Gift of RA

I have spent the morning working on things for Eddie while he was  down volunteering at the car museum in Tacoma – plus he had something he needed for work tomorrow.  No time to work on my blog post.  Then I  was ready to write and remembered I needed to trim my fingernails – it’s obvious when I went to type and it was awkward.  How women with long nails do it, I have no idea.  I keep mine short because they are soft and tend to tear or break when I least expect it. Guess I’m not a girly girl, too much trouble and work.  What you see is what you get.

It was a really busy and at times stressful week.  Last Sunday afternoon was pure fun – I met Charlotte at her church, then she was going to drive to Marysville.  It was my first long trip and though a bit apprehensive, it worked out well.  I was early because charlotte wanted to stop at the outlet mall for something and since she was there, she got her special caramel apple.  I looked in the kitchen store and saw some things I would like to have – but where will I put it in the kitchen.  I did find some small plastic boxes that will work well in the first aid kit I am putting together.  since I had to change bandages for my biopsy, I found myself looking all over for things.  Seemed smart to have everything in the same place.

It was fun to have some time for just the two of us before after lunch, then lunch was fun with Lois and Joyce.  We met at 2, this time I didn’t feel as if I had to leave by a certain time to beat traffic.  So we had a relaxed lunch, laughed and had time to talk.  It was a wonderful break and I am beginning to feel more relaxed and building my confidence again driving.  I do check the rearview mirror more than I used to and try to be aware of what is going on around me.  I miss the polite drivers we used to have here – too many crazies from other parts of the country living here now who think they have the right of way all the time.

Monday I went with Eddie in the morning to Bellevue because he and Eddie wanted to explain to me what they are doing with our investments.  Andy has some things in a tax-free situation so we will do well as we get older.  Depending on the market, we may sell some of our Boeing stock and add it to our tax-free “bucket”.  Andy is so enthusiastic about helping us and it seemed every time he saw me, he hugged me.  He is such cool guy and he calls Eddie Uncle Ed.  Now the rest of the office calls him that.  I went out for a bit, but I was tired and stiff, plus my knees and legs were uncomfortable.  I didn’t prepare for it.  What I have noticed is that Eddie is a lot happier at Andy’s and comes home excited.  What a lovely change!

I was beat when we came home, I put my jammies on and we had a light dinner.  I was fast asleep by 9.  I had slept well Sunday night and Monday night was just as good.  Tuesday I saw Dr. Pierce at last.  He is pleased with me and I told him what has been happening.   In the afternoon I went for my first physical therapy session.  It is like going home to friends at Stafford, they are such a relaxed, friendly group while being very serious about therapy.  I have Kat working with me – she was very gentle with me.  She took a lot of measurements and asked questions about the degree of pain and range of motion.  Then she worked on me in a very gentle way – she reminds me so much of Dr. Cheryl, my chiropractor.

I  am set up to go on Tuesday and Thursday – the prescription says 2 to 3 times a week for 6 weeks.  So it was an easy medical day on Tuesday.  I went to Breakfast Club Wednesday morning – we are a lot more sparse than we used to be, not sure what is going on.  We have lost 3 members because they are not able to come very often and feel they aren’t contributing to the group.  It’s always hard to lose people I enjoy, but it is a good thing when they have so much business they don’t have the time any more.

Wednesday was the most uncomfortable day because I went to dentist to have a crown seated.  The needles for the anesthetic had me climbing out of the chair.  Then it was hard for him because I have a small mouth and a large gag reflex.  As he was working on the tooth, he realized it had broken close to the nerve – that explained why I still felt it after all the numbing.   Later on I may need a root canal – he will keep an eye on it as he has for the past 10 years.  Then again, I may not have any trouble with it – I vote for that option.  He said I couldn’t eat anything until the numbness was gone, guess he didn’t want me to bite myself and not feel it.  It wasn’t a big deal, I came home and went to bed to rest and sleep some.

