Category Archives: Bad Days

Dry Spell

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I’ve been searching my brain for days, trying to come up with something to write about. I guess it happens to everyone, but I wish it wouldn’t happen to me. I’m not even sure where this post will lead; I suppose we’ll find out together.

My pain level has been pretty high this past couple of days. I suppose that’s why I’m struggling with my writing. Chronic pain causes exhaustion, lack of concentration, and a total lack of desire to do anything, It takes everything in me to shake off that kind of depression. It’s difficult to do but when something you were looking forward to gets ripped right out from under you, it’s even harder. You wonder, “Why the fuck do I even try.”

Next week, I’m getting Gel One injections in my knees. I’m hoping this particular type will help more than the last, but I’m not getting my hopes up. I’m not too anxious about the shots since I went through this 6 months ago. I know what to expect now and I know it’s not painful; it’s mostly just pressure in the knees and a little uncomfortable.

I am looking forward to seeing my sister, my daughter and my grandson very soon! I wish I could cook like I use to. I would love to cook up a feast for them! The house could use a good deep cleaning….but I can’t do that either. The grandson is nearly 4 years old now. I haven’t seen him since he was less than 2 years old! I’m pretty sure that if my furbabies knew about this visit and could offer their two cents, they would say, “Noooooo! Don’t let them come!” I’m also sure they will make themselves scarce during the visit! They’re just not used to little people with loud voices!

Dad had a coughing fit tonight and just about scared the daylights out of me. He was eating tootsie rolls and I always warn him to be careful. Chewy candy, in general, produces too much saliva. Anyway, I thought I was going to have to do the Heimlich Maneuver, but he caught his breath and coughed it out. Thank goodness. That man scares the hell out of me sometimes. He will be 81 in February.

It’s nearly 1 a.m. as I type this. I should go to bed but I’m half-ass watching this LMN movie about a crazy guy stalking the neighbor woman whom he apparently knew in the past. She knows him from somewhere but can’t put her finger on it. It will all come out in the wash! These movies are so predictable and seriously if you’ve seen one it’s a safe bet that you’ll see another and another with the same plot with different actors!

Well, my eyes are getting heavy and I keep hitting the wrong keys. I must be tired. I hope my pain level is lower tomorrow because I have some errands to run. Dad and I usually have lunch out on Saturdays too. It would be nice to be able to enjoy some time away from home without too much pain….but, that’s my life. I do what I can, when I can.

 

 

 

Today I Cried

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It might sound trivial to some, but today is the anniversary of my best buddy Fuzzy’s death. He was the best cat ever. I cried, as I always do when I think about him. He’s only been gone since February. I hope it gets easier to remember him.

It was 1998 and my kids and I were at my sister’s house for a visit. My sister’s kids and mine were outside playing and they found a litter of kittens. I don’t recall if there was a mother cat with them or not. The kittens were all adorable but one stood out from the rest.

He was a tiny, gray striped male with a huge personality! He played with his siblings but also by himself. He was the happiest little guy! We took him home and named him Fuzz.

Fuzz was spoiled rotten before too long, of course, but he was a good cat! He never had a problem using the litter box, he had manners when we were eating, and he didn’t claw the furniture. He was so cuddly and sweet at bedtime. He slept with me and there were many times over the years that I’d wake up to one of his paws stretched across my face.

When he was a young cat, he loved our Christmas trees! I always had to set up the tree without any decor until he got his climbing frenzy out of his system. It was hilarious watching him climb and go nuts. At that time he didn’t go outside so it was so new and fun for him!

Fuzz was very protective…of ME anyway. There were many times he jumped in between me and some critter in the yard! Sometimes it was an opossum and sometimes a skunk. That cat jumped between the critter and me before the critter could get too close. It was amazing!

He spent a lot of his time outside so he was very street-smart. It’s miraculous that he didn’t get caught by a coyote or hit by a car; but like I said, he was street-smart. I can count on one hand how many times he had to go to the vet because he was sick or hurt.

