Sunday, August 6, 2017

Dregs of the summer that was not


The kid is armpit deep in a movie marathon. Her only desired trips are to the library to swap an old stack for a new stack of DVD’s. Today is too beautiful. I threw open the door and told the cat Laura really should mow the grass. The grass we defended from the four wheeled churning machine. And she went. I don’t hear the sound of a reel mower down the side yard yet, so she must be over doing Cathy’s and our shared yard. I love the sound of a reel mower. 



We are invited to a cookout at the old house, at six. Kay invites us to “do’s” at her house often, and they are a delight, if for no other reason than watching a new person use the old house and the old kitchen. Kay is left handed and right brained, too, and seeing her process food literally opposite, and put a fine meal on the table is worth the wait. Her brothers are visiting from Texas; it’s a celebration.



I opened my email to find the pictures I’d just sent. It’s the way I process pictures; I limit my learning to things that really interest me. I found not one, but two emails with band directives. Relentless. I began to write “ruthless” and reconsidered. Ruthless just flowed from my finger tips. I know when these kids are parents, driving twice a week, they will be as committed as the kids. Dear god, parents swarm past a grandmother delivering the band, to get to the tail gate party.  I’ve begun delivering Laura and whoever I’m driving to the auditorium door. They can walk. I’m committed to getting the job done.



Being comatose for April, and essentially incommunicado for May took a direct hit on my crapped out thyroid. The DC neuro’s would have none of those Ohio meds; they stuffed me with anti-seizure and skipped the synthroid. But the real damage was back here, where the rehab doctors were satisfied with generic synthroid, nevermind the real stuff my daughter brought and they locked up in the nurses station. Damn the T3, T4 and TSH results, full generic ahead. My endocrinologist has not regained control in the last two months, and my nice new hair is sprinkled on the pillow, in the sink. Like I told Procrastinating Donkey, be careful what you wish for; the nice haircut will only last two months.

Two weeks, two days, three band practices, one band show and a backpack of movies until school starts.






31 comments:

  1. Yes, summer is at it's end and school with all it's commitments will begin again (cycle of life). And Joanne, we are lucky to get to be a part of it... even to complain, yes? The flowers are beautiful. That last one is a pink climbing mandevilla... love those. Enjoy your cookout!

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  2. The red mandevilla doesn't climb; it's more of a bush. The yellow one has climbed the railing and consumed it. No more band complaints. Well, maybe just two a week.

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  3. What a lovely day of summer, and great photos and thoughts too. Greetings!

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  4. I hope your endocrinologist gets you sorted out soon; proper thyroid levels make your whole life harder, not just the hair. I know generics are supposed to be the same as the brand names but my mother has had troubles with generic, too. Pah on "rules" that would deprive you of your own meds in the hospital. Pah! I say.

    There is nothing the matter with your thinking or your writing that I can see, Joanne. You are coming across as capable as ever. Maybe you are having to work harder to do so, but it is not evident from the final product.

    Hugs.
    Procrastinating Donkey
    :)

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    1. Aw, thanks, Jenny-o. I truly am not my former self, Jenny, but the path back eludes me.

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    2. Time, my dear. You can work hard at the rest, but you can't hurry time. It will come.

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    3. You're putting tears in my eyes. I just want my life back.

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    4. Now I have tears too. I understand :(

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  5. School is coming, summer is ending. Time flies. I hope the next few weeks are good ones for you, Joanne. Have a great evening in the old house.

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  6. It is hard to believe summer is almost over and school will be starting soon. Harley doesn't do band but this year is taking pictures for the yearbook. And she doesn't drive either. So I expect a lot of extra car trips are in store for me. Oh how I would love to own a reel mower. Maybe when I mow into my next house!

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  7. Hari OM
    ...'oh for any summer to arrive' would be my complaint! There is something about the sound of the 'whirr-rrrrihw-whirr' of the reel mower eh? Golly, school on the horizon again. Enjoy these last couple of weeks... YAM xx

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  8. Ooh I hope you get the thyroid under control real soon. What were those doctors thinking to leave you off of much needed medicines?

    The flowers look absolutely stunning. I see the countdown to the new school year has begun! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy some of those movies Laura is watching :-)

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  9. I do hope the thyroid issues can be sorted. Generics are sometimes wonderful - and sometimes an epic fail.
    I do understand that you don't feel right (or even yourself) yet, but you really have made huge strides. Hugs.

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  10. Rude is a great word. Scream it out the window, adding some other metaphors as needed.

    Thyroids are tricky; hope your dr. straightens up and flies right.

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    1. It was straightened out for fifteen years, until the debacle.

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  11. I hate fucking doctors. Endo guys are the worst. Followed closely by cardio and pulmonary.
    I remember push mowers far too well, and sharpening the blades with a hand file.
    We'll talk, after the kids are here.

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  12. I am sorry about your meds and especially your hair. But you do have a lovely head. This was a nice newsy post. I liked it.

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  13. Now that is a lawn mower. My neighbor across the street has one. My insurance will only cover generic and no one will ever convince me it is the same.

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    1. Generic is not the same. They put the pill in one of those spectro-reader thingys and decide what chemicals constitute the pill. They put the chemicals together. By federal law, it can be 10% over or under. If they even got the formula right, that's a big swing. Synthroid is dispensed as mcg. That is not big. Think of slamming twenty percent under or over down a patient. It made me so angry I would waylay the two doctors every day, or leave them notes at the nurses station to please change me. One of them even insisted for four weeks that it was synthroid. I got top marks in all my physical improvement, except Judgement. Instead of good, they marked Fair. Bastards.

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    2. Too bad you weren't able to give those doctors a report card. They deserved a Poor on that performance.

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  14. I have one of those lawn mowers, but my son prefers to use his gas-powered mower. At least we have the real mower in case of an emergency with his fancy one. What kind of movies does Laura watch?

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. An old neighbor is a professional actor. She and Laura just reconnected and Mary sent her away with a list of "best" old classics for her to watch. Laura is pumped, and I'm relieved. Laura wants into design, stage, whatnot, but grandma could not convince her it is important to know these movies, plots, nuances by heart. Go, Mary!

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    2. I love classic movies. I've re-connected with Turner Classic Movies. I didn't watch it for quite a while because HBO distracted me. The classics are better.

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  15. I know what you mean about the reel lawnmower or a real lawnmower. Good ones are also not that hard to push.

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  16. I have been on Synthroid for years. I spoke to a lady in an Assistant Living facility last year and she told me that they should just put it in the water as most people over 65 are on it.

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  17. Years ago when my daughter was young, she had (still does but more controlled) seizures. The doctor said if we got a generic for her seizure medicine we had to bring her in for a blood test to make sure everything was still therapeutic. We always tried to get the brand name if possible.

    Let's hope the football team has a good season but not a great season and they don't make it to the playoffs so your band commitment driving will be as minimal as possible.

    betty

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  18. They locked YOUR meds in the nurses station??
    That's ridiculous. Are you able to get back onto the proper stuff now or are "they" still insisting the generic is okay? so sad to hear your hair is falling out because of this.

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  19. I wish doctors and nurses would listen to patients. But it all comes down to the greedy and stingy insurance companies.

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  20. a lawn mower like that gives a good lawn...and good excercise

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