Wet Cat Wednesday

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GAWD it's Hot!

Last night the pulled pork bbq and the slaw on the side really hit the spot for us. I wasn't in the kitchen all day and it was a nice cool dinner for a hot day. Speaking of hot days, we have been in the 100's and will be for the next few days. The temperatures are a killer usually at the end of July and in August. Now we are in the hottest days of our year so I will be serving sammys (sandwiches) and salads until the weather gets back into the 80's which will be a long time from now.

I overdid my laundry yesterday by doing three loads instead of one or just two. Yeah, I screwed myself blind again. Why can't I stop overdoing housework? I find that if I feel good I want to get everything done in one day and then I pay for my stupidity the next. Anyway, my pain level is around 8 to 9 depending on what I have to do and I'm back to walking with my stupid cane again because my legs feel like they want to pop off my body. In fact, everything feels like it wants to pop off my body. So today I will be taking it easy until I do it all again and fuck everything up again.

Lucy has been coming to my rescue too. Last night I was having trouble with my back pain and I guess she noticed and she did something for me that only a caring animal would ever do. I was on my side because it hurt too much to lay on my back so she got up and laid down right in back of me and pushed her little body against my spine. It felt so good to have pressure against my pain and I guess I fell asleep. She wasn't there in the morning because she was with David as he was getting ready for work. She did come back to bed to check on me because I heard her jump back into bed. She came back up and laid next to me and I covered her with her blanket. She's a good little nurse. We slept up until 9 this morning.

This morning I have a couple of errands to run so all y'all have a magical day.

Monday This and That

Today is just a crazy bullshit Monday for me. I'm doing three loads of laundry today. Right now I'm on the second load. I went out early to water the plants in the courtyard and the other parts of the yard are on timers so I don't bother with that. It all gets watered before 9am in the morning. I have been thinking of moving the lemon trees out onto the lawn near the pecan trees but the pecans block so much sun. I'm just going to leave well enough alone for now but I will have to get David to buy three large 20-gallon tubs so I can transfer them before the year is out. They will live in the 20's until I get tired of them and give them away like I did with most of my trees and shrubs. I only keep what I can take care of and I'm very limited when it comes to strength so there's that too. My courtyard used to be so lush and colorful with container plants and flowers. *heavy sigh* 

I'm making bbq pulled pork sammys and a slaw salad for dinner tonight. The pork is in the slow cooker right now and before long it will be stinking the house up real nice by this afternoon. I haven't made bbq pulled pork in a long time and I felt it was about time I got back to it. David is happy about it. He loves anything when there is BBQ sauce involved except when we go to Luling to get brisket from the Luling City Market then you should never put bbq sauce on that because, well, it's just plain sacrilegious to put bbq sauce on sliced smoked brisket. That's all there is to it. It should be against the law, really.

Last Friday, if you remember, I went to see my pain nurse practitioner. We decided on not getting anything done for now. I seem to be doing okay and I'm not in the "pain category" that we thought I might be. So, we will see when I go back in November to either see her or the doctor. If my pain heightens then I can make an emergency appointment at any time and they will see me. Other than that I'm doing quite well right now even though I have constant pain, it's no big thang.

Saturday, the kids(Anna and her husband, John) came to visit. They only stayed an hour before heading home. They really spent most of the day at her grandmother's place before coming to see us. We had a nice time. I do miss seeing them a lot though. 

Well, most of what I've been chatting about is all garbage and nothing to really write home about. I have a load of laundry to fold and another to start so all y'all have a magical day.

Religion in a Nutshell

Friday is Here

I just got back from my family doctor appointment. So far so good. My labs were perfect as usual so that made me happy and he will be trying to get me a new rheumatologist that is closer to home and I won't have to drive 35 miles like I did with my other one. I'll have to see him again the week before thanksgiving. So I'm good to go. 

I have my second appointment this afternoon with my pain doctor but it will be with his nurse practitioner. I like her because she listens to me when I say I'm having trouble moving, sitting, sleeping because of the pain in my back. Today we will be talking about setting me up for the radiofrequency ablation of the facet joints in the S1, L5, L4 and L3 area of my lower back but before we can set all the great stuff up, she will have to get me an appointment for an MRI. We have to see how far the arthritis has gotten in my spine so the doctor can see what needs the ablation. I'm really hoping we can move this along because I really don't like taking opioids for my pain and my pain has gotten to the point where it's almost unmanageable. So that is my day for today.

David will be home for lunch in about 15 minutes and I have to gather my lab reports from my family doctor to show my pain doctor or Nurse Practitioner. So I'm going to get some lunch and then go. 

Y'all have a magical day and weekend.

Who Ever You Are, You Are a God and Other Shit

My body is still not on the happy side of life yet but I couldn't pass this up. You see, once in a while, the dingle ball that we have as puppet president, well something happens to him that just makes you smile that shit-eating grin when you see it. The "it" I'm referring to is what was projected on the screen in the back of the gnat brained president as he was clapping and walking the stage at the right-wing Hitler Youth Group Turning Point USA. Yeah, that's right. That gave the president a chance to talk about many things without bothering to worry about what he was saying because, "Hey, we're all boys here." 

