Last Sunday, we left for my biannual diabetes appointment with Dr. George Dailey, head of Endocrinology at Scripps Institute in La Jolla. I had scheduled both an office visit with Dr D and an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound that shows heart function under stress. This type of stress test is done for people who are unable or unwilling to do the treadmill test.
My tender right foot refers excruciating pain to my lower back if I exert too much pressure on it by walking (that's why I swim), so this was the test of choice. The reason for my having a myocardial function test was becuz of my use of the oral medication, Actos, which comes with a warning about potential heart failure as a side effect.
Get to the cardio lab, all suited up in a glamorous open front nightie, and ready to go, IV pumping toxins into me, electrodes glued down in the netherlands of my anatomy, when the ultrasound technician reported that she couldn't see my heart on the screen. Where was the li'l bugger?
She and the nurse who was going to inject the drugs to stress me tried every which way to move my left boob to get a glimpse of the ticker.
Unable to locate it, they summoned the cardiologist on duty that day, Mike Smith. He looked at the screen, moved the mouse around a bit (the computer kind), then turned to me and said, "Do you have breast implants?"
Indignant, I replied, "Why, I BEG YOUR PARDON!" They all laughed sheepishly, and then I just couldn't resist the opportunity to use a line from an old Seinfeld show where Jerry is trying to find out if a girl he's dating has implants. I continued by saying proudly, "They're REAL....and they're SPECTACULAR!"
We all had a good laugh.
Turns out that there was no way of seeing my heart with ultrasound becuz my breast tissue is too dense. They couldn't get a peek at the heart thru the rib cage either, becuz i have dense and gigantic ribs as well. Next step?
The IV comes out, the electrodes pulled off and i get dressed for a hike over to my endocrinologist's office to try to get approval for one of the best myocardial function tests on the market: the PET scan. After duress with the nurse (Doc had left and didn't answer his pager), another Doc in the endocrinology dept approved the PET scan.
Next day, i have to fast from 8 am til the test at 2:45 pm. Lovely. This test uses a radioisotope (rubidium) to illuminate the heart and every blood vessel you own. Side effects are myriad. My side effect of choice was a booming migraine. I'd had many migraines in my life, most of them associated with changes in barometric pressure and cyclic female hormone changes. With this test, I learned emphatically that changes in barometric pressure cause my sinus tissue to dilate, which produces the sinus headache that eventually continues long enough to give the symptoms of migraine.
But I digress......the bottom line is that you get a stimulant injected into your IV to dilate every blood vessel, then rubidium injected in the IV to glow in the dark on the CT scan that follows. For about 15 minutes, you are in the CT machine enjoying your own personal side effect. Some people have chest pressure, others have tingling fingers and toes. I knew my head was going to explode.
They finish by injecting a drug that reverse the dilation and takes most of the migraine away. 800 mg of ibuprofen to polish off the pain and i was done.
Good news is that the myocardial function was outstanding. And my doctor took me off the Actos anyway, because weight loss and exercise has helped my blood glucose levels remain low.
Not-so-good news was that the scan also shows the lungs hiding behind the heart, and i had a 4cm shadow on the upper lobe of the right lung. I'd been off work with a nasty cough for a week before this, so it was no surprise to me. Dr. Dailey recommended a follow up CT scan here in Tucson with a visit to a pulmonologist. He sent me an email with the reading on April 3, and I've not yet been able to schedule a follow up. Most folks I call say they are booked until September. I have an Obgyn annual on May 5, and if I've been unable to hook up with anyone, I'll ask her to help.
Other stuff: weather was cool in SD but still lovely, flowers were bursting at the seams in all colors of the rainbow cuz of winter rains. Ate at our usual haunts, but this was a rather short visit, so we didn't get to do much but go to the doc and test labs.
