around here, the cats aren’t even squabbling quite as much. Angel is spending a lot of time in the house now, but she still occasionally tries to attack Tommy, so we have to supervise closely. Ziggy seems perfectly content to stay in the garage, but I hope she starts joining the rest of the family soon. She seems relatively unconcerned about Tommy, I don’t think she will present much of a problem whenever she decides to come in and hang out with the rest of us.

We have done some work around the house together. We finally got the big limb that fell down in the front yard earlier this summer sawed up and off the lawn, just in time for whatever remnants of hurricane Ivan make it up the coast to hit here. We are bound to get some rain from it, but hopefully there won’t be much wind. I am tired of picking up sticks and debris from my yard.

I finally got to put together my table saw that I got for my birthday last year (last year! ack! I have been trying to get “caught up” on stuff so I could set up the saw for that long?) Bernie and I are working on making a kayak rack for the top of the Jeep, just something simple that we can bolt on when the top is down, so we don’t have to rest the kayak on the soundbar and windshield frame.

We also cut down the door that goes from the kitchen to the basement. It didn’t fit right after the kitchen floor was done, so we took it off and have had a piece of wire mesh across the basement door like a baby gate for the animals since the middle of June. It is nice to have the door back on again. Made a bit of a mess on one corner with the saw, but the door wasn’t in the best shape to begin with so another couple of nicks in the veneer won’t hurt. We cut it deliberately short, so there would be a little bit of space underneath for some air to get through. Any extra air circulation into the basement is bound to help with the dampness problem.

Now that I have the saw set up, I can tackle all the little projects like the door that have been waiting in line for my attention, and maybe even build some things just for the fun of it.

This week, I started working on the corner of the yard where we will be making the new parking area, where my outdoor work space is, and where I have another planting/mulch area planned.

There have been some guys working on the grade of the drainage area from the development behind us, which has an easement on our property. We had a storage trailer parked on it, which they knocked on our door and asked us to move so they could work in the easement. We didn’t have a trailer hitch on either of our vehicles, so they hooked it up to the little earth-mover machine they were using with a chain, and moved it over for us, tpo the place I wanted to park it anyway. I got chatting with them, and gave them some cold drinks, and the next thing I knew, they were helping me out with the parking area.

I had a section about 20′x30′ that was covered in grass and soil, which sloped in toward the garage. I needed to remove some of that so we could put the stones in for the parking area and have a proper grade, either flat or sloping away from the garage. It would have taken me weeks of chipping away with the shovel to re-do the grade, like I have been doing all summer, one section at a time, in the fenced part of the back yard. Well, with the little earth-mover machine the guy was driving, it only took him about 15 minutes to scrape a part of the old driveway and parking area, and the entire grassy area where we are going to put the stone! Bernie didn’t believe his eyes when he came outside and saw that. He doesn’t like to bother people when they are trying to work, but I learned from my dad and grandpop that a little bit of friendliness can go an awful long way, and people are often very happy to lend a hand if you are nice to them. Today we picked up some donuts for them when we went out for morning papers and coffee.

Today I started on one of the more difficult chores I have facing me in the yard. I am removing a concrete sidewalk that went around the back of the garage, where we are going to be putting the stone for the parking area. The first part I worked on was really thick, about 8″. I have no idea why my dad made it that thick, but the next section was poured at a different time, and I think it is thinner. I took three square sections of concrete out today, over about 3 hours time, and decided it was a good start. I think I am about 1/3 of the way done with the concrete that will be coming out on the back of the garage. I took the walk out on the front and other side a couple of years ago, and it’s no picnic, but it is do-able. We call it “the convict workout” (breaking up rocks, you know) Very good exercise, but the jolts from the sledgehammer I am using to break it into pieces travel all the way up my arms to my back, so I have to get in a hot bath and soak afterwards, and be sure to wear the braces on my wrists for my carpal tunnel at night or else I get very stiff. And 800 mg of ibuprofen twice a day helps as well.

This time we will be getting a dumpster for the concrete, so we can have it hauled away for recycling. Figuring out what to do with the concrete after you tear it up is always one of the most difficult parts. When I finish with the walk, I need to start on the patio, which all has to be removed. The patio is thinner concrete, but reinforced with pieces of metal “rebar”. It is already broken up and crumbling in a lot of places, so it will be a little easier than removing intact slabs like most of the sidewalk.