Well the Presidential Seal was not as presidential as it was supposed to be It featured the double-headed bird-like seal for Russia and the birds talons held golf clubs in one and cash in the other and instead of "E Pluribus Unum" it said "45 es un titere" which is Spanish for 45 is a puppet.

It makes me wonder who the famous person is that did it in Animal House fashion. Cudos to him. He is a God whoever he is. Anyways, if you haven't read the story you can read it here. There is also a site that sells the same fake president seal right here.

David has been very attentive since I sent him some reading material from the Mayo Clinic site that I found for him. It's all about Lupus and MCTD. He said he didn't know how bad it really was. His original thinking was so it's like the flu, big deal, so get over it. But it is a bigger deal and I raise you two articles, so there. 

He also found out that you don't necessarily have to get the butterfly rash on your face to indicate that you have Lupus. Not all flares are alike and you don't have all the symptoms all the time. I found out that when I get the hives on my arms and chest, I know that I'm beginning a Lupus flare episode. It's automatic for me.

I have a small drawer full of my flare relievers like two heating pads, Tylenol, sleeping pills, and my antihistamine to fight the hives which last for 24 hours. After the hives start, within about an hour I start slowing down. It's so automatic now. I start hurting in every single joint in my body, but it's mostly my upper back and shoulder area, I have my heating pad for that along with Tylenol. Then I'm really slowing down with the aches and lethargic feeling like the flu. I have no appetite at all and I go for days without eating. Brain fog is also a big deal. I have to remember when I last took medications or to turn something off. I have to write notes from my sticky pads and stick them on things to remind me and also to keep things written down in a small notebook that I carry with me. I sware it's like Alzheimer's when I get a flare. I just want to sleep most of the time because sleeping is the only relief from all this shit and it's my way of escaping. Moving around like walking is painful so sitting with soft pillows and heating pads, and taking Tylenol every 4 to 6 hours and not moving is blissful for me. That is what a flare is like for me. Now, flares can last from two days on up to two weeks or months. It all matters on how you manage the flares symptoms and if you catch it early enough you can almost cut the downtime in half. I'm almost done with this flare. It lasted almost a whole weeks time so I'm doing pretty good. I've got the pain down to just a pebble-sized ache and my apitite is back to almost normal so I'm good to go. I figured the cold shower that I took for relief from the hot day a week ago was a shock to my system and it triggered the flare. I'm still in the learning phase so I'm learning to watch out for anything that could be a potential shock to my system which triggers a flare. So that is what having a  Lupus flare is like for me. You live and learn.

Wet Dog Wednesday

Shit Happens

David took Friday off last week, to get the face balloons airbags in my car changed out. I'm glad he went and did it because he was there for three hours. I would never have made it. He received an itemized list with pictures of the things that need to be done to my car. He ordered the driver-side seatbelt replacement so it should be coming soon and the dealership will call us and make the appointment for the repair.

Also, something set me off on Wednesday and I don't know how it happened but I was dealing with a severe Lupus flare and I still am. Thank the Goddess that the sun wasn't out yet this morning because I had to go get my blood drawn before I see my doctors on Friday. This flare has caused some really bad brain fog, hives, dry skin plaks on my arms and neck, all-out pain in my joints and I just want to go stay in bed but I have stuff to do. So I'm calling it a day now and I may not be blogging a few days this week. 

So, all y'all have a magical week.

Religion in a Nutshell

Wet Cat Wednesday

And We Have Liftoff!

Where were you on July 20, 1969, when man first landed on the moon? I was 14 years old, laying on the living room floor with my brothers and sister at my aunt and uncle's house, glued to the screen watching history being made.
Fifty years ago today astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin E. (Buzz) Aldrin Jr., perched on top of a Saturn V SA-506 rocket lifted off from Cape Kennedy on their way to make history. This Saturday, July 20th, will mark 50 years since the lunar module Eagle, landed in the Sea of Tranquility on the moon and 20 minutes later Neil Armstong jumped down onto the surface of the moon. People were glued to radios and TV sets where ever they could find one just to listen and watch history being made. So where were you 50 years ago?
Special note: If you want to relive the experience you can go here.

It's Monday And I Want to Go Back to Bed - OY!

I didn't go to get the airbags taken care of in my car. I know, I know. But I have my reasons. Number one reason is I stayed up most of the night with a terrified little puppy because we had a really ruff thunderstorm last night. This is the first time I have ever been through a one that the rain came down sideways. Anyways it lasted a good three hours. David never heard it. Not even the one loud crack of thunder that sounded like it hit the park nearby. Number two reason was I wasn't doing so grand getting up when I did. I got dressed and took a pain pill ate my breakfast and all but I couldn't sit in the car. My back wasn't having it. So I called Honda and said I would have to reschedule so my husband could bring the car in. They were understanding and scheduled David for Friday. So that is taken care of. 

