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

Starting To Get Frustrated ...

 ... at Safelite Auto Glass. True, they had the cheapest price I could find for the replacement. True, they got it completed earlier than the estimated time. True, they messed up my Pre-Collision System (PCS) somehow. I received four emails from them: 1) car is being worked on; 2) windshield has been re-calibrated successfully; 3) Notice that the PCS system may malfunction due to their reset when  replacing the windshield, and to turn all features back on to fix the warning; 4) my receipt. Well yesterday before going out shopping I sat in the car for a good half hour, manually turning back on things like lane assist, etc. Then I went and set it so the PCS was "ON". No change. I shut it off and restarted a couple times, with no change. What is the big deal about the PCS? Well, for starters, it wipes my digital display in the dash, and though I can send it away, it's only for a few seconds and it returns and sits there telling me to see dealer.

So this morning I spent some time looking up some DIY to try to fix the issue. I did get a couple ideas that I will try tomorrow when I have the time to get my hands dirty. One deals with removing the battery cables and let sit for three hours, or hold the two disconnected cable ends metal to metal for about 15 secs. It drain the "juice from the system and when hooked back up, resets the system. I can easily deal putting the stations on preset, and my favorite phone numbers. The second option is to check the fuses. No idea how many for the PCS system (or components) so pretty much have to test most of them. If that doesn't work, then it a call to Safelite. In one video I watched, the place forgot to actually connect one of the connectors back up, up in the compartment by your windshield mirror. I may check that too.

Did my IOP this morning. We have been working through "Anger" this week, and I learned a few things about how to be self-aware of it better, and solutions. Lately, I haven't been angry that often (irritated, yes, angry, no) so haven't had a chance to try any coping mechanisms, or thought processing. It was good to learn of the triggers for Anger, and a better definition of Anger and the Causes of.

Tonight is the Riders Dinner at the Post. I went out yesterday afternoon to Sam's Club and was disappointed with my location. I mainly needed some produce (shredded lettuce, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos) and their produce section was very small. No tomatoes at all, so I ended up with cans of diced tomatoes. Got the big jar of jalapenos for any that want to add. Chips, big bag o0f cheese for queso, and a couple other things. Spent too much (just over $60) so I will be asking reimbursement this time around. Then I had to go to Fry's for the rest, plus some stuff for home. I think I got it all, and went to the Post. I dropped off most of the stuff, including the cheese I wanted to bring home to make the queso before I go... So now I need to go earlier and start that up.

Sigh. And to top it off, my diuretics are kicking in full swing today - more than usual. Like every 30-45 mins doing a trip to the bathroom. I know, prolly TMI...

PeacE

I'm Tired Already ...

 ... thinking about what I need to get done today. I have my IOP this morning. After that I need to head to Sam's Club for some of the dinner items for the Riders Dinner tomorrow. I may have to stop at the regular grocery to make sure I have everything. I only signed up for chips and queso, but am getting all the veggies/cheese for toppings. After I think I have everything (because you know, even with a list I will miss something) I'll run most of it out to the Post and put in the fridge. I have mixed feelings about the Dinner. At the House Comm. meeting on Tuesday, the Jr Vice was saying he wants to invite Motero Life, a motorcycle group that supports Vets, etc. The  last event they came, bringing about 100 + people, and we just have not done a dinner for that many people. I am not sure we will have enough food. I guess earlier out is earlier done.

Not much for the rest of the week: IOP tomorrow morning, then the day is clear. I'll be at the Post early to help get set up for the Dinner. Saturday is an Aux Dist/Dept President training. It is in Mesa from like 10a-12p... or maybe it is 1p. It is open to any one that wants to attend, and I am debating. I think the training is more about leadership and reports, but at the different levels and who are responsible for them. But what do I know. I am not sure I am going, yet.

Well, I feel my body saying it is time to go to the Reading Room, so I'll talk atcha later ...

PeacE