FLORIDA DAY 1

I woke up at 4 am to get to the airport in time to get my flight.  The dogs were not happy that I was leaving.  I called for my cab and the cab driver that I seem to get all the time showed up right away.  I got to the airport very early and had time to kill.

My flight was pretty uneventful.  The guy sitting next to me was a tall athletic guy that man spread all over the seat.  I slept most of the way.

I landed and drove to my cousin G house where she was having some friends over for New Year's Eve.  I changed my clothes and cleaned up.  The gathering was fun.  We had food and drink.  Then the ball dropped and I was ready to get some sleep.

But first I had some things to do.  I wanted to make some last minute donations.

Until tomorrow...

HAPPI THE MIRACLE DOG

I took Happi to the vet today.  He thinks she has a urinary infection.  He put her on antibiotics right away.  He ran a test and we won't find out the results until Thursday due to the holiday. 

He called her the Miracle Dog once again.  He can't believe she weighs 25.5 pounds again and is bounding up stairs.  Her fur looks healthy. 

She hates going there so much because she has to get in the car.  I forgot to give her the anti-anxiety medication so she was so upset in the car.  She was so drugged on the way home once the drugs kicked in. 

Until tomorrow...

HEALING

I have been feeling better after my fall.  My side still hurts and I went to get my urine tested just to make sure there is no blood in it.

My eye is not healing as well as expected.  I am starting the antibiotics to see if that works.

I am healing slowly.

I was supposed to get a CT scan done but I was told the cost would be $800.  I decided to wait and see how I feel for a week or two and see if I still want to get it done.  For almost $1,000 I think a few weeks to ponder it is wise.

Until tomorrow...

HAPPI IS AGITATED

Happi has had a difficult time.  She had a difficult night on Christmas Eve and I almost took her to the pet Emergency Room.  I was convinced she had a urinary infection.  Then the next day she seemed fine.  It would have been her first infection since her surgery more than one year ago.

She seemed find for days then last night she seemed agitated again.  I am not sure what is wrong but I am hoping I can get her in to see the vet on Monday.  Other than these bouts of agitation she has plenty of energy and bounds up the stairs.  She eats like a horse.

Until tomorrow...

CHRISTMAS PUZZLE PROGRESS

I have been working on my Christmas puzzle for many days now.  The border is exceptionally hard.  I finally finished it today.

Now I am working on the center pattern.  It is various bears and animals dressed in Christmas attire.  This puzzle will take some time.

Until tomorrow...

MAMMOGRAM 2019

Today I got up and got ready for my yearly mammogram.  Things went a bit wonky this morning and I forgot my tiara when I ran out the door.  I hope this isn't an omen.  This will be the first time I didn't have my tiara in many years.  The tiara has kept me safe all this time.  Fingers crossed.

The mammogram went well or as well as a mammogram can go when your boob is squished in a giant machine.  It went fast and the woman performing the procedure was super nice.  Now I wait for the results.

While I was waiting, I was able to reschedule my CT scan and BRCA test.  I also ordered my Orencia to be delivered tomorrow.  I went in for my urine test on my way home and should get the results by Monday. Then I went by the bank and library.  It was a very successful morning. 

I am still working on the puzzle that I started this past weekend.  The boarder took me three days to get most of the way done.  It is a hard puzzle.

I probably should have gone with the other Christmas puzzle I have.  Well, next year.

Until tomorrow...

CHRISTMAS 2019

The Pastry Santa visited again this year.  He bakes me scones every year and slips them under my gate every year.

Lucky and I opened presents this morning.  Lucky got SO many toys.

She is so funny!  The top toy says OH, NO! instead of squeak.  The bottom toy says Naughty on one side and Nice on the other side.

I hung out and took Lucky and Happi for a walk.

Until tomorrow...

CHRISTMAS EVE 2019

The house is all decorated for the holidays.  The presents were all under the tree.  Lucky is all ready for Santa to visit:

Until tomorrow...

FIRE TRUCK CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

I could not sleep all night last night.  My back around my kidney area hurt terribly.  I could not get comfortable all night.  I had to wake up early this morning to get a CT Scan of my abdomen.  I went to the appointment but the tech agreed that this was not a good time to get the test done.  We agreed that I should talk to a doctor first to make sure my kidney is okay before I get the test done.

I went home and rested because that evening I was meeting a friend to do a tour of the city lights.  We were on an old fire truck that drives around so you can see the holiday lights.

It was a lot of fun. There were Christmas songs playing and we stopped at giant Christmas trees for photos.

