Friday, September 8, 2017

Inspection, 5:15


I am so fortunate to have a laser focused OCD grandchild, who performs circles around my best output. The children here are the end of the line, so she leaves the house at 6:20 a.m. and the bus comes back after four.

This band has band mothers, who leave us in no doubt of expectations. The trumpeter came in the door announcing “Inspection is at 5:15”. We performed rapid arithmetic and saw we must leave at 4:45, or 30 minutes from the present.

The cookerer headed for the kitchen, and in ten minutes produced mashed potatoes and chicken and pea pod stir fry. It was good. In those ten minutes I gathered all the trash to be emptied. We ate, we left, trash in hand for the bins, which went to the curb while I started the car. Teamwork, I’m telling you.

“Does it really take thirty minutes to put on a uniform?” I enquired. I was told there are a couple of tricky fastenings, then you must do things with your instrument, then with your squad leader, then…  “But if they get there with five minutes to spare, I’ve seen guys get into that uniform in five minutes.”

But, getting Laura to band isn’t my only excitement this week.

After a week of playing chicken with the insurance company, I was issued a three month supply of Belbuca. For everyone who does not remember, my first lumbar vertebrae was crushed in ’03 or ’04. How time flies. The orthopedic guys could not fix it, and then I had bad experiences with several pain doctors. That really didn’t matter, as they dispensed narcotics, which made me comatose.  I was living on Advil, until I persuaded my doctor to prescribe Celebrex, and I went merrily along for many years.

To their credit, a lot of doctors told me the various body parts I was destroying with Celebrex. They simply did not comprehend the difference between functioning with some pain and not functioning. Or, as I told my doctor, “I eat butter. Deal with it.” And then, the neurosurgeons just threw it all out the window. No more blood thinners. Except for occasionally being drugged with narcotics, I have lived with debilitating pain since the big red bus sent me down the aisle in March.

I finally had an appointment with the pain doctor. He’s about thirty five years old and just too cute. Single, too, I hear. We reviewed the list of narcotics I’ll not take again. He sighed and said, “Well, we’ll get you Belbuca.” And, he did. Now I suppose I’ll hear all the rest of them tell me about disintegrating body parts. I eat butter, too. I can walk to the corner and back. That’s ¼ mile. Take that, liver and kidneys!

I had breakfast with Carol. A year ago last spring she and Frank moved to South Carolina’s outer banks. In September they evacuated. This year they happen to be here visiting. Pre-evacuation, I guess. I had breakfast with Linn, who had a love letter from my brother Mel, who thought she was moving away after fifth grade. Then she didn’t…

There were two separate lunches with two separate fellows who thought I should be their girlfriend. I’ve known them for years. Sudden interest? The one who is eighty turned back to kiss me good bye, then hoped that wasn’t too forward.

And last, but not least, I got out of bed this morning, and in my best Scarlett rant said, “As God is my witness, I’ll never be cold again!” I stripped the bed and switched to winter feathers and flannel. Notice, the cat has staked out territory before the pillows have gone down.



  

31 comments:

  1. Hari OM
    WTG Toby - nothing beats the season's change! So glad there is some relief for you Joanne... and clearly there's a twinkle in you eye!!! YAM xx

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  2. Of course the cat has staked out his territory. My father told us that if you want to be comfortable follow the cat around until it settles - then move it out and take over. And if I was as supple as a cat I would.
    I hope your pain becomes a thing of the past and a distant memory. Quickly.

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  3. This was a fun post. A bit of logistics, a bit of reunions, a bit of dealing with medications and even a bit of romance?

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  4. Wow winter flannels already! And I changed the sheets yesterday and had the thought "I won't have to put a blanket on the bed until November."

    Busy schedule for Laura and band, but looks like you guys got it handled to get to the inspection on time.

    I never heard of Belbuca and I type a lot of pain management doctor reports. I had to google it to see what it was. Must be relatively new. Hope it works!

    BETTY

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  5. You are wonderful, Joanne. I wish we lived near each other and could be real friends.

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  6. Ahh pain and cold they do not go together well but a bit of a fling on the side well things are looking up.
    Merle..........

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  7. I agree with you, pain relief at any cost. And with feathers for winter. Our autumns are longer than yours and winters shorter, so I wait until the nights get shivery before putting the feather doonas (duvets) on. One on the mattress under the bottom sheet and another over the top sheet but under the top quilt. I never use flannelette sheets though, they leave fluff on everything and to me, are no warmer than regular sheets.

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    1. My sheets are percale, but my quilt is flannel. My sister made it for me. It's wonderful.

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  8. It's nine -thirty in the morning here and now i've turned on the air conditioner,30c here.Cats always know where is the best place.

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  9. I took my electric blanket off my bed like I always do for summer. This year within two weeks I had returned it to the bed. Many 1000s miles away from you but not such a good summer here either.

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  10. You eat chicken and mashed potato for breakfast then have breakfast with Carol? How come you are so small?

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  11. The pain sounds familiar. Hope the new meds help!

    Band sounds like the military!

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  12. glad you got some help with the pain. I'm a walking bundle of aches, sore muscles, and bruises right now.

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  13. I had a bottle of Vioxx I had just filled when they pulled off the shelves. It was the only thing that worked. It was seven year old when my other knee blew out so I started taking it. I told my doctor I was taking it and she screamed "I can't believe you just told me that." It worked better than Celebrex for me and I was having to waddle around with both knees. I didn't want to get hooked on painkillers and really, I'd drink gasoline if it helped. She told me to never read the inserts in medicines. She's right. First thing I read when starting Victoza, was that it causes thyroid cancer in rats. I stopped after that. Do hope the new meds help. Pain is unacceptable.

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  14. Whatever it takes to end the pain is acceptable. At my age I don't worry about liver disease, kidney collapse or getting hooked on drugs.
    Handy to have such a quick chef.

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  15. Replies
    1. Thank you. My sister made it. She posts on Facebook, but she has a seldom used blog, Janice loves to quilt, that will lead you to her mother lode of quilts.

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  16. Cats know a good thing when they see it. I've got my winter blanket on the bed as well. RATS!!!!!!!

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  17. I had to wear socks to bed three times one week recently. In AUGUST!!

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  18. I just love coming here to read your stories. You are the best Joanne!!

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  19. What a feast of funny stories today - and that cat - typical. They're not daft.

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  20. Laura is a gem. I remember from Favorite Young Man's high school band experience that it was best to arrive early for everything. My doctor is young and cute, too. I adore him. He doesn't give me a hard time about anything because he's glad that my depression is under control. He has the good sense not to do anything that might cause me anxiety.

    Love,
    Janie

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  21. Great team work even from the cat !

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  22. nice quilt, it's getting to be that time of year to put the blankets on, it's been chilly here in the am, 47, yikes where did the summer go

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  23. It has been soo chilly here. Weird weather.
    xox

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  24. Janice is a good quilter.
    Walking success...hooray!
    We've got the quilt over the duvet and wool blankets sewn on the curtains to keep the heat in...already!

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  25. I do love this quilt....And I'm wearing socks to bed, too.

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  26. I've already got the electric blanket switched on and the afghan blanket over my feet . Autumn's only just beginning !

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