On April 7, here in Tucson, I had my second oral surgery for placement of 2 dental implants on the left lower jaw. In a few weeks, I'll have impressions made and they'll order the crowns. David's had to recently undergo 2-hr (not kidding) sandblastings of his gums because of scale buildup. The pH of your mouth is a big determinant of whether or not you get scale; i've lucked out on that, and he suffers.
david got his sleep apnea machine and is resting much better. SO AM I. It keeps him from snoring like a freight train, so I too sleep like a baby when we are in the same bed/room. He thinks it may need some adjusting, but overall is pleased with its results. He no longer comes home in the afternoon and collapses in a dead funk.
i've been having some very interesting dreams again...lots of visitation by dead relatives and crazy activities in them. Not worth repeating, but let me say that when i wake up, for a few hours, i don't know if they're truth or fiction!
hope all who read this are well and blessed.
a
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Sushi Son
Finally, after almost a %^$#@& year, we got our 2006 Federal income tax refund!!!
We even scored a wee bit of interest, probably not the amount the IRS would have levied had WE been the ones to pay late. It was my fault for the delay. I completed our joint return and Steven's 1040EZ whilst in a zzzzzzzzzzzz boring meeting last April, and absentmindedly put David's social on both ours and Steven's. Ooooops, the smart-ass IRS computer kicked them both outta the $$$$ queue and into a black hole.
I repeatedly visited the "where's my refund" link on the irs.gov site to check our status. It repeated its monotonous, "Your return has been received and is being processed." After 3 months of checking, i decided to saunter down to the 1st floor of our building and inquire.
After about 15 minutes, a staffer came out and said in a Jack Webb voice, "Did you prepare your tax return for 2006 yourself?"
"Yes, all my myself," I beamed.
"OK, did you prepare a return for anyone else for 2006?"
"Yes," I beamed again.
"Well, ma'am. The problem is this. We have two returns with the same SSN on them. The computer noticed this discrepancy and immediately placed the payments on hold. The returns were assigned to a fixer on July 31. If you don't receive a refund by September, come down again and let us know."
Well, both Vern and I went down several times to bug them, and all we could get was, "The returns are still in processing."
In October, the local office gave V the phone number for the Taxpayer Advocate Service out of Omaha. The lady who accepted our case was very nice, but it still took her until March to fix the two socials. I was about ready to file an amended return (thought about doing that long ago, but since i wasn't advised that this would correct the problem, i didn't bother) when we rec'd a letter from the Advocate telling us that we would break the bank in March. Now I gotta get this year's returns done, and in the process, teach Steven how to do his own, so that i won't screw up again.
We drove to Phoenix last Wednesday to take Steven his new ASU license plate and health insurance card. He works every day, and is taking 2 courses. We know his schedule is quite busy, therefore, we're reluctant to ask him to drive to Tucson.
We visited his current place of employment, Sake-Bomber, where he has been working as a sushi chef since last summer! He made us several creative rolls, and ensured that his Dad's had "cooked" fish and shrimp on them. Even made a non-sushi roll that the place offers for squeamish folks (it has cooked chicken in it).
I was sooo proud of him. He loves the work and if he's happy, I'm happy. They have him on a weekly salary now, no benefits, but it may be that if this is his calling, he'll develop the expertise to play with the big boys. The restaurant is not frou-frou, but definitely not a college joint or chain. Lovely decor, great lighting and great food. It's on the southwest corner of McClintock and Broadway in Tempe.
I have a busy next few weeks, with multiple meetings (day and night) and teaching a class to Forest Service staff in Douglas, AZ.
Hugs to all.
a
We even scored a wee bit of interest, probably not the amount the IRS would have levied had WE been the ones to pay late. It was my fault for the delay. I completed our joint return and Steven's 1040EZ whilst in a zzzzzzzzzzzz boring meeting last April, and absentmindedly put David's social on both ours and Steven's. Ooooops, the smart-ass IRS computer kicked them both outta the $$$$ queue and into a black hole.
