Gift of RA

Every once in a while I get an urge to do crosswords; I found free printable puzzles on the internet and printout some to work.  At first, I have trouble filling in squares, but the longer I do it, the better I am.  I had a bout not too long ago and found after a bit, I was doing really well.  I thought of words that would fit and found they were right – other times it was dead wrong.  However, it made me feel confident and competent when it came together.  I also feel as if I am keeping my brain working – I want to keep it working well to the end of my life.

Now these are not NY Times crosswords, but there are times I haven’t clue what the word is, they definitely make me think.  My Mom and Dad used to do the Seattle Times crossword every day – I don’t buy the paper any more and they don’t let you print it on-line.  I have tried the Times puzzles and I usually am left with most squares blank and only a few filled.

What surprises me is how much I know without realizing it.  Some is from childhood, early tv, knowledge of a subject, etc.  Some times it’s a baseball star from earlier times – I don’t know many any more.  Or a book I’ve read, a quote, a writer, a foreign language term – it can be so many things.  When I have played Trivial Pursuit or watched Jeopardy, often an answer comes in my mind and turns out to be right.  Others times it’s wrong, the number of times its right is more than the wrong ones.

I use a pen to fill the squares – if I am not sure, I put it in lightly and dark when I know it.  Sometimes a word pops in my mind, it fits but I am not sure, so I do lightly and see what happens.  I do find I am not paying sufficient attention because I find I have put an answer in the wrong place – that certainly doesn’t help things.  However, I’m not being graded or have it put on my permanent record, I’m just having fun.

I also find when I put the crossword down and come back to it later – either a couple of hours or the next day – I can fill in the squares I missed before.  It is the same for doing jigsaw, I enjoy them as well and after a while, I have to step away because none of the pics fit any more.  Time away doing something else is a benefit – helps my mind regroup and things come back to me.  Then again, some have me stumped and I let it go.  No point in driving myself crazy.

We have Fall weather right now, cold, cloudy and some rain – not a whole lot of that.  I am wrapped up in at least 3 layers and sitting comfortably with crosswords is quite enjoyable.  I think we may have some sun tomorrow – according to the weather, but not so sure about Mom Nature.  The weatherman predicts and often Mom just thumbs her nose at him.  It is great hot tea weather and we have been having soup – that is really great on a cold day.  No one is sure what it will do this summer – did we have summer in April when it was in the high 80’s?   Last summer we had a long spell of hot dry weather, I remember it quite vividly because I was stuck at home with a broken arm.  I spent the summer in tee-shirt and panties, inside the house.  I plan to watch it unfold each day and plan accordingly.

I plan to spend this summer doing regular and new things, I think my bout with medical is just about done.  I had the second Basel cell surgery on my forehead last Friday and this Friday I had my sutures out.  he put a pressure bandage that looked like a flower, seemed to gob smack some people.  Fortunately he made it possible to wear my glasses, so I was able to drive to see my rheumatologist and the plastic surgeon – Eddie took me to Wound Care.  I think this coming week is the end of Wound Care, I just need to protect the left leg when I put my compression socks on.  That means I can finally take a proper shower – that seems the hardest thing at the moment, not really feeling clean.  I was able to wash my hair yesterday after 10 days, that really felt good.   Not sure how soon I will feel ready to take off the bandage on my temple – the doc said it looked like a divot – looks more like a crater to me.  It is supposed to flatten out in time.

So I don’t have any procedures, etc. now, just the usual visits and starting Remicade when the plastic surgeon gives the OK.   I did get the new pneumonia shot, not supposed need any again.  I can go back to my regular life – whatever that is now – and feel more human.  I feel I need to ‘catch up’ on things that I’ve had to postpone for a while.  I’m ready to be in the groove again.