When You Feel It Working

 This morning I am feeling pretty good. I believe my body got a caught up quite a bit and I don't feel as tired. I also feel God working in me today. I did my quiet time, and as I prayed, I just 'felt it' on the mental inside. It gives me more hope that I am not a lost cause, and I still have a purpose in God's Plan. Now to apply in life and keep the positive changes in practice.

Today is Wednesday, which means that Mayo Clinic does a review of cases that are up for the Waiting List. Mine has been there twice, both with the vote that there were some deferments (things to complete) to do prior to being on the list. This last round was only a Negative test result on the tox screen for Nicotine, which the outside lab gave results on Monday. I sent a message through the patient portal, to let Mayo be aware the results were in, and it cleared my last deferment. Tuesday morning I got a generic reply that they will review the results on they are final, and they turned off the availability to respond at all to the message thread. That in itself made me very angry. Either way, all I have heard from Mayo is a couple emails yesterday that test results were in, and I would look. It had to do with the colonoscopy bloodwork, or the report for the procedure. Nothing on the tox screen. So as of this moment, I have not heard anything about it going to review today (this week). Perhaps I will get a call this evening informing me otherwise. They usually do call when a decision has been made after a case review.

This last week I have had some of the side effects of the TIPS start to show up. My feet and lower legs have swollen a bit due to fluid retention. "Liver Spotting" on my arms is happening more. That's the red markings like when you bump your arm too hard, or I get them from needle sites from the IVs. Sometimes I get them from just scratching an itch. Also am getting some bruising that I know not from where it comes. Right now it is fading fast, but who knows if it will come back. I haven't noticed any increase/decrease in the encephalopathy factors - I probably wouldn't remember anyways.

My schedule is clear of appointments until Friday morning when I go do my yearly diabetic eye exam. The past 2-3 years have been fine, and I expect no change this year. Then with my eyes dilated I am heading on out to RM's to visit, have lunch, stop at the bank, before heading back home for the day.

All my candies are in! I have hard candies, jelly beans, and spiced gum drops! The "twenty four hours a day" book arrived yesterday as well. I need to learn to read descriptions better. This little hardback is literally smaller than my phone, but each page does contain a prayer, an AA Though of the day, and a meditational thought. I will add it to my quiet time reads and see how things go. I finished "Restore", and although it wasn't overall really what I was looking for, it did have some good information. I am just not sure what to do with the book now. I have very limited space to keep it. Maybe I will hang on to it a bit and see if I come across anyone that could possibly benefit from it and just give it to them. I am flipping back to the other book I had started, "Demolishing Doubt" and see where it goes.

I think that is all I have today.

PeacE

The Race is On ...

 The past couple days or so, it seems RM and I have been waking earlier than our alarms. I'm talking like two hours ahead for me, and at least an hour for RM. Either way, it has seemed like a race to see who is able to get their post for the day up, for the other to read. I might win today. Not that there is any prize, just some 'friendly competition'. After all, you cannot write good, quality, poignant posts if you are just typing away.

Either way, it is Sunday morning, and I woke about 5am. Laid there for about 20 minutes before ceding the wake-up. Will see later how the Wife is doing, if she is going to go to church this morning or not. IF she is, I would like to go, but I am in enough discomfort with the abdomen distended right now, I kind of do not want to go. Thank goodness I set my paracentesis appointments out like three weeks. Who knows how hard it would have been to get one this week. I have a psychologist meeting for Mayo on Wednesday. Next Wednesday is some bloodwork, nurse visit and then appointment with one of the doctors on my team. That should be it then, I hope. Well, at least enough for them to put me on the waiting list. I noticed the other day my MELD is still at 16.

I didn't do much yesterday. The Wife had a dental cleaning around 11am. I think I had mentioned a couple weeks ago, that I had tried to reach out to the dentist's office, but no one answered, and it was locked down when I stopped by there. Well, found out more specific details as to what happened. The office shares a parking lot with a cat hospital. the hospital had been broken into, trashed, etc. Also fairly recently, the dentist office had had someone(s) steal the4 copper wiring/piping from the A/C unit. Insurance covered and repaired that, then it happened again. I guess the insurance isn't going to cover it again, especially so soon after the first time. So the Dentist is working out of another dental office, just a couple miles further from our house, a couple days of the week, to keep what clientele they can as they decide what to do. This other dental office is owned by the Dentist's brother, also a dentist. The Wife said she got the impression from the Dentist that he is going to close the office, and just practice with his brother at this other location. I am not sure I even like this guy. I may shop around for a dentist I won't freak out about (I truly dislike dentists in general - I think it the whole 'poking a needle in me where I cannot see it'). Luckily <knocking on wood> the toothache I have had has not flared up in the past couple weeks, so I might have a little time before I need to get it done.

And the Wife brought lunch home when she finished her appointment. Some Chino Bandito!! Man, I think my 'usual' has gotten spicier! Or maybe it had been awhile since we have had Chino's. I could only eat half. Did the other half for dinner. Still have some hamburgers and hot dogs from the other night. Yeah, the Wife and may not have to cook at all today as well! I do need to get the Agenda done for the Riders meeting tomorrow night, but there isn't much to really put on there so shouldn't take too long.