Until tomorrow...

FRIENDS FOR TEA

My friends came over for tea and cookies today.  It was nice to see them.  We do not get together enough.

Once they left I rested up.

Until tomorrow...

DIDN'T ATTEND TWO PARTIES

Just a quiet day of recovery.  I am sore again all over.  I took a long bath and laid around a bit.  I was supposed to go to two parties but didn't attend either one.  I was just not feeling up to standing or sitting around a bunch of people.  Plus one of the parties was a bring a dessert and I could not make the cookies I was going to make.  I stayed home and watched Lifetime Christmas movies.

Until tomorrow...

SLIPPED ON STAIRS

I wasn't going to write about this because it was really embarrassing but time has passed and not too much embarrasses me anymore.

The roofer came today to finally fix the leak in my roof.  It was not a big leak but it has been raining hard here and it has been damaging my ceiling in the guest room.  It is a small crack around a pipe on the roof.  It is fixed now so all good.

That is not the embarrassing part.  The embarrassing part is that when the roofer was here I slipped on the front stairs.  After the first fall on the stairs where I was wearing socks, everyone said to me make sure to wear shoes on your feet on the stairs.  So when the roofer was here I wore shoes to go down the stone front stairs.  Unfortunately they were not the right shoes on the wet stone stairs.  So I slipped on the stairs.  I didn't fall fall, I more slid down the stairs.  I unfortunately landed mostly on my right palm.  I thought I was okay for the first 3 hours after I fell then it became hard to ignore that my fingers were swelling a bit and starting to tingle.  My wrist hurt so bad that I could not move it at all.

So off to the ER I went again.  I got a bunch of x-rays and nothing was broken.  Just a bad sprain.  I have to wear a wrist guard thing for a few days.

I think the humiliation hurt the most.  Also, that will teach me to wear shoes on stairs!  I should have followed my instincts and just gone barefoot.  Then I would not have fallen!

Until tomorrow...

BLOCKED TEAR DUCT

Right in the middle of this whole mess with the fall, I got a blocked tear duct.  At first it was not bad but I think because I was falling asleep sitting up and now I am on Orencia, the blocked tear duct got bad very fast.  It looked horrible.  Imagine a large pimp on your lower eye lid.  That is what it looks like.

Today I went to the eye doctor to see what they had to say.  I have been using the eye wash and the gel medicine but it isn't working the way it has in the past.  The eye doctor said I have to put hot compresses on my eye 6-8 times a day for 10 minutes.  Now, I understand that is what they want but think about your day for one minute and think about how you would find time to put a sterile compress on your eye (oh, and make it hot but not boiling) 6-8 times a day for 10 minutes.  Yeah, that is what I said.  I will be lucky to get it done 4 times a day.

She also gave me a prescription for some antibiotics if I need it since it is the holidays.

Until tomorrow...

STILL RESTING AND MOVING SLOWLY

I went to work for the first time in about a week.  It is slow going.  I still need to rest. 

Here's a picture of Happi resting with me.  She looks so cute.  I bought her a new bed but she doesn't know it yet.

Until tomorrow...

POST ACCIDENT DOCTOR APPOINTMENT

I woke up and went over my primary doctor's appointment.  He checked my bruises out.  He confirmed that nothing was broken.  He thinks that I hit my spine very hard and that caused some temporary nerve issues that seem to have dissipated.  He also said that my contusions were deep and the bruises are now coming out as the blood is seeping to my spine area. 

He thinks my progress has been good so far and in another week I will be much better.  He thinks in 12 days I will be in really good shape.  If I am not he will do what he can to help out.  I have a follow appointment in a month.

I came home and took a long bath.

Until tomorrow...

IMPORTANT CLIENT MEETING

I went into my clients today for an important meeting.  I have a strong feeling that they were going to tell me that my contract was ending and they were not going to renew it.  I was close.  They told me that my contract we ending and they wanted me to stay for a month longer to train new people and then I would be gone.  I said I would consider this option. 

I went home and rested because the trip to their office took a lot out of me. 

In the evening my friends came over for tea and cookies.  We had some very nice conversation.  It was good to catch up before the holidays.

Until tomorrow...

TWO PARTIES

After taking it slow this morning.  I had to get ready for a noon potluck.  The potluck was nice.  I brought some of my cookies.   Almost all of them were eaten. 

After the potluck I went home to rest until party number 2.  I was going to make some more cookies for the next party but didn't get around to it.  I took a short nap while waiting for the guests.

I had a friend and her husband over for hot cocoa and cookies.  We chatted about everything.  It was quite fun.  We are going to have game night next time.

