Thursday Thoughts ~ 3/31/22

My brain is crammed full of intrusive thoughts. A whirling dervish. So much so I’ve given myself a headache. I did manage to make a follow-up appointment for next Thursday despite the trouble to do so. Orders/referral had not been faxed. Front office person telling me my diagnosis wasn’t in her drop down. Further confirming my sinking suspicion that the referral is all for nothing. I’m no closer to a diagnoses than I was in 2010 when this first began. At least then the pain was intermittent. I experienced months in between flare ups. I’m no doctor (I only play one on TV) but I’m pretty sure the pain is musculoskeletal inherited from my father.

Alrighty, enough whining. Time to make the donuts. Just another ordinary workday.

As always, more to come.

#1linerWeds. 3/30/22

I have watched CODA on a loop now too. Highly recommend you take a look. You’ll be glad you did.

Here’s my offering for today …

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.”

— Bill Keane

As always, more to come.

Share Your World ~ 3/29/22

HERE we go now! Thanks Melanie for the questions. These are good ones!!!

What fictional family would you like to be part of?  (think TV shows, cartoon or books or some fictional family that you admire) Does anyone remember the TV show Family with James Broderick, Sada Thompson, Gary Frank, Meredith Baxter Birney, Kristy McNichol, and Quinn Cummings? Well I wanted to be Buddy, the tom-boy sister played by Kristy. Her nickname was Peaches. You know how much I love nicknames <3. Her relationship with Willie was similar to me and my brother Jimbo Pete. Of course I had a crush on Gary Frank who played Willie so maybe I could’ve just been a neighbor to the family in Family??? Ha!!!

Which band or artist would you like to play at your funeral or memorial service? (the artist can have passed on too) Ah, so many to choose from but since this is pretend and it can be anyone, I’m going with the Beatles. Let’s make it a concert and open up my parting festivities to anyone who wants to attend. What a celebration of life!!

Preference.   Popcorn, M&Ms or other.   Choose something you love snacking on. M&Ms in popcorn is a favorite. My grandmas did that. The salt and sweet combo is divine. But when it comes to snacking, I have a weakness almost everything. Brownies are my favorite They make ’em bite size too which is nice to curb a craving without going to extremes.

If you could be any supernatural (fantasy) character, what would you be?  (Think Elves, fairies, dragons or whatever) I’d like to be Mother Nature. You can’t fool me and I’d bring the rain to Texas. I tell ya what.
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GRATITUDE SECTION (as always OPTIONAL)

Please share the best advice you’ve ever gotten which you feel ought to be shared with everyone. So much good advice out there, not sure one thing tops the list but here’s a goodie – what other people think about you is not your concern. Yep, let that sink in a bit.

The Results Are In ~ 3/28/22

Ugh! I was given my CT scan results with a comparison to 2017, 2019, and 2021 scans. I don’t understand how things disappeared. Cysts yes, they can come and go but hernias and deteriorated discs that are crumbling? Those don’t heal themselves. Do they?

I was left with one concern which requires a referral to a vascular surgeon. With a very clear reinforcement that this isn’t urgent. It does NOT automatically mean I need surgery only that a consultation is in order for further diagnosis.

This condition supposedly left behind is called Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (PCS). Past scans have shown this before but I was told PCS doesn’t cause the pain I’m describing. Plus PCS is a younger lady’s ailment. Also, it’s rare even if those under 40. I’m not that unique. The description of who gets this doesn’t truly fit me.

The final difference is that PCS gets worse when standing and better to lie down. Mine is the opposite. Standing stretches me out to release the heavy feeling. When I lie down, I feel somewhat better than I do sitting but no real relief. Constant pain I tell ya! C.O.N.S.T.A.N.T !!!!!

I’ll play this game, I’ll see your $1 and raise you $2. I’m going to the consult. See what this new doctor tells me. I hope my dilated vein doesn’t rupture before I can get in. Too close to what happened to my brother-in-law D. Oy Vey.

I also need to find a new PCP and begin again. No looking at past records for jaded opinions. Like I have amnesia, I can’t remember. Let the games begin all over again.

As always, more to come.

P.S. the real kicker is when I called to schedule the consultation, they found me in the system from 2005-ish. They had my landline which is how I could determine the time frame. We moved here in January of 2000. Changed the phone number to the one they had. Didn’t cancel that landline until we’d been here about 4-5 years. I have zero recollection of getting a vascular consult before now. She was unable to provide more details for me to sleuth around & figure out what happened. Guess I flaked out completely. Oh well, better late than never.

