Gazing into the Sonoran desert these days you see nothing but green green green. Been raining almost daily for 2 months now. Not that it seriously compromises one's sunning, swimming and other outside activities, cuz for the most part, the rain happens after 3 pm until late in the evening. We need to be careful to not venture in a vehicle across flowing washes (they'll take you to Yuma if you aren't), but otherwise, it's great to have a few months of lush green vegetation, wildflowers, and happy hydrated critters. For an East Coast transplant like me, this is all the green (and humidity) I need on an annual basis to remind me of both the good and the bad back yonder.
Since I've last been on the blog, we've lost 2 Colorado river toads to the elements in our pool. These brazen toadies believe that we put in the pool just for their personal use. When we got back from trip #1 to PA, we found one floating and one in the skimmer basket, eroded to skin and bones. YUK!
While I cleaned the pool after trip #2 (Rochester and Ithaca, NY), a third toad did a backflip off the skimmer flap into the pool right next to me! I quickly lifted Sir/Mdme Toad out with the net and deposited him/her on the pool deck. This booger was HUGE....glared at me with huge bugged out eyes for interfering with its plans....eventually hopped thru the fence to its burrow. These monster amphibians are poisonous (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_River_Toad)....they present a deadly curiosity to predators and playful house pets. White sacs on the side of the head contain venom. Wouldn't ya know it....tweakers and other dopers out there "milk" these sacs, then dry the venom and smoke or inject it for kicks...bizarre.
Re: Trip #1, Wilkes-Barre, PA, and Paramus, NJ
7/3/08: Flew Delta thru Atlanta to W-B...no issues, nice flights. Vern watched a movie without headphones...even laughed at stuff...i dunno how he does it, good lipreader i guess.
Spent 7/3 and 7/4 nites at Comfort Inn, W-B...not prime real estate but in a convenient location to surf my old haunts.
7/4/08: Friday, slept late, lunch at Perkins, visited Uncle Beetle (George), my mom's youngest brother, then off to Exeter, PA, for the world's BEST pizza at Sabatini's....mmmm, salivating thinking of it.
As part of this excursion, we drove to West Pittston, where I lived for 6 years (early '70s) in the LaPorte family home. It was a lovely Victorian mansion built in 1870. My ex-husband and I lived on the second floor on the left side of the home. Had floor-to-ceiling bay windows in all rooms, hardwood floors, huge pedestal sink, fireplace (non-working). I still dream about this apartment, as it holds some great memories of a very active period of my life. When i visited W-B in 04, the house was under some sort of construction. I was puzzled, but hesitated to inquire of the laborers the nature of their work. I thought maybe someone had purchased the house and was remodelling. I left pondering its future.
During July's visit, I was shocked and awed to see the house transformed into a full stacked-stone castle! The new owners retained the buggy stair-step and the hitching post, which pleased me, but what a change!
We circled to the back of the house, which sits on its own acre-island on Susquehanna Avenue, and had to stop for some folks shooting off fireworks. After we stopped, I noticed a swimming pool in the back yard and a young woman and an older one descending the back porch and walking toward us, where the group was doing the fireworks.
I said hello, and asked if these folks were related to the owner. The young woman said, "I am the owner!" I then told her how I had lived there for many years and how wonderful my landlord and her daughters treated me. Told her about every Sunday afternoon, when Mrs. LaPorte (the mom) would send one of her adult daughters up the back porch with a plate of spaghetti w/ chicken livers for me. Also about how I scared them many times when one of my hamsters got loose. She told me she knew the LaPortes and that Julie was the only one still alive. Said after the home was completed, she gave Julie a tour. Julie is probably close to 80, but managed to make it to the 3rd floor of the home on her own.
The lady introduced herself as Pam Minichello and said that she'd bought the home at a Sheriff's auction for the price of the land (a terrific steal). Apparently, after Mrs. LP and 2 of the 3 daughters had died, the home became too much of a burden for Julie. Her brother Gaetano (Guy) then sold it for $550K to a pulmonary doctor. The Dr. planned to renovate and live there, but never got around to it (family problems, divorce etc.) and split town without paying the note. Eventually, the property went up for Sheriff's sale and the Minichellos purchased it. I told Pam to say hello from me to Julie should she run into her at the supermarket, which she said happens occasionally. She offered for us to tour the remodelled house, but I couldn't bring myself to see it different than I remembered. Am I a wuss or what....
