Power chair despair

 

I know that's getting a late start to my blogging this afternoon slash evening. It's almost 10:00 p.m. and I should be getting ready for bed but still have a little to do on this day. It's been a somewhat depressing day for me not the whole day just the last part. Today was a cyst of course so I got up early or tried to and actually got dressed and ready to go and everything out the door a little late but may time up somewhere along the line and got to assist at 10:45 or so am. They're doing work on the red line track and so all the tracks trains on the red line get off at Courthouse and then you have to get another way in from there they do have I guess connector buses and the train itself takes another route and bypasses the work that's being done on the line going up to the university recently doubles back and heads back the other way. I got all confused when I got to the courthouse stop I should have gotten off the train there but I went all the way up to the Gallivan Center which is way too far in the back track on the sidewalks for the Gallivan Center over to assist. I got there with about 10 minutes to spare so I didn't do too bad but still I should know the track stops better.

I'm kind of frustrated tonight just because it seems like all of the sudden my power chair is falling apart and that's right after yesterday's tag team effort to get this chair replaced by a new chair and a year before it's supposed to happen. Anyways something happened on one of my foot pedals or will now there's a thump every time the wheel turns and it's kind of driving me crazy well it's really strange is that today all the sudden my left arm rest so they start acting weird to the point where I ended up calling my brother over to see if he can fix it. She's really good at this kind of stuff but today kind of stumped us both. He was able to adjust the armrest but doing so something happened and the latch no longer works that holds the armrest in place during the day and such. I can survive without it just because the way my body is all twisted and such. I basically totally lean to the right so whatever happens on that left side is relatively indifferent to me but I do like to have the armrest solid and totally tied down so I can pull myself up to the city positions I do all day now it's going to be a real challenge for the next day or so or whenever I can get the thing fixed if I can get it fixed I don't even know if it's possible. So anyway I'm back to a chair that's basically broken and I don't know how much these people are going to want to get it fixed if they're goal is to get a new chair as soon as possible. Just things are just won't stop right now I don't know why. I'm sure it's something I've done. I actually went into the city today I didn't think I was going to make it in time just because the red line train line is being repaired and Milby for the next 3 or 4 months and so you have to get off the train at the courthouse stop and that's what I should have done today but I overthought the issue and went all the way to Gallivan Center and had to backtrack back to the office. But I made it by 11:00 when the meeting started we processed a few names as many as we think we have the money to cover. Right now we're just sort of cruising until a fiscal year starts and our end of these get more money that we can be paid for services that we render it's all smoking mirrors to a certain degree I don't think things will ever get back to being usual with whatever Trump's doing

Monotone Monday

I really am appreciative of all the new supports that's going on in my life right now with the physical therapy and the occupational therapy and the nurse service just getting to be a little too much. They're all expecting to be here when they want to be here not necessarily what I want them to be here I don't know if that makes much sense. But it's true. I did have a bunch of people come over today or a couple people come over today and me really talked about the new wheelchair if we can get it the power chair. We did a lot of measurements and stuff like that like they are actually speaking out a new chair for me. They talked about how badly I looked at this chair and how this chair the longer gave me the support that I needed. I really doubt that whatever they come up with is going to be any different than this chair cuz I think the main problem that we're going through is my body and it's the way it's changing. We talked about this they basically agreed that the Aging spinal cord injured person is a puzzle to deal with. We essentially are looking at the same chair but with newer components and particularly with a cushion that will fit around me closer and maybe be more supportive. Again I don't know if it's possible but I'm certainly willing to give it a try as long as what they do does that irritator damage my body any further than it's already going through.

As

I guess what kind of sort of got me irritated if anything did was that the wheelchair guys came over around 11:00 this morning which basically means I couldn't do really anything this morning after getting done with my program and such but my nurse was coming by this afternoon at some point. I was here all day I told her I would wait and I did but she came over and I wasn't here. The only time I was not in around my apartment today was when I went out to the back to sit in the sunshine for a little bit and she must have come in at that point in time she acted in the apartment and couldn't find me. She sounded a little bit irritated but screw that noise I waited around all day and I was going to go out and do stuff or something anyway and I think it's good to be like this off and on I don't know for how long these days but I know the other people are going to be in and out this next week plus I've got doctors appointments at some point in time this week as well I think I have to do some time in the dental chair as well got to find all that information out tomorrow with my dentist gets back into his shop. One last thing I was going to go over to the market that was the big thing I was going to do today and pick up some yogurt but on a wild hair this evening I actually did a phone order already computer order and ordered a bunch of stuff even a watermelon but I got like 10 yogurts and it's weird was that I did this so late that I didn't even think about the doors being locked out front. Sure enough about 20 minutes ago right around 10:00 the car pulls up and this lady gets out with her little kid with a bunch of bass with a bunch of sacks my groceries. It was sure nice to have this done I was able to open the door for him and have him come back put my groceries on the table just perfect. I just feel guilty every time I use that service sure worth it in a lot of ways.

Cake

 I rolled out of bed at 5:30 a.m. this morning. I've been awake for a little bit before I just wanted to make sure that I was up and dressed and ready to go by 8:00 when I would meet the kids over at the restaurant. I didn't mess around or anything and went straight into the bathroom did my business then came out I started dressing. I pretty much used all my time up and again I'm glad I tacked on the extra half hour. I could probably get dressed and everything if I got up at 6:00 a.m. but the half an hour's worth it to have the buffer of time to get all I need to get done and that's not even wearing shoes today. Still letting my feet breathe and heal. I may have to figure out another thing to do about shoes because at least the shoes I'm wearing tend to be shearing sides of my feet to the point that I have a wound nurse coming in and working on my feet. That's the first time that's happened. I've been getting so much attention between Wound Care Professionals and occupational therapists and physical therapists I really don't quite know what to do with myself. It certainly a lot of time in clinical type settings here in the apartment. I love getting stretched a little bit and doing the exercises that OT gave me that's cutting into the rest of my schedule now I've got to be more careful. I know I've got some doctor's appointments coming up and I want to make sure I work those in right so I don't get double booked on any of these appointments really easy to do. I just have to make a point that every appointment I have I need to put into the calendar. I know I have an appointment with the dentist but I don't have a record of it anywhere so one of the first things I got to do tomorrow is find out when that appointment is and get that on the calendar and so it's not messing up any of my other scheduled events.

I know it's kind of strange but I make a point of every morning at some point that I run down to the common area and check out the giveaway table just to see who or what's been offered during the night and early morning. Yesterday there had been a major event in the room took up the middle of the whole day. But I was impressed to see a fairly large amount of cake on the countertop when I got there this morning. It was actually the remains of two cakes a white cake and a chocolate. I really didn't need a cake though I'd really like a cake so I left it there came back two or three times during the day and it was still there. Finally around 4:30 this afternoon I went again and decided I was going to take a plate down and harvest me some chocolate cake which I did and it's great. Now I plan to let it dry out so I can have it with cold milk it's a family thing..

Summer's heat early

 

The temperature almost hit 90 today which is okay with me but everyone else seems to hate it. Luckily I had a hat on and I feel I was hydrated enough that I didn't sustain any damage from the Heat. But it's the last day of May and I kind of look forward to June just because it really does historically Usher In the Heat of the summer and the summer itself. Nowadays however I like to hang on to each day as long as I can because For the First Time I really realizing that I don't have that many days left even in the best case scenario and right now I think I'm in the best case and hopefully that's not going to change soon. I do have appointments with medical guys next week which kind of worries me but not too much. If I remember right there just follow up appointments and I seem to be doing okay. Since I wear shorts all the time my legs are easily viewed and a couple of the professionals that are seeing me now at home doing home health care well commented on how my legs are swelling. I just agree with these guys and realize that it's the same thing every year for those who don't know me very well it does look like my legs are swelling- - and they are I mean after all I'm a quadriplegic but I get by every summer nothing happens. I'm just wondering now if that might be changing. Deep down I don't think so but that could be just me not wanting to deal with reality. I don't feel bad, actually I feel pretty darn good and I actually enjoy sleeping through the night without having to wake up to pee. I just hope this is regular me and that I don't have to wake up to a sucker punch one of these first days like kidney failure renal failure whatever.