I repeatedly visited the "where's my refund" link on the irs.gov site to check our status. It repeated its monotonous, "Your return has been received and is being processed." After 3 months of checking, i decided to saunter down to the 1st floor of our building and inquire.
After about 15 minutes, a staffer came out and said in a Jack Webb voice, "Did you prepare your tax return for 2006 yourself?"
"Yes, all my myself," I beamed.
"OK, did you prepare a return for anyone else for 2006?"
"Yes," I beamed again.
"Well, ma'am. The problem is this. We have two returns with the same SSN on them. The computer noticed this discrepancy and immediately placed the payments on hold. The returns were assigned to a fixer on July 31. If you don't receive a refund by September, come down again and let us know."
Well, both Vern and I went down several times to bug them, and all we could get was, "The returns are still in processing."
In October, the local office gave V the phone number for the Taxpayer Advocate Service out of Omaha. The lady who accepted our case was very nice, but it still took her until March to fix the two socials. I was about ready to file an amended return (thought about doing that long ago, but since i wasn't advised that this would correct the problem, i didn't bother) when we rec'd a letter from the Advocate telling us that we would break the bank in March. Now I gotta get this year's returns done, and in the process, teach Steven how to do his own, so that i won't screw up again.
We drove to Phoenix last Wednesday to take Steven his new ASU license plate and health insurance card. He works every day, and is taking 2 courses. We know his schedule is quite busy, therefore, we're reluctant to ask him to drive to Tucson.
We visited his current place of employment, Sake-Bomber, where he has been working as a sushi chef since last summer! He made us several creative rolls, and ensured that his Dad's had "cooked" fish and shrimp on them. Even made a non-sushi roll that the place offers for squeamish folks (it has cooked chicken in it).
I was sooo proud of him. He loves the work and if he's happy, I'm happy. They have him on a weekly salary now, no benefits, but it may be that if this is his calling, he'll develop the expertise to play with the big boys. The restaurant is not frou-frou, but definitely not a college joint or chain. Lovely decor, great lighting and great food. It's on the southwest corner of McClintock and Broadway in Tempe.
I have a busy next few weeks, with multiple meetings (day and night) and teaching a class to Forest Service staff in Douglas, AZ.
Hugs to all.
a
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Monthly Minutia
What's there to report about a mundane life?
The new Volvo is running great...i especially like the convenience of the built-in blue tooth to make phone calls. Used to be a real pain in the arse to try to hold a phone, shift gears and steer ol' blue (the '02 convertible). Now i can be sure to steer with something other than my left knee, much more accurate and keeps you on the correct lane. It's got a built-in Ipod too, but because of my being an old fart, i don't know what an Ipod is. I do know it has something to do with music, but it's not a radio, so ???? the car came with 6 months of Sirius satellite music, don't know what more an ipod could do to fill the vehicle with soothing sounds.
Valentine's Day.....we had a 5 course dinner at the Az-Sonora Desert Museum, outstanding dining at a high price, but for a non-profit organization, so it's acceptable. the restaurant is set among the wild desert foliage with floor to ceiling windows to gaze out.
today is anniversary 23 for me and V. whew! a long haul to say the least.
work is the same as always, a means to an end. we're thinking about using some of the hard-earned bucks for hardwood flooring in half the house, new carpet in the other.
we haven't seen Steven in 6 weeks, he's busy with school and working when he's not in school. talked with him yesterday, he's got a bad cold, like 3/4 of America right now.
days are getting longer, sun is MUCH MUCH warmer, i am looking forward to spring and wildflower bloom. V and i are taking hour-long walks for exercise several times a week, enjoying the wildlife (javelina, quail, coyote, rabbits etc.) and soon, wildflowers. we also keep tabs on new construction in the subdivision. it kills me to walk, with my tattered sciatic nerve searing the whole time, but with a few stops to cut it a break, i manage to do the 3 or so miles without having to summon an ambulance.