This experience left me in shock most of the night; i didn't sleep well at all.
7/5/08: Off to the reunion at Centre Inn in Sheatown (Newport Twp)....the backwoods of Nanticoke, PA. Got there about 1 pm. The Inn was closed and the parking lot had but 2 cars meandering about. Who should walk up the hill as we were pondering where the hell the clambake was but Bobby Brittain, my homie from Lee Park. We grew up together, really. His family's home and mom&pop grocery store were but 3 houses away on Wyoming and Oxford Sts. A woman was with him; I assumed it was his wife Linda and introduced myself. Was I ever embarrassed to learn that it wasn't his wife, but one of our home room classmates (for 5 years no less), whom I did not recognize because she was heavier, had glasses and had lightened her once very dark hair.
After Bobby, Vern and I parked our cars, I asked him where Linda went. He said, "Linda's at home painting." I said, "Well, who was that woman with you?". And then he told me it was our classmate since 8th grade, Mary (Marion) Boyle. Immediately, I found Mary in the pavilion and apologized profusely. She said she was confused, because she thought it was me, but the tags on my car were from New Jersey and she knew I lived in AZ.
Overall, the reunion was soooo much fun. Except for the fact that this was an unconventional 42nd reunion of the class of '66, it was a warm, loving gathering of 60-year old 'kids' who had many stories to tell. Beetle warned me that i wouldn't recognize many and they me, and he was dead-on. Generally, the men lost hair and the women gained weight and dyed theirs......most of us wore glasses and those men who had hair were white, silver, and grey. I don't remember any of the women in my class going grey...such vanity, but after all, we are baby-boomers and wanna stay young 4-ever.
A really nice surprise at the reunion was my longtime friend from PA Gas and Water Company, Rick Wilkes. He biked to the Inn from his home many miles away in the far reaches of Nanticoke backcountry, Wapwallopen. I was sitting at a picnic table in the pavilion delighting in greeting old mates when I glanced at someone sitting quietly at a picnic table across from me. It was Ricky, decked out in full bicyclist regalia! I was delighted to see him, but sooooo taken aback.
Unfortunately, our visit was brief....i was totally overwhelmed by the reunion experience and was unable to focus for longer than 30 seconds of conversation. Rick said that one of these days he's going to bike cross-country and stop in Tucson. He visited our home in Yuma several years ago on a road trip to CA to pan for gold. It was great seeing him hale and healthy (looks really lean from all the bicycling), despite his heavy consumption of kielbasa and beer. If you read this, Rick, keep in mind that i am expecting you to visit us and i promise to be more attentive....you'll be my captive audience!
The night before the reunion, Vern asked me "just what is a clambake", as this type of party is unheard of in the South, where he grew up. I said it was not really easy to paint a visual of one with words, then attempted by saying, "well, there's a grove or pavilion with benches and picnic tables, and a kitchen at one end. Folks are served breakfast, lunch, and dinner there. There's always one or more brews on tap, soda, and plenty of ice. At some point during the day, all are served a generous portion of steamed clams. Some clambakes have a live band, but today djs are popular."
And thus, Vern attended his first clambake. He only ate a couple clams, declared they were too "chewy" and gave his to me (i was NOT disappointed).
The day ended for us around 7 pm. We drove to a city about 20 miles from W-B (Hazleton) and checked into a Fairfield Marriott. I wanted some place that was non-smoking. PA legislature is trying to pass a non-smoking law, but at present, it has more holes than Swiss cheese. We stayed there Sat and Sun nights.
7/6/08: Picked up my childhood friend, Kathleen Reiss (president of club 7), and we drove to Tunkhannock to meet with my sister, Jo Anne, and her husband, Mike. We met at what used to be a country dairy and ice cream bar near Lake Carey, PA. My family (2 aunts/1 uncle) owned a cottage at the lake, where J and I had a childhood full of great times. The former Shadowbrook Diner was now a Perkins, but we ate there for old times sake, overlooking the resort and golf course. Then we drove out to the lake and circled it, checking out the changes that have occurred since we were teenagers. A tornado hit the lake several years ago, but its effects were not very evident on the small lake (there are 2), where our cottage was located. Nevertheless, the cottage retained none of its previous charm. It looks like it was remodelled to become a year-round home. No more screened-in back and front porches, no more outhouse. Looked like any other city home. After our goodbyes with J and Mike, we drove back to W-B the back way along the Susquehanna River. This route brings you to West Pittston, so we drove K to the LaPorte house to show her the changes. Then, we stopped for another Sabatini's to take home with us.
