Yes I Am Senior

I live in the senior housing project. This is NOT a long-term care facility. People who live here must be entirely independent or be able to provide for their own assistants should they need assistance. I've never suggested anything else. This place was available when I needed the space and I'm thankful that it was there and that I live here. Sometimes I think it would be nice if there were other younger people here living but I'm also a bit of a realist and that I'm senior no two ways about it and that is just the next step to the long-term care solution then so be it. Is a bit intimidating however, is the Taylorsville senior center which is directly across the parking lot of the front door to my apartment complex. I have been over there numerous times and was kind of impressed with the place of first. But, like the Murray senior center (another place I really try to support) I can't see anything there for me really as far as access goes. The only thing I'm really interested in over there would be their weight room but that's not accessible the least of the have no machines that I can use that would help me. But however I must say in their defense they do have the kitchen and they do serve meals every day except the weekend. Love the meals I would just as soon good and pass on but there are some that look fairly decent. These meals are a deal for three bucks.

I seem to remember not long after I moved into this joint from going over there, to the senior center, to see what the process of involvement was all about. I found you have to fill out an application and that was about it. In return I would get a laminated card with a barcode that I would have to produce each time I came to the facility and want to use their programs. Again, does not such a bad trade-off for some of the offerings. Bingo, wheelchair dance, lunch, supposedly rides to Walmart and even went over when they have their journey over to that little gambling Mecca – – which I doubt that I would ever go primarily because I don't think their vehicles accessible but still who knows the little personal education maybe I could bring some access to the property. They have pottery classes, I'm sure they have some sort of writing class and some sort of art class (which I really do need to explore since I'm being challenged so hard at the community college) access to computers terminals with Internet connection – – perhaps a nice flat screens but that is something I don't need. I think it has some soda holiday celebrations and so forth and so on. I must admit there is just something a little bit reenforcing about the possibility of belonging.. A number of folks here trudge over to the center every morning during the week. A number of them have encouraged me to join them but I have not. I did however will notice that some interest that they will be having a Spanish speaking class starting in mid October. I might want to look into this and see how viable that might be sense now I can't get into community college till after the first of the year.

I filled out the paperwork and the person at the front desk was all impressed at how well I did writing with two hands. Oddly enough, the application was eerily familiar.. I know I feel that out before and I don't think I ever got the card. I was mildly surprised when When I asked her initially, yesterday morning, if I had a card or did records show I had registered. The records did not. She handed me a folder which had my free meal ticket in it and if you have items about the center i.e. code of conduct etc. I was waiting for her to give me my new card so I can start using the services legitimately. That did not happen it seems the director must approve all applications and she does not work on Fridays. So hopefully Monday I will pick up my new laminated card and start using the services. I don't really want to but I figure it's time. If I don't like it was up to me to make it better or at least something I can tolerate.

Come On Jocelyn…

I had just finished the coffee social yesterday – – that will get together down in the common room every Thursday morning – – and I just returned to my room with my coffee when my cell phone rang and it was Angie from the home health care agency I work with. Angie was calling me to ask if it would be permissible to have my home healthcare attendant to come in a different time than the established 4 to 5 that I had with Honey. As I've said many times I'm an old guy and I just want things to go the way disposed to. Honey had me controlled very well. We texted daily even when she was not scheduled to be over which was great because it gave us that connection or me that connectionWhich lets me know my world is going along just fine. If honey could not make her scheduled time she would call and advise me or text me and that's cool. If for some reason I was not going to be home at the time I would advise her we worked very well together.

Angie and I negotiated and it was decided that Jocelyn would come over today at 1 o'clock to do my program. This irritated me a little but not too much at least they called and that was a step in the right direction. And you guys may Jocelyn could come later or perhaps even earlier but 1 o'clock was okay. I kind of like that solution because it allowed me to get everything done in the middle of the day and still have time left over. So imagine my dismay when 1 o'clock came in no Jocelyn. I was okay till 20 after and I began to feel history repeating . By 130 I picked up the phone and call the agency. Angie was not available and I spoke with Kathy who seemed like a new voice to me she was very nice, we talked. I told her my caregiver was late and I was concerned and she told me she would call me back as soon as she found out what was going on. Kathy said she would call immediately the caregiver and find out what's going on. A few minutes passed and I got the call.. It seems like Jocelyn had run into a nitpicking, cantankerous senior who was making her late. Kathy told meJocelyn would beAs soon as she was finished with the senior. I informed Kathy that I did not want to get Joslin into any trouble but I was concerned about her being an hour late the first go round and now late again. Kathy seemed very anxious to keep me satisfied I almost thought she was going to refer me to another of their healthcare providers but I assured Kathy that I want to work with Joslin. I felt Joslin had great potential, at least for me, and would like to work with Joslin as long as I could knowing there would be some bumps at first but hopefully those bumps would even out as we worked together.

It was now almost 2 o'clock. Kathy assured me docile and would be there by 2:30 PM. At that time came and went in and around 245 Joslin came in. I was naked and ready I want to make sure I get my whole program in under an hour. Joslin apologized, not profusely, But believable. We actually did pretty good working together. I was most pleased with how quickly Joslin Seemed to wantto master the sling getting it on and off me. She also made my bed and helped me get dressed after the shower. We begin the process of getting to know each other. I found she was the oldest of six kids. She's Hispanic and her parents still live in Mexico. Her oldest child is three and Joslin is 25.. I sense, like so many caregivers in this industry, Joslin's had a rough life and is trying to make it. I will do what I can to help her make it which means having to be a little more patient I can do that..

Steady As She Goes

I know it's kind of weird but I really like to be naked by the time my caregiver gets here not because I'm kinky – – I'm not saying that I'm not – – but because I know it's the golden hour that I pay for and I want to make sure none of that time was wasted with stuff I can do myself like getting undressed. I figure I did myself naked by the time my caregiver gets here it shaves off 3 to 5 minutes of the hour they have to bathe and toilet me.

If you all remember Honey got her self fired, we don't know why, the agency says she quit But I tend to agree with Honey that she got herself fired. Whether it's for cause or not is another question and I doubt I will ever get Cause answered totally. Whatever the situation left me without a caregiver. So yesterday afternoon I called the agencies who assured me out beginning a worker by the name of Jocelyn. Of course Honey has been in the background all day, often on, via text messaging. She wanted to make sure I was getting covered righteously. I think she really is concerned to the point she is almost make herself sick. I informed Honey that in fact I had been assigned Jocelyn. Of course, Honey did not necessarily talk her down which I am pleased and proud of Honey But honey did suggest Jocelyn has some major drawbacks. One of them being not showing up for assignments or somewhat slow and I'm not entirely sure what that meant Except Honeys comment was not meant as an complement.

So about 3:45 PM I started giving myself undressed and ready for the new girl. She was not hereby 4 PM. She called at some point in the afternoon which was good because she did not arrive by 4:30 PMSo I was able to call her at 5 PM and she had not arrived to see if everything was okay. Everything was Jocelyn just said that she was caught in traffic. In the back of my mind I kept hearing what Honey had said but does not ready to totally accept Honey's comments yet. Finally about 5:15 PM Jocelyn shows up. I believe she's Native American, much younger than I thought she would be, attractive, quiet and seemed ready to learn what she needed to do which I appreciated. I think she was frightened. I think she did not know what to expect which only makes sense because I sure didn't know what to expect. But we jumped right in she got me in the sling with very little problem. We anticipated the enema was going to be a problem but it was not after I instructed her what to do and how to do the lubrication and the assertion and application of the enema bold we sailed right through. She got me on the commode over the toilet and I did my business and soon I was in the shower. I did my thing as far as the shower goes and had her scrub my legs and feet (which he did a really great job she was quite enthusiastic). I did not choose test get dressed for the rest of the night so she took off. She got the whole thing done in about 45 minutes similar to what Honey is able to do. Which I think is great. I liked her and I think Jocelyn liked me we seem to have an affinity for each other.

