My Weblog

MY NEW CAREER PATH

iT OCCURS TO ME THAT I MAY BE ON THE ROAD TO A NDW CAREER IN METEOROLOGY. oNE THING FOR SURE--I'LL BE INFALLIBLE WHEN IT COMES TO PREDICTING INCREASED HUMIDITY/PRECIPITATION. FOR THE LAST THREE DAYS WE'VE HAD PRECIPITATION IN SOME FORM AS WELL AS OVERCAST SKIES. MY WHOLE BODY SEEMS TO BE ONE FULL-FLEDGED WEATHER PREDICTOR. mY HIPS HURT--I WAS ENTHRONED THE OTHER NIGHT ON MY GREAT WHITE THRONE WHEN IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT MY HIPS--BOTH OF THEM--ACHED JUST SITTING THERE. SINCE THEN, THE KNEES HAVE BEEN MAKING NOISE, AND, OF COURSE MY RIGHT WRIST IS SCREAMIN'. i AM PRETTY MUCH WEARING THE WRIST BRACE 24/7, EXCEPT WHEN I HAVE TO ENCOUNTER WATER. IT PROBABLY HELPS, BUT I'D PROBABLY NEED TO GO WITHOUT IT FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME TO KNOW THAT FOR SURE. I'M NOT MENTALLY PREPARED FOR THE POTENTIAL AFTERMATH OF GOING WITHOUT IT JUST YET. AND FOR A DAY OR TWO I'VE BECOME CONSCIOUS, TOO CONSCIOUS. OF THE MUSCLE THAT RUNS ALONG THE BOTTOM OF MY LEFT BUTT CHEEK.

MY LEGS ARE ALSO A PROBLEM. THE LEG MUSCLES ARE VERY WEAK. I AM WORKING ON THAT. I DO HAVE SOME EXERCISES I GOT FROM THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST AND I AM ON TOP OF THOSE. THE ACTUAL SITE OF THE LEG INJURY IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IF I AM ON MY FEET FOR "LONG", MY LEG MUSCLES START TO QUIVER AND SHAKE AND I BEGIN TO FEEL UNSTABLE. i STARTED WITH TRYING TO BE UPRIGHT FOR 5 MINUTES AT A TIME. TODAY I'M WORKING ON 14 MINUTES AT A TIME. AND SO, I AM ABLE TO DO A LITTLE AROUND HERE. I HAVE LOST A LOT OF WEIGHT AND UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF MUSCLE MASS. MEALS ARE NOT REGULAR AROUND HERE. NOR ARE THEY GENEROUS IN AMOUNTS IF YOU GET ONE. I HAVE STARTED TO TRY TO DO SOME VERY LIMITED COOKING ON MY OWN. I MADE A BOX CAKE THE OTHER DAY AND GIVEN THE LIMITS ON HOW LONG I CAN BE ON MY FEET, IT TOOK ME ALL DAY. HOWEVER, IT'S BEEN THE SOURCE OF ABOUT 6 "MEALS" OVER THE LAST 3 DAYS. SURE GLAD I MADE THAT.............

i HAVE TAKEN OVER DOING THE DISHES. iT SEEMS THE ROOMIE HAS AN AVERSION TO RUNNING THE DISHWASHER. RATHER, SHE'S BEEN USING IT AS A DRYING RACK FOR SOME HAND-WASHED DISHES. tHE WHOLE MATTER OF DISHES HAS BEEN VERY CONFUSING. THERE HAVE BEEN CLEAN DISHES RANDOMLY IN THE DISHWASHER, IN BOTH OF THE DOUBLE SINKS, AND ALL OVER THE COUNTER TOPS. IT SEEMS, FURTHER, THAT SHE CAN DIG IN THE CUPBOARDS AND PULL ALL SORTS OF THINGS FROM THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACES, BUT SHE DOES NOT EXHIBIT THE ABILITY TO PUT ANY OF THOSE THINGS BACK WHERE THEY CAME FROM. iN FACT, IT SEEMS TO BE PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE TO JUST DECORATE THE COUNTERTOPS WITH HER DISCOVERIES. SO, I WOULD WANDER INTO THE KITCHEN IN HOPES OF EATING SOMETHING THAT REQUIRED A BOWL AND NOT KNOW IF THOSE ON DISPLAY WERE CLEAN (WHO KEEPS CLEAN DISHES ON THE COUNTERTOP?). ALSO NO WAY OF DETERMINING THE STATUS OF THOSE ITEMS IN THE SINK OR THE DISHWASHER. AND SO, AS MY LEGS HAVE GOTTEN STRONGER, IF A DISH/POT/PAN IS VISIBLE, I HAVE COME TO TREAT IT AS DIRTY. I TREAT WHATEVER IS NOT IN A CUPBOARD AS DIRTY, WASH IT, AND PUT IT AWAY. PROBLEM IS GETTING SOLVED A LITTLE AT A TIME. 