I know the image I have up today looks much like what I posted yesterday but if you look closely you'll see that there's hand written notes on some of the exercises that I've been given to do. The other day when Kelly my OT Tech was here she wrote all these notes and other things I can be doing and should be doing. Quite frankly it's a little bit overwhelming and I really have not been doing them like I probably should have. However today that's going to change and I did as many of those exercises as I could. I doubt if I'll do any tomorrow just because I usually don't do anything physically overwhelming on Sunday it's just the thing that I do. And I think I am scheduled to see Kelly on Monday with the rest of the crew from the wheelchair shop see if they can write me up a new chair ahead of schedule. We did checks again last week about getting the new chair and the major people tell us that we have to wait exactly one more year but since we have extenuating circumstances maybe they'll cut that back a little bit we're hoping..

Busy busy

A couple of days ago I opened th e door in the late Q it wa s kind o f surprised to see a box sitting to the side of my door. This was a little perplexing because I knew that I had not really ordered anything recently so I wasn't really expecting anything to see any deliveries but here is a box. What I ended up thinking was that this box was from some medical place and something that my new occupational therapist or physical therapist or wound care nurse has ordered in. Remember me tell you about all these professionals that are now and part of my life providing all these services? Anyway. I wasn't really too interested in wrestling open a box of medication in our materials to clean wounds. I figured that would be something I'd have my care person do. It really is a challenge for me to open up well sealed packages. I pushed the package under the table and would wait until Melissa got here and then have her do the honor of opening up the materials. So Wednesday morning when Melissa finally did show up I had her open up the box following her morning coffee. I was totally blown away when she opened the box and looked at me and ! it's a book! I remember thinking I should have realized that it was the perfect size for a book and that's how it's felt before when these volumes have arrived at my front door. I have to admit I had some excitement at the volume it's the brand new Stephen King offering that I hadn't even heard about. And here it was mine and once again no identification of any sort. I think there's only two people that could have sent this to me or would have sent this to me and that would be my little sister or a good friend Dennis. I've got a couple other Stephen King's soon after they were published in the mail this way. Linda my younger sister somehow found out that I enjoyed Stephen King's writings and from then on was always sending me the new volume when it was published. How cool is that?

Interestingly, the whole pile of books showed up at the giveaway table last week. I wrote briefly about this the other day where I picked up a couple volumes that looked fairly interesting. I just finished the last little book I got in the mail similar to this volume I'm writing about. And I started one of the other volumes last night or maybe the night before and now I want to finish it before I start off on the Stephen King. I don't know if I have the patience or the will to do such a thing I'll just have to see. I got the kid letters in the mail this morning, one of the first things I did after I got dressed and before and before my physical therapist showed up- which I totally forgot that she was coming. Later in the afternoon my physical therapist showed up and we went through a number of exercises and the most strenuous being with different colored elastic bands. I could not find any of my small hand weights so we did the elastic bands and that will work for the next couple days till I can find something better. After Greg the therapist left I put on my hat and went to the bus stop and took it a movie so it's been a busy day I'm looking forward to some sleep..

Thursday's stuff

 

I just have to figure out how to access my voicemail that's all there is to it. Now it's showing that I have nine voicemails which I cannot access and it's driving me crazy. Luckily most of the voicemails I know will put there by my new otpt type people but still I need to clear out the piling up a voicemails. I've tried a bunch of different ways I just kicked myself more and more confused and still comes back to having to develop new PIN numbers or voicemail passwords or whatever and it's just driving me insane. Maybe tomorrow I will just sit down at the table with my phone and talk to some voice mail expert got one of the numbers that's always at the bottom of the voicemail page for idiots like myself. Hopefully he or she can talk me through the rest of the process. I've even thought about calling my son who does some of this kind of stuff and maybe that's the way I should go. He already knows I seem to be somewhat limited with technology these days. In the old days I was pretty much on top of Technology particularly with computers and such but the new era of tech has pretty much left me behind and that's so sad. I can never remember the password after I have developed a specially the good ones. And eventually I go a long period without using the password and forget it and I can never recall it cuz they want it exactly the way it was developed and I just hate it.

If I had a task that I worked on this week it was the monthly production of the kid letters. I'm pleased to report that I've got them done everything from The Written Letter to the printed letter to the letter inside the envelope letter with a stamp on it and the envelope addressed and ready to go. I will drop them in the mail tomorrow and that'll be one item off my list for the next week. The biggest challenge I had with the letters this month was for some reason my mind blocked on how I would get the document printed from the tablet that I dictate them on. I thought I was doing the process that I always did but obviously I was not but eventually I stumbled on the right way to command print and I was able to get the documents taken care of. The last main task I had for today aside from pumping 30 minutes on my arm bike to make sure I had my 200 minutes for the week was the processing the clean clothes from yesterday's laundry. I very seldom let the clothes hang out overnight in the clothes basket but yesterday I was so busy and became tired that I it's not able to fold the shorts and hang up the shirts which is able to do today. I still have a few things to do in the kitchen area of the apartment before I can call her today but it's not too strenuous and somewhat rewarding before I turn the lights out for another one …

My sore feet!

 

I've developed little sores on the sides of my feet. Actually they're not sore as much as they're just scraped so it look like scabs on the sides of each of my feet were I believe my foot rubs against the shoes that I wear. My physical therapist guy has been quite a tentative to these. I didn't even know that they were there to be honest. I just felt pain radiating from the sides of my feet and I thought they were bunions or something but obviously there are these places on the side of my feet that are wearing down so now I have to figure out whether I wear shoes I don't wear shoes or get some padding to put on the sides of my feet so they don't become open wounds. In fact the Medicare people from the hospital that I work with is going to provide a wound care person to look after these feet. That's amazing to me I've never had this kind of support before. What really sort of Spooks me however is that it also seems like my whole body seems to be falling apart. I hope this is not planned obsolescence or the way that people start to leave this world. In fact I'm really surprised that the amount of attention that I'm getting this month everything from occupational therapy and physical therapy to the wound care specialist as well as I'm meeting with some folks the next couple days Monday I think that are going to seriously look at my power chair and see if we can push the date on when I might be able to get another chair. This much service is quite time consuming and I find it out. Everyone's calling to get schedule an appointment time that they can come out and provide services. This evening or late afternoon when my physical therapist was here at the apartment I asked him how long this might go on because I was thinking I only got so many hours to my insurance but he informed me that this was not being paid for by my insurance as much as through my medicare! Almost like it's not going to go away they'll keep providing services. I'm not quite sure how I feel about that except for let's see what happens and let's see how well I can get.

I was called yesterday and informed that an opening had come about at the wheelchair shop and I should go to a meeting there with my wheelchair guys. And this would have been tomorrow in the afternoon. I spent all morning and part of the afternoon trying to figure out how to get the bus system over to this wheelchair shop. I've done it before but it's been so long that I've forgotten and the software that I used in the old days doesn't work anymore. The software that the transit authority replaced it with is just horrible to use so far for me anyway luckily for me however the whole project was shut down and instead of me having to go to the wheelchair shop they're coming to visit me on Monday. We hope to be able to establish evidence of need for me to get a new power chair because this one is just so wasted. It was indicated when we talked to the folks first of the week that I still had one whole year to go before I'd be eligible we're going to see if we can do a run around or side around whatever it's called and move that date up significantly. I'm just amazed and happy that I got people who's got my back. In the old days Dianne  would have pushed this through..