I was little weirded out today when I got a call from Angie who is the person at my home health agency that not only answers the phone's but I kind of think she's some sort of controller over the home health attendants. She wanted to know if was all right if Jocelyn did my program tomorrow at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. This kind of threw me off and I wanted no of this was a one-time deal are what is going out. Angie assured me that after tomorrow, beginning Monday Jocelyn would be there at the approved time after 4 PM which is what I want. We'll see if Honey is correct and I start having problems with my home healthcare frequencies and delivery. I think it'll work I have a good feeling about Jocelyn and what we're going to be able to do. So it's seems like my Lucks holding

Three Hours Plus Under The Drill

Today I had my root canal and a little bit of other work. Had not been dreading this moment nor had I particularly been looking forward to the dental work. The dental work had To be done I knew that. I also knew if I did not have this work done I would be terribly sorry late some night,Holiday weekend… Decide to go nova reducing me to arriving pile of flesh In my bed or in my wheelchair. Oddly enough over the past decade I have grown to not dread the dental experience as I had done over the major portion of my life ever since that day in Dr. Frogly's office when I brought my tiny jaws down on his fingers after which he gently lifted me from the chair and took me out to my mother and informed her she needed to find a new dentist for me as I was never coming into his office again.. So it's nice to know site operations I hardly hear anything I used to. So I sat under the trail for three hours this morning almost 4 while my new dentist performed a root canal, and to build up getting ready for a crown and another procedure. It was hard work for him and for me but I think harder for him. I like this guy I think This bDentist is going to work for me. Is better than Drew Luke and I basically liked Drew.

Maybe it is because this doctor is younger than but I can't believe that would influence me. The new Dr. has some quirks is somewhat irritating but not too bad. I think that is really likes working on spinal cord injuries at least on me. If I did not know any better I would say is a frustrated MD. However, he does his profession proud in the way he administers his skills. This dentist gave me numerous injections in vast quantities of nitrous oxide. We waited to make sure all chemicals for taking the righteous do in making me impervious to drilling in picking. The dentist was quite sensitive And his assistant were quite sensitive to my body language. I especially liked the part where every time I would spasm or clinch she would begin massaging my arm, which of course did not do anything but maybe feel good and maybe that was all part of the project..

When immediate appointment I was scheduled for two hours in the chair.. My appointment started 730 and I felt I would be done by 930 easy. I figured I would be okay. I drain my bladder, I thought pretty significantly, before I left the apartment. I had a light breakfast digested very little liquid but still going into the third hour of the operation I have to pee. Bear in mind, is proud of myself, for having actually transferred from my power chair to the dental chair. I'm not done this for years opting to have the dental work done while sitting in my power chair with my chair leaned back. I was hoping I can hold my bladder until we were finished but that was not in the cards. The dental team actually gave me the option of finishing today's work without completing all we wanted to do so I get home to an accessible bathroom. But I said no I would avoid/drain and get everything done today that we could. And for the first time I cathed in the dentist's chair with his help. Seriously with his help..

About 20 minutes later I was finished, for today. I'm back in the chair next Thursday at 8 AM for more drilling A good times.

Adios Amiga

It's official at least through Honey. I got a text from the girl today indicating that she had been let go from the agency which employs her. I'm not sure what happened honey texted that they fired her but she says that they're going to say that she quit somewhere in between,, of course, is always the truth.Not that it really matters but my take on the whole thing is that they both had been going at each other to some degree. Honey believes they been shorten or her hours which she may have a good take on it but at the same time she's gone to work with the competing agency and she hadn't let her parent company know. I, of course warned her But Honey felt that they couldn't touch her. Of course she's wrong lot of how Honey sees the world is wrong. I just hope the company she went to work fo will give her the hours that she wants. She really has got itself sunk in tto debt. I guess if anyone can pull this rabbit out of a hat it might be Honey. I have a lot of respect for her. In fact Honey did text me she would be willing to work for me privately. I would like to do that but I don't know. It was the only option I would have no problem but Joe took me on my think I owe him so I will stick with Joe at least for the time being. However I'm certainly going to keep Honey in the background particularly if case I need emergency assistance. I don't know she would do that I would like to think that she would she has certainly save my ass before.

I owe Joe like I said. In that dark. A year ago this coming month when I was out of a home and needed assistance immediately Joe was the second person I called. I explained to him what I needed and what it happened particularly the part where I needed someone that would give me an enema and he assured me he would have person do that even if it wasn't necessarily legal. Perhaps that's the wrong way to say it but that's what were talking about since giving an enema sort of falls and that skilled nursing area were as many of the caregivers are well-equipped and skilled in this skill set. I had one other person at first she lasted about a day and a half to two days – – because I think she was management – – and then they handed me off to Honey whom I have hhad ever sense. I mean if I had to I could give Honey and recommendation right now with no qualms at 100%. She's efficient, she's smart she's punctual and she's not afraid to work. We worked together I went out of my way to make sure she could fit her life into my schedule especially the early times and when I found out I like to come in early getting the job done and dressed again and letting me have the rest of the night to myself. She was willing to take direction to other things that are not necessarily on her do list as far as requests of making my bed, hanging up close and she even vacuumedmy floor a couple times without me even asking.

I wish this girl nothing but luck good luck, she deserves all the luck she can get, Honey deserves all the breaks she can get. Hope Honeys luck changes. I hope she can figure out something to do that pays her will enough To get out of a home health industry. If Honey doesIt will be the industry's loss and the clients lost. Honey I wish all the best that you get what you want and that you get what you need.

The Only Constant Is Change

It's funny how I take things for granted even when I know better. Nothing lasts And especially nothing good, this concept is a tenet of my cynical self. Yet when things get comfortable I get comfortable and that little sucker punch gets wound up and ready to strike. At least today I got a little bit of forewarning. It's Monday which means it's my program day, the day when Honey, my health care provider person comes in and does my program and my shower. She comes in three days a week Monday Wednesday and Friday. She comes in for an hour and these days are most special to me – – the showers important but not as important as the program which is a glorified term for toileting or pooping. She does both tasks excellently. If I were rich out have a command four times a week may be even more but I'm self-pay which means that pay as I go this is an covered by insurance or anything so three measly hours a week.