His last year with us, he began to show his age and he started losing weight. Then came his uncontrollable hunger, which is when I took him to the vet. Kidney Disease. That dreaded kidney disease. He wasn’t going to make it to his 19th Christmas. I knew it was just a matter of time at that point and gave my poor Fuzzy anything he wanted. Why not? Wouldn’t you want someone to give you anything you wanted if you were dying?

Fuzzy’s favorite foods were chicken, tuna, cheddar cheese, milk and vanilla ice cream. So, when he was hungry….which was almost all the time in the last few months of his life….I gave him chicken, tuna or cheddar cheese. I didn’t give him much of the other things because it wasn’t good for the litter box if you know what I mean.

Last February, my youngest cat caught a respiratory virus and I feared the others would get it too. They did. I spent 3 entire weeks going back and forth to the vet, cleaning and disinfecting, and trying to nurse all 6 cats back to health. I was not able to help my buddy, Fuzz. He was too sick and too weak. When he refused to eat, I tried to force him. He wasn’t having that at all. I knew I was going to have to take him for his last ride.

It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. I didn’t want him to suffer any more than he already had. We said goodbye to him at 4 pm on February 23, 2017. We took him home and buried him in the garden. He was 18.5 years old.

He would have been 19 years old this month. I have never had a cat live as long as Fuzz did. Now I have two 15-year-old cats that are really starting to show their age. It won’t be long now before I lose them. It really sucks when you lose a furbaby, but it’s even harder when they have been with you for so long! Fuzz grew up with my kids! The other two senior cats actually did too!

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Image Copyright Being Aunt Debbie

 

 

 

Roomis Igloomis

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Remember that episode of Gilligan’s Island where Mary Ann thought she ate a poisonous mushroom? In her dream, the Professor was her doctor and he told her she had a severe case of Roomis Igloomis.

That’s what I had today. Roomis Igloomis. No, I didn’t eat any poisonous mushrooms or any mushrooms at all. I just felt yucky all day long. My stomach was rumbling and squeaking. Well, you don’t want to hear the details. Trust me, I had Roomis Igloomis. At least, that’s what I’m calling it.

 

A Few Things That Ticked Me Off This Week

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This week has been a real PIA. I had to go out every stinkin’ day except for Wednesday. It gets tiresome and when you have chronic pain and mobility issues it can be exhausting. Any kind of aggravation is exhausting. I try not to let things bother me but good grief….I’m only human.

To the lady in the waiting room who didn’t like that I earmarked the page in my book to keep my place for next time: None of your business! It’s MY book! Doesn’t belong to the library. Doesn’t belong to you. Doesn’t belong to anyone but ME. I bought the book used with my own money. STFU and leave me alone.

People in waiting rooms who think you’re interested in their life story. Seriously, I care that you are healthy and happy but I have my own problems to contemplate while waiting to see my doctor. Please just be quiet.

People who answer their cell phone in public and then speak so loud that everyone in the restaurant can hear about brother John’s sermon or Aunt Nancy’s colonoscopy. Just be quiet man!

Signal lights on vehicles that don’t work. If I have to abide by the law and keep my vehicle in proper working order, then so do you! Fix your damn signal lights!

Vehicles that only have one license plate, in front. Guess what? This state (Missouri) is a 2 plate state. Get that second plate on your truck or car. If I have to abide by the law then by golly, you should too!

That confounded Confederate flag. Give me a break. It doesn’t matter which view you take on this; the Confederate flag is divisive. Period. Has no place in today’s society. No more than the Nazi flag does. Just get rid of it and shush.

These little fruit flies or gnats….whatever they are….flying around my face continually. They try to land in my food. They try to get in my eyes. They try to get up my nose. They are really bad this year and it’s driving me nuts. I will be so glad when Winter gets here so the bugs go away, if for no other reason. Spiders too. The best thing about Winter is that the spiders hide away in a crack or crevice and out of sight.