My jaw and gums along with everything else on that side is so sore.  It is better now but it isn’t back to normal.  I have to eat on the other side for the duration.  I don’t eat all that fast, I think I tend to drool a little as well.  I have a temporary at the moment, the permanent one will be ready next Wednesday.  Thursday morning I went to see the dermatologist for the results – I was pleased the bit on my calf was a mole and no problem.  She will keep an eye on it and if it comes up again she will take it completely out.  As for my face, I wasn’t surprised to find it is basel cell on both.  so I have to go to the MOS surgeon to have them removed.  That will take a lot longer because they check the results to see if it is all gone or if they have to go back in.  I would rather postponed until January, but I don’t think that will happen.  If I do just one now, I want to do my nose because it is the most obvious and more inconvenient.

This has  become longer than I thought.  Looks as if I need to do a Part 2.

I just scared myself – I looked at the clock and it said 10:18 – I kept thinking it couldn’t be that late.  Then I realized the computer hadn’t quite reset and I didn’t turn the clock on the phone back.  I need to leave about 11 today, I am meeting charlotte at her church around 12 and then we are going to lunch for Lois’s birthday lunch.  Eddie has gone to the Museum of Flight this morning, so I won’t see him until I come home.  It will also be my first long distance drive since I had my arm broken.  I expect to do well, maybe a little apprehension at first.  I am more comfortable driving, though my right arm doesn’t quite stretch comfortably when I turn to the left.

It’s been an interesting week.  I haven’t quite gotten used to Eddie leaving later and sometimes having breakfast with me.  A whole new way of life has started.  However, he is having a lot of fun working with Andy and getting things organized.  Andy is a genius when it comes to wealth management – I am going over tomorrow to see what he has put together for us so we don’t have to pay taxes.  Seems the older we get, the more taxes we pay.  That means all day in Bellevue, so I need to see where I want to explore and have fun.

Last Monday it was windy and pouring rain – whatever I needed to do could be done Tuesday.  So I spent the day in the warm and dry – not that I accomplished much, but it was my choice not to leave the house.  So Tuesday I went to pick up my laundry and drop off 3 sweaters  I went to couple of places for some storage ideas – decided not to buy at that point.  I am still picking up the threads of my life and I find I am still a bit scatterbrained at the moment.

I have been working on setting up my outpatient PT, I called again and finally talked with Michael, head therapist.  I am set to start next week, – Tuesday and Thursday for an hour each.  By the time Friday came, I realized I had a very medical week coming up.  Wednesday morning at Breakfast Club, I noticed I had broken a tooth – I could feel the sharp edges.  As soon as breakfast was done, I called my dentist to go see him – he had an opening the next day.

Eddie went to the archives, then spent an hour or so at Andy’s to help train one of the guys.  It was almost 2:30 when he came home, I had just arrived a few minutes earlier.  I had time to take care of some things I have had to wait to do since the accident.  Thursday morning Eddie dropped me off at the dentist and went over to arrange for his new lenses for his glasses.  Then he came to the dentist to wait for me.  It seems I had broken the corner off #31 – doc said he had been watching it for 10 years and wasn’t surprised it broke.  He smoothed some of it down for me and I have an appointment next Wednesday morning for a crown.  Then late I will have another appointment to put the permanent one in place.  No looking forward to it, but if I don’t do it, things can get even worse.

For some reason I have forgotten 2 appointments with Doc Pierce – it is in my calendar but I haven’t gotten back in the habit of checking it.  I have an appointment Tuesday morning and I need to be sure I don’t mess up again.  Friday I saw my chiropractor, Dr. Cheryl, to help me integrate the accident.  It was so good to see her again and she is helping me physically as well as metaphysically.  She explained it in terms of putting on several layers of coats to protect myself from the cold.  I have layers I have added because of the accident and the trauma my body had.  She was able to release one layer for me – it is as if I am contracted inside myself.  It was necessary for my protection, now it is time to release and let them go.  It will take a while to work through the layers.  I’ll see her again next Friday.

I realize as I am getting back into the regular world, I don’t have a structure or schedule of any kind.  I am having some resistance to getting things started as well as deciding what I truly want and need.  Did my brain go into hibernation?  I have also been thinking about the pros and cons of having the shoulder surgery.  Because I have been in rehab before, I am wondering if it might be a good idea to go to Stafford after the surgery.  I would need help with wound care and essentials I will not be able to do until the wound is healed.   Also, I would have some early PT appropriate to how I am doing – that could make getting the range of motion back a little sooner.

