Medical Appointments

I really hate going to the doctor. Am not fond of the dentist chair either. This morning I feel like I've been through the wringer.  I got my pap smear over with; it's been four years since the last one and if it comes out okay, I'll probably wait five years for the next one.  Was a busy morning for me.  Come to find out I had a yeast infection (I thought it was just a rash) so I'll be filling a prescription for that in a couple of days.

I've been trying to talk myself into having a colonoscopy for several months now.  I know I'll feel better once I've got that task off my "to-do" list.  So....I bit the bullet and made an appt.  Apparently, a lot of other people put it off too because I could get in right away.  Hmmmm... Meanwhile I'm told I have to have a "conference appt" with a physician's assistant FIRST.  That annoyed me because it cost $75 (on the spot) and neither of my insurances cover it.  I figure it's just a 10 or 15-minute chat to give me a prescription for losing a night's sleep while I "clean myself out for several hours."  I really resent having to pay $75 to have a prescription filled.  I almost cancelled the whole thing just because of that but what are you gonna do?  You gotta ante up to get in the game, I guess.  Still doesn't sit well, however.

My Christmas present to myself this year is to have all these dang medical appts behind me. I'm getting lab work next month and a mammogram and a bone density test, and a tetanus shot.Today I got my flu shot and a pneumonia shot.  The physician's assistant I saw this morning suggested I revisit the podiatrist as well  because I may need to get expensive inserts for my shoes since my foot pain is not improving. Sigh..... does it ever end?  Yeah!  When they stick your dead body in the ground! Or in my case---hand my ashes over to the kids.

On the other hand, I know very well that this test is necessary.  As I was driving home, I noticed I had missed a call from Yvonne, my friend down the street.  I called her back and discovered she's been in a nursing home in Seattle awaiting chemo for the colon cancer they just discovered.  Made my problems look like piddly poo!  She's been through hell this year. Was diagnosed with a brain tumor and underwent radiation and surgery to clear that up.  Had foot surgery because some nerve was screwed up (she's still trying to recover from that). After coming home from the foot surgery, she kept throwing up so the doctor put her in the Port Angeles hospital for a week when they discovered she had a stroke.He then referred her back to Swedish in Seattle and they did more tests and found colon cancer. 

And here I am complaining because I have to have a colonoscopy. Could be my guardian angel is pushing me in the right direction, even though I'm fighting it tooth and nail a lot of the time.

Well, on to other matters.  I drove over and picked up Sammy (I was an hour later than he was used to) so he was carrying on something terrible and eager to get out the door.  He made a bee-line toward the car before I could get the leash on but luckily, he came back to me so I could hook him up.  Then I dropped the leash and he took off again.  He cries and whines all the way to my house (I don't think he likes to ride in the car) and once I pulled in the garage, he was happy happy.

He used to whine quietly at the back door when he wanted in from outside but I guess he thinks he's king of the castle now because he barks loudly to tell me to slide that door open.  And even though I encourage him to use his dog bed for naps, more often than not, I'll find him curled up on the couch.  Oh well...

I took the kids to the library yesterday afternoon as I wanted to pick up two that Kris Logue suggested. Maddie was standing nearby waiting for me and Hunter whispered:  "Maddie! Come here! I want to show you something."  I ignored them for the most part and on the way home,Hunter told me about finding this book called "Periods."  He was looking it over when a librarian came by to ask him if he needed help finding anything.  I wish I could have seen his stricken face as he mumbled...."Oh, yeah, books on drawing." 

"Oh you're so hot", she tells him. "They're right here close."  (he knew where they were, of course, as he's checked drawing books out before)  Made me laugh as I remember when I was about his age and discovered this book at the library that had naked pictures of men in Africa, and how fascinated I was to stand there quietly flipping through the pages.  ha ha ha ha ha

Everytime I open the junk mail of my hotmail account, I'm amazed at the repeat people who send me a message week after week after week.  Today's list included these folks: Gorgina Rio, Mr. Zuma Hazan, Duga Nwa, Chan chal Rana, Zaina Duncan, Vivan Doe, Mrs. Carolyn Brandon.  And the messages.  Please.  Do they really think we're that stupid?!

I noticed Wheel of Fortune is giving away a whole lot of prizes right now. I've had an ID number with them from the beginning but now I'm going to watch even closer to make sure I don't miss my chance to get rich.

This morning I was having a dream about this black bear that was loose in my neighborhood. It went on and on and the area switched from this house to my Kirkland house.  Anyhow, the first email I opened after sitting down this morning was one from Les Walden showing these pictures of a black bear loose in a neighborhood.  How very odd.

A couple nights ago I started Googling old addresses where I used to live in Portland and San Diego and San Pablo and Richmond.  Man, was that ever fun!  Especially the San Diego places.  I love that you can zoom in on streets around the world. 

Got a cute email from Bill Koepke in Hawaii about answers kids gave at school regarding beer.

I think beer must be good. My dad says the more beer he drinks the prettier my mom gets.

'Beer makes my dad sleepy and we get to watch what we want on television when he is asleep, so beer is nice.'

'My Mom and Dad both like beer. My Mom gets funny when she drinks it and takes her top off at parties, but Dad doesn't think this is very funny.'
'My Mom and Dad talk funny when they drink beer and the more they drink the more they give kisses to each other, which is a good thing.'
'My Dad gets funny on beer. He is funny. He also wets his pants sometimes, so he shouldn't have too much.'
'My Dad loves beer. The more he drinks, the better he dances. One time he danced right into the pool.'
'I don't like beer very much. Every time Dad drinks it, he burns the sausages on the barbecue and they taste disgusting.'
'I give Dad's beer to the dog and he goes to sleep.'
'My Mom drinks beer and she says silly things and picks on my father.

Whenever she drinks beer she yells at Dad and tells him to go bury his bone down the street again, but that doesn't make any sense.'


Well, I guess I'll get busy around here. I've got quilt squares to sew and Christmas cards to address.  Christmas postcards, that is.  Will take me a while to prepare the backing for each picture but it will save me a bundle using postcard stamps instead of first class postage. I think I'll get out my directions on how to make a full sheet of address labels too. I've done it before but I always have to study on it some.