Workout!

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It's kind of weird. Forever I've wanted occupational therapy as well as physical therapy the last couple decades but it's just never come about and I really don't know why but now that I do have OT and PT I'm finding out it's taking up a lot of my time and days. It's not like I'm doing it back to back all day long but these people have to schedule me into their schedules which usually is in the middle of the afternoon or late evening and basically I can't really plan on anything during this time. However, I just have to keep reminding myself that this is somewhat situational and I only get so many hours of these Services a year according to my insurance program so they're not going to last forever so I need to stop bitching and just enjoy the process of having my day filled with productive items. They usually call in the morning to let me know what times they may have open to stop by the apartment and render the services. And they're pretty bendable if I'm doing something that I can't get out of her whatever already planned they will reschedule for another day or maybe later on that very day. They're just cruising everywhere it's amazing to me.

Today for example my OT called this morning and I barely got to the phone on time which is a big issue with me since these professionals just leave a message, if I don't get to the phone on time, with the assumption that the messages are read and will be responded to. I've been trying to find my system to answer my phone or to read my voicemails and I still can't figure it out I stumbled on how to do it at one time and I can't remember how I did it and I've been trying to figure it out again especially now I have all these calls coming in. Anyway, my OT Tech called and scheduled a time for like 3:30 like I said it's in the middle of my afternoon. I really didn't think I could schedule anything else. She came and we started the process she is the one who gave me the list of items on a written piece of paper. You know the things like hugging yourself and doing the criss cross arms thing and doing like the karate front punches just a bunch of them like two sets of 10 reps each. I was surprised that how tired I was when I finished this group of exercises. Today we did these exercises and she helped me keep on task when I would sort of Veer off and show me how to do this and how to do that and I think we had a pretty decent session. She's coming again on Friday and reduce some more of these exercises may put some weight on my hands to make the process a little more strenuous which I guess is supposed to be helpful. What's really weird is that I used to have this little hand weight two and a half pounds would probably be just exactly what I need but I can't find it anywhere. Such as life

Holiday read

 

It's Memorial Day Monday and I have a little bit of guilt cuz I'm not going out and decorating Graves that's never been a big deal for me. I never really quite got what Memorial Day was all about except for it was a first family get together of the spring/summer but I remember growing up. I was much more interested in getting together with the cousins and potato chips and such that I was headed out to the cemeteries to put flowers on graves. I really didn't know anybody who lived in a grave that was all to come later on. Of course the parents and grandparents all did and this is a pretty big deal for them. I think my grandparents never got into the mood of calling the day memorial day it was always Decoration Day as far as they were concerned the day to go out and decorate the graves. I know a couple of dead people here in Salt Lake County area but I'm not really sure where their grades are at. My ex sister-in-law Sheila she was great and died way too soon and I wish I knew where she was but I just can't seem to find her. I know the cemetery she's at of course but I can't seem to locate her grave. I've even gone to the place at the cemetery that's not supposed to know this kind of stuff and because I'm not really sure of what name she used when she was buried because of the whole married name versus family name thing the fact that she was married previously it's all gets confusing and nobody that I've been able to find so far knows how she's listed and I can't find it. Maybe if that was my quest this summer because the cemetery is on the same street that I live on just further down south I can spend a couple days searching that would be kind of interesting. But then I'll be set for next year to have some where to go and decorate.

For a holidaay today was kind of productive. The day was very warm temperature wise which meant there was sunshine so I was able to sit outside in the sun for a while reading and forcing myself to finish the book finally. It took a couple hours but I finally did get on the outside of the novel. The whole volume was weird I thought and I think I must have missed 95% of the whole thing. I may have to hold on to the book maybe and read it again at some point or maybe major parts of the book at some point. Once again they claim the book was a comedy and at times I think I saw slivers of humor come through the writing. But I had the same issue with Don Quixote. My boss at the time was a physician that I wrote circuit with in the last century. He had a really thick addition of Don Quixote and he would sit in the back of the van and just laughed himself silly reading the book quite enjoying the exercise. I picked up the volume a couple years later in college and I couldn't see anything humorous about it so I think it's me somehow I'm not registering the humor that smart people do when they read these kind of volumes. It should be nice to get that kind of humor from a book- - these are certainly times that need it…

Del Taco yum yum

 I might go to bed a little bit early tonight I'm really exhausted. It's Sunday and I found that now on Sundays if I get up just a little bit earlier I'm not so stressed about not being able to get ready in time for breakfast over at the restaurant. This morning I think I woke up really around 4:30 a.m. and basically waited around till 5:30 and finally got up this earlier time and I think it actually worked. I even put on one shoe I left the other shoe off just because I'm trying to heal that foot with the wound on the side of the foot. I was probably ready for breakfast by 7:00 which is an hour before I had to be to the restaurant and that's okay because I certainly can figure out stuff to do until it's time to leave. It was just Mark and myself today for breakfast it was a good breakfast we enjoyed each other's time and had good conversation. Jackson and Jasmine were in St George or something doing some vacationing.

I thought the day was going to be overcast and kind of chilly but it was actually very nice quite a bit of sunshine and just a light wind not chilly at all. I spent some time in the apartment but really felt like doing something special because it was a holiday weekend so finally around lunch time I settled up and headed over to Del Taco and for some Mex. I really didn't want a giant lunch so I just basically got a B&B burrito and a hard shell taco. I even got a small glass of water wasn't a bad lunch. I make a total mess out of the hard shell tacos when I have them they blow up in my hands it seems and I always wonder why I didn't order two but one was enough especially with the burrito. I totally enjoyed both. Then I did the obligatory trip over to the drugstore which is right off the parking lot of the taco place and wander through it for a bit before finally coming home. There's clouds in the east bunching up against the mountains kind of had a promise of lightning impossible thunderstorms which never came about. I got home in time to watch the local news in the local weather. It says that there's the possibility for the next day or so that will be getting some thunderstorms but I doubt that's going to really happen but that would be great if it did. I love a summer. I spent a good part of the day out on the patio napping in between bouts of reading. I continue to try to finish the salmon Rusty book and I made some pretty decent progress I'm getting really close it's kind of weird though how it keeps wondering in the other little stories towards the end I'll be glad when it's finished.

Starbucks afternoon

 I can tell a story and it usually comes out pretty good. People really respond and many times they urge me to write the story down. It's not that I don't believe these people it's just that I can't really believe the story is worth writing down or I can't seem to put the words down on paper so to speak. I had coffee with my good friend Lori this afternoon and we yammered on for about 2 hours or so in the late afternoon. During that time I told Lori of a story that I had with my old friend Geno d. He was with the folks I went through Rehabilitation with years and years ago he was just about a year older than I was we both broke our necks we were both quadriplegics and I ended up spending a lot of time with this guy over the next couple of years. There is one point in time when Geno who had money from a major lawsuit, actually bought a car. He was living in the long-term care facility, a nursing home, because he had divorced his family but that's a whole nother story. Anyway, he wanted to take the car out for a drive and of course neither of us have licenses nor did the car have hand controls but all I remember is Gene talking the orderly into loading this up into the car and take it off. I was driving I had an old cane or stick or something that we used to drive the foot pedals of the car. I went slow and we traversed from the nursing home up a major Boise Street to a drive-in and Back Again. I still cannot believe this really happened, but it did. Anyway the story really comes out better when I'm babbling about it when I start thinking about it I and believe I'm missing important events or items to the story and finally just sort of give up on the whole concept. It's a shame I've had a lot of great experiences and if I really did have the skill in the will I could change everything to fiction then I guess it wouldn't really matter what I wrote are how the valid the events in that addresses and settings are they would be whatever I wanted them to be. I guess that's the difference between the wannabe writer and the great writer is those who are able to get the story on and out and on paper. Sadly that's why I'm not a great writer or probably never will be at this point in life points of greatness have gone past and I'm just happy to settle for what's available The Daily Grind.