I would be without my meds for 2 months – what can I do to help myself through that?  I am not looking forward to being back feeling helpless and not able to do things I am slowly being able to do again.  I don’t know that I want to be laid up for 12 weeks or more again either.  There are the concerns of the rheumatologist and primary care doc that I am at a higher risk for surgery.  I would have better range of motion with surgery, but how much will I have after this PT?  Questions, questions, questions.

Now I need to close so I can go get dressed and ready to leave to meet Charlotte.

It has been a long 3 months – feels a lot longer at times.  I saw my surgeon yesterday afternoon and he cleared me to drive finally.  I have to admit I feel more ready for it than I did 3 weeks ago when the sling came off.  So this morning I went out for my first drive, I went rather slowly and took the back road into Burien.  It felt good, not too strange, but since my upper arm muscles are still stiff, I can’t turn to the left very well.  I am going to start focused physical therapy to stretch things out as much as I can.  For some reason I was a bit hesitant to go out, putting it off a bit – yet it is what I have been waiting for all this time.

The surgeon said my bone would be completely healed in the next 2 or 3 weeks.  Then I need to decide whether I want to do the surgery or not.  The thought of being laid up for another 3 months, maybe more and be without meds for 2 months doesn’t really appeal to me.  He suggested I talk with my rheumatologist about it will take about meds – maybe she has something that can help me over the difficult period.  I will also talk to my primary care doc, he too has the opinion my rheumatologist has – they both are concerned because I am at greater risk for the surgery.

I plan to take it easy the rest of this week and just practice feeling more comfortable driving.  I will go to Breakfast Club next Wednesday, seemed a little too soon this morning.  I am not sure if I will go to my chiropractor Monday or see if she has an appointment on Wednesday after Breakfast Club.  I keep thinking of all the things I want to do now that I can drive.  I am finally going to have a haircut Friday – only 14 weeks overdue.  Eddie has the day off so we are going to the dealership to pick up my license plates and the accessories Eddie ordered.  He wants to put a personal plate on it.

This is a mixed up week.  Tomorrow is Eddie’s last day at the Future of Flight, starts with Andy on Monday.  He took a half day off yesterday to take me to the surgeon, this afternoon he had an eye doctor appointment and I drove us home.  I am not sure what day it is any more or what I need to do.  I have been feeling that way since the accident, it’s hard to remember how normal or regular feels.  I’m beginning to think it is now a new way of being, I just haven’t got the memo with the specifics.

Time to go to the eye doc with Eddie – this time I can drive home so he doesn’t have to do it.

Sunday

Time has gotten away from me, I planned to finish this Wednesday after we came home from the doc.  Eddie’s in good shape, though he too is developing cataracts.  It’s not critical, but the doc said to let him know when he can’t see very well.  No doubt he will tell me the same thing when I go in around the first of the year.  Getting old definitely isn’t for sissies!

For the rest of Wednesday Eddie couldn’t read or see much tv, may explain why he went to bed so early.  Thursday was Eddie’s last day at the Future of Flight, so they gave him a party in the morning.  He went at his usual time, finished things up and turned in his keys.  He was pleased to see how many people came to say goodbye – he has made a lot of cool friends there and they will miss him.  Before he left, he was up on the Stratodeck when the Dreamlifter took off – there were quite a few people and they asked all kinds of questions.  He spent about an hour there, then came home.  No more getting up at 4 a.m. or fighting traffic coming home.

I thought I was going to have coffee with Patti, but I didn’t hear from her.  What a difference to have the choice to go out or stay home!  I ended up staying home and doing a few things, plus I wanted to be here when Eddie came home.  Amazing how little i felt trapped now that I can drive again.  I need to call about physical therapy this week and see how much I can stretch my muscles.

Friday felt like a red-letter day – after being 16 weeks overdue and feeling shaggy and raggedy, I had my hair cut.  I drove down the hill, glad to see Michelle and now my hair is quite short – feels so good after trimming places myself and keeping ends from sticking out.  Now another piece of the puzzle that makes me feel more my regular self.

