It's safe to go back to Little Pond

We had an ugly hiatus for a while, after a nasty malware was stuck to Pats Pond.

I cleaned it up and we seem to be back in business.

Rest assured, I will watch carefully for those weird comments that seem to be non-sequitors.

What the frig? Who has nothing but time and the will to ruin other people's sites?

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Little Pond

Where's the logic?

What part of "disabled" and "fatigue" is hard to understand?


The amount of paperwork to get here was literally staggering.  I was reeling under the complexity and volume of it all.  Looks like we are settled for a short while, until the next request for medical update.


Now my neighbors want me to doggy-sit for them.  The poor old muck is clearly dying of arthritis and poorly-set broken bones that were hidden by the arthritis or whatever.  This dog needs to be carried everywhere, so it's good thing it weighs only about eight pounds, or about 3.5 kilos.


I still have my granddog three days a week.  The two critters are now in competition for snacks and attention.  Three visits a day for the little rat, for the next three weeks, and Ellie is three days on, four days off.  Husband RJ is working full time, and so expects me to handle it.  He was the one who couldn't say no.  


Now for the kicker:  the dog's owners are both retired on disability, and travel often.  They said (to RJ) that their dog doesn't like the regular dog sitter any more.


I wish my disability gave me leave to travel all around.  I can't go two hours away, or even more than two hours anywhere close.  Somehow I got the wrong disability.


Right?


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Little Pond

Blessed relief

Say hello to the e-cigarettes!

 With the click of a mouse, we ushered in a new century.  Now there is no excuse to smoke around us asthmatics.  E-cigarettes deliver a dose of nicotine, and the soothing relief of the need to puff.

 My sister introduced us during a visit, and we purchased a starter kit for Husband RJ.  He favors the menthol cigarettes, but prefers the flavored e-cigs. 

 The house is cleaner already.  Since it is summer, RJ takes the real deal on the porch.  First time ever, although this may be temporary with the frigid winters we experience in Upstate New York.

 I'll take whatever I can get, and my own lungs feel better these days.

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Little Pond

My latest therapy

Not that I have much choice.  When Ellie is visiting, we will go out every day, more often than not to the Chemung River.  In bad weather, we go to Elmira College, Eldridge Park or even something closer like Riverview Park in Elmira Downtown.

I am feeling better every day, but there is so much damage that seems permanent this time around.  The loss of hearing is worse, the ringing in the ears is the worst I've ever seen (and I've seen some tough stuff), weakness on the left side is worrisome.  And over all of it is a killer fatigue.

But I have come back before, and I will again.  It took time, and this will, too.

I will survive.

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Little Pond

Too Tall?

It's the big day.  Neuro followup visit.


I have a huge packet of forms for them to fax to Aetna.  Gannett insists I apply for longterm coverage.  Apparently, they--and only they--get to decide whether or not I retire.


Here is my list of observances.  I hate to call them complaints:

• half deaf, left side; tinnitus right side
• numbness up to knees, but some feeling in toes
• clumsy hands
• nap every afternoon, but poor sleep at night
• no strength in arms.  Just enough to pick up the baby!
• poor balance.  I feel "too tall" for my height, for goodness sakes.
• forgetful and stupid
• too tired to walk more than 20 mins
• can't style hair (hair or arms?  your call)
• incontinent

Let's see how it all shakes out.

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Little Pond

"It just exploded!"

I'm back from Walmart, ready to replace the shower head.

This morning, Husband RJ came downstairs mumbling about the shower head, how it was spraying all over the place.  I had just "repaired" it with electrical tape, hoping to delay a trip out for a new one.

While not exactly admitting to damaging the thing, he did say he dropped it onto the side of the bathtub at one time.  The attachement was cracked right at the coupling to the hose.

No problem,  I simply taped it securely, making it useful until we could get to Walmart for a new one.

So why is this posted to the MS Companion?

Well, I forgot.

I forgot that as an MSer, I shower in only slightly warm water.  Many women I know will also shower in slightly warm water.  Just warm enough to be comfortable.  The head gave me no problem.

I forgot that Husband RJ fills the entire upstairs with fog when he showers.

He apparently turned the hot on fully, then adjusted the temperature with the cold water.  Then he pulled the diverter.  Apparently the shower head lifted itself out of its fixture and exploded on its way down to the floor of the tub!  The remaining hose snaked and swirled all over the stall, squirting in every direction.

God I wish I had been there to see it all!

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Little Pond

The Eagle Has Landed

We are now on Disability.  More details later.  At present, I am weathering the heat wave.

Out to the river before 8 AM.  Resting in a cooled house most of the day.  I hope to go to the grocery store later, when we are expecting rain.

Yesterday, I went for groceries at 6AM.  Good thing, too.  It was sweltering and suffocating both.

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Little Pond