SWOLLEN LYMPH NODES CONFIRMED

Happy Halloween!  

I went to the doctor today to get my arm checked out.  My left arm has been swollen (but not swollen visually) and has been hurting under the arm since five days after getting the first of two Shinrex shingles shots.  The doctor looked at it and pushed on it and determined what I had already surmised; it is a lymph node or lymph nodes that have gone haywire.  He said in simple terms that I got the shot which sent a bad thing into my body.  I am on a bunch of medicine.  My body saw it and went haywire thinking I have been invaded.  In normal people their white blood cells kill the invader and it is done.  My body went haywire and is looking for the culprit.  He says this may take upwards to 12 weeks to clear up.  I was unhappy to hear this because my brother is getting married in a month and in a little over a month I am supposed to get the boost second Shinrex shingles shot. I can't possibly get the second shot until this clears up.  He also shared with me that the second shot is going to be worse!  Lovely!  Something to look forward to for the holidays! 

On the plus side, it will get better and it isn't something horrible. My body is doing what it is meant to do.  He thinks I should talk to my RA doctor and see about getting on the new RA medicine right away and see if it will clear this up sooner.  I was resistant to hearing that at first because my experience with adding another medicine has not always been so great.  I usually like to fix the current challenge before adding another challenge to the mix.  I don't know how I will react to the new medicine and I don't need to have a weird reaction right before my brother's wedding.  I have not had the experience with medicines.

The RA doctor's office called back and said the doctor wants to see me.  The only appointment he has is in late November.  Ugh.

I had some Trick-or-Treaters today.  Not as many as I wanted,  I have a bunch of candy leftover. 

The body shop called today to tell me they made a mistake and they owe me $400!  Woo hoo!  That makes the two $500 deductibles hurt a bit less. 

Until tomorrow...

HAPPI HAS AN INFECTION

For a few days now I have felt that something is wrong with Happi's stitches. They didn't look as perfect as they used to and there is a bump that didn't used to be there.  I called the vet and made an appointment.

Today we went to the vet. Happi really did not want to get in my car. I can't use her seat belt because of her stitches so I have to drive very carefully.

The vet said she has a very little topical infection on her stitches. He gave me some ointment to put on for a week. He said the bump was where the stitches had a knot.  He took her in the back and they cleaned up her stitches a bit so they weren't so raggedy. Her stitches are the kind that dissolve so they will disappear eventually.

Overall he said she looked great. He asked about her teeth chattering (better), UTI (better), energy (better), lip licking (better).  He was really happy to hear the good report.

This week it will be one month since her surgery. She is doing really good for an almost 14 year old dog.

Until tomorrow...

KABOCHA SQUASH SOUP

I finished my Kabocha Squash soup today.  I ran to the store and bought the coconut milk.  I heated the soup and added the coconut milk.  I took my immersion blender and voila!  I had soup. 

It is SO good.  Delicious!  I had two cups.  Now I am so full. 

Until tomorrow...

FORGAVE COSTCO

Today was the day I officially forgave Costco and went to shop for the first time.  It was weird going back to Costco after about two years.  It all looked the same but not the same. 

I had my list and got my batteries. I found a flashlight and ended up buying a big one and three little ones.  Can't have enough flashlights in an earthquake zone.  I went to the meat section and bought a huge thing of chicken for Happi.  When I got home I separated them and put them in freezer bags and put them in the freezer.   I got my paper goods: toilet paper, paper towels, tissues.  I went to the canned goods and stocked up on black beans, olives and diced tomatoes. Then I walked up and down some aisles and found some stuff I really didn't need.  Isn't that the fun of Costco?!

I realized when I got home that I forgot to get quinoa so I will have to go back some time.  I like to get the big bag since I use it so much.

I feel better now that I have more working flashlights.  I needed the AAA batteries for something and now I can't remember what for.  Oh, well.

I finally made soup with the Kabocha squash that came in my veggie and fruit delivery.  I bought all the ingredients last week and was already to make the soup today.  I cut and roasted the Kabocha (no easy feat) and put it in the pot with the ginger and broth.  Then I realized I bought Cream de Coconut not Coconut Milk.  They are not the same thing.  I have to go back to the store tomorrow and get the milk.  Meanwhile I cooled the soup and put it in the refrigerator.  Tomorrow I will put in the milk and blend it to make it creamy. 

Until tomorrow...

ROSIE THE RIVETER

Tonight was my neighbor's Halloween party.  I have been planning my costume for over a month.  This party is a big party and people have outrageous costumes.  They take more than a month to decorate their house. 

I decided to go as Rosie the Riveter.  I already had the jeans and jean shirt.  I had the belt and loafers I saw them wearing in the photos.  I bought red socks, a red polka dot bandana, and a metal lunch pail.  I made the Rosie sign for the lunch pail and the circular badges for the collar of my shirt.

Here is a photo of come of the outfit.