Today Honey Let me know She may not be here on Wednesday. It seems she's having a disagreement with management. She is given management and ultimatum and if they do not concur she's out of there. Honey, can be a big talker sometimes that's okay I let her do that, be a big talker because she gives. such excellent service. I'm sure she has a point the working person always good has. Today it was something to do with people hire just recently getting more hours to work than she is and she desperately needs the hours. I don't know how closely reality mirrors what she thinks but to me that's not the point in my selfish view I see a life without Honey which, frightens me. Honey and I have a unique understanding. We genuinely like each other's company. She takes direction excellently. She goes above and beyond the call. Even better she knows how to bandage my butt and how to keep an eye on my butt to make sure decubitus sores do not escalate and get out-of-control.. Even better she's willing to come serve me anytime day or night when I need her even though it may not be my scheduled time and day. She will even come and do a wound dressing and not charge. I am uncomfortable if not frightened to have to break in a new person. I suppose I can do it this happened to me with Honey . Honey was a replacement for somebody else who I thought would be difficult to replace but then again that person could only service me twice before. Honey came on the service me like gangbusters. So I guess that's what will happen if the worst-case scenario comes to pass.. I will just have to break in somebody else. I'll just have to go through the whole awkward phase of getting to know the person and teaching that person how to service me an almost the most intimate ways of home health services. I can do this I did before and I can do it again… Yeah just keep to telling myself that over and over and over again

Tom G

.I'm amazed every time I hear stories of parents taking schools are teachers and schools to court for child abuse when these folks physically discipline their students. I'll bet at this point in time all across this country no students are physically punished. Don't get me wrong I'm not so conservative to think that all kids need to be physically punished and school and I agree I think that I was probably physically punished more than was needed.. However I also realized that my parents gladly gave carte blanche to the public school where ever I was at to do whatever they felt was necessary to keep me in line.

In my grade school, campus elementary, the sixth grad was made up of two classes. Mr. Warr and Mr. Kuntz. Mr. Kuntz was my sixth grade teacher. Mr. Warr was like the big music teacher in everyday we would go to Mr. Warr's class For music and Mr. Kuntz would take Mr. Warrs class out for PE.

I sat in the front row of the class, and Mr. Warr's class. The desk was directly behind the piano. I like this because it felt gave me radical anonymity,, not that I had anything to hide but it just felt comfortable. A good friend of mine named Tom G., Was interesting to say the least. On this day as usual We filed in and took our desks. We were singing a song, I remember perfectly Asham was a tootling Turk., Or just The Tooting Turk. Thomas goofing off making a noise over and over again that sounded like Pffft and I was just trying to sing and not pay attention to Tom's antics. All of a sudden, there was a smashing of all the keys it sounded like in Mr. Warr stood up leaned over the piano And started hitting me with clenched fists! It didn't hurt, not really, I was just shocked I couldn't figure out what it happened in fact, When the old man took a break I screamed “what was that for” and then he started all over again. I have to admit I was kind of freaked. I don't know what happened after that I don't remember or blocked it out. I think we just went back to the singing as if nothing had happened. I wasn't sent to the office, no one sat down talk to me I don't think Mr. Kuntz ever knew. It was just a weird experience of my life as a kid.

But all this is really leading up to was the fact that just out of the blue couple weeks ago I put a announcement out on Facebook that if anybody knew what happened to Tom to let me know. I want to get some reinforcement or validity that this event actually happened and was not something I made up. And then Friday I got greetings from Tom! I was blown away. I had not been online When Tom posted his message and have not been able to make contact with Tom sense. I'm looking forward to asking him if he remembers that iincident. I was surprised to find the actual song online it is as follows:

 TOOTIN’ TURK, THE

Composer: Richard Berg

Lyrics:

Asham was a tootin’ Turk; Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.
Let his wife do all the work; Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.
He played away, Tootle, ootle, oo-doo, Ev’ry day, Tootle, ootle, oo-doo,
Asham was a tottin’ Turk; Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.

Asham’s wife was smart as you; Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.
So she learned to tootle too; Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.
She played away, tootle, ootle oo-doo, Ev’ry day, tootle, ootle, oo-doo,
Asham’s wife was smart as you; Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.

Any day duets you hear; Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.
Asham and his wifey dear; Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.
They play away, Tootle, ootle, oo-doo, Ev’ry day, tootle, ootle, oo-doo,
Any day duets you hear, Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.

Now his task he doesn’t shirk; Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.
Helps his wife do all the work; Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.
They play away, Tootle, ootle, oo-doo; Ev’ry day, tootle, ootle, oo-doo,
Now his task he doesn’t shirk; Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.

It’s the truth that tootin’s fun; Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.
When your daily work is done; Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.
So play away, Tootle, ootle, oo-doo, Ev’ry day, tootle, ootle, oo-doo,
Asham was a tootin’ Turk; Tootle, ootle, doo, tootle, oo-doo-doo.

My Buddy Stephen

Blog 092317 – – Saturday

I wish I had gotten an image of Stephen when use here tonight helping me with my apartment. For the first time since I've lived at these apartments I went up and knocked on Steven's door. I was kind of desperate in a bizarre turn of events I actually cried the arm of my chair off. Luckily for me the arm basically stayed in place because on the front of the arm is supposed that goes down the hooks into the body of the chair.. At the rear of the arm is a swivel which allows the arm to be lifted up and out of the way for transfers and such. It's a safety device that allows the arm to freely breakaway when too much pressure is applied to that joint. The remedy is easy one just lists the arm and aligns the the rod up with the receiver and other wheelchair. The two pieces snapped together and add is that I'm free to go on my way. There was a time just one time that I've been able to do the maneuver myself. Jim the resident assistant here has done the fix other times but he's no longer here is on the road I don't think we'llever See Jim again. When the arm detaches from the chair like that I can gimp around kind of but But I'll be very hard pressed to be able to transfer in the bed and even worse out of bed without they arm to cling onto.

Coincidentally Stephen lives directly above me. I remember checking with him right after I moved in to see if the noise levels inokay my apartment bothered him. He said he was unaware that I was doing anything noisy. Stephen must be in his 70s easy.. Stephen I she looks kind of frail. He takes great efforts in his appearance he always dresses neatly to shorter wearing a tie. Early on I began to rely on Stephen and his mourning rituals which always has them up about 4:30 AM to the bathroom. Stephen is consistent. I sort of steered a wide path around the man when I first met him seemed a bit religious fanatical. I figured I could and mutilate the conversation well enough to stay away from deep in ecclesiastical discussions. Early on I realized he had a fascination with the weird and bizarre. Not that kind of weird and bizarre but the kind that is intrigued with time travel, conspiracies and radio and Internet shows exploring these issues. These are areas of interest to me actually as well. But the material interests me but the individual who follows material even more.. My late neighbor, Albert was much like this.

I really needed to repair the arm of my chair and I figured I had no further option but to contact my neighbor upstairs. Balancing myself in the chair trying to drive my chair with its crippled arm I made my way up to his room/apartment knocked on the door nothing. I knocked on the door again and finally it creaked open with just his head poking out saying that but he was indisposed but would come down in a few minutes. I returned to my apartment just as I was getting to my unit was saying my neighbor across the hall poked his head out. José speaks very little English but he has a big heart and actually I got him to attach the arm back to my chair. I felt bad that Stephen was still coming down by figures but the heck I'll have them look to my foot pedal which also need help.

But a half hour later there's a knock on the door and that Stephen. As always dress like he's going out on the town. He came in and I informed him that I had the problem fixed but good enough help me with my foot pedals which he did but then he looked around my apartment specimen kitchen and noted I need a severe help.. Stephen helped.. He swept the floor in the kitchen then moved to the living area and swept the rug. The place million times better we talked. Stephen says we need each other, the universal we. He said he wants to help out again sometime in the apartment needs it he will drop by. Stephen looks frail and I worry about him. And I need help and he is willing so I'm willing And that's all I need to say.