Went to K's house, where Vern set up her VCR/DVD and rearranged furniture. I helped her navigate her word processing software on a computer she inherited from her deceased cousin. After eating more pizza (i'll never get sick of Sabatini's pies), we drove back to Hazleton.
7/7/08: Went back into town to say goodbye to Beetle and to visit my Aunt Rose Wargo (age 85) and my mother's cousin Mikey's widow, Helen Sirak. It rained most of the day. The humidity about killed me.
Late in the day, we had supper at Abe's, famous for its hot dogs (unlike anything in TN or AZ). I had some homemade pierogies too (they paled compared to my mom's). Then we drove 2 hr to NJ to my mother's brother Dick's house. We stayed at another Marriott about 1 mile from his house, cuz he doesn't believe in air-conditioning and I don't believe in dying of heatstroke.
Visited with him the next day and part of Wednesday. We got some goodies at his favorite deli to take back with us. Unfortunately, our visit was extended, though not at our choosing. Delta cancelled our return flight from Newark on Wed, 7/9, because of bad weather. Had to stay near the Newark airport overnight and catch a 6 a.m. flight. That meant we had to arise at 4 a.m. to catch a hotel shuttle. THIS SUKKED BIG TIME.
My tail dragged heavily behind me all day. Could not wait to get home to my own bed. On a positive note, DL placed us in first class for the 2 hr flight to Atlanta, so we got some free headphones and extra legroom. We arrived in Tucson late in the a.m. and spent the rest of the day at home doing nada.
I'm going to save my recollection of Trip #2 for another day. I'm fairly certain that this long-winded post has less than captivated yer all's attention. But i need to keep the blog alive as i age so that i'll be able to "jog down mem'ry lane" as Steven so often reminds me.
Blessings to all,
a
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Monsoon Magikk
Greetings from monsoon world!
The clouds have begun to burst, and the desert vegetation is responding admirably!
The onset of the monsoon season is early this year....though not earlier than the window that the Weather Service has designated---June 15 thru July 15---for the winds to shift from southwest to southeast, and the moisture from the Gulf of Mexico to settle in over southeastern AZ. Helping the early start this year was a week or two of 105+ temperatures. "Monsoon" is an Arabic word that applies to the wind shift itself. They have monsoons in Asia (e.g., Burma/Myanmar) every year, so why not AZ too!
It is fun to watch distant lightning shows from our patio, even though we may be high and dry. Our friend, the Colorado river toad (google it, it's humongous), has found his way from an underground burrow to my swimming pool. He/she shares lap time with me. I'm inclined to think it's a he, since he's not got anything better to do......I lifted him up and out a few times only to find him back in the drink doing the frog kick (rather well, i must say) and deep dives.
This week we are flying to Wilkes-Barre (PA), my hometown, for my 42nd class reunion. Leave it to the class of '66 to do things a bit unconventionally. The only reunion we've had to date was a 10th, in which I did not partake. Heck, we were barely out of college for that one, and many of my classmates in high school also attended college with me. It wasn't as if we were old and chubby and grey in 1976, as many of us who don't dye (or die, regrettably) will be at the 42nd. We're flying to W-B on July 3rd, staying locally at a Comfort Suites on my uncle's dime (we were going to stay at his townhouse, but he's very uncomfortable being a host after 20 years living alone). The clambake is being held in an outdoor grove in a nearby rural area on Saturday, the 5th.
We'll have a rental car, so on the 4th and 6th we'll be travelling to my old haunts for nostalgic reasons. My sister may drive down from Ithaca, NY, to Lake Carey, where my family had a cottage for a decade. We might even swim there for old times' sake.
On Monday, we're going to drive to Paramus, NJ, to visit with another uncle, Dick. He's blind and 81, but still lives alone in his home of 40+ years. We'll take him to dinner a few times, one of them at Legal Seafood (yummmm), and maybe to Home Depot or the supermarket. He relies on neighbors and a "lady friend" to help him run errands and do odd jobs at home that he cannot accomplish himself. Still does his own laundry and fixes meals. I'm amazed at his tenacity.
On Wednesday, the 9th, we're flying back to Tucson from Newark.
