Random Ramblings of Ralphd00d

Saturday, February 18

Doing the Face in Palm

Sigh. Children can be so exasperating at times. Spouses, too. I'm sitting here, or rather just was sitting here, with my face in my hands, trying to shake the beginnings of a nice headache.

The Daughter's procedure was yesterday, though they were not able to do the full scope. Turns out her stomach had not processed the food at a more regular rate, and there was an amount still there so they could not finish. They did find a hiatial hernia though. Another procedure was scheduled for in the next week or so, giving her a longer period of not eating before the procedure (not the week or so), so the food will hopefully be out of the stomach by then. The Wife ended up with the onset of a migraine, and could not return home last night as planned.

I was able to get out for awhile to meet up with friends from HS, though it was cut short a bit when I got the call that the Wife was not going to make it back. I had to leave and pick up the kids from MIL's. That was fine. I had no major issues about that. The Wife calls me this morning to let me know she is finally on her way back home. Hopefully she will be here within the next hour.

In the meantime, I am going through my email, and find one from my oldest son's English teacher. She sends out a mass email to her students parents every so often, to help keep us informed of project due dates, mid-term grade reports being sent, etc. I really like how she is able to do that and keep us informed. She mentioned grades (at the current time) were sent home Friday. My son said yes, he has a B right now. I mention about the Teacher mentioning students were informed of any missing homework. Here he admits he has a couple assignments not accounted for (hence the B I am thinking). I should start off saying my son has become fairly proficient at "missing assignments" in not just one class. It has gotten much worse this year, than last. Needless to say, he had not bothered to tell me, and I had allowed him to have recreational time most of this morning, instead of working on the missing assignments.

I was even nice about it. I didn't yell. I didn't raise my voice. I did interrogate (yeah, more than just ask) about if he knew what was missing, and explained he was going to have to work on them now. He proceeds to use the "doorway" to see assignments online, and turns out one he can't remember, the other he can't remember the pages the work was for (text pages). He sits there for several long minutes, just glancing around. I ask, did she not write them down for you? Oh. Yes. It's on the paper with his grade, which is in his backpack at the MIL's. So, now I need to take him back over there, to get this paper, so he can get the work done.... that he KNEW he would be required to do. His suggestion, was to wait until Tuesday, then he could do them that night. Heh. I don't think so. Especially since he also has his 3rd quarter book project due Friday, and he will need all the time he can get, with us forcing him to complete it. He is also notorious about waiting til the night before it is due, to work on it, thus making us (usually at 9 or later in the evening) to go out and get whatever supplies he needs, since we had no clue prior.

Easy to see why that headache is starting?

PeacE

Friday, February 17

Feeling Nostalgic

The Daughter had her scope procedure done this morning and only know of two things as of right now. One, her stomach isn't processing food as fast as it should. I don't know if this is any other than abnormal. It doesn't seem to be a bad thing in my thoughts, but it was an observation. The other is she has some kind of hiatial hernia. I got to go read about what one is now, so I have more of an idea. Plus, they want to do another scoping, since the food wasn't passed through her stomach in the slotted time they told her not to eat. That means another appointment, I think sometime next week.

Other than that, nothing of particular importance is happening. I am getting together with some friends from HS tonight, so that should be fun. Tomorrow I need to get a new tire on the Wife's van. The passenger rear one has been slowly going low on air for the past few months. Meaning, when it is low, we air it up, though I cannot find any leaks in the tread area, sidewalls, or around the valve. We decided finally to just replace the damn thing. Just have to wait until tomorrow for the Wife to be back home.

PeacE

Thursday, February 16

A Nice Time

This morning, I called Reverend Mother up, and invited her out for lunch, followed by some shopping. With a smile in her voice, she said she could always do the shopping! It was for my youngest son's birthday, which is later this month. Lunch was just an added thing I wanted to do, so we could have a chance to do some catch-up and one-on-one conversation. I know in our own ways, we both enjoy these few times we get together. So, overall, I had a nice time.

It's about 12 hours or so later than the time I usually pop off some drivel for you to read, but today was just slow enough, that I felt I had nothing to really contribute for today. I guess maybe I should find some topics to actually have some material to post. Though, that would probably mean I would have to pre-write the post, so I could be sure to cover the topic as fair as I wanted. I don't know. Another thing to think about I guess.