WHERE I WAS RAISED, IF YOU DID DISHES AFTER DINNER, YOU'D DARN WELL BETTER WIPE DOWN THE STOVE TOP, THE COUNTERTOPS AND THE SINKS WHEN YOU WERE DONE. i GUARANTEE YOU MY MOTHER WAS VERY CONSCIENTIOUS ADBOUT MAKING SURE YOU'D DONE IT ALL. AND WOE BE UNTO YOU IF SHE DISCOVERED YOU'D NOT DONE IT "RIGHT". wELL, THE ROOMIE, WHO CLAIMS TO HAVE BEEN RAISED BY A GERMAN MOTHER, WAS APPARENTLY NEVER TRAINED IN THOSE NICETIES. FOR A GOOD TWO WEEKS AFTER I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE KITCHEN, I OBSERVED THE SAME CRUMBS AND GREASE SPLATTERS ON MY STOVE TOP. I GOT THAT CLEANED UP AS WELL. 

I AM ALSO MAINTAINING MY OWN LAUNDRY. I WOULD DO HERS IF I KNEW WHERE IT WAS, BUT I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT SHE DOES WITH IT, SO I WASH MY OWN AND THAT'S THAT. I HAVE NOTICED WE DO NOT ASK FOR GUIDANCE ON EQUIPMENT. THUS ABOUT 5 X AS MUCH DETERGENT AS IS ADVISED IS USED ON EVERY LOAD SHE DOES. I HAD A STASH OF EXTRA DETERGENT, BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT ANYMORE.

I TOLD YOU THERE WERE PLUMBING PROBLEMS, RIGHT? i ENDED UP WITH THE CONTENTS OF ONE SIDE OF THE MASTER BEDROOM CLOSET PILED ON MY BED. FURTHER, THE BOTTOM SHELF OF THE LINEN CLOSET WERE PILED ON A FOOTSTOOL AND SHOVED INTO THE DOORWAY OF MY ROOM. i HAVE MANAGED TO CLEAR HALF OF THE BED--ENOUGH FOR ME TO SLEEP ON. I HAVE BEEN LEFT TO HAANDLE IT ALL ON MY OWN. NOW I AM STARTING ON THE PILE OF STUFF ON THE FOOTSTOOL IN HOPES THAT ONE DAY SOON I CAN GET IT OUT OF MY ROOM AND MAYBE EVEN CLOSE THE DOOR. NEXT, I'LL SEE ABOUT FINISHING THE TREASURE HUNT FOR MY WHOLE BED.

THE ROOMMATE IS SCHEDULED TO LEAVE ON THE 31ST. PLEASE PRAY THAT HAPPENS WITHOUT RANCOR. I WANT MY SPACE BACK. 

OWIE, OWIE, OWIE!

mY WRIST HURTS. IT WAS REALLY PAINFUL LAST NIGHT AND ONLY A LITTLE BETTER NOW. tHAT'S THE BAD NEWS. mY ANKLES LOOK LIKE MY ANKLES. tHE SWELLING HAS GONE WAY DOWN. THE SKIN ON MY FEET, ANKLES, AND LOWER CALVES IS PRETTY WRECKED. I SUPPOSE THAT'S THE RESULT OF ALL THE SWELLING. iT'S DRIED, CRACKING, AND PEELING. IT'S ALSO SENSITIVE. TOUCHING IT IS ALMOST LIKE A BURNING SENSATION. IT'S ALSO DISCOLORED. MY LOWER CALVES ARE RED. BUT NOT AS RED AND NOT AS MUCH OF IT IS RED AS A FEW WEEKS AGO. SO THAT'S AN IMPROVEMENT.

i HAVE NOT WATCHED ANY OF THE INAUGURATION. mY OWN SILENT PROTEST. i ADMIT I AM BATTLING FEAR. FEAR NOT SO MUCH FOR MYSELF BUT FEAR FOR OUR BELOVED COUNTRY. i THINK THAT BEFORE TRUMP, I SPENT THE BULK OF 8 YEARS, WAKING UP AFRAID. AND, THEN, FOR FOUR YEARS, I SLEPT FAIRLY COMFORTABLY. IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO EVER PARTICIPATE IN A MARCH FOR LIFE PROTEST WOULD WORK TO PROTECT ME JUST AS HE WORKED TO PROTECT THE UNBORN. I REMEMBER OUR GROUP FEAR WHEN NORTH KOREA WAS CARRYING ON, TESTING MISSILES OVER JAPAPN, ETC. AND THEN MY PRESIDENT MET WITH THE NORTH KOREAN LEADER, AND NOTHING MORE WAS HEARD FROM NORTH KOREA UNTIL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AS MY PRESIDENT WAS PREPARING TO LEAVE OFFICE. I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN PAY NORTH KOREA 100 BILLION IN CASH TO JUST HATE US AND CALL US NAMES INSTEAD OF BUILDING NUKES. hEY, FOR A WHILE IT WORKED WITH IRAN..............NOW NEWS HAS IT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS HOPING TO RE-UP THAT 18O BILLION DEAL WITH IRAN..............