Blessing to those who read this blog, love to family and friends.
a
The new Volvo is running great...i especially like the convenience of the built-in blue tooth to make phone calls. Used to be a real pain in the arse to try to hold a phone, shift gears and steer ol' blue (the '02 convertible). Now i can be sure to steer with something other than my left knee, much more accurate and keeps you on the correct lane. It's got a built-in Ipod too, but because of my being an old fart, i don't know what an Ipod is. I do know it has something to do with music, but it's not a radio, so ???? the car came with 6 months of Sirius satellite music, don't know what more an ipod could do to fill the vehicle with soothing sounds.
Valentine's Day.....we had a 5 course dinner at the Az-Sonora Desert Museum, outstanding dining at a high price, but for a non-profit organization, so it's acceptable. the restaurant is set among the wild desert foliage with floor to ceiling windows to gaze out.
today is anniversary 23 for me and V. whew! a long haul to say the least.
work is the same as always, a means to an end. we're thinking about using some of the hard-earned bucks for hardwood flooring in half the house, new carpet in the other.
we haven't seen Steven in 6 weeks, he's busy with school and working when he's not in school. talked with him yesterday, he's got a bad cold, like 3/4 of America right now.
days are getting longer, sun is MUCH MUCH warmer, i am looking forward to spring and wildflower bloom. V and i are taking hour-long walks for exercise several times a week, enjoying the wildlife (javelina, quail, coyote, rabbits etc.) and soon, wildflowers. we also keep tabs on new construction in the subdivision. it kills me to walk, with my tattered sciatic nerve searing the whole time, but with a few stops to cut it a break, i manage to do the 3 or so miles without having to summon an ambulance.
Blessing to those who read this blog, love to family and friends.
a
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Black Beauty
Summarizing the past few weeks:
New Year's Week: David travelled to Knoxville for his Aunt Margaret's funeral.
Jan. 6-Jan. 12: We drove to San Diego for a weeklong training session with my student trainee, Rachel. Raining when we got there, and cool by San Diego standards for the first couple days, but then the wind died down and the sun shone warmly. We enjoyed staying at the Pacific Terrace, a luxury hotel on the boardwalk that offers a gov't lodging rate. Since it got dark at 4:30 pm, we didn't do much in the evening but eat out. Had dim sum at Jasmine, fried calamari at Vincenzo's, wood-fired Chilean sea bass at Baleen, roast duck and satay at Karinya (Thai), and fun sushi in a restaurant that has a revolving selection of sashimi, nigiri, etc in little boats that circle the sushi bar.
Wk of Jan 14: catch up at work for both of us
Wk of Jan 21: Fed'l holiday (MLK), then i had to attend a 2-day Forest Leadership Team mtg at Sabino Cyn. Weather turned damp and rainy for those few days, so our field trip into the canyon was a wee bit chilly.
This week: Big news is that I traded in my 2002 Volvo convertible for a 2007 Volvo S80.....has 3350 miles, was the dealer demo car, used by the owner of Broadway Volvo when not out demo-ing. It's black w/ dark leather interior and has all the bells and whistles you could think of. V-8, 311 hp, GPS, built-in blue tooth, hot water power spray for cleaning headlights, Sirius radio, keyless start up, sunroof, heated AND cooled seats, rear air........fold down back seats for cargo haul.
Trade-in was prompted by today's scheduled maintenance for my 2002 and repair of the power steering system (warranty-covered) which rang up a bill of about $1K. Dealer gave me credit for these charges with the new purchase. I had 10K miles left on my 2002 extended warranty, and figured I'd be forking out big bucks real soon when it expired, so what the heck.
Only way I could afford to do this was to borrow from my gov't savings plan for a down payment. Anyway, i think i'll enjoy the automatic transmission and a 4-door for a change.
Vern's been sick with the flu, which is making its rounds at the prison. I am anxiously (NOT) awaiting my turn, now that he's sneezed and coughed all over me for 4 days.
