If I Think Real Hard ...

 ... it will come. Maybe. Sometimes coming up with a post title is hard.

It is Sunday, and I am up at the usual time. For a short bit, while getting dressed, I was going through things I need to get done today. After a few minutes of this, I realized it was Sunday and not Monday, so it kind of messed with my 'just made' plans. But wait! Sunday is more open to get things done. Only, the things I was going over was my appointments and the VFW Riders meeting in the evening. Oh crud! I forgot to do the Agenda - I better do it right away before the meeting. Wait! It's Sunday, I have time to complete it. Sigh.

Guess what I get to do today? Yeah, the Agenda for the Riders meeting. Shouldn't take too long - I don't think we have much going on.

'The wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round' but the ones on my office chair, not so much these days. The chair I currently have is a nice one from Staples a few years ago. But in this older house, the concrete-painted floor of the office has "roughened" up the surface from use, so the plastic wheels just pretty much got destroyed over time. Considering how heavy I was, it is not surprising. Unfortunately, I think it is past the warranty date (which I find isn't where it is supposed to be) but I don't think they would cover use/abuse. Maybe I'll take the Wife and hit a couple Goodwills nearby and see if they have a roller office chair that is good. I could look for shorts too, of the style I like, preferably in my "new" waist size.

The Wife and I went to dinner last night at Garcia's - one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. I had the El Magnifico Sampler platter (Chimi, burrito, chile rellano, taco refried beans, and rice. Don't forget the chips and salsa! I ate way more than I should have, but I'm just calling it a "cheat day". I still have the beans, rice, chimi and burrito to eat for today.

Tomorrow is the birthday of my Oldest Son, and he turns 28. I have asked if he wanted anything for his birthday, but have never gotten a response, so I have no clue. I don't know if the Wife has gotten anything for him. I'll text him tomorrow, as we rarely see him. He works night as a Night-Time Operation Mgr. at Home Depot.

Well, I guess I should wrap this up and get stuff done.

PeacE

Saturday ...

 ... and it feels like a regular weekday to me. The only exception is the Wife is at home. Nothing on my calendar for this weekend, so no idea what will be going on.

I went up to Safelite yesterday, and within 30 minutes, the car was fixed. The Manager was the only one that dealt with me. The whole ordeal would have ended just fine, if he had just apologized, fixed it, and sent me on my way. But no, he opened his mouth. Before he looked at it, the cause was a "false positive" as they take of a picture of the calibration results for the file, and mine should all was working fine. I shrugged, I mean I know stuff happens. After he brought the car back out, the excuse was a "broken cord" that after the picture, and they were replacing the mirror panel, etc., that he has a bunch of new trainees, and he must have been busy with one of the others when this tech did my car. I still didn't care, even though I know stuff happens sometimes. He made a comment along the lines of 'I wish you would have contacted me first instead of writing a bad review'. I looked him straight in the eye, 'I didn't write a review for you yet. I filled out a survey about my visit. The 2-star review you are getting now is a bonus as it was going to be 1-star, but you fixed it. 

So it seems some of the IOP sessions are paying off. I went through some things that we covered under Anger, and did not straight out attack Safelite angerly like I normally would have back in the day. 

... and that is all I have today.

PeacE

Oh Squeaky Wheel...

 ... how wonderful when you work properly! I had emailed Safelite yesterday regarding the Pre-Collision System malfunction with my car. Briefly, when I was in last week for a replacement windshield, evidently they did/didn't do something that was supposed to be done to the camera in such a way the only thing it works for is the speed limit. And it is irritating having the notice on the vid screen, with no way to remove it except to fix the darn thing. Well, they called me yesterday, I had to explain what PCS means (they use the term ADA) and he told me to schedule an appointment, and explain what is going on to the counter help, and it should be taken care of. I'm scheduled for 1pm, right after my IOP this morning.

Other than that, I have nothing on the calendar today. Oh! I do need to swing by CVS and see if they have my prescription in. They were to have it last week, but I never got the call it was in, and I kept forgetting to go by there. I'll do that on my way home...

Feeling almost back to normal after the paracentesis. A day or two afterwards I fell like the body is re-adjusting from the fluid drained, as I get some nausea, and feel somewhat fatigued without doing anything. Today I almost feel normal - well, normal to me.

I expect to be finishing yesterday's session material today. Seems yesterday, one of the new people (just joined this week) went off on a tangent, and off topic for a good 5 minutes. Then someone else replies to what she is talking about, and the back and forth of it all... Our group led should have gotten them back on topic faster, but not my job. I've learned in life that no matter where you are, it seems there are always people that set off my 'spidey-sense'. There are a couple new people in session (just starting) that I have this about. I've been good about not saying anything, no matter how much I want to. What use would it do? They are already having issues similar to what I went through already, so I can relate that way, but their attitude just floors me. I guess it comes down to how they were raised. We all have our opinion about that issue these days....Sigh.

Anyways, that's my boring life for the day basically.

PeacE

They Abused Me ....

 ... at the hospital yesterday. I went in for a paracentesis (draining of ascites from the abdomen) like I have for several months now. This is the second time (in a row even!) I have been able to go three weeks before needing to be drained. Not bad considering it used to be weekly. Either way, there was a "new girl" at the hospital that does the actual catheter insertion. This is a 2-shot process: 1). numbing shot, and 2). second shot to insert the catheter. Well, for some reason, as she was starting the second insertion, I felt a hard jab. I said something, and for some reason, the numbness hadn't set in yet. It is usually quite fast this whole start-up procedure. So she had to do another jab with some more 'numbness', then the second step wasn't bad, until they get to the abdominal wall, then a quick push and ...voila! Drained 6.7 liters yesterday (around 15 pounds).