My Buddy Sachin

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This is my friend Sachin. I wrote about Sachin First back in February 2007. I cannot believe it's been 10 years since I wrote about this lad. Sachin is no longer lad Is a fully grown adult with fully grown adult responsibilities. I'm nothing but impressed with Sachin and his growth professionally. I actually sort of rolling off when I first met him., I respected him as they would anybody showing up for work from there C P D up at Logan.. The CPD's disability think would hired Sachin and they're pretty much figured they were just doing their part of hiring people with disabilities. Sachin is totally blind And at the time used a guide dog for mobility as well as his cane and whatever new technology was out there for people with visual disabilities. Sachin is from India and is quite dark complected And speaks excellent English. I did not know at the time but Sachin is a person with multiple degrees and is quite brilliant. I was blown away to find that he'd grown up in India and chose Utah State University to study and where he graduated with his degrees. For still more to this story that I hope to find some day

Two years ago roughly my good friend Marty was director of Utah Assistive Technology Program or UATP. I was mildly shocked when I found Sachin had been chosen to replace Marty as director, first interim event rightful director. I don't know why this shocked me so much I just had never seen Sachin in that position.I just had never given the boy that much credit which is stupid. Then about a year ago I hear that such an Has been put into vice chair of a federal board specifically the U S Access Board Now he was a hotshot federale enjoying face time with Pres. Obama no less. I really had to roll back and reevaluate my estimation of my blind friend from Logan.

So now my friend travels between Logan Utah in Washington DC once or twice a quarter or he did during the Obama administration. I don't know if he continues to serve on that board but I found yesterday at Council meeting that he's been nominated for another national position. This guys going places I just need to step back and watch Sachin grow. Like I said I rarely or never see them with his or a guide dog Anymore. He always has tons of gadgets and seems the one that he uses most is his cell phone which is really cool. He's got some sort of speaking device that he listens to closely. Unless you're sitting next to him you cannot really hear what the device is saying. What I do here is like one of the Chipmunks talking very fast. I cannot believe he can understand it's been said over her cell phone to cool. The only time we ever get to visit is usually a few moments before after a meeting. I doubt that will really ever changed just too bad. I'll be first to be director for some time. But I wouldn't be surprised if some national agency or program would sweep in, gather them up and fly Sachin away.

A. T. Council

Today was A. T. Council or Assistive Technology Council. This is a meeting hosted by an organizatio Called Utah Assistive Technology Program or U A T P. The think tank ran out of Utah State University up in Logan Utah. The Council's been around for at least 20 years the shade longer. I know I've been on the Council for at least that long. I've enjoyed my tenure with A T Council over the years. Perhaps first and foremost at least with me is that they always had a hot meal at least up to last three or four years when the economy kind of tanked. Now it's things like beans and rice pulled pork tacos are burritos or whatever they're called. It's kind of a Hotmail not like before you had things like roast beef with gravy, rigatoni, just a real classy food but hey were not in this for food readiness to serve right?

The Council used to meet one to quarter but that either became to burden some for some of the folks who had Real jobs and those who had to travel significant distance. We now meet twice a year which I think makes it hard to try to get some work done, as if we do any work. We like to talk like we do some work and every once in a while we do bring about change or offer something positive for folks with disabilities in the state. When I was a state employee and ran Access Utah I had to give a report as to how my little program was doing. Invariably I would forget the meeting was coming up in just bluffed my way through which was okay for a time nobody really cared until things got tight, then they did. This Council is one of those operations that are very loose people come and go. The Council is one of those operations Where you can do as much or as little as you would like and still pretty much stay in good standing with the Council. Like I think I was gone for maybe a year during the time I was going through my stenosis. And I doubt people even knew I was gone. Some of them knew what I was going through because I'm on other councils and advisory boards. Serving on these boards and councils Is kind of Incestuous. It seems the same members are on all these different councils.

I got involved with these councils way back when I first became employed at the Independent living center in Salt Lake. As the Community Resource Coordinator I kind of got stuck on many boards that nobody else in the office want to go to. I was always up for a meeting out of the office. It got me out of work, usually got me some form of calm time since they worked over the lunch hour In most the times offered a meal for those on the Council are advisory board. You served until you died, moved on, retired and then serve some more if they thought they could get away with having you do that. After a year to or so he became a fixture and after five years this sort of ran the system one way or the other. The usually stuck in as board chair and forgot to tell you moved on.

The meal today was some sort of Hispanic offering black beans and rice sweet pulled pork on top of the tortilla served and around aluminum pan kind of thing. With sweet churizos . I'm surprised I enjoyed the meal as much as I did. We didn't get anything accomplished we just met got a little direction and made some promises of things to consider for the next meeting in March of next year. I hope we make it till then

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Wears The Beef ?

I used my new rice maker a couple nights ago. This was the second time I've used the rice maker and have been pleased with the overall simplicity of the machine. I of course have to plug it in and I have to plug it in every time I make rice I just cannot leave the machine plugged in then hit a button or flip a switch on the machine itself for it to make the rice. I guess I was too expensive. I sent for another machine as well a rice maker that works in the microwave. I wanted to have this option to use the microwave when I chose to. I suspicion that the plug-in rice maker might get relegated to a closet or cabinet. I still like the Electric rice maker I just think the microwave version might be better. We shall see the microwave rice maker should be here in a couple days.

So, I'm eating a lot of rice or I am going to be if I'm lucky.. I noticed with some surprise that I'm nearing the end of my rice. I have enough for another batch maybe two before I need to invest in more. I will hold off however till after the bank day which should be next week. It seems there's always a couple of bags of rice that end up on the sharing shelf. The only problem with sharing shelf rice is that the rice tends to be quite rice and I like white rice but I think I like brown rice better and I think brown rice is better for me. So I may head over to the Indian store and see if they happened to have any bags, larger bags of brown rice. I have not noticed any one I've been there but that does not mean they do not carry such grain. So I'll pick up a small bag from the market until I can find a larger bag. That will be my next test of the rice cookers will be how well they do cooking brown rice. Cooking brown rice in the machines is a slightly different process actually the process of the same cooking the rice just takes longer.

The preceding discussion was basically to lay down the foundation for what I really want to write about which was canned beef. Since I do not get a food box like the other folks here at the complex I miss out on some of the things which I think are fairly valuable valuable least these items are valuable to me. If the people do not want whatever the item is it winds up usually on the sharing shelf.I have noticed a number of times they were larger sized cans of beef in the boxes. Lucky for me couple weeks ago are the last food box drop a couple cans of beef landed on the sharing shelf and I grabbed them. I kind of want the horde the cans (this is something I tend to do and I've told all the stuff for decades which I think is not a very wise thing to do”) so yesterday I decided I would use one of these cans, in the sense sacrifice it to see what the meat was like. I have a whole pot of rice made which had stored the night before the refrigerator and I would fry up some vegetables with the beef and then adds rice this I did and was most pleased at the outcome. The beef of ccourse was cooked however, the beef did not look as anticipated. The beef had the quality of beef and found in cans of Dinty Moore stew and I really like that beef. So I really like the beef in this Can. You can indicates that besides the beef the user also has access to “juices”. I was really hoping I could use the juices to make some broth or gravy with four Asian food. I didn't do it the night I made beef and rice stirfry but I think the juices would work f. The only drawback is that there is a lot of fat with the juices space and I would have to separate the liquid from the fat which would be easily done. I had processed up some onions I had laying around with garlic and some ginger. I also had a few pieces of broccoli and carrots . I am pleased with the way the whole thing turned out. It made a fairly large bag which I like to have in the fridge to use for easy lunches and dinners. I'm going to hold off until the new machine arrives I think before I make another batchim. Now, I'm really hoping I'm getting a couple more cans of this beef. Where's the beef? That's what I want to know.