We had coffee at a Starbucks coffee shop and it's really not as nice as I would like one to be. It's pretty sterile and kind of noisy and I worry that Lori will not be able to understand me very well because of all the external noise and Echoes and such. But you seem to get everything I was saying today and that's a good thing. We can make coffee last quite a long time.

Cell phone phone home

I can remember exactly when I took my cell phone out of my black bag and placed it on something in the market while I put the shopping basket that I brought with me from home on my lap so I could place my grocery list in the basket. I think right then I just took off not even thinking about the fact that I left my cell phone on some kind of a Ledge that I had found at the market just at the right size for me and my cell phone. It was only about 5 or 10 minutes later that I was searching for my phone because my shopping list was on one of my note pages but I couldn't find my cell phone anywhere. I tried to retrace my steps but I think I was so inattentive at the time that I did the phone switch with the black bag that I don't remember anywhere in the store that I was except for there was a Ledge and that's where I put my phone. Of course I wandered around searching for the phone- - half-heartedly- - thinking except for the fact that I use the cell phone as a emergency device that I keep next to my bed when I transfer I could probably do without it in all seriousness. But it's just one of those things you need to have with you since your whole world kind of revolves around your cell phone these days at least mine does. A very seldom ever get a call for me as far as social talking goes just reminds of medical appointments coming up and things of that nature. I wanted to cover up my social media nudity and feel whole again. I finally ended up pounding the checkers at the checkout counters of course nobody had turned the phone in and they directed me to customer service where I guess all these things end up at anyway. They had not seen my phone but they would set it aside if it should be turned in that's that's it had to be turned in right? One of the checkers suggested that I call my number and see if anyone answers the phone if thqqey do we'll have know who I am and how to get it the phone. It also might signal somebody to pick up the noisy little thing when it's ringing.

I gave up and went back home now it's just a matter of somebody picking up the phone and taking it to customer service. I actually got a couple of my neighbors to phone or call my number but nobody picked up. It was only later in the day way later that I needed to pick up something that I forgotten earlier in the day which would put me back at the market and I could ask my questions then. I only had when I have to pick up frozen burritos so it wasn't that big of an investment. Sure enough when I got to the market and customer service section they had my phone and I was elated. It was like getting an essential part of yourself back. Something that's not necessarily desperately needed but needed just the same. It would have been a long day and I felt complete and excited as I rolled home with my eyes on the cell phone in this little black bag..

The Adventure continues

Tomorrow my physical therapist is coming around 10:00 a.m. to see how I handle my ADLs- - activities of daily living. This is a little bit weird because my home health person will also be there who gives me my shower and my toileting stuff on Fridays. I think she'll be just about done when the therapist gets there. I'm not sure how this is going to go over shouldn't be bad though and I really think it might even be beneficial and respect that maybe their therapist will teach my home health person if you of the PT moves. I don't know if Melissa would be up for that it's probably would she's been absorbing so much other stuff. Then I'm left with the issue of should I be paying her something on the side for doing so much more than what she's supposed to be doing? There really is sort of a weird thing. I'm not sure how much this event is going to be similar to what I did last week with the OT Aid or assistant when she had me on the bed and off the bed transferring and seeing how I did it. I'm thinking rather than being really challenged because of the clothes I'm wearing that maybe I will have one of the new Chucks or plastic sheet savers on the bed which would make me slide over a lot better and where it may not be totally how I do my moves it was certainly be a lot easier I think sliding back and forth as opposed to trying to lift myself over the clothing I'm wearing as well as the sheets on the bed. I'm still feeling pretty jazzed about the whole physical therapy thing. I've also been doing my exercises that the OT person left hopefully this will all have some positive impact. Again my largest worry is that in the name of good physical therapy and positioning a position me totally out of being independent or as independent as I seem to be.

I chose not to wear shoes today not only because of the temperature which you're supposed to be in the 80s but to see how quickly I was able to get dressed. Not putting on the shoes certainly did cut some time off of the dressing aspect. I really believe that if I really wanted to wear shoes after I got dressed I could do the shoe trick fairly easily. However, deep down I do like being the rebel and going days without shoes. Back to the physical therapy thing I'm really hoping that by maybe stretching my legs and such that I'll be able to do things like putting my shoes on like I used to. It was so much easier at first and then again true, I was in my manual chair and things were a lot easier at that point. I really am quite surprised I was able to make the jump from the manual chair to the power chair as far as dressing and stuff goes as easily as I did. I really am an adapter.

PT and me

 I'm not sure if I've rattled on in the past about never being able to get to my phone before the phone stops ringing. In some situations I've just given up on the whole concept and rely on calling the number back- - if it's a number that I recognize- - to see if anybody around their called me. This morning I was pleasantly surprised when I returned the phone call that it was a call for me from a guy named Greg who was the physical therapist asking if he could set up an appointment with me for today. Finally some physical therapy I've been really waiting years for this. We decided that I could meet with him around 3:40 in the afternoon what's really cuts my afternoon and half and I spend the whole day waiting but it was worth it to me. Hadn't really planned on that much anyway so I was willing to hang around to meet with this guy.

Greg was kind of late but he did show up. Like I said I didn't mind just to be seen by a physical therapist was excited to me and I would make any kind of time adjustment that was needed. I really found physical therapy in the whole medical Delivery Systems change over the last 20 or 30 years pretty interesting. I'm really fascinated with this whole concept of coming out to the individuals living environment to provide services as opposed to going into a clinical setting and waiting for your therapist to become available. Since this was our first meeting it was kind of exploratory as far as getting to know each other and finding some commonalities. Fortunately for us we're fairly well matched and I think we will do pretty well together. I was a little worried I didn't know how or what he was going to do as far as physical therapy actually went but he kind of just Dove straight into the whole situation. We talked to some extent about how poorly I looked in the chair and how twisted my body has become over the years and what extent we could hope that therapy might change what might be happening to my body. One of the things I was hoping we could examine would be making it easier for me to do ADLs particularly dressing myself in the morning. That would be a giant plus. We talked about how he thought a lot of the problems I was having with dressing and such might be related to the poor condition of my chair. We talked about trying to process more options for my seating situation IE getting a new chair. I was pleased to find out that he felt the same way about the wheelchair shop that is organization ran as I did. It's just very difficult to get services they're trying to get past the front desk when you call in for service needs. I was also excited when he started actually putting on his rubber gloves and started actually providing some physical therapy for my legs. I lowered my power chair back until almost a prone position and he was actually maneuvering my legs up and down like a real physical therapist! He did that a number of times and did some other exploratory type things. We had a fairly decent session coming back to the apartment and showing him some of my things that I do on a regular basis. He'll be coming again next week or no Friday when I'll do the whole tumble in and Tumble out of the bed trick. Maybe Melissa will be here and they can maybe do some learning as far as him teaching her some physical therapy tricks that would be cool