Then we went over to the dealership to pick up my license plates – I’m official now.  However, Eddie wants to put personal plates on – MY BBJ.  We’ll have to do those separately.  He had ordered a chrome tip for my exhaust pipe, also mudflats.  They put the plates on and the tip, but when we change oil for the first time, we can have the mudflats done.  On the way home we stopped for some groceries, we didn’t want to stay too long in Ballard because it was Friday afternoon and traffic would be building up.  We timed it very well.

It’s been raining since late yesterday afternoon, Eddie is at the Museum of Flight and we have decided to go to the Armenian Church in Redmond next Sunday.  We had planned to do that in July, but I broke my arm and it wasn’t possible to go.  As I look forward to this coming week, I suddenly realize, I don’t know what I will or need to do – it’s been so long I have forgotten.  I figure it will come back to me without any trouble – though it feels as if my life has changed and I haven’t quite recognized how yet.

So many changes lately – more echoing now because we have almost emptied the bookshelves  before the painters come tomorrow.  Still a few places to remove things to make it easier for them.  I filled 5 boxes with our books and then Eddie slid them into the bedroom for me. We want to make it easy for the painters so they don’t have to spend a lot of time moving things around.

It was rainy when Brad came so he really likes having the covered porch to put his equipment

Thursday Brad came over and built a new mantel with crown molding.  (As soon as the camera is charged, I can put in pictures of it and the shelves.)  We had discussed at the beginning of the week and then he sent a drawing of his design.  I send the measurements to him and that way he would be able to see the proportions of it.  I wanted simple and elegant, but not plain, as well as in proportion to the room.  Eddie really liked the design as well, so Brad came Thursday morning to build it.

This was the beginning when we came home.  Brad made the fluted pieces because he couldn’t find any ready made.

This is the top of the mantel

This is how it looked – did we want to extend the fluted piece up to the top or not?

A different angle of the top

Brad started working on the bottom molding which gave it an extra boost – he doesn’t like his picture taken.

With the flutes extended

It was great to have him working at the house again, he is fun and a really hard worker.  We had to go out for an appointment, so it seemed logical to go out for breakfast.  Brad came a bit before 8 and unloaded his equipment – then we had a conference to reaffirm the design.  We left and  had breakfast at Panera, do a couple of errands and then went over to meet Vickie to review our insurance.

We spent quite a while with her, mostly because we enjoy her company.  Turns out we are in good shape with our coverage – she has been keeping an eye on things about the house a long with everything else.  She is also helping me plan the Celebration of Life for Mom.  We stopped at the German deli on the way home for ham for sandwiches for lunch.

Brad had done quite a lot when we came back – it was almost finished.  He had made a fluted piece for the legs of the mantel and we had the option to have it extend to the top.  We decided we like it extending, so he nailed it in place.  I want to put a doodad in the middle, just to give it a bit of panache.  Eddie doesn’t like the idea, he prefers it plain.  I said he had the fluted extension and I will have my doodad.

I was going to buy it on Friday but forgot, so I will pick it up tomorrow.  I need to find out the best way to attach it.

The week definitely ended better than it started.  I went to see Dr. Cheryl on Monday and she helped with my neck, back and right shoulder – packing and lifting boxes over the last few days  probably didn’t help.   I found myself very droopy draggy on Tuesday – I kept waiting for the heavy rain to come.  Maybe that was why – there are times I can really tell it is about to rain.  So I didn’t accomplish a whole lot that day.  When I woke up on Wednesday, I was okay but then started to really stiffen up and I really hurt.  I went to Breakfast Club for breakfast and then met Carol for lunch.

I am so glad we had lunch that day, I really needed it.  I feel I was whingeing a lot, she just listened.  She is a good friend and has been there for me and I for her.  I was so tired and uncomfortable that I had a nap when I came home.  Eddie was going to be late, so it worked out pretty well.  I had taken some Advil when I came home, so that and the nap helped me feel better.  I was still tired, so going to bed early was no hardship.  I slept well and was much better Thursday.

There is a real echo now in the living room – guess why?