Captive Audience

I don't know why but I began stressing about today's lecture over the weekend, this past weekend. And I really did not do anything really constructive about the lecture until last night. I really wished I could of put together a better presentation. The ideas came to me too late. If there'd been a title of the lecture it would've been my 50 years as a person with a disability. Essentially I went through decade by decade by life with this disability at least that was my intention. However when I got to actually presenting I did bounce around a little more than I would've liked. Ideally however, I would've liked to developed a image show to go along with the verbal presentation. I have many of the images I would use already on file it would be very little problem putting them on a format that could be viewed if wherever I've made the presentation had access to technology.

It's funny in my anxiety I had whipped up this presentation into a major group of participants like one giant lecture halls at University in classes like introduction to psychology or introduction to sociology for you have like 300 kids in our lecture hall. I forgot where I was that which was an almost rural setting of the community college system here in Salt Lake. I didn't realize that many of the kids in this class were entry-level participants. I just assumed they were folks in our regular physical therapy program. There's about 18 kids in the class and the coursework was fairly light. I was greatly relieved to say the least.Luckily I did not have to fill the two hours that I was initially allocated. Two hours is a long time to dance. Amanda, my former occupational therapist and educator of this class took about 45 minutes of the two hours doing general housekeeping and making assignments before turning the balance of the time to me..

I must admit that I tended to ramble more than I would've liked. The kid seemed relatively interested and there's nothing like having the stage to talk about yourself for what seemed eternity. This is for the images would come in handy being able to take little pieces a time I switched from one image to the next to explain the image. The instructor asked that I bring in a number of my low-tech assistive technology devices are brought in a few but basically forgot them and tell the end of the presentation.

I have madeA couple of YouTube pieces regarding my assistive technology and I can bring those to have them readily available. There are number things I could do to make this a viable and enjoyable presentation/lecture for undergraduates to suffer through. The instructor, my friend Amanda, says she will use me again next year if I'd be willing which I would and I have a year now to put together such a presentation. Who knows maybe if I'm good enough I can get on the presenter circuit. That would be a hoot. Once again,, it's always great to feel wanted.

More: Wound Care and Collegian Prepping

I'm suffering with a wound on my butt. I should be in bed but I'm not. I'm sitting here waiting for the last few minutes before the home health person gets here. I wrote about her yesterday. Well I Texted her again this morning because the dressing she put on the wound yesterday came off during the night. I really believe the wound helped a lot yesterday and I didn't want to aggravate the wound by not having protection on the wound today. Tomorrow I have a viable presentation to make in the morning and I don't want to be sitting on a painful wound and aggravated the wound further. She put a great wound dressing on and now she's going over to shower me a few minutes and put a final dressing on that will last through till tomorrow… I hope.

Tomorrow I'm giving a presentation for one of my occupational therapists I had following my stenosis surgery. Amanda was great and she really really helped me. She is now teaching a physical therapy class at Salt Lake Comunity College And am pleased that she's asked me to come in lecture one of her classes. No little daunted however I found out the class was a two-hour class which is a lot of stuff to talk about. I was a little intimidated but I think I can do it the lecture. What I plan to do is basically do a life history from the point of accident until now. I mulled this over this morning while laying in bed. I wished I had more time to prepare now. I could've used images which would've greatly assisted in the presentation. I don't think I have time to put adequate image gathering together but it's something to think about should I choose to do this project again. What I intend to do now though is break my life in the 10 year segments. Therefore mid-sixties, 70s, 80s, 90s and the 2000's. I would greatly like to focus on Not only myself but what was going on with the disabled movement at the same time that I was going through time. I think I should be able to eke out the time if I follow this format. I need to do tonight is to flesh out the skeleton.

Honeys been over and has given me a great shower And she also redressed my wounds. I sure hope this works. We use the highly pervious recall new skin tape. Dianne found this tape and it certainly helped in the past. His hope that works for the next couple days. I'm really busy right now with presentations and meetings. I was kind feeling sorry for myself last night and I was talking to one of my friends and mentioned that as have any skin issues and they said that was a problem many friends with disabilities are going through right now in the Salt Lake area. They mentioned that two of the folks I know have significant wounds. This revelation did not necessarily make me feel better just made it feel that I was not alone in my struggle. I've had these kind of wounds before and I have always bounced back. In fact Dianne has always said I heal extremely well I hope she's right.

Wound Care Sunday

Honey and me being all artsy-fartsy

I awoke this morning with the painful realization that I had an open wound, a pressure sore on my butt. I have felt the wound coming on and I've tried to take some preventative measures but not obviously enough. I should've had Honey place addressing or at least a pre-wound Band-Aid on the irritation Friday night when she was here doing my bath routine. I did not however. Yesterday I was hoping that I was doing enough pressure releases and pushing more jail underneath my buttocks to forestall further breakdown but that again, obviously did not help. This morning I knew I had to do something so I texted Honey, my home help companion to see if she would be able to come over and put a dressing on the wound.

I was immensely relieved when after a couple of minutes Honey texted me that she would be free in about half an hour would drop by and look at my wound. She did this. It is good to see her on an unscheduled day – – that is always a treat. She works for another health agency on the weekends and so she has a different uniform that she wears during the week when she services me normally. Today she was decked out in black scrubs she looked cool, more so than usual, and particularly today since I needed her in emergency situation. I lowered my power chair out flat as I could then rolled to one side as she pulled down my shorts and examine the wound. Honey was immediately taken back and felt remorse that she did not see this developing on Friday when we showered. I thought about saying something Friday but did not since I last honey to do a number of things that were not directly related to showering and toileting. I actually should've called her yesterday morning when I got into my chair and felt some pain in my buttocks. I hope that my attention to press releases would get me by until Monday when she would be in to see me on the regular cycle. Honey was quick and professional. We even took images which I plan to send to my wound care people to see if they need to see me. I may however wait until Monday night when honey should be over again. We can adjudicate at that time how well distressing has worked and if significant healing has taken place if not then I will contact the wound clinic to see about some attention. However, if passed experience is any indicator I will have to wait at least a week if not two get in to be seen. It is also been my experience that once I make that appointment I tend to focus on healing myself in and of canceling the appointment because the wound is healed. I shall keep my fingers crossed and hope that is the case for this wound.

If nothing else the dressing Honey applied Certainly has alleviated the pain of sitting which I greatly appreciate and this allowed me to be somewhat productive today. Now, I must go take out a pie from the oven… I cooked an apple pie today with a wounded ass.

Friends and Writers

I wish I'd had the where-withal to take an image of us yesterday. Yesterday was another gathering of the writers Guild, that club of three riders which meet couple times a year to talk about each other, examine some of the work we've been doing hopefully and basically just touch base and make sure everyone's okay.I don't quite remember how long we've been meeting but I would think you'd be fair to say decades. Before writing tonight I searched this journal/blog and found five or six references to the writers Guild. I guess I tend to write about us every time we meet. I even have one image of us posting altogether. I wish I had more especially since we have aged so and I think it would be great to show the difference between years. I love those compilation images over time.