Just toast

 It's the end of the fiscal year and the organization that volunteer for is basically out of money until the new fiscal year begins I think in July. A lot of this of course depends on what the president does as far as cutbacks to organizations like private nonprofits and such. Whatever he decides will certainly change perhaps how we do business as far as assist, inc goes. So we don't have anybody to really give money to right now so no meeting today how much was okay with me. The cold low pressure system is trying to move out and the good weather is not really here yet so why not just hang out but I did not do that. Once I struggled into my clothes I had some facsimile of a breakfast I decided I would catch the bus and go up to Walmart and purchase a toaster. I have been using a toaster oven for the longest time- - truly I don't even know how long I've had this device I know I brought it over from the house when the marriage dissolved. And it's been working okay except for the last month or so for some reason it's decided to stop toasting the bread or whatever I choose to toast or roast. It gets the bread warm almost to the point where it might be toast like but just Peter's out at that point. I should enjoy what I've got but I'd rather have toast- real toast with Crispy crusty Brown markings and such. That's all I ever use the toaster oven for. I have tried to use it for other items but if you know how things go if you try to cook something in the toaster oven it really becomes quite a mess even things like hot dogs and such the grease has got to go somewhere which means at some point in time you have to climb into that oven and clean it out. Even if you don't cook anything in the oven and just toast the crumbs eventually become unbearable sort of like the paper shredder you can only shred so much paper before you have to empty the container. So I didn't get or want a toaster oven. I like the thought of a toaster oven like it could be really helpful if the toaster oven was just easier to handle. Who knows Never Say Never baby if I had more room. It took me a while after I got to the Walmart to try to figure out which toaster that I wanted. Of course I didn't want to spend a lot just something to crisp up the bread, bagel or whatever. I finally decided on a fairly inexpensive model from Hamilton Beach just a two slicer but it seems to have everything I'm going to need to toast the bread or whatever else I may choose to consider.

It was a bit of a challenge getting the toaster home, I did some other shopping while I was at the Walmart in the grocery section. I almost opened up the package but I got it to the apartment but I've learned that trying to plug something in the far wall of the countertop it's just a challenge and a half. I also have to decide whether I'm going to do with the toaster oven that's currently in the spot. That was enough for me to put the toaster aside and wait for tomorrow when Melissa is here.

Temperature below average

The temperature was not that warm today but at least it wasn't raining but the clouds were still significantly persistent but all that being equal I couldn't spend another day totally in the apartment. I needed to get out if nothing else to do some shopping so I can have some variation in my diet.I really needed some fresh fruit and some more juice of some kind. I know, I've been warned that juice will somehow affect my diabetes and are just poor fat on me cuz it's nothing but sugar. But I need something to encourage me to put down fluids better than what I've been doing. So my goal was to get some fruit and some fruit juice and at least a loaf of bread since the only working love I have is read from the food bank that I got last month at the food box day here at the apartment complex. The only trouble is that bread that they have at Food box is like super old I mean it was frozen solid when it was put in the food boxes probably the night before and there's just something about frozen bread that doesn't cut it with me. Perhaps frozen bread it reminds me too much of my childhood. That was something my mom would do after getting food for the dead bread store which is always right next to the bakery bring it home and stash it in the freezer.

At least the sun was out by the time I finally finished my arm bike ride for today 60 minutes. I went out and checked the weather and it felt cool but not cold to the point that I would not go out but I did come back in and get a jacket wrap around my neck and headed over to the market. It could have been a fast trip but it wasn't for some reason I spent an hour going up and down the aisles of the Market looking for the large bottles of juice that I knew were there. I had purchased one last week or so and I just couldn't find him and it was after I was getting frustrated but I finally did come across the large bottles of juice and I found some that were fairly low calorie. I hope somehow that has an impact on oh at risk these juices are as far as the diabetes stuff goes. This diabetes could really wreck my life. It took me a couple of minutes to figure out how to lift the heavy bottle of juice onto my lap but I figured it out. By the time I found the juice I was almost ready to leave. I had gotten hold of the loaf of bread, a bag of green grapes, hot dog buns and a loaf of Seven grain bread. There are a few other things in there too like couple of potatoes, baby carrots, a sack of celery not a stalker celery but celery pieces that have been cut off at the stock. I have found that if I buy a complete Celery Stock most of it goes to waste. So I get a few sticks of the celery at a reduced price and usually have more than enough to get me through the month. I used to sell a pretty much in the rice dish I make called Frank. I want to use it more but that'll take time. I had found a box that I'd use before when I went shopping that I brought food home for the market so I didn't have to ask for a box at the festival section which I usually do. I also had a bag of chips in there too. I was ready to check out but as I started unloading the box on my lap to check the groceries through I was informed that I'd have to pay cash because the machines that used the plastic weren't functioning and all they could do today was used cash and of course I didn't have nearly as much as I needed. I came home with the much reduced quantity of groceries. A loaf of bread, celery sticks, baby carrots hot dog buns and one or two other items all that was less than $7 that's all the change I had with me. It's all I needed I was happy…

Sunday's beverage salute

 I have to make a decision I've been pondering this for a couple days now and I just not happy with the main decision I have to make and that's to cut down on my high sugar intake of fruit juices another sweet drinks. I started drinking more of these beverages in the last couple months just because I'm trying to increase the amount of liquids that I intake in today's time to increase my urine output. I begin to worry about these kind of things. I wonder which is worse not having enough liquid intake or having too much sugar intake through liquids. If I had my way I would have more orange juice, apple juice of course and other straight fruit drinks but people have told me that's way bad because of the amount of sugar. Since my last visit or so from the doctors who've indicated I'm pre-diabetic my friends who see me drinking these high glucose based beverages have a chastised me on my choices are fluids. Perhaps I thought today I should check those drinks that you mix with water those packages of flavorings like lemonade and fruit juice type drinks. Supposedly they don't have sugar in them so it would not negatively affect my pre-diabetic body I guess. My doctor or Home Health person the occupational therapist was even negative on the intake of V8 juice and Other Tomato based juices. Not So Much from the sugar intake but the carbohydrate or whatever badly items live in the tomato paste drink which I really like. On food box days there's always a couple of bottles of grape juice and such show up on the giveaway table because other people don't want to ingest the high sugar intake drinks as well. Seniors are really sensitive to this kind of stuff and so when they get these drinks in their boxes they end up on the table. I try to get as many as I can find or I have in the past but they tend to disappear fast. I had the idea if I were to take the grape juice cut it in half and fill the other half of whatever I'm dealing with with water seems to me that would cut the sugar intake in half at least you can certainly modulize that too however you wanted it however weak you wanted to make the drink. I might try that tomorrow. Whereas I totally enjoy the full strength of adulterated grape juice I think I would enjoy the water down juice as well especially if it would help my diabetic report. I still have not got the results back from my clinician. I'm afraid he's going to just basically dump everything onto the folder I supposedly have online and I should be able to read the results there. I don't know how I would react or well-react to watered down grape juice but it can't be all that bad. I think I would be able to do this on a constant basis if I can get the juice in my juice bottle capped in the fridge chilled.

It's been a long day for me I got up a half an hour early at 5:30 a.m. in order to make sure I was dressed and ready for the trip over to the restaurant this morning. I probably could have done on my 6:00 am rice time but I didn't want to be late for breakfast.