That's it for now. Happy trails to all!
a
New Year's Week: David travelled to Knoxville for his Aunt Margaret's funeral.
Jan. 6-Jan. 12: We drove to San Diego for a weeklong training session with my student trainee, Rachel. Raining when we got there, and cool by San Diego standards for the first couple days, but then the wind died down and the sun shone warmly. We enjoyed staying at the Pacific Terrace, a luxury hotel on the boardwalk that offers a gov't lodging rate. Since it got dark at 4:30 pm, we didn't do much in the evening but eat out. Had dim sum at Jasmine, fried calamari at Vincenzo's, wood-fired Chilean sea bass at Baleen, roast duck and satay at Karinya (Thai), and fun sushi in a restaurant that has a revolving selection of sashimi, nigiri, etc in little boats that circle the sushi bar.
Wk of Jan 14: catch up at work for both of us
Wk of Jan 21: Fed'l holiday (MLK), then i had to attend a 2-day Forest Leadership Team mtg at Sabino Cyn. Weather turned damp and rainy for those few days, so our field trip into the canyon was a wee bit chilly.
This week: Big news is that I traded in my 2002 Volvo convertible for a 2007 Volvo S80.....has 3350 miles, was the dealer demo car, used by the owner of Broadway Volvo when not out demo-ing. It's black w/ dark leather interior and has all the bells and whistles you could think of. V-8, 311 hp, GPS, built-in blue tooth, hot water power spray for cleaning headlights, Sirius radio, keyless start up, sunroof, heated AND cooled seats, rear air........fold down back seats for cargo haul.
Trade-in was prompted by today's scheduled maintenance for my 2002 and repair of the power steering system (warranty-covered) which rang up a bill of about $1K. Dealer gave me credit for these charges with the new purchase. I had 10K miles left on my 2002 extended warranty, and figured I'd be forking out big bucks real soon when it expired, so what the heck.
Only way I could afford to do this was to borrow from my gov't savings plan for a down payment. Anyway, i think i'll enjoy the automatic transmission and a 4-door for a change.
Vern's been sick with the flu, which is making its rounds at the prison. I am anxiously (NOT) awaiting my turn, now that he's sneezed and coughed all over me for 4 days.
That's it for now. Happy trails to all!
a
Sunday, December 30, 2007
When's It Gonna Get Warm Again?
Photo taken by my neighbor (about 1 mile west of my home) 3 weeks ago when it was storming here. Rainbow ends on my home. Pink things on roof (insert) are solar panels. I wish i knew how to improve the image resolution......need to get the scanner book out and become less illiterate. If you double click on the photo, however, it calls up a GIANT photo where you can see the colors and the house much clearer.i've been freezing my dupa off here in TUS for the past month!
i never thought i'd say this, but in the winter, i actually do miss the 10 degrees warmer that it is in Yuma compared to Tucson. i don't, however, miss the 70-100,000 snowbirds that clog every road, restaurant, supermarket, and square inch of desert within 50 miles of Yuma from October to April every year.
i should hush and be grateful for our 60-degree, pleasant sunny days...... i just wish the days were lonnnnngggger and the sun's azimuth higgghhher so i could swim laps without getting frostbite. yeah, yeah...i know...go 'head and remind me that PA's Benton Creek is colder than a witch's ***** in mid-July...i have REALLY wussified since moving to AZ, haina???
Vern's Aunt Margaret (82) passed around 9 pm EST yesterday. her health had taken a precipitous nosedive after a nasty fall in late summer that fractured her femur. after surgery to repair the bone, her recovery was derailed by an E. coli infection (septicemia), kidney infection, pneumonia.... you name it, she caught it.....docs got the infections under control with meds then sent her to a 'rehab' hospital for physical therapy to learn to walk again.
when vern and i visited her there on our trip to TN in November, we found her sharing a room no bigger than a telephone booth with another very ill patient. it was a hateful place....i could see a great sadness in her eyes--one that revealed that she'd fought the good fight and was really really ready for the final journey.
vern is flying to TN on Tuesday a.m. (New Year's) for her wake and then funeral on Wed. Margaret was very close to him and his brother, Jeff....they spent many summers on the family farm with her and their grandparents.