Two weeks later, we're off again, this time to Rochester for my nephew's wedding. We're staying in a Courtyard Marriott there....I like them cuz they're all non-smoking. In the northeast, smoking is a well-preserved vice, not quite as bad as in Europe, but still nauseating. PA passed an anti-smoking ban that pales in comparison to those in more progressive states. It won't yet be in effect when we are there; we'll have to hold our noses most of the time.
There's not much new to speak of with Steven. We drove to Phx on Father's Day and had sushi with him at his place of employment. He made me an awesome rainbow roll! He finished up a summer class on Friday and is free (except for a 40-hr work week) til classes resume in mid-August.
Chest x-ray in mid-June revealed the fungal infection in my lungs to be less than an inch in diameter, which the doc says is about as small as it will get. The valley fever should remain dormant unless my immune system is weakened by whatever. I feel stronger, though sleep is still my best friend. I wanted to swim laps today, but the skies are an ominous purple and the wind is blowing fiercely. I'll get the swim done later under the lights if it clears up.
My Aunt Grammy (Ruby) is now a blogger and I want to say I'm soooo totally proud of her chutzpah (she won't know what that is....no, it's not a Jewish delicacy). She's a great-grandmother who has mastered the navigation of cyberspace, fiercely unafraid of the dreaded empty blue screens that occur and the illegible encryption that suddenly appears when you least expect it! Hooray for grey power!!
Love and best regards to all readers.
a
The clouds have begun to burst, and the desert vegetation is responding admirably!
The onset of the monsoon season is early this year....though not earlier than the window that the Weather Service has designated---June 15 thru July 15---for the winds to shift from southwest to southeast, and the moisture from the Gulf of Mexico to settle in over southeastern AZ. Helping the early start this year was a week or two of 105+ temperatures. "Monsoon" is an Arabic word that applies to the wind shift itself. They have monsoons in Asia (e.g., Burma/Myanmar) every year, so why not AZ too!
It is fun to watch distant lightning shows from our patio, even though we may be high and dry. Our friend, the Colorado river toad (google it, it's humongous), has found his way from an underground burrow to my swimming pool. He/she shares lap time with me. I'm inclined to think it's a he, since he's not got anything better to do......I lifted him up and out a few times only to find him back in the drink doing the frog kick (rather well, i must say) and deep dives.
This week we are flying to Wilkes-Barre (PA), my hometown, for my 42nd class reunion. Leave it to the class of '66 to do things a bit unconventionally. The only reunion we've had to date was a 10th, in which I did not partake. Heck, we were barely out of college for that one, and many of my classmates in high school also attended college with me. It wasn't as if we were old and chubby and grey in 1976, as many of us who don't dye (or die, regrettably) will be at the 42nd. We're flying to W-B on July 3rd, staying locally at a Comfort Suites on my uncle's dime (we were going to stay at his townhouse, but he's very uncomfortable being a host after 20 years living alone). The clambake is being held in an outdoor grove in a nearby rural area on Saturday, the 5th.
We'll have a rental car, so on the 4th and 6th we'll be travelling to my old haunts for nostalgic reasons. My sister may drive down from Ithaca, NY, to Lake Carey, where my family had a cottage for a decade. We might even swim there for old times' sake.
On Monday, we're going to drive to Paramus, NJ, to visit with another uncle, Dick. He's blind and 81, but still lives alone in his home of 40+ years. We'll take him to dinner a few times, one of them at Legal Seafood (yummmm), and maybe to Home Depot or the supermarket. He relies on neighbors and a "lady friend" to help him run errands and do odd jobs at home that he cannot accomplish himself. Still does his own laundry and fixes meals. I'm amazed at his tenacity.
On Wednesday, the 9th, we're flying back to Tucson from Newark.
Two weeks later, we're off again, this time to Rochester for my nephew's wedding. We're staying in a Courtyard Marriott there....I like them cuz they're all non-smoking. In the northeast, smoking is a well-preserved vice, not quite as bad as in Europe, but still nauseating. PA passed an anti-smoking ban that pales in comparison to those in more progressive states. It won't yet be in effect when we are there; we'll have to hold our noses most of the time.
There's not much new to speak of with Steven. We drove to Phx on Father's Day and had sushi with him at his place of employment. He made me an awesome rainbow roll! He finished up a summer class on Friday and is free (except for a 40-hr work week) til classes resume in mid-August.