Coffee shop capers

  I am so glad I have the coffee shop right next door to my apartment. If I didn't have that I would certainly look pathetic as far as my weekends go. As long as I've got the apartment next to the coffee shop I always have something to tell people when they ask me what I did over the weekend and it seems like being present at the coffee shop on Saturday satisfies the assumption that I hold value as an human being. They don't want to hear about who I talk to just that I was involved in doing something productive. This actually makes me sound somewhat pathetic but not really. I enjoy showing up and having the the coffee guys fill my order without me even having to let them know what I want. This morning I actually stopped by the table by the door which has all the fixings to make your coffee a little bit more enjoyable you know like the cream and the sugars and the creamers and all that kind of stuff and I pick up two packs of pink sugar substitute stuff- I should know what it's called but I can't remember it right now - - which I will hand to the kid behind the counter to help with my coffee what I need to remember is too also let the kid know that I need to have some sort of white stuff put in my coffee you know milk, creamer, half and half whatever. Takes the edge off the coffee. I usually have Italian Roast when it's available but today I went with French roast. It's not like I really know the difference except for I do like Italian flavor-wise. They don't have Italian every time I'm there so I default the French which is just as good in so many ways.

Once I pay for my coffee I Wander over to a table that is open and then they will bring my coffee over when it's done. Then I just sit back and watch Folks at the table sit in the hammer away. It's the same people every week the same people said at the same long table. I once asked why this was the case and it's one of the folks told me that they all used to work together and I've had coffee together as a group for years if not decades. Is there a raggedy and frizzly group but they seem to get along well telling the same jokes every week or talking about the same experiences every week or in general just getting politically verbal. It's pretty interesting. I like to be invisible as possible sometimes I even right down thier comments to use in my own writing when I need to have some sort of dialogue and what I'm writing about. I think it makes the whole process sound a bit more authentic. Then, all of a sudden, as if On Cue everyone begins to stand up and say their goodbyes and head out into the morning. It's almost an hour exactly. Not far away from where this group was sitting is another long table of folks drinking coffee and in 10 minutes they get up and leave and what was the really busy little morning is now somewhat quiet and lonely. I take that as my cue to leave. I still have 3/4 of a cup of coffee which I'll take home and nurse for the rest of the day if not weekend. I like Saturday mornings at the coffee shop it's too bad I look so pathetically alone …

Friday's finish

 I think I briefly mentioned this before but across the street from our apartment complexes they Taylorsville Senior Center and it's like kind of a full service operation for seniors of course. One of the things they offer is a lunch a hot lunch every day except the weekend and quite frankly their food isn't all that good except for a few items which I find difficult for anyone to mess up too significantly. But over the last couple of months I've been paying more attention to the menu which is published monthly and we keep a menu tacked up in the laundry area on it's bulletin board. When something seems unusually appetizing shows up I try to keep track and then take the meal on. I noticed last week that friday, today the meal was going to be meatloaf! I love meatloaf and I suppose there's probably wasted mess it up but overall I'd take that risk. I think the menu stated it would be meatloaf, whipped potatoes and gravy and whatever green thing they chose to service the seniors with. So I stuck it on my agenda that I was going to go to the senior Friday lunch for meatloaf. Excite me these days but a possible meatloaf lunch was one of those that did and I just sort of hung around the apartments all morning waiting for 11:15 which is the one they start serving at the senior center.

I was actually in the process of putting my black watch cap on and putting rubber bands on my long sleeves to hold them up when I hear a knock on the door. I wasn't sure but I was almost sure who it was. Earlier this week when I met Kelly who was the occupational therapist Aid she indicated she would be coming sometime this week to see my strategies to get it and out of bed as well as possible address. I kind of thought today was the day but I wasn't really sure all I knew was that I was going to see her before she left for a week's vacation which I knew would be next week so finally the day had to be the day and of course. I yelled come in and it was Kelly the occupational therapist associate class assistant. She apologize for being late she had some issues with some of her other clients earlier and was just getting free of a long-term patience earlier on. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I was on my way out for lunch. I guess I could have done that and got my meatloaf but it didn't seem right Kelly had really had a bad morning and was openly excited to be here to work with me it's kind of Spooks me. I tucked my desire for a meatloaf lunch to the back of my mind knowing that I was not going to get done in time to get a lunch. That's okay not a big deal. I just kept my mouth shut and acted like I totally remembered today was the day that we are going to exhibit by disability lifestyle. Of course Kelly is enamored with me things I do so many incredible independent items. That's okay with me I always like a little hero worship so rare anymore. It's difficult for me to transfer from my chair to my bed but I'm fully clothed. Immediately I took my shoes off and saddled up to the bed. I explained to Kelly about how close I had to be to the bed how I worked the mattress down and pulled the arm off of my chair so I can transfer over. Then I did show her how I hung up on the trapeze and how I used it to pull myself over till I lost balance and hit the bed. She was impressed I was impressed that I was able to do the transfer with my clothes on it was a little difficult to hang around the bed and that's even more difficult to transfer back Kelly helped with that actually tugging on my shorts to help plus me over to the bed. She was excited though and told me to keep on doing what I was doing because I was doing great sometimes that's just good to hear…

Busy days

It was a semi busy Thursday and that's okay. I spent a good part of the day in the apartment just because it look like it was cold and yucky outside but when I went out check it out it was not too bad at all. In fact I even went over to the market to pick up a few things. Did they start out as usual at 6:00 a.m. when I finally decide to get up. I've been watching the clock for almost an hour when I woke up around 5:00 a.m. and I just couldn't get back to sleep. I didn't really have anything to do this morning except social coffee until I was contacted by the wounds care specialist. She was worked into my schedule yesterday when the other individual looked at me and looked at my leg and indicated I needed to have a wound care specialist look at it take care of it and I was impressed this morning when I got the text that she was coming over. I was able to fit her in before the coffee group which kind of impressed me. The wound care specialist was kind of a plain change she knew what she was doing but she wasn't too impressed with my wound and gave it some basic dressing I think she was less impressed with the fact that I didn't have a bunch of stuff ready at hand- - but I thought that she would provide- - to work on my wounds. Basically I've been using Melissa skill set and going after my wound with a lot of hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol we had the couple of other cleansing articles but not like what she was looking at are looking for so that was kind of strange. Now I want to get those items in so I'll have a good storage part of those benefits in case I have more wounds.

The coffee group was pretty much the same as always maybe four or five of the regular folks that just keep showing up couple of folks will stop by and get a cup of coffee but not really become part of the group and a lot of the old group just do not show up anymore. I have a sneaky suspicion that a lot of it is just plain bigotry by some of my friends here at the facility. I think a lot of these guys stop coming when a large portion of the Hispanic residents started showing up for coffee social which I think is just totally bizarre and weird. I cannot believe that these folks are that shallow but that seems to be the case. So I guess we will live by on our five regular folks until the disband the coffee group all together. I don't know if that will happen I don't know how much management relies on the benefit that coffee social renders are Grant makeup as far as a way to reach out to seniors and to increase their socialization. That is pretty clinical but I also sure that's pretty much the way that it is.

Perhaps the best part of my day was when I got a text from my granddaughter indicating that she and her boyfriend were coming over to visit since they hadn't really been at the breakfast for the last couple months. It seems that Jasmine had cooked a couple of banana breads I'm wanted to bring me over a couple of loaves. She made Mini banana bread rolls and I got two regular and two Walnut covered l o a v e s they were quite good. Jasmine and I did a lot of visiting while Jackson as usual worked on cleaning up the apartment he mopped and swept the floors and picked up a bunch of other stuff around the apartment which is really appreciated. We talked a lot enjoy each other's company and finally I sent them on their way and I was going to enjoy banana bread and fried chicken from the market …

More spring Blues

 It was another long cold, dark wet and somewhat windy day to be out in the elements and I was. I had a follow-up appointment at the medical center that I really needed to be to buy 10:50 a.m. this morning which meant that I was going to have to make sure my home health person got here earlier than usual so they can have all my materials and stuff done and out the door in time to catch the bus for the trip over to the Intermountain Healthcare facility which is actually relatively close. Melissa did get here about an hour earlier than usual and that helped a lot got the business done got dressed and threw on my stocking cap in my jacket and hit the road. I was not in too much discomfort but it was relatively unpleasant. I even put on my jacket halfway. Fortunately this appointment was just a follow-up appointment and it went smoothly though they did pull blood to check my medication levels and stuff to see if I needed to have more. I did grab lunch at the hospital cafeteria- I've always loved hospital food. Today I got sauerkraut dog with onion rings. This was kind of a mistake but not a bad one entirely they used good hot dogs.