When they left, I got almost all of my Christmas shopping done.  

Until tomorrow...

WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS

Today was a day of rest. I took a bath and that helped a lot.  Before the bath, I went to the pharmacy to pick up my medicine.  I had run out of prednisone and had to pick it up.   I relaxed most of the day watching a few Lifetime Christmas movies.

I don't think I have mentioned that I also have an eye infection that is bothering me.  I get these eye infections every now and then.  They are caused from me getting "junk" in my eyes and then it causes my ducts to get clogged.  Then they get infected.  Well, my dry eye (Sjrogen's) has caused my eye to dry up and get some stuff in it.  That caused the duct to get clogged.  Now my eye looks horrible.

When it rains it pours!  I am hoping my eye clears up quickly.

Until tomorrow...

GASTROENTEROLOGIST APPOINTMENT

After more rest today, I had an appointment with my gut doctor. I made the mistake of driving to the appointment. Yesterday I drove to the post office but that is close by. The doctors office is so much further away.  My back and leg were killing me half way there.

The gut doctor checked me out and agreed with me that we should check me out and see what is going on. Three bouts of what looks like food poisoning in a month just doesn’t seem right and maybe something else is going on. Or maybe nothing. But better to check and see. So I am going to get a CAT scan.

The good news is the I have an appointment to see my primary doctor on Tuesday about my injuries from my fall.

Until tomorrow...

GOT OUT OF BED

Today I tried getting out of bed. Mostly because I needed to pick up a box containing dog food from the post office or Happi and Lucky would start eating me in my sleep! The box arrived last Friday but  I didn’t pick it up and then I had my accident. Every day I crossed my fingers that I didn’t run out of food.

Then in the evening my friends came over for tea and cookies. Luckily I got out all my Christmas china before I fell so I had very little to do before they arrived. The cookies were made and the tea was out so all I had to do was boil water and sweep the floor.

We had a good time catching up. Lucky loved that they came over and could barely calm down. I was good for 30 minutes and then the sitting started to bother me a lot. This is the first of many tea and cookie gatherings.

Until tomorrow...

STILL IN BED

Today I worked from my bed. I have been having the dog walker come and take Lucky to entertain her and he takes Happi out during the day so I don’t have to.  I skipped the painkillers so my head was clear to do the work project I needed to do.

Instead I took some Advil once the project was completed.  I called my primary and he out of town. I called an orthopedic surgeon and they said they didn’t think they could help me since it sounds like a soft tissue injury. So I wait it out until my doctor gets back.

Until tomorrow...

BEDRIDDEN

Yup, I am pretty much bedridden. I can get up and walk but every time I do, I get nauseous so staying horizontal is best. Yesterday I took a whole painkiller but today I am just taking half. I don’t need to be so stupid and sleepy.

I mostly slept and watched TV all day.

Until tomorrow...

ANOTHER ER VISIT

Last night after posting my blog post, I gathered a bunch of items that needed to be taken downstairs, turned off the lights, covered the bird, and started down the stairs. My stairs are about 20 stairs and then two stairs. I made it down the 20 stairs and went to turn the light on and down came Lucky. I turned and wham! I was on the floor. Well, on the stairs.

I lay on the floor for about 20 minutes because I could not get up. Dogs were peeing on the floor because I could not get up to let them outside. Once I got up I new this was serious. I took some Advil PM and went to sleep.

This morning I worked from home and then went to work at lunch time. After an hour there I went to the ER. I could barely sit in a chair. Walking is hard and every time I moved I got nauseous.

The ER was a circus. I finally saw a doctor and got x-rays.  Nothing is broken. I am just bruised and humiliated.  I got some anti-nausea meds and pain meds and sent on my way.

I was supposed to go to another doctor appointment and have guests over tonight. I had to cancel both.

I came home, ate some food and fed the dogs. I got into bed and promptly fell asleep. I think this will take a bit of time to recover from because of how I landed on the stairs.

Until tomorrow...

COOKIES COOKIES COOKIES

I baked cookies all day.  I started with Sandwich Creme Cookie - Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies.  They are two chocolate chip cookies with an Oreo cookie baked in the middle.  I thought it would be easy but it was not as easy as I thought to make.  They look tasty.

Then I moved on to baking the vegan shortbread cookies.   I had to get them in the fridge.  Then I made the vegan sugar cookies and got them in the fridge.