I figured we have about 6 or 7 cubic yards of concrete to remove all together. But they only leave the dumpster here for a week, so I plan on breaking up most of the concrete, and putting it in piles, over a few weeks’ time, then calling for the dumpster and loading it all at once. The breaking-up and piling-up process is mostly my own project, but I did get some help from Bernie today since he was off from work. When the dumpster is here, he will have to help me load it, because I know I can’t lift that much in such a short period of time.

I know, it’s an awful lot of work, and yadda, yadda, yadda… but, I have more time and ambition than brains or money, and if I can save some cash by doing this, then we will have more to spend on the decorative wooden fence that will be going between the new parking area and the fenced part of the yard (there is a temporary wire fence there until we get some of this work done) Beside that, I really need the exercise to counteract the weight I gained back, and help me to lose more (not to mention the benefits in muscle tone!)

But I still reserve the right to whine about my aches and pains, even if they are from taking on unappropriate workloads. 

That’s what I have been up to. The cooler weather has been really conducive for taking on some of the heavier outdoor work. It’s raining now, but tomorrow is supposed to be clear, but warmer. I have some things on tomorrow’s schedule that may prevent too much of the Convict Workout, so my muscles may get some recovery time.

I am going to the doctor after lunch to find out what is next with the sinuses and this lump on the side of my face. I got the films from the CT scans back today, and the sinuses aren’t as bad as before, I can even see that with my untrained eye, but there is still a lot of obvious obstruction. But I didn’t need a scan to tell that, I can tell every time I try to breathe. The results of the scan for the lump, well, they show a lump. Duh. I can feel that with my fingers. It’s round. It was a solid white round spot on the scan. The radiologist noted that it was about 1.4 centimeters. Around the size of a marble. Just what I feel with my fingers — like a marble under my skin. Now I just need to see what the doctor says. Hope it is more than “yep, it’s like a marble under your skin”…

Oh well, life goes on. Another day, another donut…

 

 

 

Top nine comments made by NBC sports commentators
during the Summer Olympics:

1. Weightlifting commentator: “This is Gregoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning during her warm up and it was amazing.”

2. Dressage commentator: “This is really a lovely horse and I speak from personal experience since I once mounted her mother.”

3. Paul Hamm, Gymnast: “I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father.”

4. Boxing Analyst: “Sure there have been injuries, and even some deaths in boxing, but none of them really that serious.”

5. Softball announcer: “If history repeats itself, I should think we can expect the same thing again.”

6. Basketball analyst: “He dribbles a lot and the opposition doesn’t like it. In fact you can see it all over their faces.”

7. At the rowing medal ceremony: “Ah, isn’t that nice, the wife of the IOC president is hugging the cox of the British crew.”

8. Soccer commentator: “Julian Dicks is everywhere. It’s like they’ve got eleven Dicks on the field.”

9. Tennis commentator: “One of the reasons Andy is playing so well is that, before the final round, his wife takes out his balls and kisses them… Oh my God, what have I just said?”

 

 

I got the scan done this morning.

not a big deal, I didn’t expect it to be. the only thing that worried me was that I had to fast because they were going to inject dye for contrast, and I tend to passout from low blood sugar if I don’t eat in the morning. but no problem there, I scheduled the test early enough so I wasn’t up very long without food or water. I was more thirsty than anything.

they beat the crap out of me trying to get a vein for the IV. I warned them my veins are difficult, so they expected it, but I have some lovely bruises now anyway.

the tech that was doing the scan told me that it would also show the thyroid, so maybe my other doctor would like to see it for that. I will take it along on my next visit, since the films will be in my posession after I pick them up next week.

now I just have to wait until next thursday to see what the doc has to say about the results.

that is the hard part for me. I want to know NOW!!

after I put this off for over a year, now that I finally got the nerve to get it taken care of, I don’t want to wait.

but if I need to have surgery, I really would prefer to put it off til the end of october anyway, after I am done with most of the outdoor stuff for the year.

still, I want to at least know what I am facing.

the other thing on our minds now is the weather. I feel so sorry for the people down there in Florida and the islands that have been getting pummelled by these hurricanes. haven’t heard anything from my stepmom, she lives here in NJ, but usually keeps in touch with my aunt in FL, and and relays any news to me. her younger daughter’s family is there as well, including her granddaughter who just went away for her first year in college. she’s not too far from home, I think somewhere near Tampa, but still, it must be scary for her.

as far as our weather goes here in central NJ, the worst hasn’t hit us yet, but they are warning us there may be more coming. it has been raining on and off, with sunshine in between. very humid, and the low barometric pressure is making us so sleeeepy….

I really want to be doing something useful around the house, but just can’t seem to muster the energy. on the other hand, when I lie down and try to sleep, I can’t do that either.