Margaret's sweet nature and spirit will live on in our hearts. i have no doubt she is with me as i write this, grateful that she passed peacefully into that long good night.
i had a fun phone visit with my cousin Diana this morning. She called for her parents, my Aunt Betty (Wargo) and Uncle Joey, to thank me for flowers that I'd sent to brighten their winter. Hadn't seen her since my mother died in 1990, so we had a LOT to chat about. She's about to be a gran'mama! Talked briefly to my aunt and uncle who are in their mid-80's and still entertaining one another with "gin rummy" (wink-wink).
Son Steven came down from Tempe for a few days over Christmas.
We did the traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve supper, albeit abbreviated, since he and vern are finicky eaters, and my pierogies come out of a box, not molded with love by my own hands. Steve has a B average at Az State, where he is working toward a degree in Design Studies--Urban Environment. He should finish his B.S. possibly by the end of '08.
i am off until Wednesday this week, then leaving on Sunday for a week in San Diego (tough job, huh?) to assist my blind student with a training class. See http://www.paradisepoint.com/ to check out our digs for the week.
Happy 2008 to all my peeps!
a
i never thought i'd say this, but in the winter, i actually do miss the 10 degrees warmer that it is in Yuma compared to Tucson. i don't, however, miss the 70-100,000 snowbirds that clog every road, restaurant, supermarket, and square inch of desert within 50 miles of Yuma from October to April every year.
i should hush and be grateful for our 60-degree, pleasant sunny days...... i just wish the days were lonnnnngggger and the sun's azimuth higgghhher so i could swim laps without getting frostbite. yeah, yeah...i know...go 'head and remind me that PA's Benton Creek is colder than a witch's ***** in mid-July...i have REALLY wussified since moving to AZ, haina???
Vern's Aunt Margaret (82) passed around 9 pm EST yesterday. her health had taken a precipitous nosedive after a nasty fall in late summer that fractured her femur. after surgery to repair the bone, her recovery was derailed by an E. coli infection (septicemia), kidney infection, pneumonia.... you name it, she caught it.....docs got the infections under control with meds then sent her to a 'rehab' hospital for physical therapy to learn to walk again.
when vern and i visited her there on our trip to TN in November, we found her sharing a room no bigger than a telephone booth with another very ill patient. it was a hateful place....i could see a great sadness in her eyes--one that revealed that she'd fought the good fight and was really really ready for the final journey.
vern is flying to TN on Tuesday a.m. (New Year's) for her wake and then funeral on Wed. Margaret was very close to him and his brother, Jeff....they spent many summers on the family farm with her and their grandparents.
Margaret's sweet nature and spirit will live on in our hearts. i have no doubt she is with me as i write this, grateful that she passed peacefully into that long good night.
i had a fun phone visit with my cousin Diana this morning. She called for her parents, my Aunt Betty (Wargo) and Uncle Joey, to thank me for flowers that I'd sent to brighten their winter. Hadn't seen her since my mother died in 1990, so we had a LOT to chat about. She's about to be a gran'mama! Talked briefly to my aunt and uncle who are in their mid-80's and still entertaining one another with "gin rummy" (wink-wink).
Son Steven came down from Tempe for a few days over Christmas.
We did the traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve supper, albeit abbreviated, since he and vern are finicky eaters, and my pierogies come out of a box, not molded with love by my own hands. Steve has a B average at Az State, where he is working toward a degree in Design Studies--Urban Environment. He should finish his B.S. possibly by the end of '08.
i am off until Wednesday this week, then leaving on Sunday for a week in San Diego (tough job, huh?) to assist my blind student with a training class. See http://www.paradisepoint.com/ to check out our digs for the week.