I DO NOT SEE GOOD THINGS COMING FOR THE GOOD OLE USA ANYTIME SOON. NOR DO I SEE GOOD THINGS COMING FOR THE CHURCH. THERE WILL PROBABLY BE A REVIVAL WHICH IS GOOD IN GOD'S EYES.  BUT, THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE GREAT DAMAGE TO OUR FREEDOM TO WORSHIP AND I BELIEVE THEY WILL WORK ON THAT EVEN HARDER. THEY ARE NOW TRYING TO EQUATE TRUMP VOTERS WITH THE 9/11 TERRORISTS. AND, SINCE HIS BASE CONSISTED OF A LARGE NUMBER OF EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS AND PRO-LIFE CATHOLICS, I'M PRETTY SURE THE CHURCH IS GOING TO BE UNDER FULL SCALE ATTACK. 

 

tHIS WAS WRITTEN ON 1/20 AND NEVER PUBLISHED.

 

The state of............

my wrist:  It is still swollen, though less so. The swelling made the base of my hand really puffy. That has mostly subsided. I also figured out that part of what I had thought was swelling was really because my hand was jacked toward the thumb side in the cast. If I get my hand straightened out, it looks much more normal. It is still painful. First, when it is moved, I get a stab of pain. Additionally it just aches most of the time. A good bit of the time, one or more of my fingers is "pins and needles". I can close my fingers to make a very loose fist. Not much of a grip and picking up something that weighs more than 4 or 5 ounces results in another good stab of pain. My arm has peeled and peeled. The area around my chair looks like it's been hit by a light snowstorm because of the dead skin cells.

my leg/legs: I am walking with very little pain. However, the longer I am on my feet, the more wobbly I become. And being on my feet also causes a reminder of the pain in the muscle I injured, up by my groin. I tried to put on makeup a few days ago, a process I had whittled down to less than 10 minutes. I could not apply eye liner because my legs were flat out shaking. Body was wobbling to the point I could not "hit" the area I needed to get to with the eye liner brush. If I hadn't given up quickly, I'd have had eye liner from my cheeks to my eyebrows. This, I think, just requires more walking.

my bedroom: I am still sleeping on the couch. Tomorrow night will mark two months since I've slept in my own bed. At first it was because I could not walk to my bedroom. Now it is that I cannot find my bed. I was notified by the water district that I had a "continuous flow" problem--in other words, a leak. They found two healthy leaks, one in the wall behind the hall bath sink and one in the wall between the linen closet and the master shower. It required being able to turn the water on and off at the curb for about a week and an impending huge water bill as well as $1000 for the plumber, but it's fixed. However, a major portion of the clothing in the master closet has been unloaded onto my bed. Items from the linen closet are piled all around the door to my room. Items from the bottom of the vanity in the hall are piled everywhere. 

my roommate: she is largely useless. On a good day I get two "meals" of some sort. Yesterday, around 3PM I got desperate, grabbed a jar of home-canned applesauce from my shelves, and "feasted" on applesauce and crackers--my only food for the day. She missed several days of the week when the water needed to be turned off at the curb. She was asked to unload my closet because I simply could not stand long enough to do it, but it was a very kind plumber who actually did it. Most days she dons her throw-away gloves and empties the portable potty. Other days my butt gets wet when using it. One day last week I got an uncontrollable attack of diarrhea. While I got myself cleaned up, she was left to use the carpet shampooer on about 40 square feet of carpet. She did that, then, without emptying the shampooer, set it out on the patio. After asking her to empty it and get it back in the house three times, it finally got done yesterday. However, a major piece of it is God-knows-where and it is now sitting in a pathway. She puts her dog outside and then goes to bed in the small bedroom on the front of the house. Not long thereafter, I am awakened from my sleep to let her barking dog in from outside. She's been asked not to go to bed with the dog outside.............In a month, minus a few days, she never cleaned the stove. She just cooked on it and slopped on it and left it. I finally cleaned it on the 9th. It has not been cleaned since though she pan-fried steak for herself the other day. Nothing is put away. I am ready to blow............

I was asked about my job. That is a saga and I don't think my hand will stand for it right now. I will try to get back here later for that............