X 

The trip home is uneventful was able to get into the apartment turn on the heater and start relaxing. My occupational therapist aide came later on she was running late but it was a good meeting and she provided a number of exercises that I would need to be doing which might help me increase my ability to be independent . Before I would have written OT suggestions as just silly things like shrugging my shoulders, turning my head one way then turning my head again the other way as much as I could the reason my hands over my head like I'm raising an imaginary barbell and other similar exercises there was a bunch of them she gave me a hand out with these written on that I need to be doing daily now. Like I said there is the time I would have seen this and just laughed the whole thing off as a scam almost but now I have a much more open mind and I think these things, if done appropriately, correctly could make a difference especially in the area of developing better body core strengthening as well as some balance things and other options she wants to get into as we go along. I'll be meeting with her again I believe on Friday where we will look at how I get in and out of bed and such that should be really interesting. I usually do this naked I've tried to do this with clothes on and it doesn't work very good but it should give the OT something to consider now. This person is quite sincere about these exercises and I will do them for my own benefit then hopefully that'll be enough. The OT was impressed with my arm bike as well as my Rickshaw out on the patio except for it's sort of been taken over by one of the backup chairs. And she was impressed with my backup chairs. I think she's going to be okay I think the whole OT thing is going to be really productive for me and making myself better than i was…

Tuesday chills

It was cold this morning rolling out the door but it was spring cold not winter cold which makes it big difference I suppose. I chose just to wear long sleeves a stocking cap and jacket that I can throw across my shoulders if the temperatures get too cold. I was kind of counting down the Sun but that wasn't an issue for today lots of clouds fortunately very little moisture in the fall of rain there has been a little bit of wind I could spend the last couple of days. We are certainly being thrown back to the very beginning of Spring versus the nearest summer like spring whether we've been having a late. I did the usual run around after the meeting. Over to the credit union then over to Taco Time enjoying all my regular items particularly the soft shell taco that I had for lunch. Of course it was probably more calories than I should have ingested but I was appreciative of being able to go out at least play like I was going to work. I took the bus all the way home as opposed to going over a couple streets for the train. I'm sure by taking the bus that added 45 minutes to an hour to my travel time but that's okay but waiting was chilly. I'm thankful for the wrap I carried. It was certainly not a blanket that's acting like what to a certain degree she kept the coldest of the breezes away from my neck and cheeks. I was totally glad to be alone when I finally rolled in the door. I went right over and turned on the heater and got ready to start by arm bike workout. I still had significant amount of time before my 3:00 show started on NPR. I got myself situated I should have taken time off to you know hit the toilet but I didn't, this kind of came back to haunt me during my pump but I got through the 30 minutes without issue. That's 60 Minutes this week so far quite a long ways away from the 200 I would like to have gotten in but if I can just get a hundred minutes in this week I will be happy.

I did take time to fill out the electronic information sheet that the physician wanted me to do before the appointment tomorrow morning. I hate these things I don't know why we have to do it every single time we go to the doctor's office. I guess at least it's electronic and that's not nearly as painful as it would be if you had to do paper pencil. I really think that it doesn't matter at all. If I showed up and complained about having a problem trying to figure it out they'd say oh that's okay no problem we'll get it. So it's kind of a joke but I filled it out anyway it's set to go. I just I'm counting that Melissa will get here early I'll get the business done and be able to take off for the bus. I'm sure I have more than enough time to get over to the doctor's office on the third floor. I think it's just a checkup that I'm going for I sure hope so I hate it when they get all serious and fatal on me. Let's just hope for the best.

Workout

 I'm exhausted tonight. I worked out for the first time in about 3 or 4 weeks on my arm bike. I stopped turning the bike when I did something to my arm like sprained my muscles or tore him or something like that caused a lot of bruising and such remember? Anyways I kind of been putting off the complete arm bike routine. To be honest I think I was kind of scared / spooked about getting back in the physical regime not really sure how healed I am. I have not seen the doctor or even the physical therapist for that matter. That's kind of hoping I would but maybe on Wednesday when I see the doc for a checkup that I'm going to maybe I can bounce something off of him or her and I'll figure things out maybe. That's kind of hoping my OT would be on top of it since you sounded so Dynamic when we visited earlier last week. So, I only did 30 minutes because I didn't really want to push myself I kind of want to ease myself back into my routine. It may be a couple weeks before I'm back to 200 minutes a week and today I did 30 minutes on the 1st level or the level of which I think is the hardest because it's got all the hard minutes on it that I know it's hard to explain. So hopefully maybe tomorrow I'll be able to get some time to be on the bike again but I'm not sure. I called this evening or this afternoon and indeed we're going to have a meeting tomorrow so I'll be going into Salt Lake early on not getting back till middle of the afternoon. If I don't dowdle anything as soon as the meeting's over which will be 12:00 p.m. I'm sure I can deadhead it back to the apartment in time to do my workout if that's really important to me. I don't know if I'll be able to make 100 minutes this week I still have time since I have 30 minutes behind me already two more days of 30 minutes each and then just 10 more minutes would give me the hundred minutes.

I must admit it felt good to get back into the arm bike push against resistance if that makes sense at all. It hurt my left side a little bit not too much however so I couldn't tell whether it was residual from the trauma that my arm had are the fact it was weak from none working out it's hard to tell. I was worried that 30 minutes wouldn't be enough to have an impact on me but I think I'm wrong there since I am feeling pretty tired right now as it's almost bedtime should be nice if it's going to assist with some sleep. Today was a very blustery warm day and it's the last warm day we're going to have and sometime it sounds like. I mean it's not going to get cold but it's going to get back into the 50s which will feel cold to me so I'll be back in long sleeves and find my stocking cap. I mean I don't plan to look like old man winter I'm certainly not going to look like a beach bum either. Hopefully the sun will be out and that'll make the difference as I cruise around the train station and the other place is going to my meeting. Interesting to note the train will not take me to the library as usual. The city / county is infinite wisdom is working on tracks remodeling right now so the red line which is the line I use will stop at the courthouse which means they'll do a bus Bridge they say I'm not sure exactly how close that will give you to the library but if I'm early enough I'm sure I'll be just fine.