After a short rest, got the sugar cookies cut into Christmas shapes.  Then I cut the vegan shortbread and got them in the oven. Once the shortbread cookies were done, I iced the sugar cookies and decorated them.  Then I was done!  I cleaned up and put the cookies away.  I put my feet up and watched some TV.  I think the cookies are good.  I am a bit worried about the shortbread cookies.  I am not sure about the taste but I am super critical.  My first guest for tea and cookies is tomorrow evening.

Oreo stuffed cookies

Until tomorrow...

IS ORENCIA WORKING?

I have been on Orencia for a while now and I am not sure Orencia works.  When I went on Enbrel, I felt a change in the first month.  I am not feeling the same kind of change.  I am not feeling the same kind of fatigue but I am still feeling pain in my joints.  So I guess I need to talk to my doctor and find out if this is the right drug. Maybe it takes longer to work.  I did have to go off the medicine twice so far due to infections.

Until tomorrow...

NEW GENETIC TEST

Today I went to get a new genetic breast cancer test. It checks more genes to see if I carry the genes that make me more apt to get breast cancer. I took the Brca test years ago and I was negative. My new doctor wants me to take this new test that checks more things.

I went today to take the test. No one told what the test entails except that I would have to spit. The nurse gave me this giant tube that needed to fill up to a line with spit.

Now it was 8:30 am. I really had not had much to drink yet since I had to rush out to get to the appointment.  I also have Sjogren’s and that gives me dry eye and dry mouth. My mouth was so dry there was no way I could fill the tube. The more I sat there stressing the drier my mouth got. I finally got up and left. I asked for my co-pay back and left. I need to reschedule and plan for this appointment. It can not be first thing in the morning when I haven’t had much to drink yet and my mouth is dry. Probably the middle of the day is the best. After I have been hydrating for hours.

Until tomorrow...

CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS

The decorating has continued. My little Christmas tree is up.

I have a deadline of Monday so I have to really work this weekend. Plus I have to make cookies. I am making three different kinds: sugar cookies, shortbread cookies and chocolate chip cookies with Oreos inside.

Until tomorrow...

ORENCIA DELIVERED AFTER ALL

Yesterday my Orencia was supposed to be delivered.  I got a phone call from the Orencia pharmacy saying it got delayed due to the weather.  Then I got a text saying it was delayed.  Okay, it was delayed.  I was supposed to take it tonight but okay I will postpone. 

Then at 4:30pm I got a voicemail from the pharmacy where I get it delivered to saying it was delivered.  What?!  I got myself together and went down and picked it up.  I guess UPS got their lines crossed and they got it delivered after all.  So I could do my shot last night.

Until tomorrow...

EMERGENCY WARNING SYSTEM

In my town we have an emergency warning system.  It is an old fashioned outside siren that goes off once a week and then an electronic voice says "This is a test".  If you have lived here a long time like myself, you basically know what time it is and what day of the week it is when you hear it.  "Oh, it is noon on Tuesday."  It is supposed to alert us if there is a tsunami or contaminated water supply or radiological attack. 

I just found out that they are going to disable the system for two years to upgrade it.  I am not sure what in the world will take two years in the upgrading but that is what they say.  I worry what will happen if there is an emergency during those two years.  Yes, there is a text alert system but our area has also been having rolling black outs so depending on alerts that depend on electricity does not seem like a good plan.  What if you don't have your phone with you?  You would not hear about the emergency. 

I want the old fashioned emergency system working.  It seems the most reliable since you can hear it anywhere in the town. 

I started decorating for Christmas.  I have been bringing box after box upstairs.  I have LOADS of stuff to use to decorate.  This year I am going all out with the Santa collection.  I took out a Frost King and Queen that someone gave me years ago and I have never taken them out before.  They are big and SO beautiful.  I will post a picture in the future.  I have the stockings hung and some wreaths up and I am working on getting some lights up.  It is a long process.

Until tomorrow...

NO PARTY THIS YEAR

I decided this year that I am not having my big holiday party.  I am instead having folks over individually for tea/cocoa and cookies.  I can catch up with people better when I have just a few people over and not a house full.

Until tomorrow...

DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS

I finished watching Season 3 of The Crown.  Wow!  It was good.

My Christmas cards are done.  I am just waiting for the stamps to arrive to mail a few more.

I started bringing up the Christmas decorations.  I started the first step: taking down the unnecessary items and dusting.  Now I can start putting up the decorations this week.  I am thinking about whether I am getting a real tree this year.  I hear there is a shortage and the trees are really expensive.  I love a real tree but I can do without this year if I need to.  I have my little Charlie Brown Christmas Tree.

Until tomorrow...