Ta-ta for now 🙂

Haiku – Tower & Watch ~ 3/28/22

Overtop the trees

High above the mountain view

Eagle eye watching

Waiting for his prey

In the valley underneath

Sheltering in place

Okay this is morbid. I wanted to add juxtaposition for a ‘real’ haiku but couldn’t quite get there. The above would surely be banned on my FB. No wonder they kicked me out. But to clarify, this is not a person. These are animals in the wild, circle of life, and how they reside parallel to us.

Written for Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 403 TOWER and Watch.

Now for a musical interlude.

#SLS ~ 3/27/22

Today we have Mind, Think, or Brain suggested by Paula of Light Motifs II. HERE are the rules and ping back. Thanks Jim for hosting.

I picked Sweating Bullets by Megadeth. Songwriter Dave Mustane. The wording thinking is in the lyrics and while not explicitly said the mind and brain are part of the song’s meaning. Someone losing their mind. My brains have been wonky lately so fits my mood too. Plus the odds of a twofer are slim. Not most people’s cuppa if ya know what I mean. Now without further ado, lyrics within. Hope you enjoy.

Sunday Reflections: A Week in Review ~ 3/27/22

The roses feature picture calm me down. SA Botanical Gardens are like my sanctuary. And I need a sanctuary right about now. My CT scan results were uploaded into my patient portal at 4:14 pm on Friday. Record time considering the scan was done 9ish that morning. Not going to self-diagnose but rather wait for the call with results. Today has been painful, physically. Emotionally I’m even keel, bracing for what may happen. Something wicked this way comes … move along Jason Robards. Ugh 😦

CT scan aside, what a whirlwind week I’ve had. Folks don’t know the half of it since surprisingly, I don’t disclose everything single that’s happening around these parts. Instead I spew an in the moment highlights reel. Not going to release the hounds today. Wouldn’t be prudent said in my Dana Carvey playing George Bush voice over voice. Or not just yet. Might be back if I breakdown and jump into my patient portal. As I wait, here’s a quick lil recap.

1. Sunday 3/20/22 – #SLS
2. Monday 3/21/22 – Haiku
3. Tuesday 3/22/22 – Share Your World
4. Wednesday 3/23/22 – #1linerWeds.
5. Thursday 3/24/22 – Thoughts and HR Came Through
6. Friday 3/25/22 – #WATWB – the swan song edition
7. Saturday 3/26/22 – #SoCS – better than my own, look at Richmond’s comments. Poetry at its’ finest ❤

Peace y’all. Until next time. Stay safe.

As always, more to come.

#SoCS ~ 3/26/22

Howdy pardners! Miss Linda says Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “rope.” Use it as a noun or a verb. Have fun! HERE are the rules and ping back so you too can git along lil doggy.

First thought is New York City?!?? Get a rope! Memba that? The Pace picante sauce commercial. Not their best or brightest moment but probably sold some product. Now we (or more correctly B) makes our own salsa. Yum, yum, just how we like it.

My second thought for no explainable reason was rope-a-dope. And I don’t even like boxing. But the bob & weave pretend to be hurt only to lure in the opponent for a knockout aka the rope-a-dope was next on my mind. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.

Ugh! I really don’t have much else to offer. Guess I’ll call it early. Get out there for the walk before it gets too hot. Not that I’m complaining because I prefer the heat nowadays. Though we could use more rain. Things are pretty parched for March. Hoping for lots of April showers to bring May flowers. Wishing you a sensational Saturday.

As always, more to come.

#WATWB ~ 3/25/22

The swan song edition. Of course this mentality doesn’t have to end. In darkness, be light is a noble aspiration. I picked a compilation of top 3 positive news stories from February 2022.

Then I found this article. Father son farmers buy back the family farm. I hope the link works, this is truly heartwarming. https://dailyhealthpost.com/200-nebraska-farmers-silent-auction/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SocialWarfare&fbclid=IwAR223bJCXSi3Fd0b__5Wl6ak6zTUgjWCEs6kn8p9HKCoa8C6D7r6Ty1OzG4

Co-hosts Sylvia McGrath and Belinda Witzenhausen. #WATWB is a blog hop on the last Friday of every month. Here are the intention and rules which aren’t being maintained. Today is the finale.

As always, more to come.

HR Came Through ~ 3/24/22

My HR department sent the email to confirm insurance would pay. Then within 30 minutes of getting the email, S from Aetna called me to give me the good news. He was so sweet 🥲 and I felt bad that he felt bad for me. He seemed genuinely happy 😃 to tell me. It was off script to call but he did it anyway.

Then the notorious Evacor called but Apple/AT&T identified the call as spam risk. Their voicemail to me says “this call is a regulatory requirement”. I’m approved through 9/20/22. Yay! I think 🤔

The cost which goes to my deductible is $60 more than the cash/no insurance price. Yep I can’t make this stuff up. Gotta love 💕 it.

As always more to come.