Sunday blustery Sunday

 Today was perfectly beautiful with a perfect sunrise on an almost summer like day. I wanted to be sure that I was on time this morning for breakfast with Mark Anthony over at the restaurant so I worked on getting up at 5:30 as opposed to 6:00 a.m.. I'm totally glad that I did because I was using almost every minute of that early time getting ready. As much as I hate to admit it I'm losing my ability to dress myself readily. There's a time when I could cross my legs easily and put on the clothes even the shoes I would not today it took me I'll bet you had 20 minutes to get my right leg up over my left so I can put my shorts on. The left leg wasn't so bad I was able to get that up pretty easily but the right leg that's the bugger I've got to figure out another way to start the legs or the pants on my leg. And again, they'll come a time when I can't do any of it and we'll have to see what we do then. But for now I'm basically able to get things taken care of one way or the other at least so I'm presentable, enough when I have to be out in public. I totally enjoy the time with Marc Anthony as we spoke about all things that's going on in his life and I certainly gave him a rundown of what my life's like right now as well. The granddaughter did not join us this week. It's been 2 or 3 weeks now and I kind of miss her look forward to the time that we can be back together again. I did receive an email/ message or whatever that she wants to get together sometime this week. My evenings are generally free so hopefully we'll see something we can get together on this week sometime. The other thing I'm seeming to have a bit of a issue with these days is my ability to catherize. They used to be fairly simple but now I'm having some challenges as far as c a t h i n g myself once I'm dressed. Today I actually had to not only take off the straps right undid my top button as well so I was able to find my dick and be able to stick the catheter inside. I really didn't want to go through that but effort just to pee but I guess that's the way it's going to be. I also have that cloud with the silver lining- - which I'm hoping for - - in that maybe we'll figure something out with the occupational therapy I might be getting shortly. One of the things I need to do tomorrow first off is to figure out how to get my voicemails. I know I kind of did that last week but I couldn't tell you how I did it it just happened and of course I don't have my password I'm going to have to find another one or build another one which drives me crazy. People like to leave me messages so I better figure out how to get those messages on timely manner especially when I'm dealing with medical appointments and things of that nature. Other than that my day was kind of quiet except for the loud wind blowing that went on today as the cold front moves forward. Things are settled down now in the evening the wind blue and blue this afternoon temperatures are up in the '80s so even though it was uncomfortable to some degree dealing with the Wind I sure enjoyed the warmer temperatures.

Savoring Saturday

I wonder if it's more noble to leave the apartment get on a bus and go to a theater to watch a movie which is not too dissimilar from any of the movies I can get on either Netflix or Disney Plus. The process of actually leaving the apartment however to go to the movie house seems to make the event much more wholesome then slinking around the apartment eating whatever you get your hands on and watching the movie on your flat screen. Perhaps it's because you have to get dressed for one and in some cases dressed up nice but not for me today I just wore one shoe to give anyone who cares at all the illusion that there is something wrong with my foot so I didn't have a shoe on but since I went to the problem and effort to put it on one shoe it must be okay. All I know is that they did not turn me away behind there no shoes no shirt no service sign. There were more folks than usual at the movies today I assume because it's Saturday, the weekend, and since it was an early movie 12: 50 p.m. not a whole lot of people were in the movie mood yet and probably wouldn't be because the day was so nice. The temperature is in the upper 80s very rare for this early in May. So I figured people were outside at the park or washing the car or missing in the garden enjoying the direct sun rays. I found the movie that I chose to watch today somewhat boring which kind of surprised me since the first movie was really good I thought. But like most sequels they never match up to the original another lesson I'm learning. The first edition is usually the best.

I came out after the evening news to read a little bit out on the patio I was also curious to see if the people I challenge last night to charge their vehicles, scooters, and I was going to go across the street with them to the market. These guys just hover around the intersections have never crossed the streets they're too frightened. They're afraid they will not have enough power to cross the street. I told them that I would cross the street with him tonight to go to the market if they would charge their vehicles up over the evening. Of course the one little guy who just wants to talk shows up and he didn't plug his chair in or scooter and the other lady with the scooter didn't show up at all. I basically ignored the Asian guy will call Bing till he finally left. I didn't figure these guys were going to go but I said I would wait not take them and that's what I did I just dumped them and went over to the market myself got a few riddles for the remainder of the weekend. Grapes, spicy V8, green bananas and a couple other incidentals. It was a pretty busy day…

2 hours lost!

 Remember I said something about finishing a book that I've been reading for about 2 weeks yesterday I think for the day before? Anyway, I was now done with this book and I was going to go back and finish the other book I was in the middle of reading or actually 3/4 of the way through but I was able to get this other book. Went out to read this evening in the evening warmth- - it's been very warm all day almost into the 90s. I don't know how many months I've been reading the Satanic Verses but it's been three or four for me it's a difficult book and like I said I'm in the last quarter of the book now and I just want to finish it and get it off of my reading list. So I went to the back or I usually read during the day and was reading are trying to when I was surrounded by power scooters. Two of the folks that use power scooters descended upon me and start asking me all kinds of silly questions pretty much about power. I've been talking these two for some time they've never really crossed the street from our apartment complex over to the market which is almost literally next door across the street. They are too afraid they're Vehicles will not make it across the street which is totally ridiculous. I really didn't want to visit with these people anyway and social constraint didn't allow me to slam my shut and roll away. I started out being nice and trying to be supportive, they both kept giving me these week excuses and I started getting pissed. Anyway, I finally shut my book realized that was not going to get anything more red tonight at least until bedtime and essentially challenged the two to come with me and we would go on a jump around the area just to show him that they're chart their power scooters were still charged and they could go anywhere they wanted to especially across the street. This event took two of my hours the evening they couldn't believe it. In the end we went totally around this Park which is just next to our building but it's a great distance when you go all the way around it way more than crossing the street which should show them that they have enough power in there batteries of their of their vehicles to do the job they want. I wanted to just drag him across the street tonight and get it over with since I've already lost my two hours but they were too afraid. I've challenged them now to charge the vehicles all night long to see if they will take the challenge tomorrow afternoon or evening and see if then they will cross the street. I kind of don't think they will and I'm going to wash my hands of them if they don't time is just way too short and I don't have much time and these two burgers have less time than I do. I better be careful cuz after having written this for sure I will get ran over tomorrow sure thing crossing the street..

Late afternoon coffee

 I had coffee with my good friend LB today and went on and on about how I need to stop wasting my life in front of the flat screen and semi declaring that I will stop watching as much as I have been and then just realized I killed a whole hour watching my favorite Thursday night situation comedies. That I can say that I really liked the other one that's just front of and it's right after the 6:00 news so it's just as easy to watch the first sitcom as it goes into the second and both are season finale. I don't know why I bother because I think I basically slept through the one situation comedy that I like best. I don't know if it's the comedy so much as it's throwback to Thursday night viewing that I used to really enjoy especially from the late '70s '80s and 90s. I can't believe how much I enjoyed watching those Thursday night offerings. Everything from Seinfeld to Hill Street Blues. Not only was it good television but it was the ushering in of Friday and the weekend. The flat screen is off now and I'm enjoying the quietness of my apartment and feeling I'm doing something by updating the blog and my journal even though the creativity is somewhat minimal at best.

 I really enjoyed Hill Street Blues primarily because it showed a work situation that I would have loved to been part of. It was a gritty City operation. The precinct was watched over by a strict but fair boss one that I would love to have had at that particular time in my life. Everybody did their job some better than others but they all showed up at roll call ready to do there jobs. I kind of miss that. I'm sure if I really wanted to go back and revisit those old shows I could find them somewhere on the internet even if I had to rent them I could but my need for nostalgia, thank goodness, it's not that great. It's bad enough that I waste time on netflix, Prime and Disney Plus. These old series would just add another level of time consuming nothingness to my mortal existence that I should be doing more with not less. We had a great conversation with fairly decent coffee at least it was hot, at least mine was to start. We talked about where we were at on our creative universes, the political mess that we're existed in right now in the problems that people with disabilities are going to be facing probably very shortly as the current political Administration continues to route federally fun to support systems people with disabilities in their communities. I wouldn't say we've given up hope but I would say we are realistic ass too what issues might come our way. I really feel people with disabilities are looking at some major problems if and when the Giant Federal support systems get their legs cut off funding wise. We weren't depressed- at least I wasn't when we were finished. Just hopeful that we'd be able to meet again before too long and before any giant Federal hammers fall on us...