…all light-hearted fluffiness aside, I really hope all of you “take care”. I just read the StarTribune’s website article about our storm, and many, many accidents have already occured as a result of the snow and ice. From what they had to say, the worst may still be on its way tonight and early tomorrow.
If you need any further reason to be cautious, please see my “hoarse horse” entry. Don’t forget that someone like me might be driving alongside you.
Today was another day for “iglooin’ it”, though, unlike in a couple of previous entries, I was happy to be hibernating. 
With all the snow, it has been so cozy to stay in. What more do I really want than a happy, warm place to be with Andy and our kitties?
I think I’m pretty darn lucky.
I will admit that I did stick my foot in our six inches (or so) of snow late this evening. We needed to make a trip out to Walgreen’s. There are some comforts a modern day polar bear considers “necessary”… and ultimately our stop included Diet Coke and some juice boxes! My valiant husband DID offer to abandon the safety of our den in “hunt” of supplies and nourishment, but after grunting for a time in discussion, I joined him for the expedition.
Our excursion was a success, and we have arrived home. Even managed to locate the correct igloo in the stormy night’s dark. Of course, street lights, snowplows, and underground parking seem to be modern marks of progress I am willing to embrace.
Hope you are all safe and warm!
Before, I had to go see a man about a bucket…now I’m just a hoarse horse drinking lots of water. Heck — Mr. Ed probably would have lost his voice if he’d had to sing his own song, too!! I was going to write last night… but with the night’s digestive fun, it just never happened. Today’s been a complete wash, as well. All that said, I’ll not be gloomy, as yesterday was a pretty terrific day health and weather wise. I was able to get up and get a few necessities attended to — made it to my dentist appt., and found that I even had enough steam left to go to choir!! Woo Woo!!!!!
I’ll start with my first adventure, which was going over to the Henn. Co Gov’t Center to get my license renewed. I expired (ok, not me, the license) on my birthday, and need to have a current ID to fly when we leave for Florida. Andy dropped me off at the end of his lunch break — giving me a chance to shower. You know, in my last D.L. picture I was both grimy and grumpy - Not a pleasant combination for a photo you have to see every day!! Anyway, knowing that I am blind as a bat, I was just going to explain that pior to my eye surgeries, I had vision in both eyes, but now was blind in my left, and had limited vision in my right. The attendant looked at me and said, “Well, don’t you want to at least try to pass the vision test?” I shrugged and said, “Sure, why not?”
Well, now is when I want all of you to seriously think about who might be driving in front of, behind, or next to you on the road. I PASSED their vision test. Apparently, you only have to get one-third of the letters correct in the top row when you read them back. 1/3? Not only that, but they show flashing lights in four different spots to check your peripheral vision. You only have to be able to see ONE of those. (”Gee officer. I’m sorry. You were in three of my four blind spots.”) Oh-my-goodness. I believe she even congratulated me. Rest assured, I did not stop at the used car lot on my way home to pick up a new beaut. I have not driven in over two years, and am not about to start now. As I told my Dad, I’m lucky when I make it home without WALKING into a car (or falling off the sidewalk).
Well, it’s good to see they set their safety standards so high at the DMV.
Not going to write about the dentist. We just road mapped what my future needs and plan will be - both short and long-term. It’s going to be a real pain-in-the-tooth, if you know what I mean. I don’t really have any options at this point. I let him restore what he can, extract what he can’t, and hope that I am not headed straight for dentures. The restorations once complete, should buy me some number of years of stability with my existing choppers. How many is hard to say. Then we look at options “b” “l” and “q”.
Going to church and choir rehearsal was glorious last night. My spiritual being was in need of having just a few hours to recenter and breathe. We had a rehearsal at 6:15, and our “Ash Wednesday” service from 7-8.
The service was fairly small, but it had a very intimate quality to it. I know that they podcast the sermons from Sunday mornings, but am hoping the one from last night might have been recorded, as well. There were parts I had a hard time hearing, and it seemed to be a good message. I’d just like to hear the rest of it!
After the service, we plowed head first into a full rehearsal, which eventually knocked the wind and the voice right out of me! A GOOD rehearsal to dig into all of our new music, as well as the pieces that will be a part of the Lenten season. A few were really beautiful, but one in particular is going to take some work. Probably not what we should have worked on at 9 o’clock. I was worried we sounded like the Titanic sinking in the movie. I have lots to personally catch up on, so I have my folder at home. Am hoping to work through some pieces on my keyboard over the next week.
Like I mentioned earlier — today was a wash. Nothing new to report. Tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of my kidney transplant (and my parents’ 34th wedding anniversary!). Andy and I are hoping to celebrate over dinner with Dave and a few of our friends. I sure am healthier than I was a year ago! (And Dave SAYS that he’s not in too shabby of shape, himself, a year later - sure hope that will always be the case!)
LATER**
On a more serious note. It is now the wee hours of Friday morning — the 23rd. I mentioned earlier that it is the one-year anniversary of my kidney transplant, a new chance at life that was given to me. The 23rd also will mark the one-year anniversary of my aunt’s passing. She, too, fought a courageous health battle her entire adult life. I would like to offer up a prayer in her memory, and would ask that you keep our family in your thoughts. Thank you.
Well, not one of my more glamorous moments, but at least I made one wide sweep that somehow included meds, fridge, j-tube, me, bucket, paper towels and couch. Some sort of new World Record, though I’m not sure there is a category for me yet.
I just wanted to mention that while I was in the hospital, Andy added links to the blog page: one labeled “spoon theory” which you may have heard us reference, and the other being a Podcast link regarding couples facing chronic illness. I have not given it a listen yet, but Andy thought it was good. There’s so little information to be had. Sometimes we feel as though we’re on our own island. It sounds as though the Podcaster is working on a related book.
For my birthday, Andy got me (among many other fun gifts) a t-shirt that says “Got Spoons?” on it. I love it. The website is: Butyoudontlooksick.com, or something like that.
I’m trooping through. Think I’m going to go fold up that basket of laundry the cat is in before I lose the nausea battle again. Hope it is a smooth, sleepy night. I have homecare and an appointment with my hematologist tomorrow if I can do it.
More soon from the Nausea Queen.
Gee Whiz, you’d think that a week’s worth of sleep would be quite sufficient, but I’m still just worn out. Physically….mentally…emotionally…
All of that aside, though, let me just say that home is a beautiful place to be. Even though I’m not feeling great, at least I can curl up in my own bed tonight. This post may be brief, but I wanted to let everyone know that I am home from the hospital. They have no conclusive blood or urine cultures back on me, so other than nausea medication and saline, there was little they could do to treat me. I was feeling markedly better most of the day, so I decided I’d rather be at home. The same nausea med is in my fridge as the one they were giving me, anyway.
Speaking of that, I will end my post here, as the nausea is building, and I think I need to go see a man about a bucket.