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

Another "Nothing" Day

 It's Wednesday, and I cancelled the paracentesis I had previously scheduled for this morning. I do have some fluid build up, but it isn't overly uncomfortable yet. I think I'll go next week, that'll be another three weeks I went without draining. For the most part, the medications are handling my symptoms well. Encephalology has 'cleared' somewhat, though I still am having short-term memory issues, and at times, lose track/focus. With all the weight loss, the knees/hips/back feel slightly less pain, butt still requires me to use a cane for walking.

Yesterday ended well. I had my IOP in the morning, followed by a trip to Safelite for a windshield replacement. Afterwards, my car now tells me it has pre-collision 'something-or-other' and SEE DEALER. It won't shut off the message or the dash light. I figured maybe a few starts and stops would take care of it (like new air sensors with tires). After I got home, and had time to check my emails, I saw one from Safelite that explained the new issue - that if the settings for certain anti-collision features had been turned off, they will need to be reset, as the 'camera in the windshield' they had to reset the factory defaults when they calibrated it. They could have told me in person.... I headed to the VFW for the House/Entertainment meeting, and we finished early enough, I rushed home to get into the Zoom meeting for my AA/Support Liver group. I was only 5 minutes late, but the weekly meeting is done.

With the Para cancelled this morning, I do not have anything until 2pm with my group leader for a short personal check-in. I should work on the minutes from the meeting, but I don't think so today.

... and now I am off to do something...

The Weekend is Over ...

 ... and I am back to the routine. Well, for the most part. This morning I have to run out to Mayo for a psych consult. Shouldn't be longer than an hour, and then back home. I think I am clear until my 1pm zoom meeting with the counselor from my IOP. I know that will last all of 15 minutes. She just wants to make sure I am reaching goals, and doing well. I haven't checked my calendar yet this morning, so I am running off of memory for now.

Weekend was fine. Did some grocery shopping on Saturday. Yesterday we went to church. I met a couple of guys (Andy and Mike, if I remember correctly) that are in the men's bible study group that PT is in. They were happy to put a face with a name for me, because evidently PT has them praying for the transplant. In fact, I was a bit miffed at church. People there I have known for years were coming up to me and saying things like, " Glad to see you able to get up and about", or "Hope everything goes okay". I looked at the Wife and asked her "Does everyone here know about this?". She just kinda shrugged her shoulders. Well, what's done is done.

Picked up some Chino Bandito for lunch. It was perfect for the day. It just tasted so good, that even the Wife was commenting that it really hit the spot. I spent the afternoon playing around on the computer mostly.

Oh, I need to call the DMV today. Seems the registration for the Youngest's car (still in my name) came last week with the new sticker. Well Saturday, I received another one. I need to compare the two, and if they have different sticker numbers, or something, I should call to make sure the correct one is one the vehicle. I also need to get ahold of National Archives. I have ordered a copy of my Dad's DD-214 twice now. They said it was completed and sent, allow 5-7 business days. First time I waited a month, then ordered it again. It has now been almost another month, and the second order they said was completed 4/13. I *KNOW* the address to deliver to was correct, as I made sure of it the second time.

Welp, I need to get my meds down the hatch, and get ready for my appointment this morning. Y'all have a good 'un.

PeacE

Oh My, It Got Busy!

 Today is a "busy day for me. I have a 7:20am with my PCP for the next couple shots in the Hep series vaccine. Followed by my regular 3 hr IOP session at 9am. Then a zoom consult with one of the Psych docs at Mayo at 1:45pm. And lastly an event at the Post tonight I thought I would go check out. So today is short and sweet.

And I got nothing. 

My morning numbers are good (BP and Glucose). I think the PCP is going to do an A1C test this morning, but not sure since Mayo is doing my monthly blood work. I did do a drug test a bit ago, and the results came back negative (of course) though I could not tell from the report if the THC was out of my system yet. They need it cleared out prior to the transplant for sure.

Alright, I am out of here I guess....

PeacE