We met around 11 at the village Inn not far from where I live, this is a service done for me Since I do not drive but then again Lori does not drive either but they do meet here for me. I've told them a number of times that we could meet anywhere that UTA services but still they elect to me that the VI upon the corner. We gathered at 11 o'clock to avoid the lunch crowd it was a good meeting. We laughed and we joked and we truly enjoyed each other's company. We talked a little bit about writing actually we talked a lot about writing. Lori talked about her job which is teaching writing and coaching writing and Jerry of course is the writer who still does writing for a living. The crew is kind not to really visit writing on me too much since I probably do the least of the group. Lori is shopping around the place is written and I think she's having some good luck with that. Jerry seemed busy on trying to get the group together to go somewhere for an overnight someplace like a Shakespeare Festival, a play opening or maybe our own little writing retreat. I had to confess that would be difficult for me with my needs anymore. That certainly did not take the air out of his sails without maybe Lori and he get away sometime even if I could not. That's okay that's where I met these days. I can get away for a couple of days if it's one of those two day intervals between my suppository and shower. There's still the issue of getting in and out of bed which I tried to explain to them would be near impossible for one person to do. Taking care of me could be a possibility for Jerry and Lori if they both were willing to take me on. I don't know if they could shower me let alone toilet me. I would let them I just don't know if they would be ready for that. It would be a lot of work and perhaps a lot of fun. It would still be the issue of transportation but boy what a trip that would be.

The gathering lasted two hours, a strong two hours and we broke up because Lori had to go to work. Jerry picked up the tab key's been doing that a lot lately. I should fight him more for the tab but I don't. In fact yesterday I disappeared into the bathroom for an inordinate amount of time trying to cath. I finally achieved the task but of course when I came back to the table it was cleaned of any evidence a grand meeting had taken place between friends and writers.

Lost In A Dream

I woke this morning first at about 3:15 AM what we is able to get back to sleep and woke again and final time around 6 AM. I slept pretty heavily from 3 to 6 AM. As I was waking ffrom my second sleep I was keenly aware of a weird sensation in my pre-conscious state. I guess it was a dream but it seems so much more than just a dream. What I was experiencing had to be a dream there's no other explanation.

What I was dreaming was that somehow I had found a way to go back in time and change history or my history. I am trying to recall Exactly how I was doing this personal history editing. I felt I was messing around with quantum mechanics like I knew what I was doing. I explained to myself that I would go back and change the point of my history and a new history were developed from that change. And almost instantly I would begin deleting or forgetting what had gone on before so that after a few seconds or minutes the newly changed history was all the history I can remember. Except for nerdly small traces of the history breaking through and then I would experience that weird sensation of déjà vu.. I must suspect 20 minutes after waking and thinking about this concept. And the more and more time that filled the space of post-sleep consciousness the more I totally forgot the dream experience. I was annoyed at forgetting stuff. The more I focused on my experience the more forgot until I was just confused at trying to remember something that obviously was not there. I even at one time thought that I could I can use my tablet or even my cell phone and begin recording the best of my ability what

I remembered about the dream. I just became more frustrated. What is weird is that I feel alive dreamt this sequence numerous times. But maybe I only dreamt this once.

What is really weird is that this stuff of dreams makes so much sense when you're in the dream state. Everything is just so rational. To forget the history of change when the changes been made only makes sense to me.. Of course once you've changed the history you would forget it because it no longer happened as it originally had and now the history was changed. Even now as I try to recapture these feelings I just become fuddled and my mind seems filled with fuff and stuff . Boy, this post really qualifies me for the wacko award of the day.

Just Trying To Look Good

The clouds have moved in and the temperatures beginning to drop. The wind is blowing out of the South and even though there has been gusts of wind, the wind is relatively warm still but I must admit today while I was waiting for the bus to return me home from first chapter book club I was uncomfortable and wished desperately I had my hood with me at the very least. It's not like the temperature was freezing or anything I'm sure temperature is and the 60s but I'm not yet acclimatized to the fall weather after a summer heat beautiful heat and long days of sunlight. I plan to wear my shorts as long as possible but I fear my days as shirtsleeves are numbered. I'm looking at what long tees I have available and I'm looking to purchase may be a new wardrobe entirely of clothes that fit me, close that I do not have to spend my time taking down all the time to cover myself up. I noticed at yesterday's sojourn in the Walmart up the street they had a number of black, blue, actually all colorsA long sleeve tees at really accessible prices. I'm just totally amazed I have not taken advantage of some of these options before. I'm almost getting excited to do some more shopping I just have to be sure that I can tolerate any added spending the time being. I'm having to grapple with the upcoming dental challenges I am facing at least the finances of those challenges. I'm pretty sure I will be okay particularly if I include funds in the shared account. It's not like I'm going to totally access that body of funds but the knowledge of their existence comforts me greatly. I have no doubt that I'll be made more than equal to any expenditures I suffer from the dental practice across the street.

Once I have satisfied myself that I'm okay financially following the dental thing and any other responsibilities they have to deal with I am going to purchase more clothes. I'm going to purchase clothes that fit and perhaps make me look better than what I am currently wearing particularly in the fall winter category. I have a number of long sleeve shirts T-shirts that are not 3X it is the 3X that truly need to cover myself up. I'd also like to get at least three white heavy T-shirts that I might wear under a sweater or long-sleeved super cold weather. I don't know why I want to look good I just do if I can Spend a little money now And look and feel better about myself, I plan to.

Last night Gail, one of my older caregivers, stop by the apartment to check out the wound on my heel and was amazed The heel had repaired itself. She also was cleaned up around the apartment a little bit. Gail is kind of like a big sister to me I think. She reminds me of my older sister Irene. Irene may be a little bit older than Gail. Many times I've offered Gail a seat or chair when she's here she declined saying that she needs to keep moving because once she sits down it's all over. She says her body seizes up she had a difficult time getting going again. I do not doubt this was certainly appreciate her coming by and being concerned as to my well-being. I never expect her to do anything which he comes over But I'm always appreciative for what she does. It comforts me to know that I'm looked after.

This Well Hurt Just A little…

It was great. I got up, got dressed had a little breakfast, went out across the street and I was at my dentist's office. I love being able to see my dentist's office from my apartment. My dentist has been in this office for about 25 years. A lot of his staff have been there that long as well as well as his office manager is his wife and they're all nice people. I get a good feeling just sitting in the office. My appointment was at 9 o'clock and I hung outside the building until 830 when I decided to go in and start the process. There's nothing ostentatious about the office at all it is all down to earth. The place is comfortable however you can imagine them actually closing the office on Wednesday night and having Thanksgiving dinner the following day. Not that that has happened, but the kind of place where that could happen.

When I got there all the chairs, dental chairs were filled . Dental cleanings are going on and dental work was going on. The offices kind of open which I thought was quaint. In fact the x-ray machine to be shared between two offices which I thought was ingenious. We played musical chairs for a minute or two trying to get me into a space that I could lower my chair. The first thing we had to do was get x-rays of my mouth. They had this really cool machine which actually circumnavigated my head taking pictures of my mouth. This was accomplished by taking the head rest off my chair lowering my chairThen lowering the back even further allowing the x-ray ring smooth sailing all the way around.

The reason I made this appointment was because I've noticed the cavity next to the dental work the previous dentist had done couple months ago. There is actually some pain associated with this cavity which drove me into the dentist. I frame is figured that tooth would be worked on was not ready for what else the guy found. There is some major cavity action going on with some of my teeth. The dentist actually seemed a bit perplexed that true look had not seen some of these other issues which I guess where fairly blatant. I must admit however Andrew Luke's defense that any time I went to Drew Luke for services it was often because of emergency needs like a broken tooth, a feeling which Had fallen out or just handwringing pain. Perhaps Drew Luke was seen some of these issues had I gone in for regular six-month checkups and the cleanings – – I am such an idiot.