I hate these sort of days.

I think I will go see what’s in the fridge.

Oh, and speaking of that… I finally got on the scale this morning and discovered I have gained back 20 of the 45 pounds I lost before all these health issues cropped up. Ugh. No wonder I am feeling uncomfortable. After Bernie goes back to work, I am going to go back on that nutrition plan that worked so well for me, and try to get these pounds back off before they settle in permanently. But I am not going to really dwell on that for now. I am just not ready for any other stress.

One thing at a time.

 

 

 

No-Frills Blog.

I don’t feel much like writing now. Not exactly verbally inspired.

But a lot has been going on in the last week, since my last entry…

…so don’t expect a clever, or prosaic, or even very coherent blog.

I will, however, try to make it informative

for those of you who wonder where I have been…

lets see…

Last wednesday I went to the doctor (ENT specialist) about my sinuses I had sinus surgery in 2001, done by the same dostor (who I was very happy with) but it is a chronic situation, and my sinuses have been getting steadily worse over the past couple of years. The worst part, in addition to being consistently congested, and having lots of sinus headaches, is that my sense of smell is completely gone again, so it’s time to look at what new problems have arisen.

I went to see this specialist on the recommendation of my regular doctor, for the ongoing sinus problems and regarding and a lump on my jaw area, just in front of my ear. The lump has been there for over a year, and is getting larger.

The doctor put his scope wayyyyy up my nose (that thing tickles, makes me feels like I am going to sneeze) and said that I had a fairly large polyp in the left side. That explains why it always feels more congested on one side. Also congestion and evidence of the ongoing sinus infection I seem to always have.

He gave me a prescription for prednisone. If you have never experienced this wonder steroid, you are lucky. It really is a wonder drug, when it comes to allergies, congestion and other related stuff. I have to take it periodically for my asthma, allergy or sinus related stuff, and it clears things out like nothing you would believe. But — the side effects are a trip! It affects the adrenals and comes with a lovely set of side effects — sleeplessness, irritability, mood swings, indigestion, a HUGE uncontrollable appetite, fluid retention, and the need to Pee what seems like every five minutes!

Fortunately a normal course of pred is about 6 days. Bernie knows the drill by now, so he knows to expect erratic behavior, and to plan on feeding me when I get cranky. I am done with the full dose now. I can breathe so much better, and as of today I can smell/taste for the first time in months. I can’t stop going around smelling everything! I don’t feel the annoying obstruction in the left side of my nose. I think I may have gained less than 10 pounds, and didn’t kill anyone. Got a lot of extra chores done while I couldn’t sleep nights.

As for the lump — the doc said it seems like a mass in my parotid (salivary) gland. I made the bad mistake of googling “parotid gland” and now I am worried. Seems that when there is a tumor, the whole gland is usually removed, and there are some delicate facial nerves running through it. Also there is about a 20% occurrence of malignancy, and with my family history the big C is always foremost in my mind when I hear the word “mass”.

He mentioned there is a strong possibility of surgery, not just for the sinus (to get rid of that nasty polyp and any of his friends that may be lurking in there) which I expected, but also for this “whatever-it-is”. According to my research, that mans an incision on my face. well, in front of the ear. Now, endoscopic surgery in the sinuses, I was prepared for, after all, I had it twice already, a third time should be no different, I know what to expect. But slicing open my face, well, I am not usually vain, but… it’s a different thing entirely. Especially when there are nerves that control the facial muscles involved.

So the doctor will know more about what he has to do after I get a CT scan. Yes folks, the world’s most often x-rayed head is going in for pictures again!

I know I shouldn’t be worried until after I see what the scan shows, but, the waiting time in between is tough. And to top that off, I had to deal with a totally incompetent medical facility that had me playing phone tag for three days trying to schedule the scan. Finally, the holiday weekend was upon us, and I was told that they would schedule the appointment and leave me a message on my machine on tuesday morning (as we were going away for the holiday weekend)

Bernie is on two weeks of vacation, starting the day after the holiday weekend, so he will have a nice chunk of time off. Unfortunately, we have the cat situation to worry about, and no cat sitter, at least not for the holiday weekend, so we were not able to get down to camp for as long as originally planned. Instead we went to the kayak place and he bought himself a new boat on saturday, and then went to camp from sunday afternoon until tuesday afternoon.

Bernie has been wanting to upgrade from his old kayak (a general purpose entry-level one) to two better, more specialized kayaks — one for flat water (lakes, ponds, the slow rivers we paddle in) and one for surf. He got a nice new flatwater kayak saturday, and now he is looking into getting the surf kayak.