So this morning I'm stiff as a board and it hurts as well. I finally was able to get my exercises done but it was slow going. I called my doctors offices for refills on various drugs that I will be running out of in two weeks so that they can go online and renew what I need. I have both my family doctor appointment and my pain doctor appointment on Friday next week. Yeah, My family doctor gets a crack at me in the morning and the pain doctor gets to hear me whine in the afternoon. Fun stuff, y'all. So that is done. 

Lucy, my sealpup. Her ears go down
 when she gets scared.

Not much going on today, in fact, it's really sunny out and I wish I could go out and enjoy it but that's not going to happen. We are supposed to have a few showers sometime later this evening again. I hope it's not going to involve thunder otherwise Lucy will turn into a vibrating phone. You know that constant vibrating ZZZZZTT, ZZZZZTT feeling when your phone is ringing in a pocket. Just imagine a phone set on vibrate, the size of a cat. Every now and then she goes off ZZZZTT, ZZZZTT, ZZZZZZTT. That's what it feels like with my leg because she refuses to be cuddled but she wants to be near me. So I let her sit on my foot and she pushes her little body close up against my leg and her little face is snuggled between my calf and the sofa. She sometimes looks up at me and gives me a worried "make it stop mommy" look and I wish I could make it go away but it's beyond my power to do so. So I hug her the best I can, massaging her ears to calm her down a little bit. After the storm, she is so happy. I let her out to pee and she doesn't think twice about being out in the dark where it was storming just a few minutes ago. I wonder what dogs think about time in general. I think they have no concept of it at all or maybe they do but it doesn't bother them to think about such things.

Religion in a Nutshell

Airbag Problems

I received a recall notice in the mail yesterday. It's regarding the airbags for the driver and passenger sides in my car. Something to do with the heat and humidity and that the mechanism will deteriorate and if I get into an accident, the thingy that inflates the airbag could break into pieces and it would cause injury and/or death. So, I called the nearest dealership which was where I bought my car and I made an appointment to take it in to get this done. The gentleman that took my call answered all my questions and It looks like I'll be busy waiting around for 2 to 3 hours at their lounge. They don't take people as far as Seguin home or to work. So, yeah, I'm stuck there. David can't get off that day because Mondays are big meeting days for him at the office. So, I plan on wearing one of his old long sleeve white shirts over my t-shirt so I'm not exposed to the hot sun going or coming back. I have driving gloves that I used to wear in the winter that are really nice and my face will be in the shade. The area for the cars is shaded and I'm bringing my heating pad with me because I'll be doing a lot of walking and sitting so there is no problemo there. David is upset with me for not making the appointment for next Friday so he could do this. Honey, first come first serve and you gotta grab what ya can. 

SOoooo, I won't be posting early in the morning on Monday because it's a hell of a drive. I'll post later. Maybe on Tuesday. Because I brought up the subject of my car, here are some car memes.

Feeling Better and Other Shit

I'm feeling better today. A little stiff from arthritis in my lower back and right hand but I have the heating pads for them. I was thinking back on how this flare was triggered and I remembered something like about 30 minutes before I felt bad I was outside in the courtyard cleaning dead leaves and stuff out of there and the sun came out from behind the clouds. I got full on hot sun hitting me and I didn't stop what I was doing to go inside. I'm stubborn like that. I like to finish a job until it's complete. I remember coming into the house and almost immediately I sat down with muscle cramps and I felt really ill. I asked David for cold water on a towel and a glass of ice water from the fridge. Neither one helped. I knew what I had done. It was stupid but I wanted the courtyard to be cleaned up and looking nice. I took a cool shower and took my heating pads with me to bed. I was so much in pain I just couldn't believe it. I really hate Lupus. I really do. It's a nasty autoimmune disease that kills you slowly if you don't know how to fight it. I obviously have to do better for myself.

Early this morning David sent me a Shutterfly link that Anna (his sweet daughter) sent him. It was of the pictures of when they were in Milan during their wedding honeymoon last fall. Actually, the pictures were taken at Lago di Braies. Beautiful pictures too. They hired a pro because not one of the pictures is a dud. But then they are a beautiful couple too.

It's going to be a manic Monday and Tuesday next week online for me. If you are a Prime member like I am on Amazon then you already know Prime day has been extended to Tuesday. I have several things I'm looking at and have saved on the Camel site to watch for a better deal for me. If you don't know about Camel then you should. They will give you the price history of a product that you want to buy from any site. Also, they will alert you via email if the price on that item drops. The site is free but they do take donations for their hard work. I donate $5 every month because they do a great job. Just type in the URL of the site with that product you want to investigate and they give you a price report or you can type in the product name and they will give you the price history of that product and where to find it at a cheaper price even if it is a Prime product. I love that place. I bought several items using Camel to find a better price. 

Well, I have laundry and a house to clean. Nothing was done while I was sick so I'll be spending the day cleaning and washing. Ugh!!

Y'all have a magical day.