Chest x-ray in mid-June revealed the fungal infection in my lungs to be less than an inch in diameter, which the doc says is about as small as it will get. The valley fever should remain dormant unless my immune system is weakened by whatever. I feel stronger, though sleep is still my best friend. I wanted to swim laps today, but the skies are an ominous purple and the wind is blowing fiercely. I'll get the swim done later under the lights if it clears up.
My Aunt Grammy (Ruby) is now a blogger and I want to say I'm soooo totally proud of her chutzpah (she won't know what that is....no, it's not a Jewish delicacy). She's a great-grandmother who has mastered the navigation of cyberspace, fiercely unafraid of the dreaded empty blue screens that occur and the illegible encryption that suddenly appears when you least expect it! Hooray for grey power!!
Love and best regards to all readers.
a
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Mending and Spending
Another month has passed since my last boring update.
Healthwise, I'm on the mend....chest x-ray next week will tell the story.
Continuing to work from home with some annual leave thrown in to cover those times when I'm too pooped to produce. I expect to start going to the office one or two days a week beginning next week.
Vern spent a week and 2 days in Yuma doing an audit at the prison where he used to work. It was 113 degrees while he was there....103 here in Tucson one day during his absence.
Steven is busy working...he's progressed to the level in the sushi business where a chef is entrusted with cutting up whole fish into sections of different quality sushi (raw or cooked rolls) and sashimi (raw only). He will take the remainder of his degree classes next fall and spring.
Weather here is glorious....90's with <10% humidity....too dry for much of the flowering vegetation (except the cacti), but we'll surely make up for the lack of rain during the monsoon season, which begins in July and lasts into September.
We're enjoying the lack of rain because it affords us an opportunity to get outside DIY projects completed. At the moment, Vern is cutting up a few remaining pieces of porcelain tile for me to glue down on the patio. Then we'll clean out the cracks and put down grout to finish the job.
Also have one and a half unpainted trim areas on outside windows to finish and the trim at the top of the house, which V couldn't reach without endangering his well-being. we need to find a ladder that will give him some measure of safety in that regard.
he's also been working on cleaning up the mess that comprises our garage. i've kept nagging him because he has a bad habit of dropping tools and other stuff on piles and then having a helluva time recalling where he dropped it when he needs something.
We bought new kitchen tile from Lowes. The fellow who did our hardwood said he would come back to put it down, but i have my doubts, since he does not return our calls, as he promised. It may not be worth the drive out here for the labor estimate he gave us ($300). We may have to do-it-ourselves. Whewwwwwww.... it's not a straightforward job like the patio...this tile has little painted insets (it's Mexican style). Going to require a return to one's knowledge of geometry...YIKES!
My nephew Nick is getting married in Rochester on July 26. Steven is an usher. I found JetBlue tickets for $348 RT....decent for this gruesome period of high fuel prices in which we are now living. we're going to go to Niagara Falls if the weather is good, since Steven was only 5 last time we were there. also going to drive down to my sister's in Ithaca (about 90 miles from Roch)for a few nights after the wedding. Her husband Mike is going to take us back to Roch to catch our flight.
I was planning on attending my high school reunion in Wilkes-Barre during the week of July 4th, but it's up in the air depending on the progress of my recovery from the fungus. Going to check flights and fare before I confirm any travel.
I hope all of you who may read this are hale, healthy, and hearty.
a
Healthwise, I'm on the mend....chest x-ray next week will tell the story.
Continuing to work from home with some annual leave thrown in to cover those times when I'm too pooped to produce. I expect to start going to the office one or two days a week beginning next week.
Vern spent a week and 2 days in Yuma doing an audit at the prison where he used to work. It was 113 degrees while he was there....103 here in Tucson one day during his absence.
Steven is busy working...he's progressed to the level in the sushi business where a chef is entrusted with cutting up whole fish into sections of different quality sushi (raw or cooked rolls) and sashimi (raw only). He will take the remainder of his degree classes next fall and spring.
Weather here is glorious....90's with <10% humidity....too dry for much of the flowering vegetation (except the cacti), but we'll surely make up for the lack of rain during the monsoon season, which begins in July and lasts into September.
We're enjoying the lack of rain because it affords us an opportunity to get outside DIY projects completed. At the moment, Vern is cutting up a few remaining pieces of porcelain tile for me to glue down on the patio. Then we'll clean out the cracks and put down grout to finish the job.