Happy 2008 to all my peeps!
a
Friday, December 21, 2007
Jaw Breaker
the word used to refer to jumbo gumballs that one could get for a penny at the corner market.
in the context of this blog post, jaw breaker refers to my experience with Dr. Richard Weiss, who drilled for oil in my jawbone on Wednesday and may have struck the motherlode. he set two titanium posts into the bone as a prelude to screwing in two porcelain implants 4-6 months down the road.
why am i spending the big bucks for implants? well, i figure i don't have to save up for the "other" kind of implants due to God's good graces....and i have 2 spaces in my mouth that were originally covered w/ a dental bridge that kept breaking cuz of my fierce bite! Dental literature says that the primary reason for aging adults (yup, i'm a one of 'em) having a jaw that recedes til its akin to that of a wicked witch is becuz of dentures or for those who prefer the natural look, no teefff (aka zoobies: Ukrainian origin).
a full complement of dentures or an empty mouff w/ no zoobies contribute to the loss of bone in the jaw. if there ain't a tooth in the bone, it ceases to have a reason for being, and soon erodes to dust.
hence, i opted for the implants and now my lower left cheek (the one north of the equator) is blue-violet....yes, exactly the hue that one finds in a box of Crayolas......AND the lovely hued flesh extends outward about 3 inches a la Jay Leno.
aches a bunch....i've been in and out of la-la land for 3 days now, first day cuz of the Valium and nitrous oxide (oooooo, i luv that sweet gas!)...yesterday and today cuz of a combination of Motrin, Darvocet, and amoxicillin.
i can't eat anything that crunches for a week.....goodbye buttered popcorn.... the only thing soft enough to bite down on is a sugared donut....well, not the only thing, but the only thing that looks and tastes yummy.
so here i sit on my sugar high, waiting for the next hunger pang to force me to open the Hostess box and find me another legal drug to ingest.
on a totally other random note, i've got some ramblings in my brain that i am going to share with the world in a future post....have given lots of thought to what ails humanity and want to express it before Old-timer's sets in.
Y'all have a merrrrry merrrry and offer praise to the Almighty however it feels right.
Love and peace to all my homies!
in the context of this blog post, jaw breaker refers to my experience with Dr. Richard Weiss, who drilled for oil in my jawbone on Wednesday and may have struck the motherlode. he set two titanium posts into the bone as a prelude to screwing in two porcelain implants 4-6 months down the road.
why am i spending the big bucks for implants? well, i figure i don't have to save up for the "other" kind of implants due to God's good graces....and i have 2 spaces in my mouth that were originally covered w/ a dental bridge that kept breaking cuz of my fierce bite! Dental literature says that the primary reason for aging adults (yup, i'm a one of 'em) having a jaw that recedes til its akin to that of a wicked witch is becuz of dentures or for those who prefer the natural look, no teefff (aka zoobies: Ukrainian origin).
a full complement of dentures or an empty mouff w/ no zoobies contribute to the loss of bone in the jaw. if there ain't a tooth in the bone, it ceases to have a reason for being, and soon erodes to dust.
hence, i opted for the implants and now my lower left cheek (the one north of the equator) is blue-violet....yes, exactly the hue that one finds in a box of Crayolas......AND the lovely hued flesh extends outward about 3 inches a la Jay Leno.
aches a bunch....i've been in and out of la-la land for 3 days now, first day cuz of the Valium and nitrous oxide (oooooo, i luv that sweet gas!)...yesterday and today cuz of a combination of Motrin, Darvocet, and amoxicillin.
i can't eat anything that crunches for a week.....goodbye buttered popcorn.... the only thing soft enough to bite down on is a sugared donut....well, not the only thing, but the only thing that looks and tastes yummy.
so here i sit on my sugar high, waiting for the next hunger pang to force me to open the Hostess box and find me another legal drug to ingest.
on a totally other random note, i've got some ramblings in my brain that i am going to share with the world in a future post....have given lots of thought to what ails humanity and want to express it before Old-timer's sets in.