It’s been a pretty aggravating week. I’m hoping the new week brings a bit more smiles and relaxation. I could use some laughs. Instead, I get inundated with other people’s stupidity.

I know there are still good people left in this world. That was evident when we were offered help with our flat tire on Friday. We didn’t ask for help. It was offered and it was just plain nice. I’m hoping my next post can be more positive! Something along the lines of….The Things That Made Me Laugh Today!

 

On The Corner of Happy & Healthy….Pffftttt

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Oh, what a day.

My son came over to mow the lawn this morning. Dad was instructed by his doctor to stay out of the sun while on his antibiotics. He really shouldn’t be out in the hot sun anyway, being 80 years old and all. That’s all he needs; a nice, life-altering stroke. Not.

Anyway, they made sure the mower would start and then Dad and I headed out. We needed to pick up Dad’s new meds at Walgreen’s…on the corner of happy & healthy, you know. We pulled up to the drive up window and a notification sound sounded. I looked at the controls. Low Air Pressure. Yay. This happens all the time when the weather starts to change. So, no big deal we were thinking. We can stop at a gas station and check the tires.

The car in front of us pulled away so we pulled forward. The car made this horrendous sound! You know the sound of a flat tire on a car that is moving, right? It was loud and Dad opened the door to look at the tires. FLAT TIRE. FLAT. Just plain FLAT. Just great. Now what? Dad doesn’t need to be in the hot sun while on his meds but now he has to change a tire? I wished I could do it. Pain and mobility issues really suck!

I roll the window down to speak to the clerk behind the window. Dad’s meds aren’t ready yet. Crap. We told her we’d come back. About that time, I hear “Excuse me, ma’am!” I look to my right in the other drive up lane, and a woman is pointing to my tire and she said something but I really wasn’t listening. I knew the tire was flat already. I gave her a thumbs up gesture and pulled through the line and parked where we wouldn’t be in the way.

 

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Image Copyright Being Aunt Debbie

 

Oh boy. Now the fun. Dad tries to get the lug nuts off. We’ve had the tires off before; why the heck does it seem that the lug wrenches are either too big or too small? Dad was struggling. He was saying how he hates to call AAA because no telling how long we’ll be sitting here. All of a sudden, he pulls out a sharp-ended screw of some kind right out of the tire! We must have picked it up as we pulled into the drive up lane. Better than while we were driving! Dad was disgusted. So was I. Especially when we found out that the mower had stopped working — we sure hoped my son got most of the yard mowed, it needed it so bad!

About that time, a nice man approached us from a parking lot to the right. He was doing some yard work at the building next door. He offered to give Dad a hand. He too was a little perplexed as to why the lug wrenches weren’t working. He even tried his own. He eventually got them loosened, jacked the car up and got the tire off. He put the spare tire on. He gave us directions to a tire shop where we could get the tire patched up. We talked for a few minutes and let him know how thankful we were for his help.

Until today, I had nearly given up on the kindness of mankind. It was nice to have been shown there are still some good people out there. The man, wouldn’t accept anything in return for his assistance. He said, “All I could think about was that it could be my mom and dad who needed help and I would hope someone would step up and help them.” Too bad more people don’t think like that.

The nice man went about his business and Dad and I headed to the tire shop. $10.00 and 10 minutes later, we were on our way. We were hungry because we hadn’t had any lunch yet and it was almost 2:00 pm. We headed over to El Chico to have a bite and a drink!! We were so hungry we ate everything on our plates. We normally bring food home for later. Not this time. I had a Strawberry Daiquiri and Dad had a glass of wine.

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Enough with this day! Stopped by Walgreen’s again to pick up Dad’s meds…..on the corner of happy & healthy……hopefully not picking up any more sharp objects in the process, and then on our way home!

Boy, was I glad to be home! Ahhhh!