Also have one and a half unpainted trim areas on outside windows to finish and the trim at the top of the house, which V couldn't reach without endangering his well-being. we need to find a ladder that will give him some measure of safety in that regard.
he's also been working on cleaning up the mess that comprises our garage. i've kept nagging him because he has a bad habit of dropping tools and other stuff on piles and then having a helluva time recalling where he dropped it when he needs something.
We bought new kitchen tile from Lowes. The fellow who did our hardwood said he would come back to put it down, but i have my doubts, since he does not return our calls, as he promised. It may not be worth the drive out here for the labor estimate he gave us ($300). We may have to do-it-ourselves. Whewwwwwww.... it's not a straightforward job like the patio...this tile has little painted insets (it's Mexican style). Going to require a return to one's knowledge of geometry...YIKES!
My nephew Nick is getting married in Rochester on July 26. Steven is an usher. I found JetBlue tickets for $348 RT....decent for this gruesome period of high fuel prices in which we are now living. we're going to go to Niagara Falls if the weather is good, since Steven was only 5 last time we were there. also going to drive down to my sister's in Ithaca (about 90 miles from Roch)for a few nights after the wedding. Her husband Mike is going to take us back to Roch to catch our flight.
I was planning on attending my high school reunion in Wilkes-Barre during the week of July 4th, but it's up in the air depending on the progress of my recovery from the fungus. Going to check flights and fare before I confirm any travel.
I hope all of you who may read this are hale, healthy, and hearty.
a
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Fungus Among Us
Very warm, windy, and sunny in the Old Pueblo for the past week. Lots of moisture passing to our north has given us gusty conditions. It's no wonder that I got valley fever, sucking all the blowing dust.
The doctor confirmed that the blood test I had showed a blood antibody level for valley fever. Today, I had a CT scan that showed the mass on my lung had decreased about a cm in size. He called me to advise me that this was consistent with the diagnosis. I'm not on any meds for now; they are useful when one is in the throes of hacking, fever, chills, muscle aches etc. My legacy is shortness of breath and occasional coughing. The antifungals that this is treated with are not friendly to one's liver, so I'm opting to use rest and relaxation as my primary treatment. If things go back to where they were a month ago, I'll call the doc for help. Need a chest x-ray (not CT) in a month for him to review.
Steven finished up 2 classes at ASU this week. He's been working full time as a Sushi Chef for several months, and he may be seeking more than full time in the near future. He's training someone else right now as a relief chef. He has 8 more classes to complete for his BA in Design Studies, Built Environment.
We had carpet replaced in teh bedrooms and hardwood put down in the living room, family room and hall. Looks like somebody else's house. Of course, when you do this kinda remodel, it demands that you paint the walls to add pizazz, and the old furniture (we're talking from 10 to 25+years plus in age) looks like crap in this context, so we'll likely need to replace a few items. I need to wait til May 8 to tap into my Federal savings plan without a tax penalty.
Hope all readers are healthy, wealthy and wild!
a
The doctor confirmed that the blood test I had showed a blood antibody level for valley fever. Today, I had a CT scan that showed the mass on my lung had decreased about a cm in size. He called me to advise me that this was consistent with the diagnosis. I'm not on any meds for now; they are useful when one is in the throes of hacking, fever, chills, muscle aches etc. My legacy is shortness of breath and occasional coughing. The antifungals that this is treated with are not friendly to one's liver, so I'm opting to use rest and relaxation as my primary treatment. If things go back to where they were a month ago, I'll call the doc for help. Need a chest x-ray (not CT) in a month for him to review.
Steven finished up 2 classes at ASU this week. He's been working full time as a Sushi Chef for several months, and he may be seeking more than full time in the near future. He's training someone else right now as a relief chef. He has 8 more classes to complete for his BA in Design Studies, Built Environment.
We had carpet replaced in teh bedrooms and hardwood put down in the living room, family room and hall. Looks like somebody else's house. Of course, when you do this kinda remodel, it demands that you paint the walls to add pizazz, and the old furniture (we're talking from 10 to 25+years plus in age) looks like crap in this context, so we'll likely need to replace a few items. I need to wait til May 8 to tap into my Federal savings plan without a tax penalty.
Hope all readers are healthy, wealthy and wild!
a
Sunday, April 20, 2008
All Doctors are NOT Created Equal
A few weeks ago, a gentleman phoned me at the office to inquire about how to make comments on the upcoming environmental impacts analysis of the Rosemont Mine project, for which we rec'd an application from a copper company last summer.