Y'all have a merrrrry merrrry and offer praise to the Almighty however it feels right.
Love and peace to all my homies!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Happy Holidays!
In just a few days, the feast upon which we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ will be history.
Even as a small child, I was never one who found excitement in the merchanting hoopla that accompanied Christmas and New Year.
The only hoopla that interested me was directly related to the anticipation in my gut for the traditional foods that my mother and others in the family prepared from scratch.....pierogie, Polish ham, kielbasi (smoked in the back yard over pear or some other fruit wood), poppyseed loaf, babalki, and myriad cookies filled with dates, prunes, nuts and assorted spices. And for the camaradarie that the holiday brought as we supped together to honor our Saviour.
Christmas to me and my family was all about family and church.....never, ever the rush to find the best gift for kin, sweethearts or special friends. As I've mellowed into the golden years, I am impossibly impatient with the emphasis people (or as i call them "sheep") place on material goods. A new whatchamacallit is not even in the same league as the priceless feeling of well-being that embraces me when i am with those whom i love.
I reminisce in my heart about our visits to Pennsylvania...the long white-knuckle drive on oft-icy roads with carsick critters under seats, on your lap, on the dashboard.....finally pulling up to 62 Wyoming St in Lee Park with the joy of knowing my parents and Aunt Annie were just moments away from big hugs and kisses and we were just minutes away from a stock pot full of pierogies.
It's not the same anymore, no matter if I take the lead and prepare the pierogies or poppy seed or other foods for the traditional Christmas eve supper. My mom is gone almost 18 years, my dad 6, and most of my aunts, uncles and other kin are celebrating with them in heaven. I feel their presence as they find a comfortable vantage point in various corners of my home over the holidays. I also feel them with me when i am elsewhere, but the longing to touch them at special times is overwhelmingly melancholy.
The only gift I want for Christmas is to have them near me, within my heart and mind, warming the deepest recesses of my soul.
Hristos Rozdayesha to all!
Even as a small child, I was never one who found excitement in the merchanting hoopla that accompanied Christmas and New Year.
The only hoopla that interested me was directly related to the anticipation in my gut for the traditional foods that my mother and others in the family prepared from scratch.....pierogie, Polish ham, kielbasi (smoked in the back yard over pear or some other fruit wood), poppyseed loaf, babalki, and myriad cookies filled with dates, prunes, nuts and assorted spices. And for the camaradarie that the holiday brought as we supped together to honor our Saviour.
Christmas to me and my family was all about family and church.....never, ever the rush to find the best gift for kin, sweethearts or special friends. As I've mellowed into the golden years, I am impossibly impatient with the emphasis people (or as i call them "sheep") place on material goods. A new whatchamacallit is not even in the same league as the priceless feeling of well-being that embraces me when i am with those whom i love.
I reminisce in my heart about our visits to Pennsylvania...the long white-knuckle drive on oft-icy roads with carsick critters under seats, on your lap, on the dashboard.....finally pulling up to 62 Wyoming St in Lee Park with the joy of knowing my parents and Aunt Annie were just moments away from big hugs and kisses and we were just minutes away from a stock pot full of pierogies.
It's not the same anymore, no matter if I take the lead and prepare the pierogies or poppy seed or other foods for the traditional Christmas eve supper. My mom is gone almost 18 years, my dad 6, and most of my aunts, uncles and other kin are celebrating with them in heaven. I feel their presence as they find a comfortable vantage point in various corners of my home over the holidays. I also feel them with me when i am elsewhere, but the longing to touch them at special times is overwhelmingly melancholy.
The only gift I want for Christmas is to have them near me, within my heart and mind, warming the deepest recesses of my soul.
Hristos Rozdayesha to all!
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