COMPLETE OVERHAUL

I am a very grateful person. I do not consider myself slow to give thanks, but I am often too quiet. There are few unexpected things that come my way for which I do not thank God. I am grateful for every good and perfect gift that comes from above. Neither am I unaware that most of those things came through people listening to the voice of God. To them I must express more thanks. I have begun working my way though the many people who lovingly surround me to make sure they know they are appreciated. They are and my family brings light to my existence.

I am in a strange phase of life. I visited my second doctor of the week today and told him I had to either get a completely new body or take this one in for a complete overhaul. After thinking for a while he suggested the full body overhaul. New bodies are hard to come by.

I am now being referred to an endless array of specialists. I am not an especially fearful person. My best friend who lives in another country (O Canada) is concerned about me often. I wrote to tell him of all that was happening and invited him to worry for me. He will. Of course, I didn’t have to ask and if one of us needs to worry, I would rather it be he than me. I love the Lord and am fine with my place in life. I joke with my daughter that I am worth more dead than alive. Don’t mistake any inference. I love life and am enjoying my place in life and have no interest in hastening the end, but I will welcome it when it comes.

Yesterday I met with a doctor to discuss an up coming colonoscopy and other rear end alignments issues. I like him and am OK with the procedure. I am not excited about it, but it is necessary. He also suggested that a number of other internal issues might relate to lactose intolerance. He asked me to cut out all dairy products for at least six months. Of course, I will but am crying about the lost of milk and ice cream. I am addicted to both. He told them there is soymilk and soy ice cream. Yuck! I had a housemate who was lactose intolerant. And he was surviving fine. I remember telling him at the time that I didn’t know if I could do it? We will now find out.

I am now being referred to a specialist about pain in my chest. No appointment yet. Today my own GP looked at my sore left foot and noticed that it turns in. I told it has turned in for 68 years. This is nothing new. He believes it may be the reason walking is getting increasingly difficult. My left foot starts hurting and then my right hip gives in. Now you know why I need an overhaul.

My eyesight is declining. I was recently given a prescription for new glasses but cannot afford them so continue to use what I have. I can see fine – until it gets dusky. The computer is fine. It has light behind the writing so I am doing my computer playing around as night begins to fall.

I’m sure there are other things that are wearing out. There seems to be a replacement for everything. I would rather keep the original equipment, but we do what we must. But with age comes increased medical issues. It is tough to accept a times, but we were not built to last forever. We wear out and our replacements are born everyday. I love the process of turning life over to my grandchildren just as long as they continue to love me in the process. They do. They make my day.

SHOTGUN EFFECT

Random thoughts about the happenings of the last few days:

My grandson had minor surgery on Tuesday. I picked up the girls from school and hung out with them preparing supper until mom and dad got home with my frandson. We had a fascinating talk about books. The middle child is an avid reader. Both girls like sad books. Couldn’t really find out why.

It was most interesting when we transitioned to family. My wife’s side has been traced back to the 1100’s in France. They moved to Scotland and got established and developed connections to royalty. I thought this might be interesting, but #1 child said she didn’t care much about that side of the family because they aren’t blood relatives. I guess that is true in one sense but not legally. My daughter is adopted. She assumed that was the start of a new family and therefore is not connection to our side of the family before her mom. I had to laugh. Then asked if that meant I wasn’t her Papa? No was her papa. So how does that work if her mom’s side of the family is not blood relatives? She was stunned and staggered for a moment. Well, you are my papa. Mom and dad arrived and the conversation was over. I would love to have explored that more.

Wednesday was my regular doctors appointment. Besides the normal talk about diabetes and high blood pressure I pushed to get answers to other issues. He kept trying to get away, but I would not let him.

Our talk led to a cortisone shot in my left elbow. I’ve had pain for several weeks and it just would not go away. My hand was beginning to shake making my art rather difficult.

I am now scheduled for a colonoscopy next week. I’m not excited. I had one at age 50 and was not put under for the procedure. I just squirmed with the weirdness, and leaked most of the day. I have taken two friends for the same tests since moving here and they were so drugged out when I brought them home neither remembered anything that happened until after 6 pm. They weren’t even sure I brought them home. The test will also check for a botched rear end alignment about 12 years ago. Had hemorrhoids removed and things were not put back correctly. Yuck!

I’m also being sent to an urologist. Problems on both sides! And finally I am being sent for a mammogram to see why I have pain in my chest. He thinks it may be a cyst.

OK. I accept that I am falling apart. No, I am not fearful for any of it. I admit that I do not like pain and hate drugs even though I load up on them daily. I keep trying to get rid of some, but he keeps adding instead. I may open my own pharmacy.

I stayed with my grandson today and will also do it tomorrow. We always have a good time. We watched “How to Train Your Dragon” learned to play some DS games (I didn’t know what it was either – he had to teach me – and I never won). and cleaned the kitchen. I was surprised. The best thing we did that he enjoyed was clean the kitchen. Go figure. He was so proud that the first thing he said to mom was “Look at the kitchen” Good kid.