This intervention is going to cost and this intervention is going to cost a lot. I have to admit they were very cool about the whole thing. The wife was also the office manager was really great at explaining the costs and options we could consider. I really appreciated the time she spent with me figuring out how to manage the financial outlay. Looks like going to start with three or four payments of $208 each. Over four months. This will allow the major pieces of work to be finished as well as a problem with has to be built up tooth wise. There will be more work to be done that way less intensive than what we will start with next week which is the root canal. I was pleased to hear that Dr. Anderson does all this kind of work in-house so I won't have to go to the Endodontist has Drew Luke had me do.

I think I am in good hands.I think I can do this financially and I appreciate the dentist and the dentists wife working with me as much as they have. This all gives me great hope. And the best part can get there in two minutes from my back apartment door.

More Then Just Words

The wind came up this afternoon, something new is blowing in, The change of weather is coming and I'm glad things are getting a bit boring the sunshine day in and day out. I doubt can be a major change the couple of days of rain would be nice. Seasons changing falls almost here. My tomatoes are blushing almost. Hopefully, if nobody picks them, I shall be having some tomatoes on my salad or hamburgers or something soon. Maybe to salad tomato sandwiches with a little bit of lettuce.

I'm feeling a bit self-conscious as I dictate tonight. Last night spent time talking with my buddy David lives in California but has been commuting between California and Blackfoot, Idaho last year so. I've been lucky enough to have him stop by the apartments a couple times. Been great seeing him even better will be as he begins to spend more time with his mother in Idaho he'll probably need to spend the night in Salt Lake as he travels through so where else could he stay in here at my place, sadly on the floor But it's a place to stay and I love to have them here. He certainly put me up enough times when we were young.More than one night I was in no condition to be driving so I spent the night on his couch. Now I can return the favor I just wish I had a couch for him but he said he'd bring mats or something and I still had the blue mats from the house. Anyway the point that I was getting to was that they would indicate to me that he sometimes read my blog and he said I could always tell when he was reading the blog because my identifier annotates where the visitors are from.. I was totally surprised when he showed me. Escondido that's where he lives in that it showed up when he checked in. So now I know some is watching and reading for now I feel compelled to make this a better blog. I'm not sure how many poll that rabbit out of a hat it's not like I've been striving for quality all these years as much as quantity. Now maybe I'll have to try both quantity and quality.

As you know up until recently bike yesterday I have used the blog as a device to keep me writing. I didn't really care how the thing read a lot as long as I was able to rattle off the page every day which I have most the time I've missed a couple days but I've been pretty consistent. Now I guess I need to go to the next step which would be writing something with a bit of quality, story, an article or maybe an essay. That's asking for a lot. I don't know if I have it in me I'm going to try and if I only am able to get to a log entry a day is better than a pocketing I and the best thing about it is it keeps me writing because a writer writes.

Dry Run

In a week and a couple daysI'm going to give a lecture to us class of physical therapy students. I'm doing this class for a good friend of mine Amanda who is my physical therapist while I was at the skilled nursing facility couple years ago. Actually I'm doing this class primarily for me because it makes me feel important and I need that sometimes. I need to have a reason to tell other people that I still have important things to do, that I still have validity that I'm still a person that has something to give. So, I'm happy to do this for Amanda but I'm even more happy to do this for Mark.

The problem though, if it is a problem which I don't think that it is, this class is way south and west of where I'm at. I told Amanda I would do this regardless even if I had to take a cab from where the closest bus with dropping off. I am that needy to put myself through travel trauma to speak. Luckily though I did some initial checking and found that I should be able to get to the college and back again via public transit. So to that end, I thought I'd better do a dry run to make sure there would be no issues on the day of the presentation. Believe me I have learned my lesson well over a lifetime of being late to presentations because I did not take the time to check for problems.

Today I did the dry run. I thought about leaving early right after getting up that I thought now I've got the time. I decided I would head out after I checked the mail. The mail was late today getting done about 10:30 AM. Beside the easiest route would be to catch Redwood Road down to the train station and take the red line South and West to West Jordan. Supposedly there I could catch the F9 50.

The 950 is a fast bus I'm not terribly sure what that means exactly what the buzz should take me directly to the community college. Everything went smooth, more or less, I got on the train and got off at the Jordan Valley station. Getting off at the Jordan Valley station was a bit like getting off at the twilight zone. Except for one other person I was the only person at that station. I half expected to see a tumbleweed rolling past. There were no buses. There really was nothing there except for what looked to be a new apartment house or complex. It actually looked like a nice joint except for is up the middle of nowhere. There is excavation in fields close by where more properties are being constructed. I went out to explore the one property that was completed and as I was rolling back I was passed by a bus which was my bus. I wasn't too bummed out. I had the time and this could've been a glitch that won't be down because I can build in for this. The bus that I passed her past me was the F 590. I found that have to wait an hour before the next. Luckily, I noticed two buses parked at the station when I got back. I did some checking and luckily I found one of the buses like the 590 also went to the community college and would be leaving in seven minutes I was so glad. I was chagrined to find when we took off and went to the Community College was like three blocks away. I could've easily negotiated the distance of my chair. But I got there and cruised around the little college. It's really quite cute. I found the engineering building where PT classes are taught where I need to be. It's kind of strange though there is nobody in the building really except for a couple staff. It was Monday there was that there was no classes it seemed.

I caught the bus back to the station and came home after stopping off at the market to pick up a few things. It had been a good recon mission. Can be an easy transit on the day of the lecture. Thank goodness for public transit.

Wounded

I have an owee on my heel—I don't know if that's how you spell “owee” but it's how I'm going to spell it night. Okay forget the colloquialism. What I have on my heel is a wound. I think it's safe the wound. I've had the one for a couple of weeks now. The room started out as a giant blister bigger than my thumb on my heel when the heel pressed into my foot pedal on my power chair like all day. I should've realized something was going on because I felt pain in the heel – – I've had this happen before even with the large blister. It's always sort of gone away. However when my health care people sought and she's become quite concerned as to the condition and disposition of this wound. She's calling it alone but I don't think it is a wound but I'm going to treat it as such just to be safe. My healthcare person has encouraged me emphatically to make an appointment with wound care specialists to debride The wound and should the wound need attention.

The wound clinic that I go to is at IHC. The clinic is relatively new to me since I have started utilizing IHC services since my second stenosis operation. For the most part the services been okay. Before I had gone to university medical center at the University of Utah. I work through their spinal cord injury unit which seem to be fairly professional. Dianne really didn't like them that much my question them off and on but some things they did I really did like. For instance if I even thought that I had a wound or a wound coming on and told them about the wound they almost demanded that I come in and have the wound looked at and treated if need be. I got used to this treatment as far as the immediacy of wound care. Not so if IHC. The first time I thought I had a butt sore they had me wait or going to have me wait A couple weeks to make an appointment. When next I saw my physician he was pretty concerned about the treatment that I got. The wound clinic explained the issue as I was a new patient there and had to go through the standard paperwork to be assigned a professional. They inferred if not said that next time I would go quickly through the process. My doc was fairly pissed. So last week after my health care person saw my foot I contacted the wound care people expecting them to have me come in that day if not the next but once again they said well it will be a couple weeks and assign me a date a week and a half off. I kind of think my healthcare person is kind of overreacting so I'm not that concerned. I think the wound is healing just fine on its own and my attention to it keeping stuff rubbed on it. If I had that active seeping wound I would be really upset And would possibly return to the University of Utah. I have thought about that since Dianne and I are no longer together. And Dianne was the main reason I switched to IHC. Yet at the same time Dianne has some very good points as far as why IHC might be a better provider the main being it's a lot closer to me even living in Taylorsville. But I must admit the University will and care people seem to take the job a whole lot more serious than the folks at the death Star.