While we were chatting, he asked me about the public open-houses that the Forest had held during the week before Easter. I told him I had been sick and hadn't attended. He then advised me that he was a retired doctor and asked me what was ailing me.
I explained that I'd been unable to get a deep breath for a few months, especially when i was out walking the dirt roads near my home with David as part of our exercise regime. I continued to tell him I had a nasty cough that was unproductive for awhile, then turned into a gurgling, wheezing nightmare. I told him I had sweats and chills, and that I was sooooo tired that I was sleeping 12-16 hrs per day.
He said it sounded like Valley Fever or pneumonia.
After our phone conversation, and as I reported in my April 10 post, I had the PET/CT done at Scripps, whereafter the radiologist noted the shadow on the upper lobe, right lung. My endocrinologist, Dr. Dailey, phoned me from Scripps and told me to get an appointment with a pulmonary specialist here in Tucson. I called everyone in town, and no one would schedule me until August or September. I even tried David's sleep doctor, who is a pulmonary specialist, and they turned me away. Dr. Dailey had faxed them the radiology report, but to no avail.
That weekend, I felt somewhat better, so I attended our next open house about the mine on Saturday April 5. Whom should I meet there, but Dr. Chrissman, the retired doctor to whom I spoke on the phone. He asked me about my doctor visit, and I reported what they'd seen on the PET scan. He said it was likely valley fever. I explained my frustration at not being able to score an appt. He offered to help.
Long story short, he was able to locate someone to see me. David and I saw Dr. Clements on Wed this week, after which I had blood drawn for an antibody titer and a followup CT scheduled for next week. He told me he was fairly certain in was valley fever, and gave me compelling reasons why it was probably not TB or lung cancer. He also wrote me an excuse requesting that i be allowed to work from home so that i can catch some zzzzzzzzzzzs when i feel worn down, rather than laying on the floor of my office.
I finished this week working at home, napped when i could, worked when i could and more or less feel stronger as of today. Haven't had chills since last weekend, and not much coughing at all. Though Dr Clements encouraged me to keep swimming for exercise, I'm waiting until after the CT scan to be sure that I'm not exacerbating the problem.
Thanks a million to Dr. Chrissman, a caring, compassionate man.
While we were chatting, he asked me about the public open-houses that the Forest had held during the week before Easter. I told him I had been sick and hadn't attended. He then advised me that he was a retired doctor and asked me what was ailing me.
I explained that I'd been unable to get a deep breath for a few months, especially when i was out walking the dirt roads near my home with David as part of our exercise regime. I continued to tell him I had a nasty cough that was unproductive for awhile, then turned into a gurgling, wheezing nightmare. I told him I had sweats and chills, and that I was sooooo tired that I was sleeping 12-16 hrs per day.
He said it sounded like Valley Fever or pneumonia.
After our phone conversation, and as I reported in my April 10 post, I had the PET/CT done at Scripps, whereafter the radiologist noted the shadow on the upper lobe, right lung. My endocrinologist, Dr. Dailey, phoned me from Scripps and told me to get an appointment with a pulmonary specialist here in Tucson. I called everyone in town, and no one would schedule me until August or September. I even tried David's sleep doctor, who is a pulmonary specialist, and they turned me away. Dr. Dailey had faxed them the radiology report, but to no avail.
That weekend, I felt somewhat better, so I attended our next open house about the mine on Saturday April 5. Whom should I meet there, but Dr. Chrissman, the retired doctor to whom I spoke on the phone. He asked me about my doctor visit, and I reported what they'd seen on the PET scan. He said it was likely valley fever. I explained my frustration at not being able to score an appt. He offered to help.
Long story short, he was able to locate someone to see me. David and I saw Dr. Clements on Wed this week, after which I had blood drawn for an antibody titer and a followup CT scheduled for next week. He told me he was fairly certain in was valley fever, and gave me compelling reasons why it was probably not TB or lung cancer. He also wrote me an excuse requesting that i be allowed to work from home so that i can catch some zzzzzzzzzzzs when i feel worn down, rather than laying on the floor of my office.
I finished this week working at home, napped when i could, worked when i could and more or less feel stronger as of today. Haven't had chills since last weekend, and not much coughing at all. Though Dr Clements encouraged me to keep swimming for exercise, I'm waiting until after the CT scan to be sure that I'm not exacerbating the problem.
Thanks a million to Dr. Chrissman, a caring, compassionate man.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Have a Heart!
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
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