I am not as serious about kayaking (or sports in general) so I am perfectly happy with the basic, all-purpose kayak I have now. Some day I would like to get a tandem kayak, so we can paddle together, and the one I have picked out has optional foot-pedal drive and an optional sail, so there are a lot of variations on propelling it either tandem or solo, as well as many options for a varied workout. But it will be a while before I want to spend money on that. I have this new computer to pay off, and really would rather get a laptop so I can be mobile than a new kayak. We all have our priorities, you know

And of course, more than anything, I would like to have the breezeway finished with a nice hot tub installed. But that, alas, is a long-term dream I think. But while I was speaking of priorities, I thought I might mention it, in case my Fairy Godmother is listening.

Anyway, back to the weekend…

Saturday I spotted a nice oak table at a yard sale as I was coming home from the post office, so we went back and bought it for $30. Since they were packing everything up and putting stuff out to the curb, the people also gave us, for free, a nice brass torchiere lamp, one of those cheap fiberboard round accent tables you use with a floor length tablecloth, and a M&Ms Christmas tin. A nice haul for $30! I have the table in the kitchen for now, until I refinish the legs of the old iron table that matches the chairs, and make the pine table top for it. When I get the kitchen table done, then I can put the oak table on the breezeway. It is a pedestal type, round, but with a leaf that goes in the center and expands it to an oval table. I found out when we brought the table home just how well-made it is. A really lucky thing that I took a slightly different route home from the Post Office.

Later on saturday, we got the new kayak, then sunday we went to camp. Nothing broke on the trailer this time. The dogs had a very good time, as always, it was beautiful weather, I did a lot of walking around the campground, sat by the campfire with our neighbors catching up on gossip, and Bernie took his new kayak out in the pond for a little while. Ate some burgers, took some naps, read more of a book I have been reading for a research project, and did a couple of crossword puzzles. Then we came home.

When I got home I found a message on my voice mail saying the CT scan machine in the local facility was broken, and I could go to another facility. (they have one near camp! — AARGH! we were back home!) So I declined and called a different place. The place I called did my last CT scan. I have no idea why I didn’t call them in the first place.

My appointment for the scan is tomorrow morning at 9:30.

Next thursday I take the pictures to my ENT specialist so he can figure out how to proceed from there. It will be interesting to compare this scan with the last one. Last time it looked like someone had smacked me in the face with a shovel, it was so messed up in the sinuses and nose. I can’t imagine it is that bad this time, so maybe the recovery time will be even shorter. (one can hope) And I spoke to the doctor about the new surgery he is doing for chronic snoring, and he said that if and when I went in for the surgery for the sinuses and/or this other thing he would do the anti-snoring surgery as well. That is probably the best news I have had all summer!

So I guess the bottom line is that I am going for the CT scan of my head and neck tomorrow and then I have to wait until next thursday to see what exactly is wrong in there, and what happens next. Maybe when they scan my neck I will also be able to see the thyroid gland that is causing so many other problems, too. I think I will ask the person giving the scan about that. Maybe my other doctor might like to see it.

All this gland stuff going on, I am wondering if maybe I should be seeing an endocrinologist.

And meanwhile, Bernie has 2 weeks of vacation. We scheduled dental appointments for both of us during this vacation time as well, and have some other things we need to take care of around the house. So we will be taking some short pleasure trips here and there, and sneaking off for a couple of overniters at camp. Maybe we will get some of our end-of-summer/fall yard work done if the weather cooperates, too.

I am skipping a couple of weeks of eBay auctions, because I want to keep the schedule open for whatever Bernie decides to do. I guess I will just have to deal with the bills when they come. I applied for a balance transfer of my few remaining credit card debts to a new card that said I was pre-approved, and there would be 0% interest on balance transfers until march 2005. Hoping to hear from them soon. If they put the balance transfers through quickly enough, it may buy me a little grace time with the payment as well. As soon as Bernies vacation is over, I need to get back into doing a lot more eBay auctions, because sales should start picking up soon, if previous years have been a good indicator.

So that’s it. My recent life in a rather large nutshell. Nothing earth-shatterring, really, in the larger scheme of things, but enough to keep me pretty busy and preoccupied.

I have been going through my SIR list and reading everyones recent entries. I am trying to keep up, but haven’t been doing a lot of commenting. I hope you all forgive me for being in lurk mode again…

 

 

 

The “official end of summer” is almost here.

It’s wednesday – Hump Day – halfway to the weekend.

It’s the very first day of a brand new month.

And the perfect day for a hug.