Day 2

So I was texting with JB last night, and today I let Mairead know what is going on.

I was up till 12:30 am last night and was in a deep sleep when they collected the trash this morning - the noise woke me up at 7 am. But I was having a nice dream so rolled back over to try to catch the ending. I woke up again at 9 am when my alarm went off - I don’t like to waste time sleeping so I have my alarm set to go off every morning at 9 am. I had been getting up at 7 am when I was working - having a cup of tea and a mini bagel or English muffin in bed while I watched CBS This Morning or Morning Joe until it was time to log onto work. But today I got right up and made myself French toast with Canadian White Bread - it was delicious!! I made my second cup of tea and “went to work.” I called Fidelity to set up my 401K monthly distribution - I kept getting kicked off the website so I finally called. Once that was done, I called BCBS to set up a Medicare Part D drug plan and a Supplemental plan. I had a couple of questions about travel coverage so I did the application on the phone - it took forever. By now it was noon!!

Then my sister-in-law called from Kenmare to find out how I was. Monica said she called Mike today about 9 am Irish time to see if we were almost to Sneem. She was shocked when Mike said I had to cancel the trip. We talked about me for a couple of minutes, but then talked about restoring the old house. I was telling her that I had large pictures of Uncle Tim Burns and his wife Ellen who was the first relative to come to the US in 1852. He became a merchant and land developer in Cambridge, and was able to bring out his nieces and nephews when their sister Mary was married to John Curran, and they took over the homestead. 

Mary’s brother David brought out Mary and her 5 children when she was evicted from Gortdromagh - he helped her to save enough money to go home and buy it back. I have a large picture of him as well - plus a mug with his name on it and a large heavy milk jug. Aunt Helen Murphy gave me these things, and I plan to take them back to the old house once it is renovated. Monica said that we think the same way - she thinks it is great that those things are going back to the old house plus Nana Murphy’s set of blue and white dishes that are in the new house now.

I didn’t realize that my PCP was trying to call while I talked to Monica. Her voicemail said that she had received a call from Dr Dimond’s office re my Creatinine and BUN being a little elevated. No mention of the GFR of 29. She said that it is probably a little alarming to hear this - she wants to check how many NSAIDS I am taking for my hip. (NSAIDs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.) I rarely take any but have been taking Ibuprofen recently after dental surgery. She wants to set up a renal scan and repeat the labs next week. She said that she asked Dr Dimond to keep my spot open for the 15th. I called her back, but she was with a patient. I left her a voicemail message that any time next week was okay for the tests - I said that I would be by the phone this afternoon.

Do I really want this revision? I don’t have good feelings about it now. Do I want to have Dr Dimond hold that spot? I can function ok now - I can walk short distances - my hip kills me if I walk further - but Lidoderm patches help somewhat if I am traveling. I can’t lift my right leg more than a couple of inches off the floor - I have to throw my pants onto the floor and wriggle my foot into the pants. I can’t stand for extended periods of time - but that is more likely my back than my hip. So I could survive the way I am. But my fear is that I’ll get to the point that I won’t be able to lift my foot to drive. So that is my dilema.

By now it is after 3 pm. So I head into the Stop and Shop so I will have some food tomorrow - I had thrown everything out yesterday when I thought I was going to Sneem. So I stocked up on fruit and veg. It takes a while when you are reading food labels - I’m used to checking for sodium, but now I am reading ingredients because potassium and phosphorus are not normally listed in th percentages - you have to read the ingredients for them - and of course, they are in small print!

I drove home along the shore. I had heard wind last night when I was in bed. It must have been strong because there was sand all over the road near Maravista. The town has piled up sand at Maravista and Menauhant Beaches because of the erosion. Every storm wipes it out - then they replenish it. It must cost thousands.

I worked on this blog until it was time to head to Johnny and Vicky’s at 5 pm. I went over for dinner. It was very nice - they are always up to something with their estate sales. Tonight Johnny gave me a box of books about William Shakespeare - I am to share them with you Jody!! Then he showed me 2 fascinating books on Ireland - one was a history of Irish food and recipes - the other was written in 2006 and has pix and stories of every day Irish people. I loved the faces! Johnny gave them to me to take home. 

Mairead called as we were watching Victoria on PBS. She asked how I was doing. She said it was pouring rain in Seattle, and she had just heard lightening. She had wanted to watch the fireworks but thought they would be canceled. There was a party, but she was comfortable in her 3rd floor sitting room and didn’t know if she would go.

When Mairead hung up, I decided to head home - it was almost 9 pm. There was a lot of traffic out as I drove home - people going out to celebrate? I got home and was going to jump into bed to watch Rachel Maddow, but my bed is so full of junk that I am sitting in the living room. I worked on the blog as I watched Rachel and then turned on CNN for New Year’s Eve coverage. 

It is now 12:13 am on New Year’s Day, and it is time to clear off my bed and jump in!