Afterwards, like usual, I was "drained" (pun intended). I don't know what it is about getting this draining done that I always feel this way for a day or so afterwards. I think it may be the body telling me to slow down for a bit so it can readjust after the draining so the organs can 'resettle' after being under pressure. I truly don't know, but that us my guess.

IOP this morning. I had my hour session yesterday with our Group Leader, and we talked for a good hour. Not so much about problems I am having, but how am I doing with the adjustments and self-awareness of applying some of the things I have learned in class. I like this gal. We joke around and she even has me sharing a joke or two each class session at the end. I forget how that came to be... I think I wanted to share a funny one-liner, and now everyone wants a joke to end the meeting with laughter. But finding a funny, clean joke is hard, even with the internet. It is either sexual, racial, or not funny.

No plans the rest of the day. Don't really feel like going to the Post today. I did email Safelite yesterday, and voiced my problem with two possible solutions for them. Hope t hear back from them today, but I have a feeling I will have to get it in to a dealer to fix. Maybe they add it on when I go in in a couple weeks....

Welp, I think I shared enough. Go out and make your own stories!

PeacE

I Never Liked the Stair Climber ....

 ... but here I am doing steps, as in the 12 Steps of AA. At this point in time, I am currently settling in on Step Four: Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Basically, where I 'make a list' of those that I have wronged due to my alcoholism. It is somewhat daunting. In some ways I could generalize that would include every body that I knew during those years. So that won't work. I do not have a Sponsor, and maybe they could explain it better to me, though I am reading the AA Book, I haven't made much progress, but I am sure there is a section that covers more detail for this step. Maybe I should skip ahead a bit, as it is built on chapters of things, not a linear story. I may be on this step for awhile, which is fine so I may do it right.

I am going to my paracentesis this morning for a draining. I weighed in this morning at 252 lbs, and I am guessing about 14 lbs of that is fluid...unless I have been eating good enough I put a few back on. So I am thinking 6-7 liters for the drain today. Find out soon enough. I have an hour session with my Group Lead for the IOP this afternoon. Other than that, I am free. The Wife is 'flexed' off today, but sort of 'on-call still. Maybe we can break for a quick bite together, or even bring the Youngest out to lunch - though he usually declines going out to eat with us.

I need to contact Safelite today to see what they want to do about the PCS in my car. I have not been able to get the malfunction warning off still. I spoke to a Post member last night that works in the repairs for a dealership, and even though he doesn't do this kind of work, but based on what I told him about the situation and what I have tried, he suggest taking it to the dealer for them to re-calibrate the system. Just hooking it up to the computer though is about $150 estimated, plus if they do any work. So I am going to reach out to Safelite to see if they are going to  fix it for me, or give me money to go the dealer. I do have an appointment later this month for a recall issue, maybe I could get them to squeeze in this calibration as well....

Welp, I should close this up for the day. I need to leave in about 30 minutes for the Para.

PeacE

I'm Waiting ....

 at 11:30pm for the pill I just took to kick in. This pill is my 'sleep aid' when I have problems sleeping (like tonight). I give about 15 more minutes until it starts, so I'll ramble on about stuff until then.

Tuesday. I have my IOP this morning. Walgreens has a prescription pick up ready for me for one of the ones I have been out of for two days now. I had a blood draw at Mayo on Monday morning. Drove 25 minutes, for a 3-minute procedure, and drove 20 minutes back home. I don't get it sometimes....

Auxiliary meeting is tonight at the Post. The agenda and last month's minutes were sent earlier this evening so I have yet to read them. Will do that after the IOP.

Dentist wants me to get a 'deep cleaning' done. Can do top and bottom on one side, then a couple weeks later the other side. I guess they numb you up real good, and go to town on descaling plaque. Well, me might be moving an extraction before that now. The past couple days, my back molar has started ringing it's pain alert - especially caused by the water pik (the dentist told me to get one) every night when I use it there. Hence the reason I am up right now. They are not open until Wednesday, unless it is an emergency, which I don't think is bad enough to qualify even though it is quite bad.

I think I will do the draining this Wednesday as well. Been feeling quite a bit of pressure and the abdomen  has filled out. I weighed myself tonight, and if I am at the 237 I was at 3 weeks ago, then I have about 6-7 liters to be drained. I have been eating better, so that could be a lower number amount to be drained. <shrug>.

Okay, I am headed to bed to be knocked out.

PeacE

Mother's Day

 Today is Mother's Day, and I have not yet reached out to RM to tell her 'Happy Mother's Day'. I have always asked that people wait to text/call me at least until after 8am, and I try to respect that for others as well. I probably should have gotten a card, and 'snail mailed' it, but I didn't. I always have the hardest time shopping for RM. I think it is because I feel I never can find a gift to surprise her with, that she would use. As she likes to point out, she really doesn't NEED anything.... maybe I took that too literally.

Our Youngest has shown some good initiative this year. I am able to post it, because I am sure the Wife does not read this blog.... He helped out last week doing some of the yardwork. He spent part of the day yesterday helping do things around the house. He also took me aside at one point, and asked about dinner plans for today. I told him no chance of a restaurant, so I was open to ideas. He wants to make his potato soup (so yummy!) for dinner for the Wife. I told him I thought that was a wonderful idea! And, he actually went out Friday to the store to find a gift for her. I just hope all the kids remember to call/text their Mom.

I am not doing anything today. I know, it is mother's that are supposed to enjoy doing nothing today... but I really have no plans. I have blood draw to do tomorrow morning at Mayo (close to an hour drive time, just for a blood draw that doesn't take but 5-10 minutes).

Welp, I'm tired of typing today already. 

PeacE