I think I will kill some time this morning playing a video game. Oh, and here is some music, because of the post title ...

Man, I watched that video (music starts about the 1:40 mark) and the 80's hair styles....

PeacE

School is Almost ...

 ... over. Completed. Finished. The. End. My last day of IOP is Tuesday and in some aspects, that is a terrific thing. Once done I should have my case reviewed by the Council for consideration to add to the Waiting List. Aside from completing the IOP, they wanted another MRI of the abdomen, which I am having done at 5:45pm today. Hopefully rush hour will be easy on us, and we will be going against the rush...will have to see.

I'm up early today because ... well, it's because ... Heck. I don't know why, I just am. Nothing to really share today. I have been over the topic of wrapping up all the deferments, and talking about that, that not much else has been on my mind.

Yesterday I was pretty sore. All in a good way. When I had spent the better part of the afternoon doing errands and a little grocery shopping, it was quite a bit of exertion. After that, the Wife (who was off work that day) said I should have hollered for her to come help unload the bags. I gave her a blank look and asked why? I felt good enough to do it, and without help I did bring it all in in two trips. There were some heavier items: 2-liters, gallon of milk, couple 1-gal jugs of Arizona Tea for Youngest, etc. Oh I started to feel it after I was able to sit down for a minute. Yesterday, my calves, knees and hip were quite vehement about being abused the day before. Today not so bad ... still sore a bit, but overall good.

My crockpot recipe I made Wednesday night went over well, so I have added it to my repertoire. It was a really good four ingredient deal for the crockpot, and it cooked about 3.5 hours. I did make a couple mental adjustments to the recipe for next time, though I don't know when that will be, so I hope I remember it then. Sunday I am making some chili for dinner.

Welp, I think I will get out of here for the day. Y'all have a great Friday!

Oh! Just for you ...

Isn't it ironic that the colors red, white and blue stand for freedom ... unless they are flashing behind you.

PeacE

A Little Bit of Good News ...

 ... goes a long way! This morning I had the Zoom meeting with the psychologist on my team. She was thrilled to see how I have changed - even in just the last 30 days. I let her know my IOP is done Tuesday and that was the last deferment item within my control. Was there anything more the hospital needed to complete (with or without me). The only outstanding item she saw, was another MRI of the Abdomen, which I explained is scheduled for Friday at 5:45pm. She said all she needs is the completion paper to show I completed the IOP, and my case will go to the Council again. There they will determine if I make the list or not, or if they want to add some more procedures/tests for whatever reason. She said if I can get the paper to her Tuesday afternoon, it could go in front of the Council on Wednesday next week. In my head, that feels quick, but everything else IS done. Hoping for good news next week.

Today was busy for me and physically tiring. I had my two Zoom appointments, and did a Zoom AA meeting in between. At 1pm I loaded up to go get stuff done out of the house. Went to the dentist office (less than a mile from my house) to get my appointment set. I had called earlier and got their AI bot answering service. I did notice to call me to schedule an appointment, in the afternoon. No text. No call. And when I pulled into the office, I saw why. Despite the phone recording saying open on Wed, Fri and Sat, but the security gate was down over the doors, and no cars were in the lot. This is at approximately 1:15p. Sigh.

Next on my list was the drugs ... *ahem* ... I mean the prescriptions. I barely made it to the window before their lunch break at Walgreens, and picked up 4 of them. Next was CVS less than a mile on T-bird from Walgreens. They had in the "special order" pills I take to help with the encephalopathy. Picked up - check.

I was a couple miles from my car wash, which was also on the way to the grocery (Frys/Kroger) so I ran the car through. I did a couple new window stickers. One is smaller and has a picture of like an AR-15 with the words "the second protects the first". The other I have had for a couple years, and just never knew where it was for my first new car (which never had stickers/decals on it) but I found it about a month ago whilst going through some older paperwork in my desk. It is from the company of the same name, that does beard products, called 'Live Bearded'. It is a head shot with only the hair silhouette showing of a beard male. Looks cool now.

Got to the grocery and spent too much time walking through the store. But I needed to get a few items for the crockpot dinner I was making tonight, and for the dinner I am making on Sunday. Of course, because I was there in person, I picked some others things we could use, and maybe want somewhat (Sodas, etc.). Got milk. Then headed home. I unloaded the car myself! There were about 10 or so bags, and they weren't exactly light - well, to me. I know I have lost some muscle mass, but today I saw I definitely need to work my arms/chest as they were tired with two loads of multiple plastic bags.

I started dinner. It was a video I had found on social media, and looked good. It has only four ingredients into a crockpot for about 3.5 - 4 hours. It's a winner! Both the Wife and Youngest said it was pretty good! Saving for future dinner reference! 

Now I am ready for bed. I did take the trash out (pick up is tomorrow morning, before I get up). I'm going to try to talk Youngest into putting away the remaining part of supper, put the crockpot thingy in the sink and fill with water - I Will wash tomorrow. Also take out the recycle for us. Our cans are not full, in case he "forgets" or just doesn't do it ... but he BETTER put up the leftovers.

And with that, I am out of here. I wrote this one tonight so RM will have something to read in the morning.

PeacE