The Wife left me this evening. No, not for good. Just for an overnight to Tucson to be with the Daughter as she goes in for a scoping of the innards. I am waiting now for her to call saying she has made it in safe. Well, I gave up and just called her. She has arrived there and is just now finishing bringing in the stuff she took down. Guess now all I can do is wait to hear how the procedure goes tomorrow and what they are finding.

PeacE

Wednesday, February 15

Being Mellow

I am being mellow at this current moment. I have been to the gym and completed a nice 40 minute workout. Now, following my long, hot shower, I am sitting here listening to the new album I downloaded by Adele. She has one of those nice voices. I don't feel like doing much today. I could really enjoy kicking back with my Kindle, some soft tunes like these in the background.... yeah... nice.

Mellowing out, as I am, I don't want to make my brain function any harder than the necessities. That means, this post is definitely lacking in content today.

Preacher Tom and I went to see "Safe House" yesterday afternoon, on a couple free passes I thin Reverend Mother had received as a gift. I think she appreciated the couple hours or so I got PT out from her hair! Either way, Denzel Washington played a good role, and both of us enjoyed the movie. We are talking maybe in the next couple weeks go see "The Grey". Anything that can be better than "J. Edgar" was.

I'm two pounds into the forty I am striving to lose this year. At forty (years of age, and weight to lose) I figure that is about three pounds a month. Doesn't sound like much. Especially in British currency (aha-ha). I put on five pounds while the cast was on, and I am still not up to complete mobility and movement range that I had before. I find walking even on the treadmill brings on an ache. I am sure it is the tendons/muscles getting back to par. So lately I have been riding the bike instead. I get off that bike, and feel my heart beat at a higher rate, and sweat more. Maybe it is a better form of cardio for me at the moment. Either way, I think I will keep on it instead the walking so much.

Enough mental stimulation. More being mellow.

PeacE

Tuesday, February 14

Hallmark's Holiday*

Valentine's Day. Another holiday for the card companies to make their profits. I actually feel that the meaning practiced this day, is a decent thing. Letting others know you love them is not a bad thing. Of course, it should be done more often than just one holiday (or only on holidays). Even friends like to know how much they mean to you.

I have no special plans for the Wife today, though. With today being a regular work day for her, and one of the boys have extra practice tonight (for Honor Band - am I able to brag enough about him being in it? No). So no special Date Night, or dinner out. I will admit though, that we will have one of those soon...when scheduling permits. I haven't even gotten out to buy a card. I doubt I will do that even. Maybe I will figure something different out....

While I am debating/thinking on that, take this extra time (since I don't have much content today) to go tell someone that you appreciate them.

PeacE

* - I picked up that phrase from Joe, over at Fat in Indiana.

Monday, February 13

Helping the Daughter Out

The Daughter has been having some pain issues since the middle of January. Some sort of abdominal pain when she is laying down, etc. as well as some other symptoms. She had gone to Urgent Care in Tucson, and they had given here some antibiotics, then referred her to an ultrasound place, and another doc that does GI procedures. The U/S came back with inconclusive results. She finally was to have an appointment back on the 3rd for the GI doc. It turned out to be more of a consultation, than doing any procedure. She now has a procedure for Friday that they are going to insert a camera to see if they can see what the problem may be. The Wife and I think it may be a bleeding ulcer, but obviously we a re not doctors. So the Wife is going down Thursday night, escort the Daughter to her procedure, and hopefully return Friday night. No big deal.

Well, I guess it was Friday, the billing department of the people that are doing the procedure, called my daughter, demanding she give them banking information over the phone, and that she had to pay $207 right at that moment. She was smart, and did not give them anything, stating that she would need to call them back. From the second-hand information I have heard, they did not bother to tell the Daughter what the $207 (yes, that was the exact figure they gave) was for - be it the standard amount that is patient responsibility for this type of procedure? Maybe a percentage deposit for the facility to do the procedure? I mean, it definitely is not the copay!

So here in the next couple hours I will be calling the Daughter to get the info, and then calling this place back and find out what is going on, what is this figure for, if a deposit, will it be applied to any patient resp. etc. I just find it so callous and unprofessional, to call a patient and demand their banking information, and money, for a procedure that has not been done yet, to a patient that obviously is not well even. Are they just trying to take advantage of my 20 year old daughter, as she would be more susceptible to not knowing how things usually work in this instance? I don't know, but it angers me. Yet another injustice. Today, I hope to give them a verbal smack in the face, and if deserving, maybe even humiliate some worker that can't seem to have any decency or common sense.

Yes, you can tell it is a Monday.

PeacE