My friend S came over and got ready with me.  We went to the party together and met some nice people.  The costumes were great.  People were dressed as characters from Game of Thrones, the a guy with balloons and basket like he was flying, a Catholic Cardinal, and all the characters of the Wizard of Oz twice.  There was another Rosie the Riveter but she was in short shorts and high heels.  Like a sexy Rosie.  Everyone said I look powerful.

Until tomorrow...

A CLOSE FRIEND

Growing up I had a next door neighbor named Mrs H.  She is significantly older than me and my parents.  She could be my grandmother if she was related.  She has always been very special to me.  I used to climb over the fence to visit her and her husband and father before they both passed away.  She lived alone for many years.  When I was in college we moved away from that neighborhood but I always went to visit her.  She owned her own printing business and when I was little sometimes I would go to her business and she would pay me in business cards if I organized and cleaned out her stockroom.  I had a babysitting business and the business cards helped.

Then I moved away to the West Coast.  I try to remember to call her every couple of weeks and when I go back East I always stop to see her.  I send her presents and gift cards for holidays and birthdays.  A few years ago she sent me a precious gift: a very old Raggedy Ann and Andy book.  She used to read it to me when I was little and when I got older, I used to run away from my house to curl up on her couch and read it to myself. 

This week I got a call that she was transported to an assisted living facility.  She is unable to live alone anymore.  She is 96 and has been deemed unable to care for herself without help.  I am sad and happy at the same time.  I know she needs the care but I know how much she wanted to stay in her home.  I know she will get the care she needs and deserves at this facility. 

I have been sending her cards and when she gets a phone, I will call and see how she is doing. 

Until tomorrow...

HANDYMAN IS DONE

Today the handyman finished his three days at my house. He tore out a wall in the garage to fix wood rot in the wall under my front stairs. Then he fixed the beams, put up new drywall and painted the wall.

Then he installed a new outside light in the backyard. The old one stopped getting brighter when the dogs went outside after all the rain this past year.

Then he did a few small things like move a door that had been sitting in my hallway to the garage.

He will be coming back to fix the cracks in my ceiling and to install the new shower head. My shower head broke and I had to order a new one. I turned on the shower one morning and the shower head went shooting across the shower.  Luckily I have a rain head shower also.

It is good to have this project finished. Stairs fixed, no longer leaking, wall fixed and no longer leaking.  With a skunk in the neighborhood it is great to have the new light installed.

Until tomorrow...

ANNIVERSARY OF THE BEIRUT BOMBING

This is the anniversary of the Beirut bombing. I was in my first semester of college. My good friend Sean that I grew up with was killed in that bombing. A few weeks before I mailed him a letter and more than a month after he died the letter came back "Unable To Deliver". He never go the letter and never knew I wrote to him.  Getting the letter back was devastating. It was such a horrible tragedy.

In other news: I got my car back.  It looks great.  I told the body shop that "it looks as good as new" and the guy said "it looks better than new."  The photos are not great but I was in a hurry.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

It is so shiny!  I am so happy to get her back.  I missed her.  I really didn't like that rental car.  

Until tomorrow...

ANT SAGA CONTINUES

I woke up this morning and there were 30-40 ants on the kitchen counter.  Yuck!

The Pest Guy showed up later in the morning and we got into the next door neighbor's yard.  We looked and looked but no ants.  Not an ant to be found. 

We pulled out the dishwasher to see if there were ants under the dishwasher or evidence they were behind the built in cabinets.  Nothing.

The Pest Guy is stumped.  He can't figure out where they are coming from.   He left me with some ant bait killer.  I need to call him again when I figure it out.

My handyman came this afternoon and started to destroy my garage.  The wall that is under my stairs has wood rot and needs to have the wood replaced. To do that he has to tear out the drywall that the City made me put in for fire proofing and earthquake protection.  Then he has to put 2x4s on either side of the 4x4s that hold up the wall and stairs.  Then cut the 4x4s where the wood rot is located.  Then put a new piece of 4x4 in its place and secure it.  Then replace the drywall and paint it.  This will take three more days.

Still no word on my car.  I hope I hear something tomorrow.

I got good news about Happi from her doctor.  He got my report and he thinks she is doing great.  He wants her to keep going for a week or two more.  I have to add some Metamucil to her food.  She needs some fiber.  This is exciting news.

Until tomorrow...

ANOTHER TRY AT REMOVING THE ANTS

This morning my Pest Guy showed up to solve my ant problem but there was a small glitch.  My neighbor, in his panic to catch the bus, forgot to leave his gate unlocked.  He felt awful when I texted him to tell him.  The Pest Guy told me it happens more often than you think. 

We made another appointment for tomorrow.  He is certain the ants are coming from the neighbor's yard and climbing up the side of my house and climbing in under my shingles.  He said he needs to spray and get rid of them.  I will be happy about that.  I have not seen any in two days but this has happened before where they disappear for a few days and then come back with a vengeance.

To make sure the neighbor remembers I set a scheduled text to go out in the morning and I am going to go outside just in case.  Happi wakes me up at 6 am so I am awake earlier than most of my neighbors.  Let's hope it works out tomorrow.

Until tomorrow...