A couple of straights

Somehow, last night, I ended up at "Let's do all my blood tests tomorrow". 

Not sure how that happened, I think I was a little manic.  Only manic, does it sound good to cough up hundreds of dollars and get a needle in my arm. 

I am also curious to get my A1C test results, because, if I have a blood sugar problem, I want to make it my bitch before it really harms me.  Not going to end up on dialysis (I will refuse it and die first), ulcers, blindness - really, BOTH of us?  Or amputations.  No.  Not if I can avoid it. 

My sugars remain about 20 points too high in the morning. 

I am also nearly due for my lithium level and chemistry panel.  Chem panel just basically checks if the livers and kidney working.  :p  I am at risk for kidney trouble due to the lithium, not a huge risk, but I need to be watched.  Doc scolded me several years ago, said lithium is only on the market because the doctors agreed to monitor kidney function every year.  Checking it yearly is NOT optional. 

I don't want him losing his license, or getting slapped.  And really, a "good" blood test is no different from checking my blood sugar in the morning.  In fact, it was a lot easier and less painful than that stupid "at home" A1C blood test I tried to do yesterday. 

So, why go do an AIC and then go in a month later to get the lithium and chemistry panel?  I see doc in about a month anyway, it seems prudent to give him an accurate picture now. 

So, last night found me taking my lithium later than normal (supposed to be 12 hours before the test), calling Lou the Cab Driver, and fasting this morning. 

I slept OK, woke up with a nasty headache around 5 AM.  I really hate headaches.  If this keeps up I'm going to need to buy another package (200 count) of generic headache tablets.  I took a couple and went back to bed, then got up. 

I took my shower and did my God Time, didn't eat, didn't drink a diet soda.  I wanted to, but fasting is fasting.  I know aspartame affects my blood sugar, so it seemed, to me, I shouldn't mess with what ought to be an accurate reading. 

When I checked at home it was about 115.  By the time I got to the lab I was outright hungry, so I think it will test lower than that. 

The tech was nice.  I had to have Ron call and get Doc's fax number because I'm not in the computer.  I also asked them to mail it and email it, too. 

I believe in redundancy, and I may have to take all this to my primary doc if Doc doesn't want to prescribe Metformin. 

Although, who's going to lie about borderline high blood sugar?  My little "daily fasting blood sugar" notebook ought to do it.  Metformin is a lot like lithium, it only works on people who need it. 

We went to the back and I explained "You have to tie it up and slap it".  She declined, but she did tie off my arm with two rubber straps.  As I extended my arm, it began shaking, but she managed to get the blood with no problem. 

"I do blood draws on one-year-olds" she told me smugly.  Three vials, and minimal pain, later - honestly, the shaking was the worst of it, we were done. 

She double checked my name and I'm glad.  One time the tech put in my name as BL instead of BO.

I was also happy to find out they had dropped their prices on both the lithium level and the chem panel, saving me $50. 

I love those guys.  Completely starving, I went to the Kolache Factory and got a couple of cream cheese and a couple of Diet Dr Peppers.  I gobbled everything, starving. 

I decided to go to the craft store.  I won't name it - you'll see why. 

Anyway, I had a lot of good memories of this craft store and their awesome yarn collections. 

However, it was across two busy streets.  Now, I'll go under 249, no problem.  It makes me a little nervous but I can do it. 

1960, on the other hand, gives me the cold chills.  "You got run over" I tell Ron "And I have PTSD."  I get panic attacks thinking about crossing very busy streets.  I can tell my blood pressure is up right now just writing about it. 

Not to mention, it had the horror of horrors, the underpass.  I also have a deathly fear of heights.  In my special hell, I am stuck on an overpass trying to cross a busy street. 

I had a couple of choices, I thought.  I could butch up and try to do it, but it would be miserable.  Or I could cross 249 and wait on the 44 bus.  The bus goes across 1960.  I could take the bus one stop and get across with no drama or strain. 

I elected to take the bus.  One reason, you see, why I ALWAYS carry my bus pass.  That, and the time Ron was a jerk... but we won't recall that. 

I had to wait about 20 minutes but I figured it was worth it, as I watched all the whizzing cars going over the very high underpass.  [shudder]  Hell.  It would have been hell. 

The bus came, I rode it one stop.  No one cared. 

I got off and walked to the craft store, in my sandals (not the best thinking there but my feet are OK). 

Now, a little about my current project.  Someone mentioned a project, I have one.  I am working on a garter stitch wrap.  It will be about 2 feet wide, 5 feet long, and close with a button.  I will be able to wear it on my shoulders without impeding my arms.  That seems practical for work. 

It's a light/medium/dark blue mix, denimy.  I'm working it up in garter stitch, plain knit stitches.  I am a left-handed or "Continental" knitter. 

I had been working it on a circular, but am having trouble sliding the stitches up the point.  I'm not that tight a knitter!  I tried another circular, same thing. 

So, let's leave it there.  I went into the store. 

LOUSY selection.  They had a fair amount of baby yarns, but a very limited selection of Red Heart, even.  Red Heart is like the Honda of yarns, very popular, always around.  Every craft store always has a couple dozen selections of Red Heart - heck, even Hobby Lobby had tons and they have their own yarn brand!  Hobby Lobby had tons of yarn - this store, which I will not name, did not. 

I was disgusted.  I walked and waited all that time just to go over there and find nothing?

What did they have?  Well, they had some supplies.  I took a look.  They had a fair amount of straight needles, some circulars, and various things like stitch markers and double pointed needles.  Well, at least they had that. 

Straights.  Huh.  No bump in the straights to hang up my stitches.  Couldn't hurt, the needles only cost $4.  Not only that, they had some point protectors to keep my stitches from falling off. 

If you are a knitter you know very well, you never end the work at the end of a row.  Something always comes up right after you start it, or in the middle. 

Surprisingly, the cats have been indifferent to my knitting.  I'm shocked.  They watch it a little bit, I stop, they wander off.  I'm shocked. 

I really thought I'd have a bunch of bitey little maulers.  They also leave my project alone when I'm not working on it. 

I remember one time I came home from work to find yarn strung all over the house.  Gypsy had found my yarn stash and had a grand day.  Bubba used to drag off alpaca yarn and maul it.  Frosty loved to attack yarn as I worked.  I hardly got any work done! 

So, a nice surprise.  It's going to be a funny sight, me working the knitting off the circular, onto the straight.  It's funny, I didn't used to have problems working on a circular but things change. 

Easy enough to try, at least.  I threw a couple of straights into the cart. 

I have also totally forgotten binding off.  I think I will use some scrap yarn to practice that. 

So, not impressed, I paid for my few items and checked out. 

I called Lou, who was across town.  It took him over an hour. 

Now, I could have called another cab, but I haven't had much luck in my zip code.  We are too middle class, I think.  We have enough money, per capita, that everyone has a car.  We don't have enough money that people ride cabs regularly like they would in the Galleria area.  Just my theory. 

So, I waited and read one of my books.  I always carry my Kindle, too. 

Lou finally showed up, feeling terrible.  I was nice to him anyway and gave him a decent tip.  It was Ron's money, anyway (Ron had given me cab fare). 

We got home and I took a nap for a couple hours.  I still had time for that.  I woke up with Torbie in my bed.  That was nice. 

Now Ron wants to watch a cowboy romance movie.  We'll see if it's as good as he hopes.  If nothing else, I can work on my knitting. 

Edit: the straights work a lot better for my knitting, and the cats remain indifferent.