Authenticity

I didn't post yesterday. I tried to force something, make something up just to fill up space just so I would have something to post. I don't like that that's cheap, insincere and fake. Not that I'm the most authentic individual on earth I'm not, way far from that but at the same time I don't want to publish junk just for junk sake. Perhaps the problem yesterday was that when I went to write the blog I was exhausted in fact does exhausted all day. I woke about 3:30 AM and tried to get back to sleep after draining. I sort of got back to sleep a little but not much which dogged me the rest of the day. Maybe but I try to blog early in the day I could've made the effort more authentically but still at that point I really had nothing to write. The most interesting part of my day was time spent with Lori and writing about that did not seem appropriate.

This morning I woke up almost to the minute the same time I did yesterday morning which kind of shocked me. Waking at this time also freaked me out a little because I did not want to get in the habit of this which it already felt like. Granted, I just finished the article in the New Yorker talking about time perception and how every molecule of the body has a clock inside the body tied to the rest of the molecules and wondered what the heck is happening to my molecules?This morning however I was able to force myself back to sleep eventually getting up around 8 o'clock which I never sleep in that long but I'm glad I did I'm feeling much better today than yesterday.

Today feels like fall, really fall. The skies overcast there's cool wind blowing and I almost feel that I made a mistake wearing shorts today. However, the coolness I doubt will last. We will have heat return I am sure .However the meantime, I feel like I need a project. I've been collecting the number of bottles, plastic bottles that my vitamins and supplements of come in. The nice little bottles work very well as skin retractors for pushing the penal skin back to expose the glands meatus So that I can insert my catheter to drain.It is a shame to throw these bottles away and I would love to be able to cut them down easier than I am right now with a kind of hack saw. It's just a very arduous process. So I'm thinking of getting another dremel like tool, A high-speed rotary tool. The cutting blade on this type of instrument would easily slice the plastic bottles plus be a lot of fun to work with. I could also use the tool to do some woodworking and even do some metalworking if I wanted to. The only drawback is using the device. I always forget that one has to use a small hand wrench to loosen and tighten the blades on the rotary device or a small screwdriver to attach the blades to the rotary spindle. This is cause me major frustration in the past. Therefore I use caution in ordering yet another device. In fact I have a couple in the garage at house I own with Dianne. Just giving them would be a challenge. Those devices I have struggled with. I think I am going to get something though to make this job easier.

Wash Night

It is Thursday night and I'm just back from the laundry where I started a load. This is kind of odd Because I rarely do laundry in the evening. But, tonight I figured I'd start a load of shorts and T-shirts which would guarantee that I have things to wear over the weekend besides just my khaki shorts. Tomorrow I have a meeting with Lori and I thought adware something better than I usually do as far as the khaki shorts go.

While I was loading quarters into the slots my mind started wondering back to when I was living in my Brickhouse on Utahna drive. Sadly we never really did get the washing machine in the dryer set up for me to use easily. I did the wash or my watch a couple times but it was pretty challenging where we had the washer and dryer. They were beautiful machines and they still are. Gosh I was wondering tonight how cool it be to have the ability to do the wash without having to feed the machine quarters. In the have a machine so huge you can do the wash for a month with no problems. We got the machines for Sears and they were top-of-the-line and I still think they're pretty darn nice. That washer and dryer set is a lot better than the dryer and wash machine I have here but I must admit the front loader washer here is pretty nice and fairly large.. This machine accepts anything I can throw in it. Since I watch usually once a week lows aren't really that large except when I choose to do sheets and I guess I should do blankets but I never do.

Yes how cool it would be to be able to do a load of wash any time. Just throw the stuff in punch couple buttons and zoom doom the first part of the wash is done. Come back in 45 minutes throw the wash in the dryer But the program on Amazon prime and come back in 45 minutes to an hour and done except for folding and putting away. It's not much different here at the apartments doing my laundry. I follow the same format except now I am actually blogging while the wash is tumbling. But I will watch the series on Amazon prime while the wash tumble dry. I just have to go a bit further to stay dressed until it's done. I shouldn't complain I am pretty damn lucky.

Actually, I should loiter a little in the common area just off the laundry. I noticed a number of residents sitting out with this silly little proof dogs communicating talking probably even gossiping. It's good to be social. I should not be so selfish to just zoo in and zoom out and watch my Amazon series sometimes that's all the energy I have. As it is starting to watch this late will put me up I'm sure right up to 10 o'clock even later if I hang shirts and fold wash cloths. I doubt I am that energetic but who knows where a second wind blows.

End of Days

There is smoke everywhere. The smoke is visible you can see it. It's not like smoke coming off of the fire were to bellowing like a cloud rising but the smoke just permeates the whole area almost to the point of blocking the sun. The last two days the smoke as made me feel like it's a cloudy day and it's not it's just the smoke from all the forest fires,, range fires and whatever other kind of fires that are going on right now. It's odd but I have noticed there are only two times that I really notice, during the day, the smoke what I mean is that I smell Smoke is in the early morning and in the evenings. I get the aroma of burning grass. Takes me back to burning ditches in the autumnal or early spring before the start of irrigation season. If I still listen to the news, broadcast news is on television I'm sure there are stories about fires all the way across the country. Huge fires blaze across the country and its way past fire season. Typically the first rains and snows of the fall season have already begun but not so this year.

Southern Idaho is being racked with swarms of earthquakes! Hundreds and hundreds of earthquakes all over the area of southeast Idaho. I have not heard any reason for the cause but it would not surprise me these earthquakes had something to do with some form of industrial mining . I'm sure the earthquakes has something to do with what man is doing to the environment. Thank goodness the earthquakes are huge city killers or farm destroyers but still it's just pretty weird to have this kind of behavior going on.

I have worked very hard at keeping politics out of this blog. There's nothing that wastes my time more than having the sift through political tirades by writers of blogs and other places of information. I do not now plan to get overly political but what I want to talk about his political. I cannot believe we are now having to face obliteration stress, once again. Countries with nuclear weapons and beginning to try to throw their weight around and is just plain stupid. And what is really stupid is the leader of our country (and I really hate to say that because it sounds so trite) is actually egging on This small country which is trying to become a nuclear power. Whether the small country accessing nuclear power is good or bad it's just almost embarrassing to see the way our country is dealing with the issues. I do not think I am genuinely frightened of what possibilities might come, however I do have some concern not for just me but for my family and other people who are young and just starting out on their lives. I can see now that whatever comes from me will be deadly. I guess I'm kind of learning to accept that because of not much I can do otherwise. Nevermore have I felt the clichés of making each minute count or live life to the fullest. It seems now people on the train and other places I go all joke about the coming end.

When I had everything up the fires, the earthquakes in North Korea I really think this could be the end of days. But you know what I don't really care. I'm just going to live in the now. And do not pay attention to the tears rolling down for my eyes.